Inconsistent Growth Responses of Alpine Rhododendron Shrubs to Climate Change at Two Sites on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Evidence is accumulating that the radial growth of high-elevation Rhododendron shrubs has high dendrochronological potential. However, it remains unclear if the growth responses of alpine Rhododendron shrubs to climate are contingent on site conditions. Herein, the climate–growth relationships of alpine Rhododendron przewalskii Maxim. shrubs were investigated at two sites (NQ, LWQ) at an elevation of 4300 m on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. We collected ring-width data from 53 Rhododendron shrubs. Well-replicated 111-year-old and 51-year-old long shrub ring-width chronologies were built for NQ and LWQ, respectively. Mean shrub growth did not differ between the two study sites. Mean maximum temperature in September of the previous year was significantly negatively correlated with shrub ring-width indices in site NQ, whereas the August minimum temperature of the current year showed a strong negative association with shrub growth indices in site LWQ. Random effects with the shrub level condition exerted a certain influence on shrub radial growth. Results of previous studies in other forest regions across the Tibetan Plateau, along with this study, revealed the diverse responses of radial growth of alpine Rhododendron shrubs to climate change. Thus, both climatic and local-scale variables should be considered when conducting shrub-based dendrochronological studies. A warmer and drier climate in the future could further reduce Rhododendron shrub growth in particular sites and threaten the survival of alpine shrub ecosystems on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.