Drought matters - Declining precipitation influences growth of Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L. in north-eastern Germany

For north-eastern Germany regional climate models project rising temperatures in combination with decreasing summer and increasing winter precipitation. The resulting overall drier conditions during the growing season will considerably impact forest growth there. We evaluate the consequences of increasing drought on the growth of the two locally most important broadleaf tree species common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.). Three mixed forests of beech and oak were sampled along a west-east gradient of declining precipitation. In total we used 257 ring-width samples from 133 trees to build six species and site specific chronologies. Additionally, we modelled the soil water budget for each site. We performed continuous and discontinuous (pointer year) analysis of climate-tree-growth relationships with particular emphasis on inter-annual-variations and their dependence upon climatic factors (temperature, precipitation, soil moisture) and on the stability of the obtained relationships. Results of climate-growth correlations together with pointer year analysis indicate a strong dependency of growth of both species from water availability, especially during early summer (June and July). General correlation pattern between growth and climate are similar for both species, but climate sensitivity of beech is generally higher. We identified drought as the main driver of negative growth depressions in both species. Increasing drought stress along the gradient is expressed in higher correlations to climatic variables, higher sensitivity (variance) of growth, and a higher number of negative pointer years for both species. For beech we also found a significant trend of decreasing average growth rates along the gradient. Growth superiority of beech compared to oak declines with decreasing precipitation. The relationships were generally stable throughout the 20th century. A rise of sensitivity together with a higher frequency of negative pointer years during the last decades suggests that increasing climatic variability together with rising temperatures might be influencing growth of Fagus at the more humid sites. If we substitute space by time it seems that already small changes in precipitation regime can have considerable impact, especially on the growth of beech. Other, more drought tolerant species like oak might gain competitive advantages under the projected climatic changes.     

Factors driving growth responses to drought in Mediterranean forests

We lack information regarding the main factors driving growth responses to drought in tree species with different vulnerability against this stressor and considering sites with contrasting climatic conditions. In this paper, we identify the main drivers controlling growth response to a multi-scalar drought index (Standardized Precipitation Index, SPI) in eight tree species (Abies alba, Pinus halepensis, Quercus faginea, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus ilex, Pinus pinea, Pinus nigra, Juniperus thurifera). We sampled forests growing across a pronounced climatic gradient under Mediterranean conditions in north-eastern Spain. To summarize the patterns of growth responses to drought, we used principal component analysis (PCA). To determine the main factors affecting growth responses to drought, correlation and regression analyses were carried out using a set of abiotic (climate, topography, soil type) and biotic (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index, tree-ring width, diameter at breast height) predictors and the PCs loadings as response variables. The PCA analysis detected two patterns of growth responses to drought corresponding to xeric and mesic sites, respectively. The regression analyses indicated that growth responses to drought in xeric forests were mainly driven by the annual precipitation, while in mesic sites the annual water balance was the most important driver. The management of Mediterranean forests under the forecasted warmer and drier conditions should focus on the main local factors modulating the negative impacts of drought on tree growth in xeric and mesic sites.     

Effects of aspen canopy removal and root trenching on understory microenvironment and soil moisture

Effects of three aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) canopy removal treatments and root trenching on understory microenvironment and moisture were tested at Parkland and Boreal sites in Alberta, Canada. Aspen canopies moderated air temperature by reducing maximums and increasing minimums, and increased the frost-free period in the understory by reducing radiative frosts. When daily differences were found among canopy treatments, maximum absolute humidity was greater with complete canopy removal. Maximum daily relative humidity was greater in openings at night than with either full or partial canopy cover. Predictably, increasing aspen cover reduced PAR reaching the understory. Soil moisture response was highly variable, changing with site, aspen density and precipitation patterns, but there were only marginal differences due to root trenching. In the Parkland site, soil moisture conservation from aspen canopy and leaf litter effects were masked by tree uptake in most periods, but a net increase in soil water (+5.2%) was observed during drought. Soil and microclimatic conditions in thinned aspen stands suggest potentially favourable production benefits from developing and adopting agroforestry systems in these northern ecosystems.     

