Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology / Influence of Atmospheric Circulation on the Formation of Light Rings in Larches in the Subarctic Siberia

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Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology. 2022 15 (2)
Authors
Gurskaya, Marina A.
Contact information
Gurskaya, Marina A.: Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation; ; ORCID: 0000-0001-5815-7228
Keywords
North Atlantic Oscillation; Arctic Oscillation; Pacific Decadal Oscillation; light rings; larch; Subarctic Siberia
Abstract

Atmospheric circulation determines both weather and climatic conditions of a region. Phase changes in extratropical circulation lead to long-term climatic changes in high latitudes due to the alterations in atmospheric pressure and redistribution of precipitations. In high latitudes biota is especially sensitive to climatic fluctuations. One of the climatic characteristics of high latitudes is the recurrence of extreme climatic events such as short/cold growing season, which can be registered in annual tree rings as light rings (rings with underdeveloped late wood zone). We compared the frequency of formation of light rings in Subarctic Siberia, their intensity and spatial distribution with the main types of atmospheric circulation characteristic of high latitudes: North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Chronologies of light rings were built based on the data from 19 sites located in the northern forest tundra from the Polar Urals to the Kolyma River which make a 4000-km-long profile. We focused on the periods when light rings are formed frequently during a decade (more than four years with light rings per decade) and, on the contrary, very rarely (less than three cases per decade). Positive correlations of light-ring chronologies with the North Atlantic Oscillation index in September of the preceding year were revealed in the Siberian and Gmelinii larches. Negative correlations were revealed with the July Arctic Oscillation index and June Pacific Oscillation index in the Gmelinii and Kajanderii larches. Massive formation of light rings resulting from registered volcanic eruptions does not coincide with the phases of atmospheric oscillations. In the long-term periods (several decades), light rings can be markers of positive or negative phases of different types of atmospheric circulation

Pages
167–182
DOI
10.17516/1997-1389-0381
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/147495

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