Recent growth changes in Western European forests are driven by climate warming and structured across tree species climatic habitats

Table 1 Sample statistics of stand and environmental indicators for the eight species under study

Environmental context		Study plots		BAI	H₀	RDI	Tm	Tx	Tn	Rad	P	SWC	pH	C/N	Elevation
Environmental context	Species	Study plots		(m²/ha/5 years)	(m)		(°C)	(°C)	(°C)	(MJ.m⁻²)	(mm)	(mm)			(m)
Mountain	P. abies	2224	(1288)	4.9	24.5	0.7	7.4	12.1	2.6	447	1373	67	5.6	16.8	963
	P. abies	2224	(1288)	2.9	5.9	0.3	1.5	1.5	1.7	35	329	28	0.6	2.5	429
	A. alba	2980	(1796)	4.1	25.3	0.8	7.9	12.7	3.1	448	1263	61	5.5	17.4	928
	A. alba	2980	(1796)	2.2	5.3	0.3	1.1	1.4	1.3	32	306	23	0.7	2.3	339
Generalist	P. sylvestris	6020	(3013)	2.6	15.0	0.7	9.0	14.4	3.6	474	925	64	6.2	17.9	797
	P. sylvestris	6020	(3013)	1.5	5.5	0.3	1.6	1.8	1.8	42	184	23.2	1.0	2.7	427
	F. sylvatica	5249	(2959)	2.8	24.7	0.8	9.1	13.7	4.6	432	1120	73	5.7	16.6	601
	F. sylvatica	5249	(2959)	1.6	6.5	0.3	1.2	1.4	1.4	39	328	28	0.6	2.7	430
Temperate lowland	Q. robur	2907	(1688)	2.3	21.3	0.7	10.8	15.7	6.0	438	912	96	5.5	17.9	236
	Q. robur	2907	(1688)	1.1	4.4	0.3	1.3	1.5	1.3	29	222	22	0.5	3.3	181
	Q. petraea	4035	(2480)	2.4	23.3	0.7	10.4	15.1	5.7	426	811	90	5.6	17.5	233
	Q. petraea	4035	(2480)	1.1	5.7	0.3	0.9	1.1	0.9	23	167	20	0.4	2.7	185
Mediterranean	Q. pubescens	588	(469)	1.6	14.2	0.7	11.4	16.9	6.0	484	898	59	6.7	16.3	440
	Q. pubescens	588	(469)	0.9	4.1	0.3	1.3	1.4	1.5	27	182	23	0.7	2.4	297
	P. halepensis	1053	(506)	2.0	12.3	0.6	13.2	18.9	7.5	517	705	47	7.8	14.2	269
	P. halepensis	1053	(506)	1.1	3.2	0.3	1.0	0.7	1.6	14	111	14	0.2	2.5	148

Plots number under parentheses indicates plots with local site data (NFI soil characteristics and floristic survey, subsection 3 of section 2). Numbers in italics (second row) are standard deviations. The environmental indicators correspond to the average site properties (section 3). BAI is stand basal area increment over 5 years at 1.30 m height (m²/ha/5 years, increment cores being measured on five cumulated years), pH and C/N ratio apply to the first soil layer. Climatic variables correspond to mean climate over 1961–1990 (AURELHY model, Bénichou and Le Breton 1987). Elevation a.s.l.
H ₀ stand top height, RDI stand Relative Density Index, Tm annual average of mean temperature, Tx annual average of maximal temperature, Tn annual average of minimal temperature, Rad annual average solar radiation, P total annual precipitation, SWC soil water capacity

ISSN: 1297-966X