A Study On Dendroclimatic Potential Of Chir Pine (Pinus Roxburghii) Grown In Bahali District Mansehra Kp Pakistan

This study is carried out to evaluate the dendro-climatic potential of Chir pine ( Pinus roxburghi ) growing under the moist temperate condition of Bahali forest area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For this purpose, wood material in the form of tree cores was extracted from healthy trees randomly. The cores were prepared for data measurement using standard laboratory procedures. Data regarding Total Ring Width (TRW) were measured with the help Win-Dendro System. The collected data were compiled and analyzed statistically using computer-based software Cofecha and R packages. Results showed that an increase of 309.3 mm in total annual precipitation and 0.426 C 0 in temperature had happened in this area. This species reflected accepted mean sensitivity value (0.297) under these climatic conditions. The climate-growth relationship for 56 years (1965-2021) revealed that precipitation is acting as a limiting factor for the growth of this species and temperature is playing its optimum role. It was concluded that Chir Pine has tremendous dendro-climatic potential which is an indication that environmental changes had created impression on growth and developmental of the trees in the study area. Further, it is recommended that this species can be used for further research concerning, reconstruction of climatic parameters and other future issues of climate changes, but long-term chronology development is prerequisite.