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Forests
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Effects of Climate Change on Tree-Ring Growth—2nd Edition
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Effects of Climate Change on Tree-Ring Growth—2nd Edition

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 November 2026 | Viewed by 4482

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qiang Li

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Guest Editor
Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: tree-ring isotopes; climate change; climate reconstruction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yafeng Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: treeline ecotone; dendroecology; alpine shrub; climate warming; Tibetan Plateau
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Liang Shi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geographic Resources and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: ecosystem ecology; forest ecology; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xianliang Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
Interests: climate modeling; tree-ring analysis; tree growth; climate dynamics; climatology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest dynamics have shown pervasive shifts in our changing world. Climate change can cause tree growth decline and high tree mortality across global forests. Tree ring growth is affected by climate change, and this determines whether a tree species has a high rate of mortality. We therefore invite contributions to this Special Issue studying the effects of climate change on tree ring growth. These contributions can explore all aspects of tree ring studies, related to topics such as the following:

  • Forest carbon dynamics and climate change;
  • Climate change-induced treeline or shrubline movement, insect outbreaks or forest dynamics with tree rings;
  • Response and adaptation of tree or shrub growth to climate change;
  • Tree ring-based past climate reconstruction;
  • Wood anatomy of tree rings, tree growth monitoring and climate change;
  • Fusing tree ring and forest inventory data;
  • Linking remote sensing and dendrochronology.

Prof. Dr. Qiang Li
Prof. Dr. Yafeng Wang
Dr. Liang Shi
Prof. Dr. Xianliang Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tree ring
  • dendroecology
  • stable isotopes
  • extreme climate events
  • drought
  • forest growth
  • climate changes
  • trees and shrubs

