Climatic responses of tree-ring widths of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> on contrasting north-facing and south-facing slopes in central Siberia

An analysis was performed on the climatic responses of the radial growth of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. on contrasting north-facing and south-facing slopes in Tura, central Siberia. We developed chronologies of tree-ring width for four plots, designated as north-upper, northlower, south-upper, and south-lower. Both residual and standard chronologies of tree-ring widths exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature from the end of May until early June in all four plots. The chronologies of ring width did not reveal any major difference in the response to temperature among the four plots. The standard chronologies of ring widths on the north-facing slope were negatively correlated with precipitation during the winter (October–April) and in early and mid-May, whereas the residual chronologies did not reveal clear relationships with precipitation during the winter and May. The significant correlation between ring width and temperature from the end of May until early June indicates that temperatures in springtime play a significant role in the radial growth of L. gmelinii. The negative correlations between standard chronologies of tree-ring width and precipitation in the winter and in May on the north-facing slope indicate that lowfrequency fluctuations in snowfall have negative effects on the radial growth. However, these effects vary and depend on the microscale topography. Part of this report was presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Society, March 2005, Kyoto     

Climatic response of ring width and maximum latewood density of Larix sibirica in the Altay Mountains, reveals recent warming trends

? Introduction

Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) is a highly climate sensitive species. Presently, the Altay Mountains is covered by widespread forests dominated by Siberian larch and thus has a great potential for dendroclimatological studies. However, tree-ring network of the Altay Mountains has not yet been well developed. The development of the new chronologies and the knowledge about the influence of climatic variables on tree growth is needed.

? Method

X-ray densitometric techniques were applied to obtain ring width (RW) and maximum latewood density (MXD) of Siberian larch from two upper tree line sites in the Altay Mountains, China. Climatic responses in ring widths and maximum latewood densities from the Altay Mountains (China, Russia, and Mongolia) were investigated by simple correlation analyses. To assess the common growth forces among the individual sites of the Altay Mountains, simple correlation, principal component analyses, and spatial correlation analysis were applied over the common period of the chronologies.

? Results

Ring width and maximum latewood density increases with decreasing precipitation, increasing temperature from late spring to late summer during the growing season. Based on the results of principal component analyses and spatial correlation analysis, summer temperature (June?CJuly) is the most important forces on the Siberian larch growth of the Altay Mountains. The growth of Siberian larch in the Altay Mountains captures the current warming trend. The growth of Siberian larch did not clearly lose its sensitivity under most recent warming in our study areas.

? Conclusions

The new MXD chronologies is presently the longest, absolutely dated, tree-ring density record yet developed from China. The climate response analysis shows that the RW and MXD of Siberian larch have strong responses to temperature in the growing season. Thus, MXD and RW of Siberian larch provides the best information for climate reconstruction in the warm season. Tree-rings of Siberian larch allow detecting the recently observed warming trend and putting it into the long-term climatic context in the Altay Mountains, due to the strong growth sensitivity to temperature change.     

Climatic signal from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus leucodermis</Emphasis> axial resin ducts: a tree-ring time series approach

Developing long-term chronologies of tree-ring anatomical features to evaluate climatic relationships within species might serve as an annual proxy to explore and elucidate the climatic drivers affecting xylem differentiation. Pinus leucodermis response to climate was examined by analyzing vertical xylem resin ducts in wood growing at high elevation in the Apennines of peninsular Southern Italy. Early- and latewood tree-ring resin duct chronologies, spanning the 1804–2010 time period, were constructed. We analyzed the relationships between resin duct chronologies and climate over the last century using correlation and response function analyses. Overall, results showed that ring width and resin duct relationships differed between early- and latewood, which indicated conditions affecting growth were not associated with resin duct production. Results also revealed differential responses to climate between early- and latewood resin duct chronologies. A notable observation was a positive and stable relationship between latewood resin duct number chronology and July maximum temperature throughout the twentieth century. This result suggested resin ducts might be a suitable proxy to evaluate P. leucodermis response to climate in the study area.     

