Local chronologies of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Świna Gate dunes, NW Poland

The Świna Gate is located on the southern coast of the Pomeranian Bay (southern Baltic coast, NW Poland). The Świna Gate is comprised of forms that arose due to marine, fluvial and aeolian accumulation. Three genarations of dunes can be distinguished among aeolian forms: brown dunes (BD), yellow dunes (YD) and white dunes (WD). The OSL age of brown dunes (BD) ranges from 2.45±0.15 to 5.39±0.37 ka, the yellow dunes (YD) from 0.59±0.03 to 1.72±0.12 ka, and the white dunes (WD) from the Recent to 0.45±0.02 ka. Dunes of all generations are composed of well-sorted quartz sands very poor in mineral elements. Soil profile on brown dunes are characterized by the following soil profile: O-A-Es-Bhs-Bs-C (podzol), on yellow dunes: O-A-Es-Bs-BC-C (podzol) and on white dunes: O-AE-BC-C (poorly developed podzol). The Świna Gate dunes are vegetated by pine forests of variable ages, with a minor contribution of other taxa.

Three stands of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), from Świna Gate dunes were selected for study:

1. Brown dunes (BD), ϕ 53.8846425N, λ 14.3158869E, 4 m a.s.l., 22 sampled trees;

2. Yellow dunes (YD), ϕ 53.9018047N, λ 14.3601808E, 3 m a.s.l., 22 sampled trees;

3. White dunes (WD), ϕ 53.9086419N, λ 14.3548622E, 5 m a.s.l., 24 sampled trees.

Samples were taken from 68 trees (dendrochronological analysis was based on a total of 74 cores, which yielded over 7370 measured tree-rings), using Pressler borers at breast-height. Tree-ring widths were measured down to 0.01 mm. Tree-ring width in the studied populations of Pinus sylvestris varies (from 1.13 to 2.03 mm). The longest chronology was obtained for the WD plot, it spans 152 years (1867-2018), for EPS>0.85: 139 years (1880-2018). For YD and BD chronologies – spanning 98 years (1921-2018) and 99 years (1920-2018) respectively, for EPS>0.85: 92 years (1927-2018) and 93 years (1926-2018) respectively.