Approaches for the Identification of Long-term Trends in Growth of Siberian Spruce and Scots Pine in North West of Russia

摘要

Komi is situated at the eastern boundary of the European part of'Russia, in the boreal region where large areas of natural forest still exist. Using radial and apical growth it was possible to detect positive long-term trends of the growth in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) in the forest-tundra transition zone, the northern taiga zone, the middle taiga zone, and the southern taiga zone of boreal forests in the Komi Republic. Three different approaches wereused for identifying long-term trends in the growth of Siberian spruce and Scots pine: the construction of the chronology, comparison of the radial increment at similar cambial age, and comparison of the height increment at similar cambial age. The combination of methods for estimating long-term growth trends emphasizing the height increment has proven to be an adequate approach.