Relationships between climate and tree radial growth in interior British Columbia,Canada

Climate is a main driving factor of the formation of annual tree-rings, but which climatic variables are the most influential on radial growth may vary among species and sites. To explore these interactions, tree-ring chronologies along a major elevation gradient were examined for three tree species in southern interior British Columbia (Canada): Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, and Picea glauca × engelmannii. We used correlations and linear and multiple regressions to explore the relationships between tree-ring radial growth and climate variables in the area from 1922 to 1997. All correlation coefficients between ring chronologies and monthly climatic variables were medium to low (from −0.3 to 0.4); nevertheless, moderate but significant trends could be identified. Multivariate models explained up to 53%, 43% and 32% of radial growth variability for P. contorta, P. menziesii and P. glauca × engelmannii, respectively. All three species showed similar radial growth–climate patterns across the elevational gradient, but they had different details that made ring width–climate relationships species-specific. Precipitation-related variables were more related to radial growth at low-elevations, changing into temperature-related variables at high-elevations. Tree-ring width for all three species was primarily and significantly affected by climate variables from the year previous to the growing season and only secondly by current year conditions, but the critical months varied for different species and altitudes. Winter precipitation also affected radial growth, either as a source of water or as a possible agent of physical damage. Although our work showed significant climate influences on breast height tree radial growth, our results also indicated that other site factors such as microclimate or stand dynamics can be as or more important than climate variability.     

Dendroclimatological regions of Douglas fir (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudotsuga menziesii</Emphasis> Franco) in western Poland

Abstract Six Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Franco) stands were selected in both the Sudety Mountains and the Great Poland Lowland. These two regions are distinctly different with regard to thermal and pluvial conditions. In each stand, two increment cores per tree were extracted from 20 approximately 100-year-old trees and the tree-ring widths measured. It is clear from the different growth reactions of the study trees to the climatic conditions that the Sudety Mountains and the Great Poland Lowland are two dendrochronologically separate regions. The tree-ring width chronologies form homogeneous groups for each region. The tree ring–climate models for Douglas fir in both regions indicate similarities and differences. The similarities among chronologies are attributed to winter temperature. The differences are attributed to rainfall (which changes with longitude and altitude of sites) during the vegetation season.     

Tree-ring response of Larix chinensis on regional climate and sea-surface temperature variations in alpine timberline in the Qinling Mountains

Tree-ring width chronologies of Larix chinensis were developed from the northern and southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province,and climatic factors affecting the tree-ring widths of L.chinensis were examined.Correlation analysis showed that similar correlations between tree-ring width chronologies and climatic factors demonstrated that radial growth responded to climate change on both slopes.The radial growth of L.chinensis was mainly limited by temperature,especially the growing season.In contrast,both chronologies were negatively correlated with precipitation in May of the previous year and April of the current year.Spatial climate-correlation analyses with gridded land-surface climate data revealed that our tree-ring width chronologies contained a strong regional temperature signal over much of northcentral and eastern China.Spatial correlation with seasurface temperature fields highlights the influence of the Pacific Ocean,Indian Ocean,and North Atlantic Ocean.Wavelet coherence analysis indicated the existence of some decadal and interannual cycles in the two tree-ring width chronologies.This may suggest the influences of El Nin˜o-Southern Oscillation and solar activity on tree growth in the Qinling Mountains.These findings will help us understand the growth response of L.chinensis to climate change in the Qinling region,and they provide critical information for future climate reconstructions based on this species in semi-humid regions.     

帽儿山地区不同种源樟子松树轮对气候因子的响应

[目的]为了进一步了解不同种源的樟子松在帽儿山地区的生长差异,研究该地区气候因子对樟子松径向生长的影响,本文建立了来自于阿尔山、高峰、红花尔基、卡伦山、图强罕达盖和金山等7个种源樟子松树轮年表。[方法]通过年轮-气候响应分析、相关分析、主成分分析,探讨了不同种源樟子松径向生长与气候因子的响应差异。[结果]表明:7个种源地樟子松树轮年表整体变化趋势基本相似,但局部也有不同之处,除图强种源外,其余6个种源地樟子松在生长初期年轮宽度呈增加趋势。阿尔山、高峰、红花尔基和卡伦山种源地樟子松径向生长与当年2月平均温度显著正相关,罕达盖种源地樟子松径向生长与前一年4月平均温度显著正相关;高峰、图强、卡伦山种源地樟子松径向生长与当年6月降水显著正相关,阿尔山、高峰、金山、卡伦山、红花尓基、图强种源樟子松的径向生长主要与前一年8月降水显著负相关。[结论]多数种源的樟子松在初期径增长较快,与当年2月份的温度和6月份的降水量有正相关的响应性,而与前一年8月份的降水量有负相关的响应性。     

