An assessment of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler (Anacardiacea) for dendroclimatological applications in the tropical Cerrado and Chaco forests, Bolivia

Abstract

Given the scarcity of instrumental climatic data in the South American tropics, it is valuable to explore the dendrochronological potential of the numerous tree species growing in the region. In this paper, we assessed for the first time the dendrochronological characteristics of Schinopsis brasiliensis, an arboreal species from the dry-tropical Cerrado and Chaco forests in Bolivia and adjacent countries. Similar to most woody species in the Cerrado and Chaco regions, growth rings of S. brasiliensis are delimited by the presence of thin but continuous lines of marginal parenchyma. Based on 22 samples from 15 trees, we present the first ring-width chronology for this species covering the period 1812–2011 (200 years). Additionally, a 106-year floating chronology from S. brasiliensis was developed using cores from four columns from the church of San Miguel, Santa Cruz, built in the period 1720–1740. Standard dendrochronological statistics indicate an important common signal in the radial growth of S. brasiliensis. The comparison of variations in regional climate and ring widths shows that tree growth is directly related to spring-summer rainfall and inversely related to temperature. Following the winter dry season, rainfall in late spring and early summer increases soil water supply, which activates tree growth. In contrast, above-average temperatures during the same period increase evapotranspiration, intensify the water deficit and reduce radial growth. The dependence of S. brasiliensis growth on water supply is evidence of its dendrochronological potential for reconstructing past precipitation variations in the extensive tropical Cerrado and Chaco forest formations in South America. Using wood from historical buildings opens the possibility of extending the chronologies of S. brasiliensis over the past 400–500 years.