Growth sensitivity to climate varies with soil moisture regime in spruce–fir forests in central British Columbia

Abstract

Key message Growth sensitivity to climate varies with soil moisture regime in spruce–fir forests in central British Columbia. Stands growing at their dry edaphic limits displayed especially strong and unique climatic sensitivities. Abstract Soil moisture regime is an important influence of productivity, process, and structure in forested ecosystems. In western North America, projected warming trends may result in decreasing available soil moisture; however, the potential effects on forest growth remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the influence of stand-level soil moisture regime on the climatic sensitivity of mature hybrid white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moensch) Voss x Picea engelmannii Parry) and subalpine fir ( Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) forests in central British Columbia, Canada. We collected and analyzed tree-ring data from 51 stands spanning a range of soil moisture regimes. Dendroecological analyses of climate–growth relationships indicated that warm summer temperatures and drought limit growth for both species across all soil moisture regimes; however, responses were strongest on the driest sites. Spruce populations across the gradient of soil moisture regimes displayed unique climate-growth relationships; growth in populations on wetter sites was more correlated with summer climate from the year prior to growth. Radial growth responses to prior summer temperatures strengthened over the past ca. 80\xa0years in both species and across most sites, suggesting that climate–growth relationships are shifting in this region. This study presents evidence of the importance of considering site-level ecological factors such as soil moisture regime when studying forest growth responses to climate.