A 406-year non-growing-season precipitation reconstruction in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract. Trees record climatic conditions during their growth, and tree rings serve as proxy to reveal the features of historical climate a region. In this study, we collected tree-ring cores hemlock forest (Tsuga forrestii) from northwestern Yunnan area southeastern Tibetan Plateau (SETP) created residual width (TRW) chronology. An analysis relationship between growth revealed that precipitation non-growing season (NGS) (from November previous year February current year) was most important constraining factor on radial forests in addition, influence NGS relatively uniform over time (1956–2005). Accordingly, reconstructed period spanning 1600–2005. The reconstruction accounted for 28.5 % actual variance common 1956–2005. Based reconstruction, extremely dry years 1656, 1694, 1703, 1736, 1897, 1907, 1943, 1982 1999. contrast, wet 1627, 1638, 1654, 1832, 1834–1835 1992. Similar variations series Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) reconstructions early growing surrounding regions indicated reliability present reconstruction. A comparison with Climate Research Unit (CRU) gridded data our representative variability large region SETP. Our study provides first SETP which enriches understanding long-term showed slightly increasing trend last decade might accelerate regional growth.