Growth–climate responses of high-elevation conifers in the central Hengduan Mountains,southwestern China

Improved understanding of tree-growth responses to climate is needed to model and predict forest ecosystem responses to current and future climatic variability. We applied dendroclimatological techniques to assess the effects of inter-annual climate variations on radial growth of high-elevation conifers in the central Hengduan Mountains, southwestern China. Eight tree-ring width chronologies of the major tree genera Abies and Picea that are aligned along an elevation gradient from 3200 to 4200 m a.s.l. were developed. Correlation and principal component analyses for the eight chronologies identified three groups of sites, representing different patterns of growth–climate relationships. Correlation and redundancy analyses with regional climate data revealed that radial growth of fir growing at high-elevation sites is enhanced by normal or warm summer temperatures (June and July) during the current growing season. In addition, radial growth of trees growing from high to middle elevations is sensitive to low temperatures during winter season. At low-elevation sites, trees display low sensitivity to temperature variation. However spring moisture availability becomes crucial for radial growth regardless of tree species. High- to middle-elevation conifers in the central Hengduan Mountains may benefit from the current climate warming, especially from rising winter temperatures.     

暖温带幼林树轮宽度气候变化响应分析--以山东蒙山黑松树轮气候研究为例

根据采自山东蒙山地区两组幼龄黑松树木年轮样本,研制出单点和区域树轮宽度年表,分析了蒙山黑松树轮宽度年表的统计参数和径向生长的气候限制因子,并尝试重建相关密切的气候因子,探讨蒙山黑松径向生长与大范围气候变化的关联。研究结果表明,（1）蒙山黑松树轮宽度年表的统计参数都比较高,说明蒙山黑松树轮宽窄变化包含有较多的气候环境变化信息。（2）蒙山黑松径向生长变化与当年4-9月降水量呈显著正相关。同时,当年5-7月异常高温也对蒙山黑松径向生长变化产生显著抑制。通过黑松树轮宽度年表对4-9月降水量的模拟重建结果表明蒙山黑松具有较大树轮气候研究潜力。（3）蒙山黑松树轮宽度生长与太平洋大范围气候波动存在显著关联。     

Growth responses to climate in a multi-species tree-ring network in the Western Carpathian Tatra Mountains, Poland and Slovakia

We analyzed growth responses to climate of 24 tree-ring width and four maximum latewood density chronologies from the greater Tatra region in Poland and Slovakia. This network comprises 1183 ring-width and 153 density measurement series from four conifer species (Picea abies (L.) Karst., Larix decidua Mill., Abies alba (L.) Karst., and Pinus mugo (L.)) between 800 and 1550 m a.s.l. Individual spline detrending was used to retain annual to multi-decadal scale climate information in the data. Twentieth century temperature and precipitation data from 16 grid-boxes covering the 48-50 degrees N and 19-21 degrees E region were used for comparison. The network was analyzed to assess growth responses to climate as a function of species, elevation, parameter, frequency and site ecology. Twenty ring-width chronologies significantly correlated (P<0.05) with June-July temperatures, whereas the latewood density chronologies were correlated with the April-September temperatures. Climatic effects of the previous-year summer generally did not significantly influence ring formation, whereas site elevation and frequency of growth variations (i.e., inter-annual and decadal) were significant variables in explaining growth response to climate. Response to precipitation increased with decreasing elevation. Correlations between summer temperatures and annual growth rates were lower for Larix decidua than for Picea abies. Principal component analysis identified five dominant eigenvectors that express somewhat contrasting climatic signals. The first principal component contained highest loadings from 11 Picea abies ring-width chronologies and one Pinus mugo ring-width chronology and explained 42% of the network's variance. The mean of these 12 high-elevation chronologies was significantly correlated at 0.62 with June-July temperatures, whereas the mean of three latewood density chronologies, which loaded most strongly on the fourth principal component, significantly correlated at 0.69 with April-September temperatures (P<0.001 over the 1901-2002 period in both cases). These groupings allow for a robust estimation of June-July (1661-2004) and April-September (1709-2004) temperatures, respectively. Comparison with reconstructions from the Alps and Central Europe supports the general rule of the dominant influence of growing season temperature on high-elevation forest growth.     

