Database from forest inventory of the different states and provinces of western North America

The climate variables effect on tree growth in boreal and temperate forests has received increased interest in the global context of climate change. However, most studies are often limited to local or regional scales and involved a few tree species. Here, sixteen tree species across western North America were used to investigate tree response to climate change at the species range scale.

Forest inventory databases from 36,944 stands established between1600 and 1968 throughout western Canada and USA were summarized. Height growth (total height at breast-height age of 50 years) of healthy dominant and co-dominant trees were related to climate variables (annual and summer temperature, annual and summer Palmer Drought Severity Index) and tree establishment date (ED) using general linear model. Climate-induced height growth patterns were then tested to determine possible links to spatial environment (soil conditions and geographic locations), species range (coastal, interior, and both ra...