Earlywood vessel area of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus pyrenaica</Emphasis> Willd. is a powerful indicator of soil water excess at growth resumption

We selected two sites dominated by the sub-Mediterranean oak Quercus pyrenaica Willd. close to its distribution boundary in northwestern Iberia, within a mountain region with a high winter precipitation. The sites differed in their soil water regime, corresponding to the edge of a peat bog, and to a moderate slope. We obtained tree-ring chronologies of total ring width (RW), and mean earlywood vessel area (MVA); their responses to climatic factors were compared for the period 1945–2002. RW presented a higher chronology quality than MVA, but was rather independent of climate, probably because of the presence of recurrent growth reductions. In contrast, MVA was closely related to precipitation during April and May, whereby a high water availability was coupled to smaller vessels. We found remarkable differences between the climatic signal of both stands, as trees growing on the peat soil responded later and with considerably lower intensity. We hypothesize that spring waterlogging causes that the response at the wettest site occurs only when soil desiccation begins, which results in a delayed climatic signal, and also lower intra- and inter-annual variation due to more homogeneous conditions. Climate–growth relationships at the driest site were mainly associated with the first row, whereas it is vessels expanding later in the season that show this relation for the moist site. Our results confirm that MVA chronologies are reliable proxies of both regional and local climatic conditions, but only a careful optimization by selecting vessel subsets does provide a complete view of their potential.     

Water infiltration and hydraulic conductivity in sandy cambisols: impacts of forest transformation on soil hydrological properties

Soil hydrological properties like infiltration capacity and hydraulic conductivity have important consequences for hydrological properties of soils in river catchments and for flood risk prevention. They are dynamic properties due to varying land use management practices. The objective of this study was to characterize the variation of infiltration capacity, hydraulic conductivity and soil organoprofile development on forest sites with comparable geological substrate, soil type and climatic conditions, but different stand ages and tree species in terms of the effects of forest transformation upon soil hydrological properties. The Kahlenberg forest area (50 km northeast of Berlin in the German northeastern lowlands) under investigation contains stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) of different age structures forming a transformation chronosequence from pure Scots pine stands towards pure European beech stands. The water infiltration capacity and hydraulic conductivity (K) of the investigated sandy-textured soils are low and very few macropores exist. Additionally these pores are marked by poor connectivity and therefore do not have any significant effect on water infiltration rate. Moreover, water infiltration in these soils is impeded by their hydrophobic properties. Along the experimental chronosequence of forest transformation, the thickness of the forest floor layer decreases due to enhanced decomposition and humification intensities. By contrast, the thickness of the humous topsoil increases. Presumably, changes in soil organic matter storage and quality caused by the management practice of forest transformation affect the persistence and degree of water repellency in the soil, which in turn influences the hydraulic properties of the experimental soils. The results indicate clearly that soils play a crucial role for water retention and therefore, in overland flow prevention. There is a need to have more awareness on the intimate link between the land use and soil properties and their possible effects on flooding.     

Geographically structured and temporally unstable growth responses of Juniperus thurifera to recent climate variability in the Iberian Peninsula

Geographically structured tree-ring networks are needed to fully understand the spatiotemporal variability in climatic sensitiveness of trees and to study their future responses to global warming. We aim to identify the spatially constrained structure of radial-growth patterns of the Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifera L.) and to assess whether their climate–growth responses were unstable during the late twentieth century. Tree–ring width chronologies were built for 13?J. thurifera stands in Spain using dendrochronological methods and related to monthly climatic data. Sites were grouped according to their growth patterns using hierarchical cluster analysis. The relationships among geographical, climatic and stand features and their influence on radial growth were evaluated using redundancy analysis. The climate–growth relationships and their temporal stability were assessed using Pearson’s and moving bootstrapped correlations, respectively. Stands formed three geographical groups according to their high-frequency growth variation: North West and Centre, North East and South East. We found that J. thurifera radial-growth patterns depended on geographical and climatic factors, but not on the stand structure, and responded to a northwest–southeast gradient of decreasing rainfall and influence of Atlantic Westerlies and Mediterranean cyclonic activity. The positive response to June precipitation was unstable during the late twentieth century and started earlier in populations from western mesic sites than in eastern xeric sites. This pattern may be related to either decreasing water availability in western than in eastern sites or the resilience of J. thurifera growth from xeric sites in response to the increasing summer aridity.     

