EGE 12TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON APPLIED SCIENCES
GROWTH DYNAMICS IN ABIES ALBA AND PINUS NIGRA MODULATED BY CLIMATIC VARIABILITY
Yazarlar:
Edmond PASHO
Arben Q. ALLA
Leonard LLESHI
Yayıncı:
Academy Global Publishing House
This study aimed at evaluating the dynamics of primary (vegetation indices) and secondary (radial growth) growth in two forest species (Abies alba and Pinus nigra) located in national park Shebenik, Albania, and assessing their response to climate variability. Field sampling consisted of dendrometric measurements (tree height, diameter at breast height (d.b.h), distance from the neighbor tree, crown radius) and radial growth samples (earlywood, EW, latewood, LW, tree-ring width, TRW); the later were measured and analyzed using dendrochronological methods. Vegetation activity was evaluated by means of two vegetation indices: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). ANOVA was used to compare growth variables between species whereas Pearson correlation analysis was employed to assess the relationship between radial growth (EW, LW, TRW) and climatic variables (monthly mean temperatures, monthly total precipitation). NDVI and EVI increased during spring, reached maximum values in summer, and decreased in fall, in both species. The highest/lowest values of NDVI and EVI were observed in A. alba/P. nigra site. Dendrometric variables were statistically different between the two species and indicated higher values in A. alba than P. nigra. Radial growth components showed high interannual growth variability in both species, but growth was statistically higher in P. nigra. In both species, TRW was influenced by EW growth and LW growth whereas LW growth showed also dependence on EW growth. In P. nigra, September precipitation and spring temperatures influenced positively the growth of EW and TRW whereas LW growth was correlated positively with August precipitation and March temperatures. In A. alba, LW growth was positively affected by March temperature and August precipitation; the latter also influenced positively TRW. Findings of this study are useful to identify appropriate strategies for the proper management of A. alba and P. nigra stands in the future, focused on mitigating the impacts of warming and droughts on growth of these species.
