Climate induced birch mortality in Trans-Baikal lake region, Siberia

The Trans-Baikal (or Zabailkal’e) region includes the forest-steppe ecotones south and east of Lake Baikal in Russia and has experienced drought for several years. The decline and mortality of birch (Betula pendula) stands within the forest-steppe ecotone Trans-Baikal region was studied based on a temporal series of satellite data, ground measurements, and tree ring analysis. During the first decade of the 21st century birch stands decline and mortality were observed on about 5% of the total area of stands within our 1250 km2 study area. Birch forest decline and mortality occurs mainly at the margins of stands, within the forest-steppe ecotone on slopes with direct insolation. During the first decade of the 21st century summer (June–August) precipitation was about 25% below normal. Soil water content measurements were lowest within dead stands and highest within healthy stands and intermediate within damaged stands. Drought impact on stands was amplified by an increase in summer air temperatures (+0.9 °C) in comparison with the previous decade. Tree ring data of “surviving” and “dead” tree groups showed a positive correlation with summer/annual precipitation and negative correlation with summer air temperatures. Temperature and precipitation extreme anomalies tend to occur in the region with a period of about 27 years. The observed anomaly was the most severe since the beginning of meteorological observations in the year 1900. Data for the other sites showed a positive climate impact on the growth and expansion of Siberian forests. That is, the same species (B. pendula) showed considerable increase (1.4 times both in height and stem volume) during 20th–21st centuries as temperature increased but precipitation remained at adequate levels.

► The drought-caused birch mortality in east Siberia was discovered based on a satellite, on-ground and tree ring data.
► Tree mortality showed correlation with May–August/annual precipitation and temperatures.
► Period of extreme temperature/precipitation anomalies was about 27 years; observed anomaly was severest since the 1900 years.
► Data for some other Siberian sites indicated a positive climate impact on the tree growth and expansion.