Larix olgensis growth-climate response between lower and upper elevation limits:an intensive study along the eastern slope of the Changbai Mountains,northeastern China

Larix olgensis is a dominant tree species in the forest ecosystems of the Changbai Mountains of northeast China.To assess the growth response of this species to global climate change,we developed three tree-ring width and biomass chronologies across a range of elevations in the subalpine forests on the eastern slope of the Changbai Mountains.We used dendroclimatic analyses to study key factors limiting radial growth in L.olgensis and its variation with elevation.The statistical characteristics of chronologies suggested that elevation is a determinant of tree growth patterns in the study area.Response function analysis of chronologies with climate factors indicated that climate–growth relationships changed with increasing elevation:tree growth at high elevation was strongly limited by June temperatures of the previous year,and as elevation decreases,the importance of temperature decreased;tree radial growth at mid-elevation was mainly controlled by precipitation towards the end of the growing season of the current year.Biomass chronologies reflected a stronger climatic signal than tree-ring width chronologies.Spatial correlation with gridded climate data revealed that our chronologies contained a strong regional temperature signal for northeast China.Trees growing below timberline appeared to be more sensitive to climate,thus optimal sites for examining growth trends as a function of climate variation are considered to be just below timberline.Our study objective was to provide information for more accurate prediction of the growth response of L.olgensis to future climate change on the eastern slope of the Changbai Mountains,and to provide information for future climate reconstructions using this tree species in humid and semi humid regions.     

Dendroclimatic response of Abies spectabilis at treeline ecotone of Barun Valley,eastern Nepal Himalaya

A dendroclimatic study was conducted in the treeline ecotone of Barun Valley,eastern Nepal,to determine the tree-ring climate response and ring width trend of Abies spectabilis.A 160-year-old chronology,from 1850 to 2010,was developed from 38 tree-ring samples.No higher growth in recent decades was observed in tree-ring width in this area.The mean temperature of the current year in February and in the combined winter months of December,January,and February showed significant positive correlation with tree-ring width,although no significant correlation was found between tree-ring width and the precipitation pattern of the region.This tree-ring climate response result is different from that in other studies in Nepal,which could be attributed to location and elevation.     

Changes in tree ring width and density ofPinus thunbergii growing in the vicinity of industrial complex in Korea

There has been a decline in tree growth since the operation of factories atPinus thunbergii forests around a petrochemical industrial complex in Korea. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of air pollution on tree ring width and ring density ofPinus thunbergii. Soft X-ray densitometrical method was used. Decline of ring width was the highest during 3 years immediately after the operation of factories. The percentage of decrease was almost bigger immediately after operation as compared with before. Maximum density (MAXD), and the difference (DD) between maximum density and minimum density (MIND) generally decreased since operation of factories, while minimum density increased in the beginning of operation of factories. There was a significant correlation between ring width and high temperature, and precipitation in the beginning of growing season, respectively. There was also a negative correlation between annual mean concentration of SO₂ and ring width at 5% level (r=−0.627^*). It is suggested that the decline of ring width after operation of factories was due to compound factors of air pollution and climate. The effect of other factors should be still more studied. A part of this paper was presented at the International Workshop on Asian and Pacific Dendrochronology on March 4–9, 1995 in Tsukuba (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute), Japan.     

