Long tree-ring chronologies provide evidence of recent tree growth decrease in a Central African tropical forest.

ABSTRACT: It is still unclear whether the exponential rise of atmospheric CO2 concentration has produced a fertilization effect on tropical forests, thus incrementing their growth rate, in the last two centuries. As many factors affect tree growth patterns, short -term studies might be influenced by the confounding effect of several interacting environmental variables on plant growth. Long-term analyses of tree growth can elucidate long-term trends of plant growth response to dominant drivers. The study of annual rings, applied to long tree-ring chronologies in tropical forest trees enables such analysis. Long-term tree-ring chronologies of three widespread African species were measured in Central Africa to analyze the growth of trees over the last two centuries. Growth trends were correlated to cha

SUBMITTER: Battipaglia G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4373839 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature