Climate-growth relationships of Pinus tabuliformis along an altitudinal gradient on Baiyunshan Mountain, Central China

A set of standard chronologies for tree-ring width (TRW), earlywood width (EWW) and latewood width (LWW) in Pinus tabuliformis Carr. along an altitudinal gradient (1450, 1400, and 1350 m a.s.l.) on Baiyunshan Mountain, Central China to analyze the effect of varying temperature and precipitation on growth along the gradient. Correlation analyses showed that at all three altitudes and the TRW and EWW chronologies generally had significant negative correlations with mean and maximum temperatures in the current April and May and with minimum temperatures in the prior July and August, but significant positive correlations with precipitation in the current May. Correlations were generally significantly negative between LWW chronologies and all temperatures in the prior July and August, indicating that the prior summer temperature had a strong lag effect on the growth of P. tabuliformis that increased with altitude. The correlation with the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) confirmed that wet conditions in the current May promoted growth of TR and EW at all altitudes. Significant altitudinal differences were also found; at 1400 m, there were significant positive correlations between EWW chronologies and SPEI in the current April and significant negative correlations between LWW chronologies and SPEI in the current September, but these correlations were not significant at 1450 m. At 1350 m, there were also significant negative correlations between the TRW and the EWW chronologies and SPEI in the prior October and the current July and between LWW chronology and SPEI in the current August, but these correlations were not significant at 1400 m. Moving correlation results showed a stable response of EWW in relation to the SPEI in the current May at all three altitudes and of LWW to maximum temperature in the prior July–August at 1400 m from 2002 to 2018. The EWW chronology at 1400 m and the LWW chronology at 1450 m were identified as more suitable for climate reconstruction. These results provide a strong scientific basis for forest management decisions and climate reconstructions in Central China.