Basic ecological theory suggests that a tradeoff between competitiveness and stress tolerance dictates species range limits at regional extents. However, empirical support for this key theory remains deficient because the necessary spatial and temporal coverage and scalability of field observations has rarely been achieved. We harnessed an extensive dendroecological network (> 22 000 tree‐ring samples from 816 forest inventory plots) to disentangle competition‐limited from climate‐limited growth in both overstory and understory trees. Growth synchrony among trees thereby served as an integral metric of climate sensitivity, an approach that we justify in supplementary analyses of growth responses to temperature, precipitation, and the standardized precipitation‐evapotranspiration index. Sampling plots were arranged along elevational climate and vegetation gradients throughout the Carpathian Mountains, ranging from mixed‐species lowland forests to coniferous forests at high elevations. With mixed‐effect modelling, we also identified non‐climatic factors (stand characteristics, species diversity, and disturbance history) that modulate spatial patterns in the growth rate and synchrony of European beech Fagus sylvatica and Norway spruce Picea abies . Beech exhibited reduced growth and increased climate sensitivity towards higher elevations but performed better when species diversity was higher. The growth of spruce increased towards its lower range boundary, but understory cohorts grew poorly under interspecific competition. Overall, climate sensitivity was lower in more productive stands with benign climatic conditions and in recently disturbed sites with reduced stand density. These contrasting performances at mid‐elevations where the two species overlap (900–1300 m a.s.l.) reflect their evolutionary history, which enables them to be competitive (beech) or cold‐stress tolerant (spruce). This history will affect interactions between the two species under climate warming and shape macroecological patterns in the Carpathian ecoregion and likely other parts of Europe. Our findings point to a growing advantage of competitively stronger species in montane and subalpine vegetation zones.

Adapting for competitiveness versus climatic stress tolerance constitutes a primary trade-off differentiating tree life-history strategies. This tradeoff likely influences where species’ range-limits occur, but such links are data-demanding to study and key mechanisms lack empirical support. Using an exceptionally rich dendroecological network, we assessed spatial variation in climate and competition effects on Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica throughout the Carpathian Ecoregion. Ring width synchrony aided in diagnosing how the prevalence of resource-limited (competition) and sink-limited (climate) growth changes with altitude and community composition. Contrasting growth patterns towards respective upper and lower range limits of Fagus and Picea reflected tradeoffs between competitive vs. cold-tolerant strategies. Fagus performance declined with altitudinal increases in climate sensitivity, but improved under interspecific competition. Picea growth increased towards the species’ lower range limit, but declined under interspecific competition. Warmer temperatures likely benefit competitively stronger species at mid elevations and thus imply range reductions for alpine conifers.