Climates Where Stone Pines Grow, A Comparison

Abstract

------ Abstract-While stone pine climates are similar adapted to relatively moderate climates may be excluded from, species the ranges of congeners by more severe climates, and species with longer warm-moiBt growing seasons are probably more productive than congeners. Absolute low/summer average/absolute high temperatures for stone pines listed in order of increasing absolute low temperature are Pinus sibirica (-65/13/37 °C), P. pumila (-52.19/36 °C), P. koraiensis (-42/1s1/36 °C), P. albicaulis (-3419/29 °C), and P. cembra (-23/8/27 °C). The Walter drought index shows little stress in stone pine forests despite large differences in summer/winter precipitation: in order of increasing summer rainfall, precipitation is P. albicaulis (102.I 829mm), P. pumila (1421.264mm), P. sibirica (1871245=), P. cembra (3231616mm), P. koraieT18is (3941242mm). Estimated thawed-soil growing season increases from P. albicaulis (4.5mo), throughsP. pumila (4.6mo), P. sibirica (5.5mo), and P. cembra (6.3mo) to P. koraiensis (7.8mo); growing seasons of the first three trees could be shortened by drought.