Impact of climate and management on radial growth dynamics of two coexisting Mediterranean Quercus species in south Albania

In the context of changing climate conditions, it is crucial to understand how trees maintain resistance and resilience to and recover from drought stress and management-related disturbances, and how management (intensive/extensive) modulates tree growth responses to climate. Dendrochronological methods were used to examine radial growth rates, to reconstruct disturbance history and to evaluate growth resistance and resilience to and recovery from disturbance events identified by pointer year analysis in two coexisting Quercus species (Q. macrolepis Kotschy and Q. trojana Webb). Moreover, a dendro-ecological approach was used to quantify climate–growth relationships, including a drought index, the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI). Q. trojana/Q. macrolepis showed major/moderate growth releases and moderate growth suppression. Q. trojana demonstrated statistically lower growth recovery than Q. macrolepis. The climatic drivers of radial growth in Q. macrolepis were May, June, September precipitation, July temperatures and the SPI accumulated since the previous year (up to 18 months); whereas Q. trojana responded significantly to May and June precipitation, July temperatures and the SPI at mid-time scales (< 8 months). Under intensive management, both species were more responsive to precipitation, temperature and short to mid-time scale SPI than during the extensive management period where they showed loss of sensitivity to spring–summer precipitation, temperature and SPI. These results are relevant to understand species vulnerability to climate and management/ human-related disturbances, and the effects of intensive/extensive management in modulating climate (drought)–growth relationships in Q. macrolepis and Q. trojana trees.