The role of extreme rain events in driving tree growth across a continental‐scale climatic range in Australia

Rainfall regimes in many parts of the world have become increasingly dominated by fewer, but more extreme, rainfall events. Understanding how tree growth responds to changes frequency and intensity rain events is critical predicting climate change will impact on forests woodlands future. In this study, we used five tree-ring records native Australian conifer Callitris columellaris that span a large (> 20°) latitudinal climatic gradient from mesic (tropical) north xeric (semi-arid) south Australia investigate inter-annual spatial variation delivery (the events) influences growth. semi-arid biomes (~300–400 mm annually), most strongly related amount heavy 75th percentile) days or number extreme 90th days, regardless differences seasonal distribution average among sites. Our findings also indicate there likely minimum threshold daily (~5 mm) required stimulate zone. contrast, tropics 800 annual rainfall), best explained total growing season > ~5 (~50th percentile days) rather than rainfall. not all are important for driving growth, which has implications interpreting signals rings. projected increases contrasting impacts across biomes, with greater positive potentially negative tropical Australia.