Tree Growth and Climate Relationship : dynamics of Scots Pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) Growing in the Near-Source Region of the Combined Heat and Power Plant During the Development of the Pro-Ecological Strategy in Poland

Since the 1990s, the emission of pollutants was reduced in a majority of Polish and developing country factories whereas the level of energy production was similar to that prior to the 1990s. The conifer investigated in this study has grown for many years under the stress of industrial pollution. Despite this, the trees are preserved, to a large extent, sensitive to the natural climatic factors. We present a complex analysis of the climatic (sunshine, temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind circulation) and anthropogenic factors influencing the radial increment dynamics of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in the vicinity of the combined heat and power station in Łaziska (Poland). We analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution of growth reductions, the depth of reduction with respect to the distance from the emitter, the relationship between tree growth and climate during the industry development period and during proecological strategy application . Samples of carbon isotopic composition in pine needles from 2012 to 2013 were additionally determined. Pines series of 3 positions indicate that they have a similar sensitivity to most climatic elements of the previous and given year, but there is also a different rhythm between the studied populations of incremental growth of pines. The causes of diversity are due to the different types of habitat (site types) and industrial pollution. The variation in carbon stable isotopic composition in pine needles was connected with an increase of CO2

Analysis of Trace Elements in Tree Rings of Pines Growing Nearby Steelwork in Southern Poland during the Industrial and Post-Industrial Periods

peer reviewedThe current study explores for the first time the contrasts and similarities between the elemental (Na, Mg, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) composition of pines that grow in a polluted industrialized area, located close to a steelworks, and that of pines growing in a comparative site, far from industry. Radial trace element profiles were determined by LA-ICPMS. The results are compared with the rainfall load at the monitoring station in Katowice, the nearest one to sampling sites, over the years 1999–2012, received from the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (GIOS). The results show that in annual tree rings, there is no direct linear correlation between rainfall load and concentration of the studied elements in wood of the annual rings. The element concentrations in trees may reflect the sum of different factors that impact the ecosystem, including pollution from large sources and local point sources, immission, load of the rainfall level, and also specific plant physiology processes

Dynamics Changes in Basal Area Increment, Carbon Isotopes Composition and Water Use Efficiency in Pine as Response to Water and Heat Stress in Silesia, Poland

Trees can be used as archives of changes in the environment. In this paper, we present the results of the analysis of the impact of water stress and increase in air temperature on BAI and carbon stable isotopic composition and water use efficiency of pine. Dendrochronological methods together with mass spectrometry techniques give a possibility to conduct a detailed investigation of pine growing in four industrial forests in Silesia (Poland). Detailed analysis-based bootstrap and moving correlation between climatic indices (temperature, precipitation, and Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index) and tree parameters give the chance to check if the climatic signals recorded by trees can be hidden or modified over a longer period of time. Trees have been found to be very sensitive to weather conditions, but their sensitivity can be modified and masked by the effect of pollution. Scots pine trees at all sites systematically increased the basal area increment (BAI) and the intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) and decreased δ13C in the last century. Furthermore, their sensitivity to the climatic factor remained at a relatively high level. Industrial pollution caused a small reduction in the wood growth of pines and an increase in the heterogeneity of annual growth responses of trees. The main factors influencing the formation of wood in the pines were thermal conditions in the winter season and pluvial conditions in the previous autumn, and also in spring and summer in the year of tree ring formation. The impact of thermal and pluvial conditions in the year of tree ring formation has also been reflected in the isotopic composition of tree rings and water use efficiency. Three different scenarios of trees’ reaction link to the reduction of stomata conductance or changes in photosynthesis rate as the response to climate changes in the last 40 years have been proposed

Application of dendrochronology and mass spectrometry in bio-monitoring of Scots pine stands in industrial areas

The main aim of this study was to analyze the variability of width as well as content of stable oxygen and carbon isotopes, and radiocarbon in Pinus sylvestris L. tree rings. Analysed Scots pine stand grew on the fresh mixed coniferous forest habitat type on site located in the vicinity of the power plant in Łaziska Górne (southern Poland). The combined usage of tree ring width and isotopic data allowed to identify how investigated trees have adapted to the pollution. Strong increase of industrial pollution emission was noted on the investigated site between 1960s and 1980s. During that time, the trees reduced their radial incement and the heterogeneity of their reaction increased, whereas their sensitivity to short−term impulses to changes in the environment conditions weakened. We observed depletion rates of 14C and δ13C concentration in α−cellulose related to the CO2 emission into the atmosphere in the processes associated with the fossil fuels combustion. Prior to 2000, a decrease in stomatal conductivity was associated with a minor changes in the net photosynthesis rate and that elevated CO2 increased intrinsic water use efficiency (approximately by 40%)

Carbon Isotopes in Tree Rings: Climate and the Suess Effect Interferences in the Last 400 Years

From the 19th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Keble College, Oxford, England, April 3-7, 2006.New records of delta-13C and ∆14C values in annual rings of pine and oak from different sites around the world were obtained with a time resolution of 1 yr. The results obtained for Europe (Poland), east Asia (Japan), and South America (Peru) are presented in this paper. The delta-13C and radiocarbon concentration of a-cellulose from annual tree rings of pine and of the latewood of oak were measured by both accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and liquid scintillation spectrometry (LSC). The values of 14S, which represent decreasing 14C concentrations caused by the emission of CO2 from fossil fuel use (Suess effect; Suess 1955), were calculated for each site. Low average 14S (about -0.4 to 0.8%) values for clean areas and high values (about 3.4-3.6%) for industrial and/or urbanized areas were noted. Records of the delta-13C values obtained for pine and oak from Poland were used to reconstruct climate changes during the last 400 yr. The results clearly indicate the climate cooling during the periods of the Maunder minimum (1645-1715) and the Dalton minimum (1790-1820). The anti-correlation between the delta-13C and ∆14C records during those 2 periods is clear if the 14C record is shifted toward older ages by 24 yr.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202