Growth peculiarities of European beech trees outside their natural distribution range in Lithuania

Abstract

European beech seems to be a successful tree species outside their distribution range in the north-eastern part of Europe. Prussian foresters promoted European beech in western and south-western parts of Lithuania in the nineteenth century by planting these trees in Scots pine stands. This forest management practice ensured beech migration towards north-east, what resulted in arising of the new issues concerning sensitivity of European beech to current environmental changes, in areas outside their natural distribution range. Dendrochronological analysis of these trees revealed that wormer dormant period and precipitation amount over the entire year positively affected beech tree growth in Lithuania. Only the effect of summer air temperature on beech tree ring formation demonstrated different significance, i.e. on the seaside summer air temperature positively resulted in tree ring width, meanwhile in the central part of Lithuania – negatively. Further investigation in this field will allow explain this difference in beech growth formation and sensitivity to summer heat in Lithuania. Despite this we can conclude that seaside and south-western parts of Lithuania are rather favourable for beech growth under the changing climate conditions in Lithuania.