Temporal changes in the relationship between tree growth and climate have been observed in numerous forests across the world. The patterns and the possible regulators (e.g., forest community structure) of such changes are, however, not well understood. A vegetation survey and analyses of growth-climate relationships for Abies georgei var. Smithii (Smith fir) forests were carried along an altitudinal gradient from 3600 to 4200 m on Meili Snow Mountain, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that the associations between growth and temperature have declined since the 1970s over the whole transect, while response to standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration indices (SPEI) strengthened in the mid- and lower-transect. Comparison between growth and vegetation data showed that tree growth was more sensitive to drought in stands with higher species richness and greater shrub cover. Drought stress on growth may be increased by heavy competition from shrub and herb layers. These results show the non-stationary nature of tree growth-climate associations and the linkage to forest community structures. Vegetation components should be considered in future modeling and forecasting of forest dynamics in relation to climate changes.

在世界各地的许多森林中都观察到树木生长与气候之间关系的时间变化。然而，这种变化的模式和可能的调节因素（例如森林群落结构）尚不清楚。冷杉植被调查及生长-气候关系分析。青藏高原东南部梅里雪山沿海拔3600～4200m分布有史密斯冷杉林。结果表明，自 20 世纪 70 年代以来，整个样带的生长与温度之间的关联性有所下降，而中下部样带对标准化降水蒸散指数 (SPEI) 的响应则增强。生长和植被数据的比较表明，在物种丰富度较高和灌木覆盖范围较大的林分中，树木生长对干旱更为敏感。来自灌木和草本层的激烈竞争可能会增加干旱对生长的压力。这些结果显示了树木生长与气候关联的非平稳性质以及与森林群落结构的联系。在未来与气候变化相关的森林动态建模和预测中应考虑植被成分。