Abstract
While the high elevation limit of trees is commonly related to low temperature, the rear edge of their distribution is often associated with drought. Here we explore phenology traits that contribute to a mechanistic explanation of both these edges of the fundamental niche in the broad leaved evergreen Quercus pannosa s.l. Populations of this species reach a drought limit (DL) at 2510 m in the semi-arid upper Yangtze valley, and a cold limit (CL) at 4270 m, very close to the conifer treeline, within a short geographical distance. Trees reach a height of only 4–7 m at both climatic limits, and > 30 m height at optimum site (OS) at 3440 m. At OS, flushing starts in mid-May and at the summer solstice at CL (after late frosts end), suggesting a photoperiod control. At DL, oak phenology tracks the (irregular) arrival of the monsoon. Shoots and leaves grew fastest and for the shortest period at DL, and slowest at CL, in both cases forming 4–7 cm long new shoots per year, contrasted by 12–13 cm a−1 at OS. Maturation of leaves (length and specific leaf area, SLA) was again fastest at DL, followed by CL and slowest at OS, with a much longer shoot growth duration per year and bigger leaves. We conclude that the period favorable for growth and maturation was more than halved at both range limits (by frost or drought) compared to the optimum site, pointing at a common range restriction by the duration of the growing season.
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15 April 2021
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-021-00253-y
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Deqen Meteorological station for sharing their data.
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This work was supported by the National Key R and D Program of China (2017YFC0505200 to H. S.), NSFC-Yunnan joint fund to support key projects (U1802232 to H. S.) equally, the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research program (2019QZKK0502 to H. S.), Young Academic and Technical Leader Raising Foundation of Yunnan Province (2018HB065 to Y. Y.), the Ten-thousand Talents Program of Yunnan Province (YNWR-QNBJ-2018-318 to Y. Y.) and the Yunnan Applied Basic Research Project (2018FA015 to Y. Y.).
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CK conceived and designed the work. WSW, HXF, CJG, and YY jointly performed the fieldwork. WSW, YY and CK jointly performed data analysis and manuscript writing. HS facilitated the project by logistic and infrastructure support and contributed to the text.
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Wang, SW., He, XF., Chen, JG. et al. Elevation-specific responses of phenology in evergreen oaks from their low-dry to their extreme high-cold range limits in the SE Himalaya. Alp Botany 131, 89–102 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-020-00245-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-020-00245-4