Characteristics of Scots Pine Growth to Climate Conditions in Different Pine Provenances Field Trial

Abstract

Recently rapidly changing climatic conditions resulted in a rise of the new issues related to survival and growth of different Scots pine tree populations related not only to adaption to new climatic threats but also to mitigation to negative effects of the climate changes. Establishment of the experimental trials of pine trees provenance allowed to determine pine population best growing and most resistant to local environmental condition for ensuring the sustainable development of local pine populations in future. The aim of the study was to detect the genetic adaptive capacity of pine population from neighboring as well as far distance geographic provenances, comparing tree survival and growth responses to climatic conditions in Kazlu Ruda 44 Scot pine provenances experimental trial. In 2013 dendrometric parameters of 10,613 trees growing on 8.65 ha area were measured and their location in the trial detected. Population from the central part of investigated area of pine distribution range demonstrated the highest possibility to survive in the local climatic conditions. Survival of trees from populations from most eastern and western parts of pine distribution range as well as from the most northern and southern parts was significantly lover. Notwithstanding this dendrometric parameters and volume per ha of western and southern provenances were close to the maximal values which demonstrated population from the central part of investigated area of pine distribution range.