Data1This file contains 5 columns (variables) x 23956 rows (excluding the first row, which contains the header with the variable names). The data were used to plot the development of DBH (diameter at breast height) inside bark with tree age classified by early growth and colored by lifespan (Figure 1 in Bigler 2016).Data2This file contains 13 columns (variables) x 160 rows (excluding the first row, which contains the header with the variable names). The data were used to create: (1) a boxplot with DBH (diameter at breast height) inside bark versus categories of early growth (Fig. 2a in Bigler 2016); (2) a boxplot with lifespan versus categories of early growth (Fig. 2b in Bigler 2016); (3) pairwise scatter plots between lifespan, early growth, DBH inside bark and topographical variables (S1 Fig. in Bigler 2016); and (4) a scatter plot between early growth and lifespan (S3 Fig. in Bigler 2016). The data were further used to estimate linear mixed-effects models for predicting lifespan of mountain pines (Tables 1 and 2 in Bigler 2016).Data3This file contains 5 columns (variables) x 24546 rows (excluding the first row, which contains the header with the variable names). The data were used to plot establishment and mortality dates classified by early growth and colored by lifespan (Figure 3 in Bigler 2016) and to plot plot-specific variability of early growth (S2 Fig.). The year of establishment was estimated as the formation year of the first tree ring (corrected for missed rings between pith and first tree ring on the core). The year of mortality was estimated by the formation year of the last tree ring on the core. Due to the occurrence of partial cambial mortality, the year of mortality was only approximated (see Bigler & Rigling 2013).

A within-species trade-off between growth rates and lifespan has been observed across different taxa of trees, however, there is some uncertainty whether this trade-off also applies to shade-intolerant tree species. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between radial growth, tree size and lifespan of shade-intolerant mountain pines. For 200 dead standing mountain pines (Pinus montana) located along gradients of aspect, slope steepness and elevation in the Swiss National Park, radial annual growth rates and lifespan were reconstructed. While early growth (i.e. mean tree-ring width over the first 50 years) correlated positively with diameter at the time of tree death, a negative correlation resulted with lifespan, i.e. rapidly growing mountain pines face a trade-off between reaching a large diameter at the cost of early tree death. Slowly growing mountain pines may reach a large diameter and a long lifespan, but risk to die young at a small size. Early growth was not correlated with temperature or precipitation over the growing period. Variability in lifespan was further contingent on aspect, slope steepness and elevation. The shade-intolerant mountain pines follow diverging growth trajectories that are imposed by extrinsic environmental influences. The resulting trade-offs between growth rate, tree size and lifespan advance our understanding of tree population dynamics, which may ultimately improve projections of forest dynamics under changing environmental conditions.