Synergistic effects of past historical logging and drought on the decline of Pyrenean silver fir forests

The causal factors and effects of forest declines are not well understood in temperate conifer forests. Most studies have focused on climatic and environmental stressors and have obviated the potential role of historical forest management as a predisposing factor of decline. Here, we assess if the recent silver fir (Abies alba) decline observed in the Spanish Pyrenees was predisposed by historical logging and incited by warming-induced drought stress. We analysed a dataset of environmental, structural, and historical variables at the tree and stand level including 32 sites with contrasting degrees of defoliation distributed over 5600 km². We followed a dendroecological approach to reconstruct historical logging and to infer the effects of warming-induced drought stress on growth. The silver fir decline was more severe and widespread in western low-elevation mixed forests dominated by trees of small size and slow growth. These sites were subject to higher water deficits than eastern sites, where late-summer rainfall as the key climatic variable controlling silver fir growth was higher. Declining sites showed more frequent growth releases induced by historical logging than non-declining sites. Historical logging and warming-induced drought acted as long-term predisposing and short-term inciting factors of silver fir decline in the Pyrenees, respectively. We suggest that biomass increases caused by past intense logging affected the vulnerability of silver fir against late-summer water deficit. Future research in declining temperate conifer forests should consider the interacting role of predisposing historical management and inducing climatic stressors such as droughts.     

Impacts of increased fire frequency and aridity on eucalypt forest structure,biomass and composition in southwest Australia

Water stress and fire disturbance can directly impact stand structure, biomass and composition by causing mortality and influencing competitive interactions among trees. However, open eucalypt forests of southwest Australia are highly resilient to fire and drought and may respond differently to increased fire frequency and aridity than forests dominated by non-eucalypt species. We measured the variation in stem density, basal area, stand biomass, sapwood area, leaf area and litterfall across 16 mixed jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) forest stands along an aridity gradient in southwest Australia that had variable fire histories. Fire frequency was defined as the total number of fires over a ∼30-year period and aridity as the ratio of potential evapotranspiration to annual precipitation. Total stand biomass and sapwood area were predicted from diameter at breast height of individual jarrah and marri trees using allometric equations. Leaf area was estimated using digital cover photography. More arid and frequently burnt stands had higher stem density, especially of smaller trees, which were mainly jarrah. Overall, both standing biomass and leaf area decreased at more arid sites, while sapwood area was largely unaffected by aridity, suggesting that these stands respond to increased water limitation by decreasing their leaf area relative to their sapwood area. Biomass of marri was reduced at more arid and, to a lesser extent, at more frequently burnt stands. However, total stand biomass (jarrah and marri) and leaf area index did not vary with fire frequency, suggesting that less marri biomass (due to slower growth rates, higher mortality or less recruitment) was compensated by an increase in the density of jarrah trees (regeneration). We conclude that increased fire and drought shift tree species composition towards more fire-resistant species and result in denser stands of smaller trees. In contrast, total stand biomass declines with increasing aridity, but has no association with fire frequency.     

Nitrogen promotes water consumption in seedlings of Cryptomeria japonica but not in Chamaecyparis obtusa

To evaluate the influence of excessive N deposition on the water consumption of a Japanese plantation forest, 1-year-old seedlings of major plantation trees, Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar) and Chamaecyparis obtusa (Hinoki cypress), were treated with combinations of two N levels (Moderate N and High N) and two soil water conditions (Dry and Moist) for 4 months. The High N treatment received five times as much N as in the Moderate N treatment; the total amount of N added in the High N treatment was roughly 25 times the annual N deposition in precipitation. An increase in soil N availability increased the needle transpiration rate, needle biomass, and needle N content of C. japonica under the Moist treatment, whereas those of C. obtusa were not significantly affected by soil N treatment at either soil water level. Needle N content in C. japonica was positively related to needle photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate. Our results suggested that excessive N deposition has the potential to enhance water consumption in C. japonica stands on moist soils. However, the effects of increased N deposition would be insignificant for C. japonica grown on dry sites. Unlike in C. japonica, water consumption in C. obtusa would be unlikely to respond to excess N deposition, regardless of the soil moisture level. Moreover, the significant reduction in the fine root to needle ratio observed with excessive N application in C. japonica under both Dry and Moist treatments suggests that excessive N deposition is likely to cancel out the tree's morphological adaptation to drought.     

Effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalypt</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia</Emphasis> plantations on soil water in Sumatra

Indonesia’s pulp and paper industry needs a large area of sustainably grown plantations to support its continued development. Acacia mangium has been the key species underpinning the pulp and paper industries in Sumatra, however increased disease pressure on A. mangium is expected to require large-scale conversion of Acacia plantations to Eucalyptus in the near future. The effect of such a large scale change in plantation species on soil moisture, for both tree production, and catchment hydrology is unknown. In this study we sought to characterize the impacts of plantation species (Acacia or Eucalyptus) and nitrogen management, on soil moisture, soil water depletion and depth to groundwater under stands of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus pellita over the first 2–3 years after establishment. The study was conducted in experiments at four sites in Sumatra, Indonesia. Soil moisture and soil water depletion were not influenced by plantation species or fertilizer treatment. Soil moisture content and soil water depletion were strongly influenced by shallow groundwater at two of the four sites, however depth to groundwater did not influence stem growth. Results from the field trials cautiously suggest that large scale conversion of Acacia mangium to Eucalypt species in these regions is unlikely to result in increased moisture stress, nor is conversion of plantation species likely to lead to substantial differences in catchment hydrology. This study demonstrated the importance of conducting multi-site studies when investigating biophysical relationships in forest/plantation systems.     

Water status and drought stress in experimental gaps in managed and semi-natural silver fir--beech forests

The effect of gap characteristics, including gap age, vegetation cover, and stage of regeneration, on water balance and drought stress was studied over a four-year period in natural and experimental gaps of various sizes in Dinaric silver fir--beech forest in Slovenia. A medium gap, two experimental clear-cut gaps, and a closed stand were selected in a traditional irregular shelterwood managed forest, and an irregular-shaped natural gap and part of the stand were selected in a semi-natural forest. Soil moisture, throughfall, and stemflow were measured in the gaps and stands, and incident precipitation was monitored in the open area. Evapotranspiration and drainage water fluxes were estimated using the water balance model BROOK90. To estimate drought stress, the ratio between simulated actual and potential evapotranspiration was used. Precipitation in the 2001 and 2003 growing seasons was considerably less than that in 2002 and 2004. The highest drainage fluxes were in the newly created clear-cut gaps with sparse ground vegetation cover, followed by the natural gap and medium gap, which had older and denser natural tree regeneration. On average, the clear-cut gap drainage fluxes were 18% (164?mm) higher than those in the forest stands. Evapotranspiration was lower in the natural gap and higher in the managed gap compared with the experimental clear-cut gaps. Water supply stress was greater for the forest stands than for the vegetation in the gaps. Drought stress was indicated to be lowest in the natural gap, which had patches of varying development phases and the highest water storage capacity of the soil and vegetation.     

Differential response to soil drought among co-occurring broad-leaved tree species growing in a 15- to 25-year-old mixed stand

? Introduction

In the context of global environmental changes, better understanding of tree response to soil drought in young mixed species stands is needed to anticipate forest adaptation and management practices for the future.

? Materials and methods

We investigated the functional response of five co-occurring broad-leaved tree species growing in a 15- to 25-year-old mixed stand in northeastern France during the 2006 summer drought. We measured functional traits related to water acquisition (phenology, rooting pattern and vulnerability of xylem to cavitation) and the ecophysiological response (sap flux density, leaf water potential) of these species to soil water shortage.

? Results

Our study highlights contrasted drought response strategies among these species and a trade-off between leaf phenology, resistance of xylem to cavitation and root system depth.

? Conclusion

At this site, a deep root system seemed to be a key functional trait for the species to cope with drought. Quercus robur and Salix capreae can be characterised as drought-avoidance species as they possess a deep root system and therefore did not strongly experience soil drought. Despite deep rooting capacity, Betula pendula did not really avoid soil drought and strongly regulated transpiration during dry periods. Nevertheless, the earliness of budburst of this species contributes to high annual growth rate. In contrast, Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica both displayed typical characteristics of drought-sensitive species.     

