_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: sophan.chhin@mail.wvu.edu; International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 8(4): 295-307, 2018; Article no.IJECC.2018.018 Previously known as British Journal of Environment & Climate Change ISSN: 2231–4784 Influence of Climate Variation on Growth of Tropical Tree Species in Western Kenya Eric T. David 1 , Sophan Chhin 2* and David Skole 3 1 Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, Natural Resources Building, 480 Wilson Road, Room 126, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1222, USA. 2 Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, West Virginia University, 322 Percival Hall, P.O.Box 6125, 26506-6125, USA. 3 Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, Global Observatory of Ecosystem Services (GOES), 101 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Authors SC and DS conceptualized the study. Authors ETD and SC carried out the methodology of the study. Author ETD wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors ETD, SC and DD contributed to revisions and editing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/IJECC/2018/v8i427186 Received 30 August 2018 Accepted 07 November 2018 Published 03 December 2018 ABSTRACT Aims: Growth-climate relationships were examined in 7 tropical tree species growing in the Yala river basin of western Kenya: Acacia mearnsii, Cupressus lusitanica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalytus saligna, Mangifera indica, and Markhamia lutea. Methodology: Standardized basal area increments were correlated with monthly and seasonal (3 month periods) climate variables (precipitation, mean temperature, Climate Moisture Index) obtained from nearby meteorological stations. Results: A majority of the tree species (M. indica, C. lusitanica, E. camaldulensis, and E. saligna) showed positive correlations with monthly and seasonal precipitation and moisture index during periods of the long and short rainy seasons. This study also revealed significant correlations between monthly and seasonal temperature data and radial growth of M. indica, M. lutea and E. grandis. Growth of M. lutea was negatively affected by cool growing season conditions while M. indica and E. grandis experienced high temperature stress. Conclusion: Associations between radial growth of tropical tree species and temperature are generally rare in warm tropical regions, and for some of the species examined in this study that are non-native (i.e., M. indica and E. grandis), strongly suggests that they may be growing outside the optimal temperature conditions of their native geographical range. Original Research Article