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Forests
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Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change
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Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 10152

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sonja Vospernik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Forest Growth, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Interests: forest growth at low-elevation and mountainous sites; dendrometer and year-ring analysis; forest growth modelling and forest growth and yield prediction for different management scenarios; forest mensuration
Prof. Dr. Klaus Katzensteiner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
Interests: forest ecology; forest soils and forest nutrition; biogeochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tree growth at the Alpine tree line is mainly restricted by temperature, and life forms are adapted to the cold environment. Plants stay small and close to the ground, where temperatures are more favorable. The presence of trees is strongly related to the micro-environment and also largely influenced by disturbances. Warming rates observed in the Alps and in other mountain regions are higher than the global mean and most likely correlate with elevation. Warming and decreasing duration of snow cover cause shifts in tree species composition and distribution patterns, densification of forests, and increasing plant growth. Nevertheless, responses in Alpine environment are often reported to be slow. Is the increase in changes rate so fast that species will become extinct? Are growth increases substantial ,and can high elevation forest compensate for forest losses at lower elevations or are climate change rates too fast? What are the effects of shifting vegetation patterns on microclimate, soil processes and plant soil interaction (e.g. soil moisture, temperature soil carbon and nutrient cycling)?

The Special Issue aims at covering the state of the art in forest and tree growth response to climate change at the Alpine tree line, including shifts in vegetation patterns and plant soil interactions. Research articles and well-funded review articles on the topic are welcome. This Special Issue brings together some of the contributions presented at the Focus Session: ID05: Alpine Treeline Ecotones under Global Change (https://www.imc2022.info/portfolio/id05-alpine-treeline-ecotones-under-global-change/ in International Mountain Conference (11–15 September 2022)).

Dr. Sonja Vospernik
Prof. Dr. Klaus Katzensteiner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • climate change
  • tree growth
  • tree rings
  • dendrometers
  • tree species shifts
  • spatial vegetation patterns

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3311 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Faxon Fir (Abies fargesii var. faxoniana), Subalpine Mountains of Southwest China
by Shao’an Pan, Shoaib Ahmad Anees, Xuhua Li, Xinrui Yang, Xiangguang Duan and Zhigang Li
Forests 2023, 14(7), 1438; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14071438 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 943
Abstract
Non-structural carbohydrates’ (NSCs) allocation pattern is closely related to environmental factors, plant metabolism, and xylem function. At the same time, we know little about whole-tree NSC allocation patterns in different seasons, especially the high-elevation species which suffer from environmental stress. We [...] Read more.
Non-structural carbohydrates’ (NSCs) allocation pattern is closely related to environmental factors, plant metabolism, and xylem function. At the same time, we know little about whole-tree NSC allocation patterns in different seasons, especially the high-elevation species which suffer from environmental stress. We examined the concentration of NSCs in various parts of Faxon fir trees (needles, branches, trunks, and roots) at five elevations (2800 m, 3000 m, 3200 m, 3400 m, and 3600 m) over four months (July 2019, October 2019, January 2020, and April 2020). The goal was to understand how NSC allocation patterns vary by location and time in high-elevation species and what factors contribute to these variations. The results showed that the needles had the highest concentration, followed by roots, branches, and trunks. The NSC concentration was highest in January 2020 and lowest in July 2019. The total non-structural carbohydrates (TNSCs) and soluble sugar concentrations of roots and needles were substantially higher in the cold (non-growing season) than in the warm (growing season) season. At different elevations, the soluble sugar concentrations in the needles and trunks remained the highest and lowest, respectively. Branches and roots’ soluble sugar concentrations alternated and varied with the seasons at all elevations. Many factors, such as climate, morphological traits, and carbon content, affected the spatial and temporal patterns of non-structural carbohydrates, with temperature, plant moisture conditions, and carbon content being the main driving factors. Various factors’ interaction mainly influenced NSCs’ spatial and temporal patterns. Non-structural carbohydrates significantly improve the resistance of Faxon fir trees’ terminal organs in adverse environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change)
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15 pages, 3239 KiB  
Article
Evidence for 40 Years of Treeline Shift in a Central Alpine Valley
by Esther R. Frei, Ignacio Barbeito, Lisa M. Erdle, Elisabeth Leibold and Peter Bebi
Forests 2023, 14(2), 412; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14020412 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1851
Abstract
Alpine treeline ecosystems are generally expected to advance with increasing temperatures and after land-use abandonment. Multiple interacting factors modify this trend. Understanding the long-term processes underlying treeline advance is essential to predict future changes in structure and function of mountain ecosystems. In a [...] Read more.