Changes in microclimate after stand conversion in two northern hardwood stands

Changes in air temperature, soil temperature, and soil moisture were monitored for 5 years in two northern hardwood stands after whole-tree harvesting and conversion to red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantations. Soil temperatures at a depth of 5 cm and maximum air temperatures 2 m above the soil surface were increased 5–25% after stand conversion. Soil moisture content at a depth of 5 cm was increased by 10–20% in one stand but not in the other. Differences in stand, soil, and topographical characteristics between the two stands did not have any apparent effect on the magnitude of air or soil temperature changes after stand conversion. However, higher initial stand density and soil water holding capacity appeared to be related to increased soil moisture content at one of the sites. The increased soil temperatures after conversion were not only a result of the removal of the northern hardwood canopy but also the removal and redistribution of the forest floor caused by whole-tree harvesting. Five years after stand conversion air temperature, soil temperature, and soil moisture showed no evidence of recovering from initial post-harvest levels.     

Radial growth variation of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) across latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in central and northern Europe

Regional and temporal growth variation of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and its dependence on air temperature and precipitation were compared in stands across latitudinal and altitudinal transects in southwestern and eastern Germany, Norway, and Finland. The temporal variation of radial growth was divided into two components: medium- and high-frequency variation, i.e. decadal and year-to-year variation, respectively. The medium-frequency component was rather different between regions, especially the southern and northern ones. However, within each region the medium-frequency growth variation was relatively similar, irrespective of altitudinal and latitudinal differences of the sample sites. A part of the high-frequency variation was common to all four regions, which suggests that some factors synchronising tree growth are common for the entire study area. The high-frequency component of growth was more strongly related to monthly air temperature and precipitation than was the medium-frequency variation. The limiting effect of low temperatures was more significant at northern as well as high-altitude sites, while the importance of precipitation increased in the south and at low altitudes.     

Impacts of changing climate on the productivity of Norway spruce dominant stands with a mixture of Scots pine and birch in relation to water availability in southern and northern Finland

A process-based ecosystem model was used to assess the impacts of changing climate on net photosynthesis and total stem wood growth in relation to water availability in two unmanaged Norway spruce (Picea abies) dominant stands with a mixture of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and birch (Betula sp.). The mixed stands were grown over a 100-year rotation (2000-99) in southern and northern Finland with initial species shares of 50, 25 and 25% for Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch, respectively. In addition, pure Norway spruce, Scots pine and birch stands were used as a comparison to identify whether species' response is different in mixed and pure stands. Soil type and moisture conditions (moderate drought) were expected to be the same at the beginning of the simulations irrespective of site location. Regardless of tree species, both annual net canopy photosynthesis (P(nc)) and total stem wood growth (V(s)) were, on average, lower on the southern site under the changing climate compared with the current climate (difference increasing toward the end of the rotation); the opposite was the case for the northern site. Regarding the stand water budget, evapotranspiration (E(T)) was higher under the changing climate regardless of site location. Transpiration and evaporation from the canopy affected water depletion the most. Norway spruce and birch accounted for most of the water depletion in mixed stands on both sites regardless of climatic condition. The annual soil water deficit (W(d)) was higher on the southern site under the changing climate. On the northern site, the situation was the opposite. According to our results, the growth of pure Norway spruce stands in southern Finland could be even lower than the growth of Norway spruce in mixed stands under the changing climate. The opposite was found for pure Scots pine and birch stands due to lower water depletion. This indicates that in the future the management should be properly adapted to climate change in order to sustain the productivity of mixed stands dominated by Norway spruce.     

Dendrochronological analysis of the growth and growth-climate relationships of conifers in the region of alkaline dust deposition

Relationships between climate and radial growth of Oxalis-Myrtillus-site type Norway spruce and Scots pine stands under different cement dust loads were investigated. Dendrochronological methods were used. Long-term alkaline (pH 13.2-12.7) dust pollution emitted over 40 years from a cement plant was the reason of alkalisation (pH 7.8-8.1) and high concentrations of K, Ca and Mg in soil of affected territories. Two study sites, Kunda and Malla (2.5 and 5.0 km E from the emission source), were influenced by the dust emissions of the cement plant. Two other study sites, Eru (38 km W) and Revoja (34 km W), were situated on a relatively unpolluted area and served as control sites. The relationships between the radial growth and climate were almost similar on the control and dust-polluted sites. The climatic variables that had a significant effect on the radial growth of Norway spruce at both control and polluted sites were the temperature and precipitation of summer months of the current and preceding years. Specific to the Scots pine stands growing under dust pollution was a significant positive impact of the current spring temperature on the radial growth. A positive effect of precipitation during winter months on the radial growth was found at all sites. A significant negative effect of cement dust on the radial growth of Scots pine stands during the period of large amounts of dust emission (1966-1991) was detected. The effect of cement dust emissions on the radial growth of Norway spruce stands was also negative but weak. The decrease in the dust emissions since 1992 improved the growth conditions at pine stand sites.     

