The potential ecological envelope of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) based on its present distribution suggests a high suitability for moist rather than warm and dry environments. This contrasts with paleoecological evidence reporting its former presence at low elevations under meso-Mediterranean conditions. In this study, we evaluated the growth performance of silver fir at low elevation (20–60 m a.s.l.) under meso-Mediterranean climatic conditions in Tuscany (central Italy). We conducted a dendroecological analysis on Abies alba trees along a geomorphological gradient (from depression to upper slope conditions). Climate-growth relationships were assessed by means of correlations, response functions, pointer years, and superposed epoch analysis.

Silver fir was found to grow and regenerate well in these stands mixed with evergreen (e.g., Quercus ilex L.) and thermophilous deciduous Mediterranean tree species (e.g., Q. cerris L.). Summer drought was the most growth-influencing factor, with immediate (i.e., current season) negative impacts on tree-ring widths (TRW). No significant impacts were observed in the four years following extreme summer droughts, but the TRW series (which started between the 1930s and 1950s) showed a growth decline since the mid-1990s that is likely drought-related.

Our results show that, provided there is a sufficiently large soil water holding capacity, silver fir provenances exist which are able to withstand Mediterranean summer droughts, can naturally and regularly regenerate in these systems, and may even dominate over typical meso-Mediterranean species. As long as annual precipitation is not too low (i.e., >850 mm) and summer drought conditions not too extreme (i.e., less than three months), silver fir has thus the potential to thrive under warm Mediterranean conditions.

根据目前的分布，银杉 ( Abies alba Mill.)的潜在生态环境表明它非常适合潮湿而不是温暖和干燥的环境。这与古生态证据下，报告在低海拔了往日的风采观-Mediterranean条件。在这项研究中，我们评估了银杉的生长性能下在低仰角（20-60 m左右）内消旋托斯卡纳（意大利中央）-Mediterranean气候条件。我们对冷杉进行了树木生态分析沿地貌梯度的树木（从洼地到上坡条件）。通过相关性、响应函数、指针年和叠加纪元分析来评估气候-增长关系。

发现银冷杉在这些与常绿植物（例如Quercus ilex L.）和嗜热落叶地中海树种（例如Q. cerris L.）混合的林分中生长和再生良好。夏季干旱是对生长影响最大的因素，对树木年轮宽度 (TRW) 具有直接（即当前季节）负面影响。在极端夏季干旱之后的四年中没有观察到显着影响，但 TRW 系列（始于 1930 年代和 1950 年代之间）显示自 1990 年代中期以来的增长下降，这可能与干旱有关。

我们的研究结果表明，只要有足够大的土壤持水能力，银杉种源存在，其能够承受的地中海夏季干旱，在这些系统可以自然并定期再生，甚至可以在典型的支配观-Mediterranean种。只要年降水量不太低（即 >850 毫米）和夏季干旱条件不太极端（即不到三个月），银杉就有可能在温暖的地中海条件下茁壮成长。