Alpine treeline ecosystems are generally expected to advance with increasing temperatures and after land-use abandonment. Multiple interacting factors modify this trend. Understanding the long-term processes underlying treeline advance is essential to predict future changes in structure and function of mountain ecosystems. In a valley in the Central Swiss Alps, we re-assessed a 40-year-old survey of all treeline trees (>0.5 m height) and disentangled climate, topographical, biotic, and disturbance (land use and avalanche risk) factors that have led to treeline advance with a combination of ground-based mapping, decision tree, and dendroecological analyses. Between the first ground survey in 1972/73 and the resurvey in 2012, treeline advanced on average by 10 meters per decade with a maximum local advance of 42 meters per decade. Larch consistently advanced more on south-facing slopes, while pine advance was greater on north-facing slopes. Newly established spruce mostly represented infilling below the previous treeline. The forefront of treeline advance above 2330 m a.s.l. occurred mainly on favorable microsites without competing dwarf shrub vegetation. At slightly lower elevations, treeline advanced mainly on sites that were used for agriculture at the beginning of the 20th century. This study indicates that although treeline advances under the effect of climate warming, a combination of additional ecological factors controls this advance at regional and local scales. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change)
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18 pages, 5190 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Past Decadal Dynamics of Tree Stands in Forest–Tundra Transition Zone on the Polar Ural Mountains Calibrated Using Historical and Modern Field Measurements
by Nail’ F. Nizametdinov, Yulia V. Shalaumova, Valery S. Mazepa and Pavel A. Moiseev
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2107; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13122107 - 09 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1137
Abstract
Altitudinal forest limits are typically climatically dependent, such that increasing temperatures connected to global warming are causing upslope shifts in treeline ecotones worldwide. However, at the local and regional levels, the degree of such a response is dependent on differences in climate, topography [...] Read more.
Altitudinal forest limits are typically climatically dependent, such that increasing temperatures connected to global warming are causing upslope shifts in treeline ecotones worldwide. However, at the local and regional levels, the degree of such a response is dependent on differences in climate, topography and soil features. In recent decades, attempts have been undertaken to estimate tree stand dynamics with remote sensing methods, but their resolution is still too coarse for a precise assessment of stand structural changes, and requires ground-truthing, which is not possible without historical data collected on a single-tree level. We used aerial photos (1962) and satellite images (2021) in combination with historical inventory data to investigate changes in open forest positions at different spatial scales at the eastern macroslope of the Polar Urals over the past 60 years. Additionally, obtained remote sensing data were validated on a single-slope level using tree crown size estimations. Our investigations showed that since 1960 up to present day, the total crown coverage increased from 6.9 to 22.1% within the test polygon. A highly spatially variable upslope advance in an open forest boundary was identified from 1.7 up to 7.1 m in altitude per decade. We revealed that the rate of tree stand transformations was to a great extent depended on the stand density in the 1960s, soil substrate type, moisture regime, slope aspect and inclination. Our results highlighted the necessity to consider the abovementioned factors when trying to predict climate-induced tree distributional responses in subarctic mountain regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change)
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16 pages, 3392 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Distribution Patterns of Climbers along an Abiotic Gradient in Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan
by Muhammad Majeed, Linlin Lu, Sheikh Marifatul Haq, Muhammad Waheed, Hakim Ali Sahito, Sammer Fatima, Robina Aziz, Rainer W. Bussmann, Aqil Tariq, Israr Ullah and Muhammad Aslam
Forests 2022, 13(8), 1244; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13081244 - 06 Aug 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2511
Abstract
Climber–abiotic parameter interactions can have important ramifications for ecosystem’s functions and community dynamics, but the extent to which these abiotic factors influence the spatial distributions of climber communities in the western Himalayas is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the [...] Read more.
