Seasonal temperature reconstruction from Central China based on Tree-Ring data

Yu Liu; Limin Ma; Qiufang Cai; Zhisheng An; Malcolm K. Hughes; Gregg M. Garfin-Woll; Steven W. Leavitt

doi:10.54991/jop.2001.1810

Authors

Yu Liu The State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xian 710054, P R China
Limin Ma The State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xian 710054, P R China
Qiufang Cai The State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xian 710054, P R China
Zhisheng An The State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xian 710054, P R China
Malcolm K. Hughes Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721, USA
Gregg M. Garfin-Woll Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721, USA
Steven W. Leavitt Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.2001.1810

Keywords:

Qinling Mountains, China, Ring width, Temperature reconstruction

Abstract

Mean temperature of March and April for the Qinling Mountains has been reconstructed based on Abies chensiensis tree-ring width for the last 250 years, with good chronology replication since 1828 to 1991 A.D. The explained variance of the reconstruction was 50.8%. Eight relative cold and 8 warm periods for early spring have been found. Power spectrum analysis displays 24, 21.82, 20.00, 18.46, 2.76, 2.73, 2.26, 2.11 and 2.09 yrs cycles. The reconstruction was significantly negatively correlated to dryness/wetness indices, which were derived from historical documents, with r = -0.297 (N₃ = 229, p < 0.0001) after 10 year moving average. After 1900, r reached -0.718 (N₄ = 75, p < 0.0001). This suggests that the lower mean temperature of March-April could be a signal of drought for the year, and vice versa.