Growth characteristics of natural and planted Dahurian larch in northeast China

Abstract

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Dahurian larch (<i>Larix gmelinii </i>Rupr.) is the dominant species in both natural and planted forests in northeast China, which is situated in the southernmost part of the global boreal forest biome and is undergoing great climatically induced changes. Published studies (1965–2015) on tree above-ground growth of Dahurian larch forests in northeast China were collected in this study and critically reviewed, and a comprehensive growth data set was developed from 122 sites, which are distributed between 40.85 and 53.47<span class="inline-formula">^∘</span><span class="thinspace"></span>N in latitude, between 118.20 and 133.70<span class="inline-formula">^∘</span><span class="thinspace"></span>E in longitude and between 130 and 1260<span class="thinspace"></span>m in altitude. The data set is composed of 743 entries and includes growth data (mean tree height, mean diameter at breast height (DBH), mean tree volume and/or stand volume) and associated information, i.e., geographical location (latitude, longitude, altitude, aspect and slope), climate (mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP)), stand description (origin, stand age, stand density and canopy density) and sample regime (observation year, plot area and plot number). It provides a quantitative reference for plantation management practices and boreal forest growth prediction under future climate change. The data set is freely available for noncommercial scientific applications, and the DOI for the data is <span class="uri">https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.880984</span>.</p>