Physiological Ecology of the Alpine Timberline

Tranquillini, Walter

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-67107-4

Cited by 796 publications

(382 citation statements)

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“…Positive correlations in spring-early summer are typical for chronologies from Mediterranean climates [Hughes et al, 2001] and reflect the importance of moisture supply during this period of active growth. APP shows negative correlations with growing season temperatures, especially from July -September, likely reflecting the negative effects of summer evapotranspiration [Tranquillini, 1979]. In contrast, positive winterspring temperature correlations indicate that warm winters and springs contribute to growth.…”

Section: Climate Analyses and Precipitation Reconstructionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Tree‐ring reconstruction of Crimean drought and lake chronology correction

Solomina

Davi

D’Arrigo

et al. 2005

Geophysical Research Letters

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The first verifiable reconstruction of spring (April–July) precipitation is presented for Crimea, Ukraine. It is derived from Crimean pine (Pinus hamata) ring‐width data spanning A.D. 1620–2002. The reconstruction accounts for 37% of the variance in observed precipitation over 1896–1988. Most droughts recorded in Crimean historical documents in the 17th–19th centuries coincide with below‐average reconstructed precipitation in the concurrent or following year. An 11‐year filtered version of the reconstruction correlates with an annually‐laminated sediment‐thickness record from Saki Lake (4188 years in length), once this record is shifted backward by 15 years. The offset may be explained by anthropogenic changes at the lake in the late 19th century. The significant relationship between the lake sediments and reconstruction suggests that the lake record is also a moisture indicator. If so, the wettest period of the past 1500 years (∼AD1050–1250) broadly coincides with the “Medieval Warm Period” (MWP) in Crimea.

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Section: Climate Analyses and Precipitation Reconstructionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Tree‐ring reconstruction of Crimean drought and lake chronology correction

Solomina

Davi

D’Arrigo

et al. 2005

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…The responses of treelines to climate change are more complex and slower since the interaction between the highest portion of the forest and the alpine grasslands or the unfavourable substrates involves many factors that at the site scale may even mask the climatic input. Within the main factors controlling the treeline altitude, low-temperature conditions are recognized as strongly limiting tree growth and survival (Tranquillini 1979;Stevens and Fox 1991;Körner 2003;Holtmeier 2009). In particular, the soil temperature has recently been found to be the most important factor in controlling the treeline position at the global scale (Körner and Paulsen 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Warming and the Recent Treeline Shift in the European Alps: The Role of Geomorphological Factors in High-Altitude Sites

Leonelli

Pelfini

Cella

et al. 2010

AMBIO

115

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Global warming and the stronger regional temperature trends recently recorded over the European Alps have triggered several biological and physical dynamics in high-altitude environments. We defined the present treeline altitude in three valleys of a region in the western Italian Alps and reconstructed the past treeline position for the last three centuries in a nearly undisturbed site by means of a dendrochronological approach. We found that the treeline altitude in this region is mainly controlled by human impacts and geomorphological factors. The reconstruction of the altitudinal dynamics at the study site reveals that the treeline shifted upwards of 115 m over the period 1901-2000, reaching the altitude of 2505 m in 2000 and 2515 m in 2008. The recent treeline shift and the acceleration of tree colonization rates in the alpine belt can be mainly ascribed to the climatic input. However, we point out the increasing role of geomorphological factors in controlling the future treeline position and colonization patterns in high mountains.

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“…1). Thus, timberline-alpine meadow boundaries generally mark a transition from a micro-climate moderated by dense forest to an open alpine meadow environment having more wind, greater radiation, increased frost stress, and more extremes in temperature (Tranquillini 1979, Holtmeier 2009). Forest disturbances including windthrow and snow avalanching, both common at timberline-alpine meadow borders, introduce large woody debris that form potential substrates (along with adjacent soil) that mayfacilitate regeneration of seedlings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Timberline, one of three areas included in the alpine tree ecotone (ATE), represents a line between continuous forest below and area of treeline and krummholtz above (Wardle 1973, Tranquillini 1979, Holtmeier 2003. Timberline is often adjacent to alpine meadows (upper parklands) having both isolated and groups of seed-generated and clonal-regenerated trees.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Role of Wood Microsites at Timberline-Alpine Meadow Borders for Conifer Regeneration

Johnson¹

2000

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This research aimed to determine whether wood microsites ("nurse logs"), which are regeneration sites in Pacific Northwest (PNW) subalpine forests, supported regeneration at timberline-alpine meadow borders. Upward advance of forests and conifer invasion into alpine meadows, which may be occurring in conjunction with climate warming, have gained worldwide attention. Successful alpine meadow seedling regeneration depends on suitable substrate availability, or microsites, for seedling establishment. To better understand factors associated with wood microsite occurrence, mechanisms of wood input were determined and four specific hypotheses were posed to assess: (1) seedling density and seedling survival; (2) growing season length, summer mean growing temperature, and growing degree hours (GDH); (3) active measures of seedling growth; and (4) global wood microsite climate associations.Of four studies, three were conducted in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state along a west -east precipitation gradient and one study, assessed various microsites globally. For Cascades-related research, wood and adjacent soil substrate temperature, moisture, and associated seedling density, survival, stomatal conductance, water potential, and leaf nitrogen were compared by percent transmitted radiation at 4 to 14 study sites. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-tests, regressions, and classification and regression trees (CARTs) were used to assess significance of comparisons.Wood microsites, common at 13 of 14 random Cascade sites, had greater seedling densities, greater seedling survival, greater volumetric moisture content (VWC), greater temperature, and greater number of GDH, as compared to adjacent soils. Greater seedling ii densities were positively associated with VWC (> 12%), conditions most commonly associated with wood substrate presence. For sites having > 25% percent transmitted radiation, positive relationships existed between stomatal conductance and VWC.Globally, high-elevation forests with wood microsites had mean annual precipitation from 86 cm to 320 cm and mean annual temperatures from 1.5°C to 4.7°C.In general, wood microsites facilitated alpine meadow regeneration better than adjacent soils. Management implications included enhanced understanding of factors associated with upward forest advance and wood use for restoration. Globally, wood microsites importance is likely underrepresented. Wood microsites role with warming climate will depend on precipitation pattern, timing, magnitude, and frequency.iii

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Physiological Ecology of the Alpine Timberline

Cited by 796 publications

References 0 publications

Tree‐ring reconstruction of Crimean drought and lake chronology correction

Tree‐ring reconstruction of Crimean drought and lake chronology correction

Climate Warming and the Recent Treeline Shift in the European Alps: The Role of Geomorphological Factors in High-Altitude Sites

The Role of Wood Microsites at Timberline-Alpine Meadow Borders for Conifer Regeneration

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