Abstract: Based on 186 distribution records of Pinus massoniana in China and 19 climate factors in the three periods from 1931 to 1960, 1961 to 1990 and 1991 to 2017, the MaxEnt model was used to study the climate factors that affected the distribution of Pinus massoniana in China in the past 90 years, the climatic conditions suitable for the growth and distribution of Pinus massoniana, and the distribution of Pinus massoniana in different periods, in order to provide decision-making support for the artificial forests in southern China to cope with climate change. The results showed that: (1) the main climate factors affecting the distribution of Pinus massoniana were precipitation of coldest quarter, precipitation of driest month, temperature annual range, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation and mean temperature of driest quarter. (2) The total area of suitable area and the area of slight suitable area in the period from 1931 to 1960 were the largest, about 1848800km² and 874500km², respectively, the area of optimum area was the largest in the period from 1961 to 1990, about 527100km², and in the period from 1991 to 2017, the northern boundary was shifted about 1° to the north compared with the period from 1931 to 1960, the suitable area of Hainan island on the south side was reduced to none, and the distribution boundary of the Leizhou peninsula was about 2° northward than that of the period from 1931 to 1960. (3) With the climate change in the past 90 years, the overall potential suitable area of Pinus massoniana has shifted to the east to the north, the scattered suitable areas on the original west and south sides have decreased, and the total area of suitable areas has shown a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, and the current suitable areas are mainly distributed in the south of the Qinling-Huaihe line, north of the Leizhou peninsula, and east of the Hengduan mountains. At present, the optimum areas of Pinus massoniana are concentrated in Guangxi province, Guangdong province, Fujian province, central and southern Guizhou province, western Chongqing municipality and eastern Sichuan province, which are the most suitable planting areas for Pinus massoniana plantations.

Key words: Climate change, Pinus massoniana plantation, MaxEnt model, Potential distribution, Distribution pattern