Long-term increase in climatic dryness in the East-Mediterranean as evidenced for the island of Samos

The Eastern Mediterranean region is among the regions which were predicted to become drier under IPCC climate scenarios. Here, we document a gradual reduction of rainfall and tree growth and the loss of rural springs during the last decades of the twentieth century. Years with severe drought are associated with very low tree growth (dendrochronology) and dry falling of springs as evidenced by interviews with local stakeholders. The paper discusses the consequences of accelerating drought on natural vegetation and agriculture and points at the interaction with fire dynamics and economy, both likely to enhance the drought effect.     

气候变化对树轮异常结构的影响及应用研究进展

树轮异常结构作为反映气候变化的一个重要参数,已被广大生态学家所重视并应用。树轮异常结构包括霜轮、浅轮、伪轮、畸形木材反应木、树脂道、火疤等。这些异常年轮结构与温度、降水、光照等气候因子有着复杂的相关关系。温度对年轮异常结构的影响主要表现在低温对形成层生长的抑制作用,从而形成霜轮、浅轮。生长期内干旱,形成层生长时间短,甚至使形成层生长减慢或停止,从而形成伪轮。高强度的光照会引起高温少雨,加剧旱情的发生,从而导致伪轮。另外,通过对树轮异常结构的分析,可用这些特征来重建森林干扰的历史,如火山喷发、火灾、冰灾、虫害、旱灾、地震等。这些研究在帮助人们了解和研究古气候变化对森林植被的影响,以及预测未来全球变化对陆地生态系统的影响有重要的理论和现实意义。文章综述了气候变化对树轮异常结构的影响的研究进展和应用,并概述了发展前景,希望能加快和拓宽这一领域的发展。