Oak decline in southern Moravia: the association between climate change and early and late wood formation in oaks

0348661 - BÚ 2011 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Doležal, Jiří - Mazůrek, Petr - Klimešová, Jitka
Oak decline in southern Moravia: the association between climate change and early and late wood formation in oaks.
Preslia. Roč. 82, č. 3 (2010), s. 289-306. ISSN 0032-7786. E-ISSN 0032-7786
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050802; GA ČR GA526/09/0963; GA ČR(CZ) GA526/06/0723
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Keywords : aridity index * climate-growth relationship * moving response function
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 2.792, year: 2010

Pedunculate (Quercus robur) and sessile (Quercus petraea) oak, dominant species in European hardwood forests, are declining in many regions throughout Europe and extreme climatic events (summer drought, winter frost) are considered to be key factors contributing to this decline via a negative effect on wood formation. An extensive sampling of scattered oak trees was undertaken in the White Carpathians in order to determine the association between growth in diameter and climate over the last 100 zears. The late wood growth of oak trees, growing on deep calcium-rich soils, which dry out in summer, is mainly associated with rainfall in May–June, while early wood growth is associated with previous autumn and winter temperatures. The results provide support for a crucial role of climate change (decline in rainfall and increase in summer temperatures over the last three decades) among other external factors in the high number of oaks dying prematurely in the White Carpathian grassland.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0189116