The dendroecology of larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) in the world's northernmost forest provided insight into the complex relationship of tree growth, forest stand establishment, and changing eco-climatic factors. The Ary-Mas forest in the northern Siberia (72 & DEG; + NL) is an ecological island, surrounded by tundra. We hypothesized that the environmental constraints that limit larch growth in this harsh habitat include soil moisture and winter winds as well as low air temperature. We constructed and analyzed the larch growth index (GI) chronology from the eighteenth century until 2019. We found that the larch GI depended on the air temperature, soil moisture anomalies, and winter wind speed, and that dependence was significantly different before and after the 2000s. Larch GI responded to the onset of climatic warming in the 1970s by a minor GI increase followed by a GI decrease until the end of 1990. Increased air temperature early in the growing season favored increased GI, whereas elevated winter wind speed negatively influenced larch growth. After warming in the 2000s, the length of the growing season increased by 15 days, and larch GI was sensitive to air temperature both early and late in the growing season. The adverse influence of winter winds has gradually decreased since the 1970s, becoming a minor factor in the 2000s. Soil moisture in wet, cold soils negatively influenced larch growth. Meanwhile, decreased soil moisture in the northern lowlands favored increased larch growth. We found that larch growth increases were strongly correlated with GPP and NPP (gross and net primary productivity) within the Ary-Mas site and for the central Siberian Arctic. We infer that this Arctic region continues to be a carbon sink.

Northern and tundra forest ecosystems are especially vulnerable to climate impact because of their high sensitivity to changes in temperature. An important issue is how the growth and productivity of the main forest-forming species in the permafrost zone of Siberia are changing under conditions of current climate change. In this study, the Vaganov-Shashkin imitation model of tree growth (the VS-model) has been used to estimate the effect of climatic factors on the growth of Cajander larch (Larix cajanderi Mayr.) in northeastern Yakutia and Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr. (Rupr.) in the east of Taimyr) with a 1-day time resolution and to determine the extent to which the interaction of climatic parameters (temperature/precipitation) and physiological processes is reflected in the width and anatomical structure of tree rings. Despite the location of the study sites in northern regions with harsh conditions, where temperature is the main limiting factor, we have managed to identify the days of the growing season on which soil moisture had a greater impact on the growth of trees than air temperature.

兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii)林是我国寒温带典型的森林类型,广泛分布于大兴安岭地区,由于其在冻土地区能维持稳定生长而备受关注。本文以寒温带典型针叶林——兴安落叶松林的生理、生态及生长状况为切入点,整理归纳兴安落叶松林的自身特性及其演替更新规律,参照现阶段对于兴安落叶松林的培育经营方式,结合林分实际状态提出合理科学的经营管理手段,以保证大兴安岭兴安落叶松林的稳定健康生长,进而有效提高森林生产力,保持生物多样性,对维持寒温带针叶林区稳定、健康、可持续发展提供理论支持。