Authors
Jiri Dolezal, Miroslav Dvorsky, Martin Kopecky, Pierre Liancourt, Inga Hiiesalu, Martin Macek, Jan Altman, Zuzana Chlumska, Klara Rehakova, Katerina Capkova, Jakub Borovec, Ondrej Mudrak, Jan Wild, Fritz Schweingruber
Publication date
2016/5/4
Journal
Scientific Reports
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
24881
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group UK
Description
A rapid warming in Himalayas is predicted to increase plant upper distributional limits, vegetation cover and abundance of species adapted to warmer climate. We explored these predictions in NW Himalayas, by revisiting uppermost plant populations after ten years (2003–2013), detailed monitoring of vegetation changes in permanent plots (2009–2012) and age analysis of plants growing from 5500 to 6150 m. Plant traits and microclimate variables were recorded to explain observed vegetation changes. The elevation limits of several species shifted up to 6150 m, about 150 vertical meters above the limit of continuous plant distribution. The plant age analysis corroborated the hypothesis of warming-driven uphill migration. However, the impact of warming interacts with increasing precipitation and physical disturbance. The extreme summer snowfall event in 2010 is likely responsible for substantial decrease in …
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