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Radial growth of cork oak and the effect of climate in Tunisia Volume 21, issue 1, janvier-février-mars 2010

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INRGREF Unité d’agro-sylvo-pastoralisme Rue Hédi Karray BP10  2080 Ariana Tunis Tunisie, Institut méditerranéen d’écologie et de paléoécologie Bâtiment Villemin Europôle de l’Arbois BP 80  13545 Aix-en-Provence France, Institut national de recherche et d’analyse physique Pôle technologique Sidi Thabet Ariana 2020  Tunis Tunisie, CNRS CEFE UMR 5175  Équipe Dream IRD 1919, route de Mende 34293 Montpellier cedex France

Cork oak (Quercus suber) stands represent most of the forest areas in northwest Tunisia. The preservation of these forests, constantly degraded for several years, constitutes an outstanding ecological issue. Dendrochronological study of five cork oak populations in western Tunisia aims at identifying climate parameters which influence cork oak radial growth. Cross-dating of tree-ring series is made difficult by the high number of scars caused by cork removal. Ring width to climate relations are therefore analysed by means of statistical model (response function) highlighting the acute sensitivity of cork oak to climate effects. Wide variability appears in the relationships between different cork oak populations and the climate. Precipitation is of major importance during the period preceding the growing season and varies according to the site. Temperatures play a minor role even for elevated sites. Moving response function profiles indicate an increased reaction to precipitation in the late 20th century.