Altitudinal trends in climate change result in radial growth variation of Pinus yunnanensis at an arid-hot valley of southwest China

Climate change has already had observable impact on the biophysical environment, and lead to the different sensitivity of vegetation to climate factors on spatio-temporal scale. Therefore, understanding how the radial growth respond to climate at different spatio-temporal scales is crucial to recognize forest growth dynamic and make scientific management decisions under the background of climatic change. In the present study, the tree ring of Pinus yunnanensis at six altitudes gradients between 1300 m and 2500 m from a typical arid-hot valley in Jinsha River, were collected. We analyzed the relationship between radial growth and climate at different altitudes, and the sensitivity of growth to climatic factors over time. The results showed that the mean width of tree rings decreased as the altitude increasing. The relationship between climatic factors and radial growth at low or high altitudes was different with that at mid altitudes. Radial growth was negatively correlated to the temperatures from February to July at both low altitudes (1300–1500 m) and at high altitudes (2200–2500 m), but positively correlated to the temperatures in October of the previous year to April at mid altitudes (1700–1900 m). Precipitation in October of the previous year, May, and June in growing year had a positive effect on radial growth at all altitudes. Temperature and precipitation in the previous year showed a time-lag effect on radial growth. A moving correlation analysis of the tree ring index and climate variables showed that the limiting factors for tree growth at different altitudes varied over time. The influence of drought on the tree growth increased gradually as the climate warming. In future research, evaluating the dynamic relationship between vegetation growth and climate warming at spatio--temporal scale will be particularly important to guide forest management.