## 4 Discussion and Conclusions
Inclined and horizontal _Juniperus sibrica_ stems had wider annual rings on the side of inclination [43] The inclination and bending of the trees can be caused by multiple factors; for example, in the slope conditions, they can be caused by repeating soil sliding and snow loads [41; 42]. In Lithuanian conditions, the main factor causing the bending of the stems is wind, especially regarding the dominating west, south-west, and south winds. The winds of these three directions blow in Lithuania in 54% of cases [44]. As long as _Juniperus communis_ individuals are mostly bended into the side, which is opposite to the dominating winds, wider annual rings form on that side. The same effect of a significant increment to one side could be observed for the Scots pine individuals growing on the shore of the Baltic Sea. Moreover, the trees, which do not experience frequent bending, have a more symmetric radial increment than often bended trees [45]. The dynamics of radial increment strongly varied even within the individuals growing in the same stand. The dynamics varied also for the individuals growing in the slope conditions on the top and bottom of the same slope. The variability of the height increment and eccentricity of the stem resulted in the non-uniform synchronicity of radial increment in _Juniperus communis_. Similarly, in Ural Mountains, the stem discs even from the same individuals pronounced strong variability in growth patterns [16]. Thus, due to the very individual growth of every juniper plant, using tree-ring cores is impossible for this species, and the use of multiple stem discs from every individual is recommended, as was stated by previously mentioned authors [16]. The absence of multiple tree rings is typical for the coniferous trees growing in strongly unfavorable conditions [46]. The results of our study and bad conditions of Lithuanian _Juniperus communis_ populations [25; 26; 27] let the authors state that the _Juniperus communis_populations in Lithuania were experiencing strong stresses during the 20 th century. Still, the models of Lithuanian climate change assume that in the 21 th century, there will be bigger amount of precipitation and higher temperatures, especially in winters [47; 48]. Such changes in climatic conditions could be favorable for the populations of _Juniperus communis_; however, further observations are necessary. It is important to highlight the limitations of this study. Only stem sections were measured, where the rings are clearly visible for an accurate determination of _Juniperus communis_ annual ring increments. Therefore, it was necessary to cut the trees and develop a precise method for measurement. Additionally, during the measurements, we were not able to distinguish early and late wood in all rings; thus, it was not measured. Also, measurements were complicated by the high number of fallen rings in the root collar part. Only 17% of the root collar discs had no fallen rings. The number of fallen rings in this part was distributed as follows: 60% with 1 to 5 fallen rings, 10% with 6 to 15 fallen rings, and 8% with 16 to 20 fallen rings. The quantity of double rings was also the highest at the root collar part and they were present in 70% of stem discs. At a height of 0.5 m, double rings were available in 35% of stem discs, while at a height of 1.3 m, they were present in 13% of stem discs. The cultivation of the juniper _Juniperus communis_ in the region could enhance the following forestry strategies: the optimization of the growing conditions, selection of the suitable plant genetics, development of biological monitoring programs, adaptation to climate change, development of monitoring programs, improvement of sustainable forestry practices, and update on forest management plans. Conceptualization, R.V. and E.M.; methodology, R.V. and E.M.; validation, R.V., E.M. and E.L.; investigation, R.V., E.M. and E.L.; formal analysis, R.V., E.M. and E.L.; data curation, R.V. ; writing--original draft preparation, R.V.