Disturbance history is a key driver of tree life span in temperate primary forests

Aims We examined differences in life span among the dominant tree species (spruce, Picea abies; fir, Abies alba; beech, Fagus sylvatica; and maple, Acer pseudoplatanus) across primary mountain forests of Europe. asked how disturbance history, lifetime growth patterns, environmental factors influence span. Locations Balkan Mountains, Carpathian Dinaric Mountains. Methods Annual ring widths from 20,600 cores were used to estimate spans, trends, history metrics. Mixed models examine species-specific (i.e., defined as 90th percentiles age distributions), metrics radial growth, parameters, selected Results While only a few beech trees surpassed 500 years, individuals all four older than 400 years. There significant (beech > fir spruce maple), indicating differentiation Trees less likely reach old areas affected by more severe events, whereas that experienced periods slow multiple episodes suppression release age. Aside weak but negative effect vegetation season temperature on maple span, no other included analysis influenced Conclusions Our results indicate biological which may play role facilitating coexistence mixed temperate forests. Finally, natural regimes key driver could have implications for forest dynamics if shift under global change.