Climate sensitivity alteration of the Middle Sikhote-Alin main conifer species

Climate of the South of the Russian Far East is exposed to changes that are proved by meteorological data. Trees are a reliable indirect indicator of Global climate change, which has been confirmed in a number of published works around the world. The multi-species, multi-level, structurally complex forests of the Middle Sikhote-Alin are distinguished by their complex dynamic processes and the absence of direct anthropogenic influence. The trees’ response to climatic factors with which there is a significant reliable relationship (precipitation, temperature) is observed in this work. Cores were selected using standard dendrochronological approaches. The “treeclim” package of R software was used for dendroclimatic analysis. Graphs were obtained for the dynamics of climatic sensitivity of the main conifer species of the Middle Sikhote-Alin (Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc., Abies nephrolepis (Trautv.) Maxim., Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere, Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Kuzen.) for a period of 78 years. The stability of dendroclimatic relationships in time was examined and the periods of its alteration were noted. The most climate-sensitive species among those studied were Gmelin larch and Ayan spruce. They are most vulnerable to droughts and their habitats may shift northward with further increases in growing season mean monthly air temperatures.