Particularities in beech and oak responses to climate at the easternmost sites of their distribution in Europe

Abstract

Beech and oak are the most representative forests for Romania and for the Republic of Moldova. In the context of forecasted climate change scenarios, the growth of these tree species at their distribution margin is crucial to adapt current forest management strategies. Analyses of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and oak (Quercus sp.) growth have shown high plasticity, but easternmost beech populations have been rarely studied. To describe the response of the marginal beech and oak population to the climate in the far east sites of its distribution, we first compiled new tree ring width chronologies.