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2016 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

15. Climate Change and Treeline Dynamics in the Himalaya

Authors : Udo Schickhoff, Maria Bobrowski, Jürgen Böhner, Birgit Bürzle, Ram Prasad Chaudhary, Lars Gerlitz, Jelena Lange, Michael Müller, Thomas Scholten, Niels Schwab

Published in: Climate Change, Glacier Response, and Vegetation Dynamics in the Himalaya

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Treelines are sensitive to changing climatic conditions, in particular to temperature increases, and the majority of global alpine treelines has shown a response to recent climate change. High temperature trends in the Himalaya suggest a treeline advance to higher elevations; it is largely unknown, however, how broader-scale climate inputs interact with local-scale factors and processes to govern treeline response patterns. This paper reviews and synthesizes the current state of knowledge regarding sensitivity and response of Himalayan treelines to climate warming, based on extensive field observations, published results in the widely scattered literature and novel data from ongoing research of the present authors.

Palaeoecological studies indicate that the position of Himalayan treeline ecotones has been sensitive to Holocene climate change. After the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, treelines advanced in elevation to a position several hundred metres higher than today under warm-humid conditions and reached uppermost limits in the early Holocene. Decreasing temperatures below early and mid-Holocene levels induced a downward shift of treelines after c. 5.0 kyr BP. The decline of subalpine forests and treeline elevation in the more recent millennia was coincident with weakening monsoonal influence and increasing anthropogenic interferences.

To assess current treeline dynamics, treeline type, treeline form, seed-based regeneration and growth patterns are evaluated as sensitivity indicators. Anthropogenic treelines are predominant in the Himalaya; upslope movement of these treelines is related to the effects of land-use change. Near-natural treelines, rare nowadays, are usually developed as krummholz treelines which are relatively unresponsive. Strong competition within the krummholz belt and dense dwarf scrub heaths further upslope largely prevents the upward migration of tree species and retards treeline advance to higher elevation. However, intense recruitment of treeline trees within the treeline ecotone and beyond indicates beneficial preconditions for future treeline ascent. Growth patterns of treeline trees are particularly sensitive to higher winter and pre-monsoon temperatures, suggesting that moisture supply in the pre-monsoon season might be an effective control of future treeline dynamics. Modelled upslope range expansions of treeline trees point to potentially favourable bioclimatic conditions for an upward shift of treelines.

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previous chapter Understanding Factors Influencing Hydro-climatic Risk and Human Vulnerability: Application of Systems Thinking in the Himalayan Region

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Title: Climate Change and Treeline Dynamics in the Himalaya
Authors: Udo Schickhoff
Maria Bobrowski
Jürgen Böhner
Birgit Bürzle
Ram Prasad Chaudhary
Lars Gerlitz
Jelena Lange
Michael Müller
Thomas Scholten
Niels Schwab
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Book: Climate Change, Glacier Response, and Vegetation Dynamics in the Himalaya
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28975-5

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-28977-9

Copyright Year: 2016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28977-9_15