Abstract: We developed one tree-ring chronology of Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) in Liangshui National Natural Reserve, Xiaoxing'an Mountain, Northeast China, by using traditional dendrochronology. We identified the relationships between Korean pine chronology and monthly climatic factors(air temperatures and precipitation) by correlation analysis and single year analysis. Korean pine radial growth was mainly limited by both monthly air temperatures and precipitation, and the limited effects of minimum temperatures before growing season(from February to April) and mean temperatures and precipitation during growing season on Korean pine growth were most significant, and Korean pine radial growth was positively correlated with temperatures in the previous June and July and the current February and April. The responses of the chronology to monthly maximum and minimum temperatures showed a similar relationship with monthly mean temperatures, which indicated that Korean pine radial growth were mainly influenced by air temperatures before and during growing seasons. The chronology was negatively correlated with maximum and mean temperature in June of the current year, and positively correlated with precipitations in March and June. The soil moisture in June also had a significant influence on Korean pine growth. High temperature in June accelerates soil evaporation and plant transpiration, resulted in water stress and narrow ring formation of Korean pine in this region. Single year analysis confirmed the results from correlation analysis. Therefore, Korean pine radial growth was synthetically affected by precipitation and temperature during and before growing seasons, and also seriously limited by soil moisture in June.

Key words: Pinus koraiensis, tree rings, correlation analysis, single year analysis