Shandong Science

   

The response of the seasonal dynamics of primary and secondary growth of Chamaecyparis obtusa in Lushan Mount to environmental factors

ZHANG Wenpenga, FU Dinaa, WANG Yanga ZHANG Jingwena, Gao Jialea, LIU Xinshenga,b*    

  1. a.School of Geography and Tourism; b.Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Regional Response in the Yangtze Huaihe River Basin, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
  • Received:2026-01-18 Accepted:2026-02-02 Published:2026-06-01 Online:2026-06-01
  • Contact: LIU Xinsheng E-mail:xsliu287@163.com

Abstract: To investigate the growth rhythms of different organs of an important tree species for ecological restoration and their responses to environmental factors, continuous monitoring of the primary and secondary growth processes of Chamaecyparis obtusa in Mount Lushan was conducted using dendrometers and measuring tapes. The Gompertz model and the generalized additive model were used to fit the seasonal dynamics of primary and secondary growth and to analyze their relationships with environmental factors. The results indicated that the dynamics of primary growth of C. obtusa exhibited a unimodal pattern, while secondary growth displayed a bimodal pattern. Notably, the phenological phases of secondary growth exhibited interannual variability, with the onset, peak, and conclusion of secondary growth occurring 14, 27, and 38 days earlier, respectively, in 2018 compared to 2017. Throughout the two years, the onset of secondary growth consistently preceded that of primary growth, while its conclusion occurred later than that of primary growth. The onset of primary growth promoted the phenology of secondary growth, whereas the peak and conclusion of primary growth inhibited it. Primary and secondary growth were negatively correlated with soil temperature and minimum temperature and positively correlated with precipitation. In addition, increased soil moisture facilitated primary growth, whereas a higher vapor pressure deficit inhibited secondary growth. The findings reveal the temporal linkage between the seasonal dynamics of primary and secondary growth in C. obtusa and their differential responses to environmental factors, providing a theoretical basis for predicting the responses of different organs to future climate change and for formulating ecological restoration strategies.

Key words: Chamaecyparis obtusa; primary growth, stem radial growth, environmental factors, subtropics

CLC Number: 

  • S791.42

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