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Dimensions of dated tree rings are an important tool of dendroclimatology. However, the relationships between climatic variables and cell diameter and cell wall thickness are not yet clearly elaborated. In the present article, year-to-year cell characteristics, ring width, and wood density of Picea crassifolia trees growing in northwestern China have been measured with high resolution by means of the instrument SilviScan-3. The response function analysis showed that climate explained 51% of the variation of cell radial diameter chronology, 48% of wood density, 40% of cell wall thickness, and 37% of ring width. Cell wall thickness and wood density responded significantly and positively to temperature, and the response to precipitation was negative, while the opposite was true for cell radial diameter and ring width. Cell wall thickness and wood density were pronounced (statistically significant) to temperature in September and precipitation in May and August. Cell radial diameter responded significantly to temperature in June and July, and precipitation, in August. For ring width, the temperature in July was important. Accordingly, cell characteristics are sensitive to climate, and the findings could be useful in the field of dendroclimatology.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	cell diameter, cell wall thickness, climate, dendroclimatology, Picea crassifolia
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Plant biology
Research Field:	Plant physiology
Objective Division:	Environmental Management
Objective Group:	Terrestrial systems and management
Objective Field:	Terrestrial biodiversity
UTAS Author:	Downes, GM (Dr Geoff Downes)
ID Code:	118298
Year Published:	2013
Web of Science® Times Cited:	16
Deposited By:	Plant Science
Deposited On:	2017-07-10
Last Modified:	2017-10-16
Downloads:	225 View Download Statistics