The influence of climate and drought on urban tree growth in southeast Australia and the implications for future growth under climate change

Abstract

The recent decline in the health of the City of Melbourne’s deciduous tree species to a recent drought event has led to concerns about the vulnerability of the city’s trees to future climate change. Understanding the response of tree growth to past climate is critical for determining the likely impacts of climate change on future growth and can provide insights into the suitability of current species to future climates. We used dendrochronogical approaches to determine the relationships between climate and tree radial growth for common deciduous tree species in Melbourne’s urban forest. Chronologies were successfully developed for Quercus robur, Ulmus procera, Ulmus L. and Platanus acerifoli..