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Recent growth increases in old-growth longleaf pine

Canadian Journal of Forest Research
By: , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.1139/x93-110

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Abstract

Longleaf pine (Pinuspalustris Mill.) tree-ring data were obtained from an old-growth stand located in Thomas County, Georgia. The tree-ring chronology from the pine stand is composed of a collection of cores extracted from 26 trees ranging in age from approximately 100 to 400 years. These cores were prepared, dated, and measured, and the resulting data were examined with dendrochronological and statistical techniques. Beginning in approximately 1950 and continuing to the present, annual increments of all age classes examined in this study have increased, resulting in an average annual ring increment approximately 40% greater in 1987 than in 1950. When compared with expected annual increment, the increase for 100- to 150-year-old trees is approximately 45%, while the increase for 200- to 400-year-old trees is approximately 35%. In terms of stand-level aboveground biomass accumulation, the increased growth has resulted in approximately 5% more biomass than expected. The increased growth cannot be explained by disturbance; stand history; or trends in precipitation, temperature, or Palmer drought severity index over the last 57 years. Increased atmospheric CO2 is a possible explanation for initiation of the observed trend, while SOx and NOx may be augmenting continuation of this phenomenon.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Recent growth increases in old-growth longleaf pine
Series title Canadian Journal of Forest Research
DOI 10.1139/x93-110
Volume 23
Issue 5
Year Published 1993
Language English
Contributing office(s) National Wetlands Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Description 8 p.
First page 846
Last page 853
Country United States
State Georgia
County Thomas
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