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3030 KB  
Article
Elevational Differentiation in Earlywood and Latewood Density Responses of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica to Climate in the Northern Greater Khingan Range
by Kexin Song, Zhaopeng Wang, Dongyou Zhang, Shulong Yu, Tongwen Zhang, Xinrui Wang, Xiangyou Li and Bingyun Du
Forests 2026, 17(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17010099 - 12 Jan 2026
Viewed by 575
Abstract
Annual density chronologies of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica L. at high and low elevations in the northern Greater Khingan Range were analyzed, and the responses of earlywood and latewood densities to climatic factors were examined. Significant elevational differentiation was observed in the growth [...] Read more.
Annual density chronologies of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica L. at high and low elevations in the northern Greater Khingan Range were analyzed, and the responses of earlywood and latewood densities to climatic factors were examined. Significant elevational differentiation was observed in the growth response. At low elevation (630 m), earlywood density was positively correlated with temperatures in c4, c6, and c7 (c, current year) and negatively correlated with precipitation in p11 and c6 (p, previous year). Latewood density was negatively correlated with temperatures in c1–c5 and positively correlated with temperatures in c7–c8. At high elevation (1000 m), earlywood density was significantly negatively correlated with temperatures in p10, p11, c3, and c6, and with precipitation in p11, c2, c3, c5–c7, and c9; latewood density was significantly negatively correlated only with temperature in p11. Following an abrupt temperature shift in 1987, the low-elevation earlywood density chronology shifted from a decreasing to a strongly increasing trend, the low-elevation latewood chronology shifted from a strongly decreasing to a strongly increasing trend, and the high-elevation latewood chronology shifted from a strongly decreasing to an increasing trend. July temperature in the year of the shift drove the trend changes in the low-elevation earlywood and high-elevation latewood chronologies, and May temperature drove the trend change in the latewood density chronology at low-elevation, thereby explaining the shift in the latewood trend. Sliding-window correlation analyses further showed that low-elevation trees are more sensitive to climate fluctuations and exhibit lower growth stability, whereas high-elevation trees are less sensitive to climate fluctuations and show higher growth stability. Thus, the growth of low-elevation P. sylvestris var. mongolica is affected by combined water and heat stress, while the growth of high-elevation trees is primarily limited by temperature. Under ongoing warming, growth potential is likely to increase near the treeline but decline at low-elevation sites. These results provide a robust scientific basis for elucidating the response mechanisms of mountain forests in the Greater Khingan Range to climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change on Tree-Ring Growth—2nd Edition)
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30 pages, 9607 KB  
Article
The Influence of Planting Density and Climatic Variables on the Wood Structure of Siberian Spruce and Scots Pine
by Elena A. Babushkina, Yulia A. Kholdaenko, Liliana V. Belokopytova, Dina F. Zhirnova, Nariman B. Mapitov, Tatiana V. Kostyakova, Konstantin V. Krutovsky and Eugene A. Vaganov
Forests 2025, 16(11), 1622; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111622 - 23 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1015
Abstract
Stand density is one among a multitude of factors impacting the growth of trees and their responses to climatic variables, but its effect on wood quality at the scale of anatomical structure is hardly investigated. Therefore, we analyzed the radial growth and wood [...] Read more.
Stand density is one among a multitude of factors impacting the growth of trees and their responses to climatic variables, but its effect on wood quality at the scale of anatomical structure is hardly investigated. Therefore, we analyzed the radial growth and wood structure of Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in an experimental conifer plantation with a wide gradient of stand density in the Siberian southern taiga. The measured and indexed chronologies of the tree-ring width (TRW), number of tracheid cells per radial row in the ring produced in the cambial zone (N), cell radial diameter (D), and cell wall thickness (CWT) demonstrated the influence of the planting density. The TRW and N have a negative allometric dependence on the stand density (R2 = 0.75–0.88), likely due to competition for resources. The consistent negative dependence of the D on the stand density (R2 = 0.85–0.97) is log-linear and also seems to be related to tree size, while the CWT is not significantly dependent on the stand density. These findings can be used as insights in regulating cellular structure and procuring desired wood quality by silvicultural means. Both conifer species have similar climatic reactions. We observed significant suppression of TRW and D related to water deficit in May–July (both species), as well as frosty (more for pine) and low-snow (for spruce) conditions in winters, as shown by both dendroclimatic correlation and pointer year analysis. Temporal shifts in the climatic responses indicate later transition to latewood and growth cessation in sparse stands, especially in spruce. Better performance was observed in sparce and medium-density stands for both species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change on Tree-Ring Growth—2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 2668 KB  
Article
The Radial Growth Responses Differences of High-Elevation Larix sibirica to Climate Change in the Altay Mountains of China and Russia
by Li Qin, Yujiang Yuan, Dongliang Zhang, Tongwen Zhang, Shulong Yu, Huaming Shang, Shengxia Jiang and Ruibo Zhang
Forests 2025, 16(9), 1460; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16091460 - 13 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1075
Abstract
Climate change has a profound impact on the spatio-temporal patterns and successional dynamics of forest ecosystems, particularly at forest edges. The Altay Mountains are located at the junction of China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, and the southern edge of the boreal forest in [...] Read more.
Climate change has a profound impact on the spatio-temporal patterns and successional dynamics of forest ecosystems, particularly at forest edges. The Altay Mountains are located at the junction of China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, and the southern edge of the boreal forest in interior Eurasia. It is highly necessary to compare the differences in the responses of forest ecosystems in large transnational mountain ranges to climate change under the background of climate change. This study analyzed 558 tree cores collected from 20 sample sites dominated by Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) in the high-elevation of Altay Mountains. Using tree-ring width data and meteorological observations from Altay Mountains both in China and Russia, we investigated how climate influences the radial growth of L. sibirica across these regions. The results indicate that temperature is the primary factor driving radial growth, with early summer temperatures acting as the main growth-limiting factor on both China and Russia. Notably, the radial growth-climate response is stronger in Russia than China. Despite ongoing climate change, the dominant climatic drivers of radial growth in the Altay Mountains have remained stable, with temperature continuing to exert a significant and consistent influence on L. sibirica growth in the high-elevation of Altay Mountains. This study enhances our understanding of the climate change impacts on boreal forest ecosystems and highlights potential risks to forest health in the Altay Mountains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change on Tree-Ring Growth—2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 3778 KB  
Article
Effects of Drainage Maintenance on Tree Radial Increment in Hemiboreal Forests of Latvia
by Kārlis Bičkovskis, Guntars Šņepsts, Jānis Donis, Āris Jansons, Diāna Jansone, Ieva Jaunslaviete and Roberts Matisons
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081318 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 960
Abstract
Under cool and moist climates, timely implementation of ditch network maintenance (DNM) is crucial for sustaining productivity of drained forests, thus reducing operational costs, while mitigating environmental risks. This underscores the need to understand tree growth responses to DNM. This study evaluated the [...] Read more.
Under cool and moist climates, timely implementation of ditch network maintenance (DNM) is crucial for sustaining productivity of drained forests, thus reducing operational costs, while mitigating environmental risks. This underscores the need to understand tree growth responses to DNM. This study evaluated the effects of DNM on tree radial increment in sites with both organic and mineral drained soils, focusing on regionally commercially important species: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and silver birch (Betula pendula). Responses of relative growth changes over eight years post-DNM to site and tree characteristics were assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Species- and site-specific growth responses to DNM were indicated by significant interactions between tree species, site type, and distance from the drainage ditch. While growth responses were generally neutral (non-significant), variability among sites and species suggests that both organic and mineral soils might be prone to site-level moisture depletion near drainage infrastructure in the post-DNM period. The effect of stand age and density suggested higher responsiveness of older and less dense stands, hence positive effects of thinning to resilience of stands to DNM. These findings highlight the importance of adapting DNM strategies to local site conditions and stand characteristics to minimize drought-related growth limitations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Climate Change on Tree-Ring Growth—2nd Edition)
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