Crecimiento radial de Abies pinsapo en el sur de Chile: relaciones con el clima local y su comparación con poblaciones naturales en España = Radial growth of Abies pinsapo in southern Chile: relationships with the local climate and its comparison with natural populations in Spain

Se estudio la relacion entre el crecimiento de un rodal de Abies pinsapo de 43 anos de edad cercano a la ciudad de Valdivia, Chile, y la variabilidad del clima local. Los objetivos fueron identificar los factores y periodos climaticos que regulan su crecimiento radial, comparando paralelamente sus tasas de crecimiento con dos rodales naturales de la especie en Espana, pais que junto a Marruecos alberga sus ultimas poblaciones. Las tasas de crecimiento en Valdivia fueron similares o superiores a los sitios de su habitat natural, favorecidas en Chile por veranos calidos y poco lluviosos, asi como por abundantes precipitaciones invernales. A nivel de madera temprana y tardia, la primera se relaciono con las condiciones de los veranos previos, demostrando su relacion con sustancias de reserva, mientras que la madera tardia, presento una senal climatica dominada por caracteristicas de la estacion de crecimiento corriente. Estos resultados indican que el clima templado-lluvioso de la region de Los Rios, menos extremo que el clima de montana de su habitat natural, favorece el crecimiento de la especie constituyendo un habitat alternativo para su conservacion. Aqui la temperatura de verano favorece su crecimiento, a diferencia de su habitat natural, donde el deficit hidrico es el factor que controla su crecimiento. Esta informacion puede ser relevante para la conservacion ex-situ de una de las coniferas mas amenazadas por el cambio climatico y la presion humana en el sur de la peninsula iberica. ----------ABSTRACT---------- The relationship between the growth of 43-year old specimens of an Abies pinsapo Boiss stand located in the city of Valdivia (Chile) and the climatic variability of this site was studied. The objectives were to define the climatic response function and identify the climatic variables and periods that regulate radial growth rates and to compare the annual radial growth with those characterizing two natural stands of the same species growing in Spain provinces, which, together with Morocco, shelters its last populations. Growth rates in Valdivia, Chile, were similar to or even higher than those in their natural habitat, showing a predilection for warm summers with little rain, as well as for abundant winter precipitation. In relation to the early wood (EW) and late wood (LW) series, the first one was related with prevalent dominant climatic conditions of the previous summer. This may be related to stored food. Late wood showed a climatic signal controlled by dominant conditions of the current growing season. These results indicate that the temperate-rainy climate in Los Rios Region (Chile), milder than the mountain climate in its original habitat, favors the growth of this species and therefore constitutes an alternative habitat for its conservation. Here, summer temperatures favor its growth, differing from its natural habitat, where soil-water availability is the major factor controlling its growth. This information can be relevant for ex-situ conservation of one of the most severely threatened conifers by climate change and human pressure in the south of the Iberian Peninsula.