Age-mediation of tree-growth responses to experimental warming in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.

ABSTRACT: The trajectory of tree-growth response to climate warming may be related to attributes like tree age. However, age-mediation of temperature sensitivity of tree growth has received little attention. This study aimed to determine how age affects tree growth in a future warmer world. In a 2-year ecosystem warming experiment in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, we explored the response of Qinghai spruce saplings at two life stages to two warming levels. Our results indicated a significant interaction between warming and age for sapling growth of Qinghai spruce. In high-level warming scenario, the experiment increased growing season air temperatures by approximately 1.0°C and annual growing degree-days by 38%. In response, warmed saplings lengthened the growing season by 10 days on ave

SUBMITTER: Du J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6392491 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature