Drought Effects on Forest Health and Growth in the Western Part

of the Eurasian Steppe Region

Ionel POPA, Ovidiu BADEA, Stefan NEAGU, Sefan LECA, Constantin NECHITA
Forest Research and Management Institute-Romania (ICAS)
Bd. Eroilor 128, 077190 Voluntari, jud. Ilfov, Romania, popaicas@gmail.com, www.icas.ro

IUFRO, Salt Lake City, USA, 6-11 of October, 2014

Introduction

Climate influence on share of damage trees is relatively low

Regional

warming and consequent higher water deficits

along with air pollution are, most likely, the main driving
forces behind forest health and growth dynamics. They are
more important in the case of forest ecosystems existing
under marginal or restricted ecological conditions such in
south and south-eastern part of Romania (western part of
Eurasian steppe).
The objective is to investigate the climate influence on
forest health and tree growth on south and south- eastern
part of Romania.

Material and Methods

Dynamics of share of damaged trees at national level (4x4 km)

The share of damaged trees reached the highest values in

1994, after a prolonged period of drought since 1981. After
1996 a slow increase of trees health is observed. This trend is
more evident after 2001 due to a important increase of
precipitation amount in the regions with hot and dry climate
(ESC) and continental climate (C).

(rmax=0.1-0.2 at national level and rmax= 0.2-0.3 at regional level

mainly of south and south-eastern Romania). Generally,
precipitation is the main climatic driver on tree defoliation, a
negative correlation has been observed for main
species/group of species. High variability of the correlation
among biogeographic regions was revealed.
Variance of defoliation explained by climate decreased in the
last years for all species and broadleaves. For oak species
the variance explained by climate remain over 20% during the
analyzed period.

Climate influence on tree growth

0.4

Climate influence on forest health

0.1

National level

All species

ECS

SM

0.2

0.00
0.0

0.1

0.0

Corr. Kendall

Corr. Kendall

-0.05

STFA

0.3

Correlation coef.

0.05

PLOA

Quercus robur

-0.1

-0.1

pS
0.5
Broadleaves

Conifers

Picea a.

Fagus s.

Quercus spp.

Season

-0.15
pA_pA

These forests are the only line of defense against the Eurasian steppe expansion

A_A

Broadleaves

pA_pA

pS_A
ECS

SM

0.1

pS_pN

pD_M

A_A
ECS
SM

Quercus spp.

C
A

-0.1

-0.2

0.25

Season
pS_pN

pD_M

A_A

Season

-0.3
pA_pA

pS_A

pS_pN

pD_M

A_A

Partial R2

50

50

40

40

20

20

10

10

p_A_A

p_pD_M

p_pS_pN

p_pA_pA

t_A_A

t_pD_M

t_pS_pN

t_pA_pA

0.15

1995

2000

2010 Year 2015

2005

Quercus spp.

ECS

SM

1995

2000

0.00
1992
0.30

2010 Year 2015

2005

Partial R2

45

% of damaged trees

% damage trees

60
50
40

35
30
25
20
15

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001Year2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

30

2015

0.10

Picea abies

Fagus sylvatica

Quercus petraea

Quercus robur

Quercus cerris

Dynamics of share of damaged trees by regions

1993

1994

Quercus spp.

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001Year2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

0.40
Partial R2

2010 Year

Robinia pseudoacacia

2005

Quercus pubescens

2000

Quercus frainetto

10

0.15

0.00
0.501992

20

0.20

0.05

10

1995

1993

Broadleaves

50

70

extreme continental and steppe climate (e.g. oak species and black
locust) are the most affected (22-43% share of damaged trees)
comparing with beech (11%) and spruce (9%) situated on submountain and alpine region.

0.2
0.1
0.0

Month
pO

pN

pD

by the precipitation amount from current growing season.

The intensity of monthly correlations varies between
species. The analysis of the spatial correlation between tree
ring index and seasonal precipitation allowed to establish
the representativeness of each site.

Drought represent the main driving factor for forest health

and tree growth in the south and south-east of Romania
(western part of Eurasian steppe).
Significant improvement of forest health from the south and
south-east of Romania was observed in the last years linked
to a improvement of water balance.
These forests are the only line of defense against the
Eurasian steppe expansion.

0.30
0.20

Acknowledgments

0.10

Species located in the southern and south-eastern Romania under

VIDB

Conclusions

0.25

40

VIDA

0.10
0.05

0
1990

80

0
1990

All species

30

30

GIRA

The growth of oak species from south of Romania is limited

60

60

Correlation between tree ring index and precipitation from south Romania

pS_A

0.20

% of damage trees

% of damage trees

SM

70

70

90

80

80

0
1990

ECS

-0.3

Kendalls tau correlation between the share of damaged trees and

precipitation at national and regional level

Broadleaves

Quercus cerris

pS

90
SM

-0.1

Forest health dynamics

C

-0.2

Results
ECS

-0.2

pA_pA

All species

pD

-0.1

-0.3

90

pN

0.3

Corr. Kendall

0.0

pO

0.4

pS_A

0.0

Corr. Kendall

of damaged trees defoliation classes 2-4) and climate data

from E-OBS grid database. Tree ring chronologies for
Quercus species analyzed by dendrochronological methods.

pD_M

0.1

Biogeographic region of Romania (adapted from EEA) ICP Level I network

Data sets: defoliation data from the period 1992-2013 (share

pS_pN

Season

-0.2

Correlation coef.

All species

0.2

Month

-0.2

-0.10

0.00
1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2009

2010

2011

2012

Year

Multiple linear regression analysis between share of damaged trees and

seasonal temperature and precipitation

2013

This research was supported by Romanian Authority for

Research in Core Program for forestry GEDEFOR - project
PN09460110.