Dendrochronology-Based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Reconstruction in the Qinling Mountains, North-Central China

Larix chinensis Beissn., as a native, dominant and climate-sensitive coniferous species at Mount Taibai timberline, Qinling mountains, is rarely disturbed by anthropogenic activities; thus, it an ideal proxy for the investigation of climate change or vegetation evolution. In this study, we applied dendrochronological methods to L. tree-ring series from Mt. investigated relationships between widths NDVI/climate factors using Pearson correlation analysis. On basis remarkable positive correlations (r = 0.726, p < 0.01, n 23) local July normalized difference indices (NDVI) width indices, regional 146-year annual maximum density was reconstructed regression model. The NDVI tracked observed data well, trans-function accounted 52.8% variance during AD 1991–2013. After applying 11-year moving average, five dense coverage periods six sparse were clearly presented. At decadal scale, reconstruction reasonably negatively correlated with nearby historical-record-based dryness/wetness index (DWI), precisely verifying that cover principally controlled hydrothermal variations. Spectral analysis unveiled existence 2–3-year, 2–4-year, 5–7-year 7–11-year cycles, which may potentially reflect connection evolution larger-scale circulations, such El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) solar activity. This study great significance providing long-term perspective on dynamics in could help guide expectations future forest