INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON RADIAL GROWTH OF HOLM OAKS (QUERCUS ILEX SUBSP. BALLOTA DESF) FROM SW SPAIN

DANIEL PATÓN, RICARDO GARCÍA-HERRERA, JAVIER CUENCA, MAMEN GALAVIS, FIDEL A. ROIG

Geochrometria

Versita Metapress

Lugar: Silesia; Año: 2009 p. 49 - 56

1897-1695

A total of 47 trunk sections from Holm Oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota Desf) trees growing at two different sites at the Extremadura region (SW Spain) were considered in the computation of a tree-ring chronology useful to interpret the tree-ring/Mediterranean climate relationships. This is the first dendroclimatological research of Holm Oaks conducted to reveal its potential use as a climatic proxy. The obtained tree-ring chronology were compared with climate parameters based on monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall, and monthly maximum, minimum and average temperature. The best correlations were obtained with maximum temperatures during the period between previous winter and early spring. Influence of rainfall was less relevant. Growth of this species  indicate a typical bimodal (spring and autumn) strategy that avoid low winter temperatures and summer drought. Despite some technical difficulties recognizing tree rings in Holm Oaks, its good sensitivity to climate variability and its wide distribution and longevity (~800 years), allow us to consider this species as a good candidate for temperature reconstructions in the Mediterranean Basin.