<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Forest growth is commonly used to explore tree vitality and ability to resist to environmental changes or climatic fluctuations. This paper illustrates and examines how regional climatic conditions can be related to the decline of tree growth, which were found to be more distinct in <italic>Quercus frainetto</italic> Ten. (Hungarian oak) and <italic>Fagus sylvatica L</italic>. (European beech) and less pronounced in <italic>Abies borissi-regis</italic> Matt f. (Bulgarian fir) on three long-term intensive monitoring plots (ICP Forests-Level II) in Greece during the period 1996–2009. Relative basal area increment and volume increment were calculated, expressing tree growth in terms of mean relative annual periodic increment. A decline in the growth of basal area and volume was observed after hot and dry periods, where annual temperatures and precipitation were far from the mean of the analyzed period. This observation was statistically confirmed in oak and beech plots regarding summer precipitation only and are in agreement with the findings of previous studies in Europe. The representativeness of the results at a national scale needs further investigation, although our results provide a good basis for further and more intensive monitoring programs to address various forest management scenarios against the background of potential climatic changes in the Mediterranean area.</p></abstract>

Forest growth is commonly used to explore tree vitality and ability to resist to environmental changes or climatic fluctuations. This paper illustrates and examines how regional climatic conditions can be related to the decline of tree growth, which were found to be more distinct in Quercus frainetto Ten. (Hungarian oak) and Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech) and less pronounced in Abies borissi-regis Matt f. (Bulgarian fir) on three long-term intensive monitoring plots (ICP Forests-Level II) in Greece during the period 1996–2009. Relative basal area increment and volume increment were calculated, expressing tree growth in terms of mean relative annual periodic increment. A decline in the growth of basal area and volume was observed after hot and dry periods, where annual temperatures and precipitation were far from the mean of the analyzed period. This observation was statistically confirmed in oak and beech plots regarding summer precipitation only and are in agreement with the findings of previous studies in Europe. The representativeness of the results at a national scale needs further investigation, although our results provide a good basis for further and more intensive monitoring programs to address various forest management scenarios against the background of potential climatic changes in the Mediterranean area.

Impact of regional climatic conditions on tree growth on mainland Greece

Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems

Folia Oecologica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"Impact of regional climatic conditions on tree growth on mainland Greece"}

Forest growth is commonly used to explore tree vitality and ability to resist to environmental changes or climatic fluctuations. This paper illustrates and...

Impact of regional climatic conditions on tree growth on mainland Greece

Published Online: Dec 21, 2019

Page range: 127 - 136

Received: May 28, 2019

Accepted: Nov 15, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2019-0015

Keywords
Bulgarian fir, climate-growth relationship, European beech, Hungarian oak, ICP-Forests, Mediterranean forests

© 2019 Panagiotis P. Koulelis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Impact of regional climatic conditions on tree growth on mainland Greece

Published Online: Dec 21, 2019

Page range: 127 - 136

Received: May 28, 2019

Accepted: Nov 15, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2019-0015

KeywordsBulgarian fir, climate-growth relationship, European beech, Hungarian oak, ICP-Forests, Mediterranean forests

© 2019 Panagiotis P. Koulelis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Bulgarian fir, climate-growth relationship, European beech, Hungarian oak, ICP-Forests, Mediterranean forests