Abstract

Distribution and abundance of plant species. Pseudotsuga menziesii has been reported as a highly sensitive species to climatic variation and is regarded as a genetic resource of invaluable importance. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the specific effect of precipitation on radial growth throughout year for this species. From historical climate records and tree ring cores collected in Mexican northern forests, growth was correlated with monthly precipitation by standard dendrochronological techniques. Results showed that P. menziesii was more susceptible to winter precipitation prior to the growing season. Low precipitation in winter makes the survival of these individuals vulnerable. In light of our results, direct implications for management strategies of P. menziesii, are discussed.

Key words: Radial growth, tree-rings, dendrochronology, tree growth–climate relationships.