Climber–abiotic parameter interactions can have important ramifications for ecosystem’s functions and community dynamics, but the extent to which these abiotic factors influence the spatial distributions of climber communities in the western Himalayas is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the taxonomic diversity, richness, and distribution patterns of climbers in relation to abiotic variables in the Jhelum District. The data were collected from 120 random transects between 2019 and 2021, from 360 sites within triplet quadrats (1080 quadrats), and classification and ordination analyses were used to categorize the sample transects. A total of 38 climber species belonging to 25 genera and 11 families were recorded from the study area. The Convolvulaceae were the dominant family (26.32%), followed by the Apocynaceae (21.05%), and Leguminosae (15.79%). The majority of the climbers were herbaceous in nature (71.05%), followed by woody (23.68%). Based on the relative density, the most dominant species was Vicia sativa (12.74). The majority of the species flowered during the months of March–April (28.04%), followed by August–September (26.31%). Abiotic factors have a significant influence on the distribution pattern and structure of climbers in the study area. The results show that the climbers react to the biotic environment in different ways. The findings will serve as the foundation for future botanical inventories and will be crucial for understanding the biological, ecological, and economic value of climbers in forest ecosystems. This will help forest management, conservation, and ecological restoration in the Himalayas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change)
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15 pages, 3584 KiB  
Article
Influence of Edaphic Properties in Determining Forest Community Patterns of the Zabarwan Mountain Range in the Kashmir Himalayas
by Shiekh Marifatul Haq, Aqil Tariq, Qingting Li, Umer Yaqoob, Muhammad Majeed, Musheerul Hassan, Sammer Fatima, Manoj Kumar, Rainer W. Bussmann, Muhammad Farhan Ul Moazzam and Muhammad Aslam
Forests 2022, 13(8), 1214; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13081214 - 01 Aug 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2635
Abstract
The significance of edaphic factors in describing forest vegetation patterns is becoming more well acknowledged, with significant implications for the description of biogeographical regions and biome classification, as well as abundance and growth patterns at regional levels. The current study examines the vegetation [...] Read more.
The significance of edaphic factors in describing forest vegetation patterns is becoming more well acknowledged, with significant implications for the description of biogeographical regions and biome classification, as well as abundance and growth patterns at regional levels. The current study examines the vegetation association in the Zabarwan mountain range of the Western Himalayas and its association with edaphic factors. To collect data on forest types, we employed a systematic random sampling strategy in 60 plots (0.1 ha) across five forest types. We investigated data using ordination and cluster analysis approaches after calculating the important value index (henceforth IVI) for each plant species and edaphic data from forests. In total, 76 plant species from 39 different families were found in the area. The Rosaceae family was the most numerous, followed by Fabaceae and Asteraceae. Scrub forest types have lower diversity indices, while broad-leaved forest types have greater diversity indices. Two-way cluster analyses classified the forest vegetation of the Zabarwan mountain range into two plant communities on the basis of indicator plant species. The ordination analysis (canonical correspondence analysis) indicated that vegetation association tended to be influenced differently by distinct levels of soil parameters. The soil pH and calcium content were the main factors influencing the species distribution in the different forest types. The phytosociological features (basal area) were higher in coniferous forest type (74.49 m2ha−1) compared to broad-leaved (58.63 m2ha−1) and scrub forest type (15.4 m2ha−1). Overall, the goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the impact of soil elements on forest composition and associations in order to develop scientifically based management options for forest ecosystem protection in the Himalayan region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mountain Treelines: Tree Growth and Plant Ecology under Climate Change)
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