广西柳州杉木种源树轮宽度对温度与湿度的年际响应

[目的]为选择适合试验区域未来气候变化条件下生长的杉木种源,[方法]运用年轮气候学方法,研究52个杉木地理种源3个树轮宽度指标对气候因子的响应。[结果]整轮宽度、早材宽度和晚材宽度与年平均气温的响应呈强负相关关系,相关系数最大值分别为-0.515、-0.590和-0.451;整轮宽度、早材宽度和晚材宽度与年最高气温均呈强负相关关系,相关系数最大值分别为-482、-0.624和-0.499。[结论]未来试点年平均气温有升高的趋势,这将会在一定程度上抑制杉木的径向生长,而选择对温度响应不太敏感的湖南江华、广西博白和广西资源种源在试验林所在区域进行造林,将是解决这一问题的有效途径。     

Size-mediated climate-growth relationships in temperate forests: A multi-species analysis

In most dendrochronological studies, climate-growth relationships are established on dominant trees to minimize non-climatic signals. However, response to environmental factors may be affected by tree-size, which begs the question of the representativeness of dominant trees on the stand level. To highlight the variations in climate-growth relationships among sizes and species, under a wide range of ecological conditions (climate and soil properties), 61 pure even-aged stands were sampled across France. At each stand, two tree-ring chronologies were established from 10 big- to 10 small-diameter trees. Our objectives were, (1) to assess variations in climate sensitivity between the two size-diameter classes, and (2) to investigate the role of species and ecological conditions on these variations. The climate-growth relationships were evaluated from 122 tree-ring chronologies (1 220 trees) through extreme growth years and correlation function analyses. Sensitivity to climate of shade-intolerant and moderately shade-tolerant species (Picea abies (L.) Karst., Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) remained constant between the size-diameter classes for both temperature and hydric balance, while the shade-tolerant species Abies alba Mill. and Fagus sylvatica L. displayed significant differences, with larger trees being more sensitive to summer drought than smaller trees. This difference increased with increasing climatic xericity. Our results suggest that, for shade-tolerant species, (1) big trees could be more sensitive to climatic change especially under xeric climate, and (2) future tree ring studies should include trees stratified by size to produce unbiased estimation of sensitivity to climate.     

峨眉山不同海拔冷杉径向生长对气候变化的响应

【目的】研究峨眉山不同海拔冷杉Abies fabri径向生长对气候变化的响应规律。【方法】以冷杉为研究对象,用树轮生态学的方法对峨眉山不同海拔的冷杉进行年轮采样、处理与分析,比较不同海拔冷杉径向生长特征及其与各气候因子之间的关系。【结果】年表统计数据表明,4个年表均具有较高的可靠性,可以用于树木生长与气候关系的研究。不同海拔冷杉径向生长与气候的关系具有明显的海拔差异,海拔2 400 m处冷杉径向生长与当年7月的温度呈显著正相关;海拔2 800 m处冷杉径向生长与当年4-9月的帕尔默干旱指数(PDSI)呈显著正相关;海拔2 900 m处冷杉径向生长与前一年9月和当年4月的温度呈显著负相关,与当年1-9月的PDSI均呈显著正相关;海拔3 000 m处冷杉径向生长和当年3-4月温度呈显著负相关,与当年6-7月的PDSI和当年4月平均相对湿度呈显著正相关。【结论】峨眉山高海拔的冷杉包含有更多的环境信息,对气候变化的响应也更为敏感;高海拔区域冷杉径向生长受到水分的强烈限制,而低海拔区域冷杉径向生长主要受温度影响;冷杉衰亡与气候因子的变化密切相关,随着区域气候的变暖,高海拔地区冷杉可能会进一步衰退。该研究揭示了峨眉山不同海拔冷杉生长动态及其对气候变化响应的敏感性差异,为全球气候变化背景下冷杉林的保护与适应性管理提供科学参考。     

Relationships between tree-ring cell features of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus koraiensis</Emphasis> and climate factors in the Changbai Mountains,Northeastern China

Anatomical characteristics have been proven useful for extracting climatic signals. To examine the climatic signals recorded by tree-ring cell features in the Changbai Mountains, we measured cell number and cell lumen diameter, in addition to ring widths, of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) tree rings at sites of varied elevation, and we developed chronologies of cell number (CN), mean lumen diameter (MLD), maximum lumen diameter (MAXLD) and tree-ring width (TRW). The chronologies were correlated with climatic factors monthly mean temperature and the sum of precipitation. As shown by our analysis, the cell parameter chronologies were suitable for dendroclimatology studies. CN and TRW shared relatively similar climatic signals which differed from MLD and MAXLD, and growth-climate relationships were elevation-dependent, as shown by the following findings: (1) at each elevation, MLD and MAXLD recorded different monthly climatic signals from those recorded by TRW for the same climatic factors; and (2) MLD and MAXLD recorded climatic factors that were absent from TRW at lower and middle elevations. Cell lumen diameter proved to be an effective archive for improving the climate reconstruction for this study area.     

