Description: Arctic and alpine treelines worldwide differ in their reactions to climate change. A northward advance of or densification within the treeline ecotone will likely influence climate-vegetation feedback mechanisms. In our study, which was conducted in the Taimyr Depression in the North Siberian Lowlands, w present a combined field- and model-based approach helping us to better understand the population processes involved in the responses of the whole treeline ecotone, spanning from closed forest to single-tree tundra, to climate warming. Using information on stand structure, tree age, and seed quality and quantity from seven sites, we investigate effects of intra-specific competition and seed availability on the specific impact of recent climate warming on larch stands. Field data show that tree density is highest in the forest-tundra, and average tree size decreases from closed forest to single-tree tundra. Age-structure analyses indicate that the trees in the closed forest and forest-tundra have been present for at least ~240 years. At all sites except the most southerly ones, past establishment is positively correlated with regional temperature increase. In the single-tree tundra however, a change in growth form from krummholz to erect trees, beginning ~130 years ago, rather than establishment date has been recorded. Seed mass decreases from south to north, while seed quantity increases. Simulations with LAVESI (Larix Vegetation Simulator) further suggest that relative density changes strongly in response to a warming signal in the forest-tundra while intra-specific competition limits densification in the closed forest and seed limitation hinders densification in the single-tree tundra. We find striking differences in strength and timing of responses to recent climate warming. While forest-tundra stands recently densified, recruitment is almost non-existent at the southern and northern end of the ecotone due to autecological processes. Palaeo-treelines may therefore be inappropriate to infer past temperature changes at a fine scale. Moreover, a lagged treeline response to past warming will, via feedback mechanisms, influence climate change in the future.

Description: The procedure of wood sample preparation, including tree-ring dissection, cellulose extraction, homogenization and finally weighing and packing for stable isotope analysis is labour intensive and time consuming. We present an elaborated methodical guideline from pre-analyses considerations, wood sample preparation through semi-automated chemical extraction of cellulose di- rectly from tree-ring cross-sections to tree-ring dissection for high-precision isotope ra- tio mass spectrometry. This guideline reduces time and maximizes the tree-ring stable isotope data throughput significantly. The method was applied to ten different tree species (coniferous and angiosperm 10 wood) with different wood growth rates and differently shaped tree-ring boundaries. The tree-ring structures of the cellulose cross-sections largely remained well identifiable. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectrometry and the comparison of stable isotope values with classical method confirm chemical purity of the resultant cellulose. Sample homogenization is no longer necessary. Cellulose extraction is now faster, cheaper and more user friendly allowing (i) the simultaneous treatment of wood cross-sections of a total length of 180 cm (equivalent to 6 increment cores of 30 cm length) and thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm, and (ii) precise tree- ring separation at annual to high-resolution scale utilizing manual devices or UV-laser microdissection microscopes.

Description: The comprehensive procedure of wood sample preparation, including tree-ring dissection, cellulose extraction, homogenization and packing for stable isotope analysis, is labour intensive and time consuming. Based on a brief compilation of existing methods, we present a methodological approach from pre-analyses considerations to wood sample preparation, semi-automated chemical extraction of cellulose from tree-ring cross-sections, and tree-ring dissection for stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry: the Cross-Section Extraction and Dissection (CSED) guideline. Following the CSED guideline can considerably increase efficiency of tree-ring stable isotope measurement compared to classical methods〈ABS-P〉We introduce a user-friendly device for cellulose extraction, allowing simultaneous treatment of wood cross-sections of a total length of 180 cm (equivalent to 6 increment cores of 30 cm length) and thickness of 0.6–2.0 mm. After cellulose extraction, treering structures of 10 tree species (coniferous and angiosperm wood) with different wood growth rates and treering boundaries, largely remained well identifiable. Further, we demonstrate that tree rings from cellulose cross-sections can be dissected at annual to intraseasonal resolution, utilizing simple manual devices as well as sophisticated UV-laser microdissection microscopes in a way that sample homogenization is no longer necessary in most cases. We investigate seasonal precipitation signals in high-resolution intra-annual δ18O cellulose values from African baobab, performed by using UV-laser microdissection microscopes.

Description: Arctic and alpine treelines worldwide differ in their reactions to climate change. A northward advance of or densification within the treeline ecotone will likely influence climate-vegetation feedback mechanisms. We present a combined field- and model-based approach to better understand the population processes involved in the responses of the whole treeline ecotone, spanning from northern taiga to single-tree tundra, to climate warming. Using information on stand structure, tree age, and seed quality and quantity from seven sites, we investigate effects of intra-specific competition and seed availability on the specific impact of recent climate warming on larch stands. Field data show that tree density is highest in the forest-tundra, and average tree size decreases from northern taiga to single-tree tundra. Age-structure analyses indicate that the trees in the northern taiga and forest-tundra have been present for at least ~240 years. At all sites except the most southerly ones, past establishment is positively correlated with regional temperature increase. In the single-tree tundra however, a change in growth form from krummholz to erect trees, beginning ~130 years ago, rather than establishment date has been recorded. Seed mass decreases from south to north, while seed quantity increases. Simulations with LAVESI (Larix Vegetation Simulator) further suggest that relative density changes strongly in response to a warming signal in the forest-tundra while intra-specific competition limits densification in the northern taiga and seed limitation hinders densification in the single-tree tundra. We find striking differences in strength and timing of responses to recent climate warming. While forest-tundra stands recently densified, recruitment is almost non-existent at the southern and northern end of the ecotone due to autecological processes. Palaeo-treelines may therefore be inappropriate to infer past temperature changes at a fine scale. Moreover, a lagged treeline response to past warming will, via feedback mechanisms, influence climate change in the future.