- 1Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Forest Growth, Silviculture & Genetics, (anita.zolles@bfw.gv.at)
- 2University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Institute of Forest Growth, (sonja.vospernik@boku.ac.at)
- 3Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Forest Growth, Silviculture & Genetics, (silvio.schueler@bfw.gv.at)
Understanding tree growth in relation to environmental conditions is essential, particularly in the context of climate change,
where rising temperatures, frequent droughts, and disturbances threaten forest health and productivity. This study uses
high-resolution data from four intensively monitored Picea abies stands in Austria (2010-2020), with dendrometers recording
hourly stem increments on 10 trees per site, allowing for detailed analysis of growth responses to environmental changes.For this
purpose we tested different generalized additive mixed models (GAMs) using environmental data collected on site. The best model
consisted of combinations of soil moisture (SM) and soil temperature (ST) data. Furthermore we analysed how the relationships
established differ for three different times during the growing season. We found that high SM consistently had a positive effect on
tree growth, wheras the effect of ST varied depending on the timing.Our findings underscore the importance of monitoring soil
conditions, particularly for species like Picea abies, which are known to react more sensitive to environmental changes due to
their shallow rooting systems and vulnerability to drought.
How to cite: Zolles, A., Vospernik, S., and Schüler, S.: Analysis of the effects of soil parameterson radial stem growth for four sprucestands in Austria, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16869, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16869, 2025.