Influence of drought on tree rings and tracheid features of Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris in a mesic Mediterranean forest

We investigated the influence of climate on the ring width and xylem anatomy of two co-occurring pines (Pinus nigra Arn. and P. sylvestris L.) in the mountains of east-central Spain in order to test their utility for dendroclimatic reconstructions. We developed chronologies of ring width, mean lumen diameter and mean cell-wall thickness (in the earlywood, latewood, and the total annual ring) and the number of cells between 1960 and 2006. Drought, expressed as the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI), was the main climatic driver of tree radial growth, although trees were also sensitive to temperature (negative effect in previous autumn and current summer) and precipitation (with a general positive effect). P. sylvestris response was stronger to climate of the current year, whereas the effect of previous-year climate was more important for P. nigra. Warm and dry summers reduced ring width, tracheid lumen, and wall thickness in both species, whereas warm winter-spring temperatures had the opposite effect, primarily for P. sylvestris. Previous-year or early-season conditions mainly affected earlywood features, whereas latewood was more responsive to summer climate. Overall, climate appeared to be a stronger limiting factor for P. sylvestris. During periods of drought, cell-wall thickness was reduced while lumen width increased in the latewood of P. sylvestris. This could compromise its hydraulic safety against drought-induced cavitation as our site was close to the southern and dry edge of the species distribution area. Our results suggest that anatomical variables record different and stronger climate information than ring width variables, especially in P. sylvestris. Reconstruction models for SPEI at the 3-month scale were developed for July–August and September–October using principal components regression. The best models included anatomical and width variables of both pine species suggesting that tracheid chronologies can be useful for drought reconstructions especially at mesic sites or with species that encode a mixed drought and temperature-precipitation signal.     

Relationships between tree-ring cell features of Pinus koraiensis and climate factors in the Changbai Mountains,Northeastern China

Anatomical characteristics have been proven useful for extracting climatic signals. To examine the climatic signals recorded by tree-ring cell features in the Changbai Mountains, we measured cell number and cell lumen diameter, in addition to ring widths, of Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) tree rings at sites of varied elevation,and we developed chronologies of cell number(CN), mean lumen diameter(MLD), maximum lumen diameter(MAXLD) and tree-ring width(TRW). The chronologies were correlated with climatic factors monthly mean temperature and the sum of precipitation. As shown by our analysis, the cell parameter chronologies were suitable for dendroclimatology studies. CN and TRW shared relatively similar climatic signals which differed from MLD andMAXLD, and growth-climate relationships were elevationdependent, as shown by the following findings:(1) at each elevation, MLD and MAXLD recorded different monthly climatic signals from those recorded by TRW for the same climatic factors; and(2) MLD and MAXLD recorded climatic factors that were absent from TRW at lower and middle elevations. Cell lumen diameter proved to be an effective archive for improving the climate reconstruction for this study area.     

Chronology development of Hiba arbor-vitae (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thujopsis dolabrata</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">hondae</Emphasis>) and dating of timbers from an old building

Two site chronologies of the ring widths of Hiba arbor-vitae (Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondae) were developed for the northern-most part of Honshu Island, Japan (AOTK: 1715-2001, AOSO: 1753-2000). These are highly coherent, satisfactorily indicating high values of expressed population signal and mean correlation between trees. The two series were merged into a single composite chronology, spanning a period of 287 years from 1715 to 2001, because they correlated significantly with each other. The developed chronology is the first quality-controlled tree-ring chronology for this region extending back to the eighteenth century. Using the master chronologies, we successfully crossdated three historical timbers from an old building near the sampling sites. The tree-ring dates strongly supported the documented construction date of the building. It is revealed that Hiba arbor-vitae has sufficient potential to contribute to future dendrochronological study in this region by extending the chronologies back into the past.