The nutrient status of Norway spruce in pure and in mixed-species stands

Atmospheric deposition of N and S appears to have caused nutrient imbalance in Norway spruce stands in southern Sweden. This calls for a change of forest management to procedures that promote nutrient balance. Studies have shown lower soil acidity in Norway spruce/deciduous mixed stands than in spruce monocultures, but the tree nutrient status in such mixtures has not been much investigated so far.

The nutrient status of Norway spruce foliage and top mineral soil chemistry in monocultures and in stands mixed with beech, birch, or oak was investigated through paired comparisons on 30 sites in southern Sweden (27 sites) and eastern Denmark (three sites). In total, 45 mixed stands and 34 pure stands were included in the study.

Spruce needles from mixed stands had higher concentrations and ratios to N of K, P, and Zn than needles from pure spruce stands. Among the mixed stands, the K status appeared to be positively correlated with the percentage of deciduous tree basal area. Soil samples from mixed stands had a higher Mg concentration, base saturation, and BC/Al ratio than soil samples from pure stands. The spruce needle nutrient status was comparable in pure stands on fertile sites and in mixed stands on poor sites. We did not detect any differences in spruce tree growth between pure and mixed stands.

This paper discusses possible reasons for a positive effect on the tree nutrient status in mixed-species stands and the possibility of using mixed-species stands as a forest management procedure to avoid nutrient imbalance.     

Effects of moisture limitation on tree growth in upland and floodplain forest ecosystems in interior Alaska

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of summer throughfall on the growth of trees, at upland and floodplain locations, in the vicinity of Fairbanks, Alaska. Corrugated clear plastic covers were installed under the canopy of floodplain balsam poplar/white spruce stands and upland hardwood/white spruce stands to control soil moisture recharge as a result of summer precipitation. The covers were installed in 1989 and tree growth measurements were conducted through 2005. Soil moisture dynamics were measured using TDR techniques. Tree basal area growth at dbh in the control plots was approximately twice as high on the floodplain compared to the upland. Summer throughfall exclusion significantly decreased white spruce growth on the floodplain sites but not in the upland sites. In upland sites the melting snow pack is a major moisture resource for tree growth although it is not clear if moisture limitation occurs during the summer in the control plots. However in the floodplain stands white spruce growth was highly dependent on seasonal throughfall even though the ground water table was within the rooting zone and the soils were supplied with a spring recharge due to snowmelt. A number of factors were suggested as a foundation for this strong relationship. These include rooting distribution, soil texture, and the electrical conductivity of the ground water.     

Thinning increases drought tolerance of European beech: a case study on two forested slopes on opposite sides of a valley

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is one of the economically most important broadleaved tree species in Central Europe. However, beech shows high drought sensitivity and calls for profound research to test its ability to cope with limited water resources. Here, we investigated the drought tolerance of beech to the 2003 drought as influenced by Kraft class, aspect and thinning intensity. Annual basal area increment data of 126 sample trees from southwest Germany were used to assess the variability of drought tolerance indices, by comparing three social classes (predominant, dominant and co-dominant), two contrasting sites [a dry southwest (SW) aspect and a moist northeast (NE) aspect], and three treatments [control, strong thinning (stand basal area 15 m² ha^?1) and very strong thinning (stand basal area 10 m² ha^?1)] in mature beech stands. Our results show that the co-dominant and dominant trees had lower growth recovery and lower growth resilience after the drought, compared to the predominant trees. The differences between aspects pointed to a growth–drought tolerance trade-off, in which trees on the SW aspect displayed lower growth rates but higher resilience indices than trees on the moist NE aspect. Furthermore, our results suggest that the resistance to and resilience after the 2003 drought significantly increased for the thinned trees. Our results provide novel insights into the linkage between the forest stand management and drought tolerance of beech under contrasting sites. We conclude that thinning can partially alleviate effects of severe drought on European beech forests in southwest Germany and can be applied as an adaptive measure to increase the mitigation potential of beech stands.