Seasonal temperature reconstruction from Central China based on Tree-Ring data

Abstract

Mean temperature of March and April for the Qinling Mountains has been reconstructed based on Abies chensiensis tree-ring width for the last 250 years, with good chronology replication since A.D. 1828 to 1991. The explained variance of the reconstruction was 50.8%. Eight relative cold and 8 warm periods for early spring have been found. Power spectrum analysis displays 24, 21.82, 20.00, 18.46, 2.76, 2.73, 2.26, 2.11 and 2.09-yr cycles. The reconstruction was significantly negatively correlated to dryness/wetness indices, which were derived from historical documents, with r =–0.297 (N3 = 229, p < 0.0001) after 10-year moving average. After 1900, r reached –0.718 (N4 = 75, p < 0.0001). This suggests that lower mean temperature of March-April could be a signal of drought for the year, and vice versa .