INSTYTUT DENDROLOGII

Michał Magnuszewski, Szymon Bijak, Almazbek Orozumbekow, Barry Howe, Kannat Musuraliev, Michał Zasada, Karol Bronisz, Agnieszka Bronisz
Different growth patterns of Picea schrenkiana subsp. tianshanica (Rupr.) Bykov and Juglans regia L. coexisting under the same ecological conditions in the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve in Kyrgyzstan

Dendrobiology 2015, vol. 73: 11-20

http://dx.doi.org/10.12657/denbio.073.002

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Abstract: 

The main aim of the study was to compare the radial growth of Persian walnut and Schrenk spruce trees growing under the same ecological conditions in the Sary-Chelek range of the Tien-Shan Mountains, as well as to analyse the response of these species to the selected climate factors in line with the altitude gradient. Four study plots were established at the altitude of 1350, 1400, 1450 and 1500 m a.s.l. Results indicated that (1) walnut and spruce in the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve have different patterns of radial increment and reaction to climate factors, despite growing in the same habitat, (2) spruce radial growth responded to low precipitation and low temperature during the April to September period of the previous year; (3) walnut radial increment patterns varied significantly with changes in altitude, whereas spruce patterns did not; and (4) walnut radial increment patterns responded positively to high temperature during contemporary growing season and to precipitation during the prior growing season. In addition, it was noted that precipitation during the contemporary growing season could negatively influence growth.

Additional key words: dendroecology, Kyrgyzstan, Persian walnut, Schrenk spruce, Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve