Climate response and radial growth of Pinus tabulaeformis at different altitudes in Qilian Mountains

In order to test whether the relationship between climate and the radial growth of trees is affected by altitude, altitude variability and time stability of climate-influenced radial growth of a dominant conifer, Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis), in the eastern Qilian Mountains were studied against the background of climate change using dendrochronology. Results show that 1) droughts at the end of the growing season of last year and during the early and middle growing season of the current year were the main limiting factors for the radial growth of Chinese pine at two altitude gradients; this was determined by analyzing the relationship between tree-ring width chronologies and climate factors. 2) The sensitivity of the radial growth of trees to climate change gradually decreased and was affected more by drought stress at a lower altitude. 3) An unstable divergence response was observed in the radial growth at the two altitudes, in response to controlling climatic factors; this observation was based on the moving correlation analysis of growth/climate relationships, and the aggravation of drought stress caused by increasing temperature was the main reason. 4) The growth rate of Chinese pine at the two altitudes increased at first and then decreased, as measured by basal area increment (BAI) modeling. Future temperature rises may have significant effects on mountain forest ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions. Effective management and protection measures should be taken, according to the response patterns of trees to climate change at different altitude gradients.     

天山雪岭云杉个体生物量分配及其变化规律的研究

为了探讨天山雪岭云杉林生物量在个体组织中的分配情况及其变化规律，在研究区进行了大量的野外测量，利用已有的雪岭云杉林估算方程，分析了天山雪岭云杉林生物量在各器官（干、枝、叶、皮、根）中的分配及其变化规律。结果表明：（1） 研究区雪岭云杉林的平均生物量为388.74 t·hm^-2，树木各器官中，干、枝、根、叶和皮分别占生物量的43.65%、28.60%、13.49%、11.08%和3.18%。（2）各径级生物量所占百分比为：33.53%（40~50 cm）、20.13%（20~30 cm）、19.59%（30~40 cm）、18.19%（50~60 cm）和2.05%（10~20 cm）；树木生物量在不同树高中的分配表现为：48.78%（20~30 m）＞35.27%（10~20 m）＞14.70%（30~40 m）＞1.25%（0~10 m）；地上和地下生物量的分配比例为：87.54%和12.46%，分别为340.30 t·hm^-2和48.44 t·hm^-2。（3） 随海拔升高，天山雪岭云杉林生物量呈“单峰”变化，在海拔2 100~2 400 m处达到最大值611.58 t·hm^-2；干、皮生物量所占比例随海拔升高而减小，枝生物量逐渐增加，叶、根生物量呈先减小后增加的趋势；径级20~30 cm、30~40 cm和50~60 cm的生物量随海拔升高均呈“单峰型”变化趋势，都在海拔2 100~2 400 m处达到最大；雪岭云杉林不同树高生物量随海拔的升高呈现的趋势不同。天山雪岭云杉林生物量和年均降水量随经纬度的升高均呈降低变化，研究区林分生物量自西向东总体呈现逐渐降低的趋势；林分密度、海拔和降水共同决定了森林生物量的大小及其变化规律，海拔2 100~2 400 m是本研究区雪岭云杉林生长的最适宜场所。结果可为雪岭云杉林生态系统的恢复和重建提供基础资料，对研究区进行综合管理与生态健康分析具有重要意义。     

祁连山中段青海云杉林土壤肥力质量评价研究

以祁连山排露沟流域青海云杉林为研究对象，研究了海拔梯度上土壤肥力因子的分布特征及变化规律，并运用主成分分析法对青海云杉林土壤肥力状况进行了评价。结果表明：（1）研究区土壤呈碱性，pH值均大于8.0；高海拔地区（3 300 m）含水量达到过饱和状态，各土层含水量均大于100%；随海拔升高，全氮含量呈增大趋势，全钾含量呈减小趋势，而全磷含量呈先减小后增大趋势；不同海拔梯度速效磷含量差异不显著（P>0.05），海拔3 300 m处速效钾含量显著高于其他海拔段（P<0.05）。（2） 不同海拔梯度下土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾、速效磷和速效钾含量都有明显的“表聚效应”，其中3 300 m处0~10 cm土层有机质含量高达325.93 g·kg^-1，是本海拔段其他土层的1.6~1.8倍，是同土层其他海拔段的1.3~2.0倍。（3） 土壤肥力因子间关系密切，土壤含水量与有机质、全氮呈极显著正相关关系，与土壤容重、pH和全钾呈极显著负相关关系，土壤养分含量之间存在不同程度的显著正相关关系。（4） 不同海拔梯度土壤肥力质量为：3 300 m>3 200 m>3 100 m>3 000 m>2 900 m。     

Vertical distribution changes in land cover between 1990 and 2015 within the Koshi River Basin,Central Himalayas

The study of mountain vertical natural belts is an important component in the study of regional differentiation.These areas are especially sensitive to climate change and have indicative function,which is the core of three-dimensional zonality research.Thus,based on high precision land cover and digital elevation model (DEM) data,and supported by MATLAB and ArcGIS analyses,this paper aimed to study the present situation and changes of the land cover vertical belts between 1990 and 2015 on the northern and southern slopes of the Koshi River Basin (KRB).Results showed that the vertical belts on both slopes were markedly dif-ferent from one another.The vertical belts on the southern slope were mainly dominated by cropland,forest,bare land,and glacier and snow cover.In contrast,grassland,bare land,sparse vegetation,glacier and snow cover dominated the northern slope.Study found that the main vertical belts across the KRB within this region have not changed substantially over the past 25 years.In contrast,on the southern slope,the upper limits of cropland and bare land have moved to higher elevation,while the lower limits of forest and glacier and snow cover have moved to higher elevation.The upper limit of alpine grassland on the northern slope retreated and moved to higher elevation,while the lower limits of glacier and snow cover and vegetation moved northward to higher elevations.Changes in the vertical belt were influenced by climate change and human activities over time.Cropland was mainly controlled by human activities and climate warming,and the reduced precipitation also led to the abandonment of cropland,at least to a certain extent.Changes in grassland and forest ecosystems were predominantly influenced by both human activities and climate change.At the same time,glacier and snow cover far away from human activities was also mainly influenced by climate warming.     

牛背梁自然保护区林线不同海拔巴山冷杉径向生长对气候变化的响应

近年来气候变化对秦岭植被的影响已得到众多研究的证实,牛背梁作为秦岭东部主脊和国家级自然保护区,该地区亚高山林线植被对气候变化的生态响应现状尚未得到广泛关注。依照树木年代学原理,进行响应分析并建立回归模型,探讨了牛背梁林线关键树种巴山冷杉（Abies fargesii）年表特征及对气候响应的海拔分异特征。结果表明：（1）随海拔升高,树木生长对气候的敏感性逐渐上升,但轮宽年表的同步性和信号强度呈先下降后上升的特点。（2）不同海拔树轮宽度年表的气候响应结果基本一致,对气温的敏感性均较降水强,敏感时段为当年2～8月,差异主要体现在,高海拔树木受生长季末期8月气温的影响较重,中海拔树木受生长季前期3～4月降水和上年冬季10～11月气温的促进,而低海拔树木受初春1～2月降水的限制作用明显。（3）对比分析低、中、高海拔3个回归模型中显著因子的变化趋势,发现气候变化可以促进巴山冷杉生长季的提前,但不同海拔树木的生长动态各异,说明研究区林线不同海拔巴山冷杉生长对全球变化可能具有不同的响应机制。     

Radial Growth and Increased Water-Use Efficiency for Ponderosa Pine Trees in Three Regions in the Western United States

We examined changes in and relationships between radial growth and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees, climate, and atmospheric CO₂ in the western United States since the mid-nineteenth century. We developed tree-ring chronologies for eight sites in three climate regions and used carbon isotope data to calculate pentadal values of iWUE. We examined relationships among radial growth, climate, iWUE, and CO₂ via correlation and regression analyses. Significant upward trends in iWUE occurred at all sites, and despite an absence of climate changes that would favor growth, upward radial growth trends occurred at five sites. Our findings suggest that increased iWUE associated with rising CO₂ can positively impact tree growth rates in the western United States and are thus an evolving component of forest ecosystem processes.     

1961-2008年中国西南地区极端气候变化幅度的海拔效应(英文)

A total of 12 indices of temperature extremes and 11 indices of precipitation ex-tremes at 111 stations in southwestern China at altitudes of 285-4700 m were examined for the period 1961-2008. Significant correlations of temperature extremes and elevation in-cluded the trends of diurnal temperature range, frost days, ice days, cold night frequency and cold day frequency. Regional trends of growing season length, warm night frequency, coldest night and warmest night displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with altitude. These characteristics indicated the obvious warming with altitude. For precipitation extreme indices, only the trends of consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, wet day precipitation and the number of heavy precipitation days had significant correlations with increasing alti-tude owing to the complex influence of atmospheric circulation. It also indicated the increased precipitation mainly at higher altitude areas, whereas the increase of extreme precipitation events mainly at lowers altitude. In addition, the clearly local influences are also crucial on climate extremes. The analysis revealed an enhanced sensitivity of climate extremes to ele-vation in southwestern China in the context of recent warming.     

中国矮曲林的分布特征及生态意义

矮曲林是山地森林带在严酷的自然环境影响下发展演化而成的特殊植物群落,对中国山地植被和垂直带的研究具有重要的地理和生态意义。本文选择20世纪30年代以来在国内外文献中发表的52个矮曲林数据,结合Worldclim气候数据等,对中国矮曲林的类型和分布及其相应的气候条件进行了研究。结果表明：①中国的矮曲林主要包括山顶苔藓矮曲林、寒温性偃松矮曲林和岳桦矮曲林3类;其中,山顶苔藓矮曲林主要分布于秦巴山区以南的山地,而偃松矮曲林和岳桦矮曲林主要分布于东北地区。②山顶苔藓矮曲林主要由亚热带、热带地区的常绿阔叶林在山顶或山脊受山顶效应等的影响演化而来;而寒温性矮曲林主要由寒温性针叶林或针阔混交林在山顶或山脊条件下长期演化而来。山顶苔藓矮曲林自东向西随地势升高,其分布的海拔高度也逐渐升高;寒温性偃松矮曲林和岳桦矮曲林分布高度自南向北逐渐降低。③矮曲林分布在气候林线以下的山地,其气候条件足以支撑山地森林的发育,但由于山顶效应的存在(如强风、气候干冷或湿冷及土壤贫瘠等),只能发育矮曲林而非垂直地带性的山地森林。④中国东南部的很多山地高度小于3000 m,山顶效应明显,矮曲林广泛发育,造成了假林线的普遍存在。     

地球暖化促进植物迁移与入侵

在当今快速的全球气候变化 ,特别是快速而急剧的地球暖化情况下 ,现有植物及其系统被迫 :1)重新适应这种变化了及仍在变化着的环境条件 ;2 )往高海拔及极地方向迁移寻找合适的生存环境 ;或者 3)因其迁移的速度赶不上气候变化的速度而消亡。同时 ,气温升高和降水模式 (包括降水量及其分配 )的变化 ,以及与此相关联的干扰型式 (包括干扰种类、强度及延续时间 )的变化 ,一方面将使现有植物及其生态系统对外来生物的抗性弱化 ,另一方面将激活外来物种的活性 ,导致外来生物的快速扩散与大规模入侵 ,进而排挤和“杀死”当地乡土种 ,减少生物多样性 ,改变原有生态系统的组成、结构和功能 ,最终导致严重的社会经济与生态环境问题。在制定域、国家及全球经济与环境政策时 ,应充分考虑到这些问题 ,以防患于未然     

伊犁山区雪岭云杉(Picea schrenkiana)不同树干高度树木径向生长特征及其对气候响应

采集新疆伊犁地区雪岭云杉（Picea schrenkiana）1.3 m、5 m、10 m、15 m、20 m和25 m树干高度树轮样本并研制其树轮宽度年表。通过相关分析得出不同树干高度树木径向生长对气候要素的响应关系及其稳定性,并计算出不同气象因子的相对贡献率和绝对贡献率。结果表明：（1） 不同树干高度具有相似的径向生长变化特征,且平均气温和降水量的影响主要表现为各树干高度树轮宽度与当年9月降水量的显著负相关,与上年11月平均气温的显著正相关,并且5 m至25 m树干高度处还受当年7月降水量的影响。（2） 通过贡献率量化各树干高度气象因子影响情况,1.3 m和5 m树干高度的主要影响因子是平均气温,而10 m、15 m、20 m和25 m树干高度的主要影响因子则是降水量。（3） 滑动相关分析得到各树干高度对气候变化响应的稳定性存在差异,主要表现为各树干高度处与上年12月平均气温相关性减弱,与当年6月平均气温相关性先增强后减弱,与上年9月平均气温负相关性增强;1.3 m至15 m树干高度与当年9月降水量负相关性增强,10 m至25 m树干高度与当年1月降水量相关性减弱。通过分析不同树干高度树木径向生长与气候要素的关系,有助于了解各树干高度树木径向生长与气候响应的差异,为开展更精确的气候重建提供参考。     

Spatial estimation of long-term seasonal and annual groundwater resources: application of WetSpass model in the Werii watershed of the Tekeze River Basin,Ethiopia

Treelines are widely studied worldwide in relation to climate changes because they are hypothesized to be sensitive climate proxies. However, forest treeline expansion toward higher altitudes may be influenced both by a warming climate and by other factors, such as surface morphology and, in the European Alps, the decline in alpine farming. Our results from five valleys in the inner and peripheral regions of the Alps show that present-day treeline altitudes mostly depend on anthropogenic and orographicgeomorphologic factors. Climatic treelines are limited to steep and inaccessible slopes, and occur at higher altitudes and farther from mountain peaks in the inner regions than in the peripheral regions of the mountain range. Looking for sites in which to study treeline responses to climate change, we recommend investigating the inner regions of the Alps where treelines are farther from human disturbances and from geomorphologic constraints, potentially resulting in freer upward shifts under warmer temperature conditions. We also found that, in the valleys selected, human disturbance is mainly concentrated about 165 m below non-climatic treelines, suggesting a homogeneous influence on treelines, regardless of geographic position.     

大兴安岭多年冻土区森林土壤温室气体通量

多年冻土温室气体排放对全球气候变化有重要影响。采用静态暗箱—气相色谱法,于2016—2017年生长季（5—9月）,对大兴安岭多年冻土区兴安落叶松林、樟子松林和白桦林土壤二氧化碳（CO₂）、甲烷（CH₄）和氧化亚氮（N₂O）通量进行野外原位观测,对比分析温室气体通量的动态变化特征及其关键影响因子。结果表明：3种林型土壤CO₂通量范围为65.88~883.59 mg·m^-2·h^-1;CH₄通量范围为-93.29~-2.82 μg·m^-2·h^-1;N₂O通量范围为-5.31~45.22 μg·m^-2·h^-1。整个生长季兴安落叶松林、樟子松林和白桦林土壤均表现为CO₂、N₂O的排放源、CH₄的吸收汇,土壤CO₂和CH₄通量在不同林型和年际间差异显著。3种林型土壤CO₂通量与5 cm、10 cm和15 cm土壤温度呈极显著正相关（P < 0.01）;CH₄通量受土壤含水量和10 cm、15 cm土壤温度的影响较大（P < 0.05）;兴安落叶松林和樟子松林土壤N₂O通量与气温呈显著正相关（P < 0.05）,而白桦林土壤N₂O则与15 cm土壤温度呈显著负相关（P < 0.05）。基于100 a时间尺度计算温室气体全球综合增温潜势,3种林型土壤温室气体的排放对气候变暖具有正反馈作用。     

基于树轮资料重建森林净初级生产力的研究进展

森林净初级生产力(NPP)反映了森林植被固定和转换光合产物的能力,表示了森林碳汇功能强度,也是评价森林植被的演替状况以及陆地生态系统承载力的主要指标。基于遥感、清查资料等方法估算NPP已经取得了一些进展,但传统的研究方法受限于观测(调查)年份,难以有效获取长时间尺度的区域森林种群或群落年际NPP。树轮资料较为有效地反映了历史时期森林植被的逐年生长状况,从而在估算高精度且长时间尺度区域森林种群及群落NPP中具有较大的优势。本文对利用树轮资料重建区域森林NPP的两种主要方法进行了总结,第一种方法主要是依据树轮资料提供的立木逐年生长量进行生物量以及NPP的估算;第二种方法则是利用树轮指数与其他植被指数的相关性间接反演过去时间段区域森林群落NPP的变化。上述两种估算NPP的方法均存在较多的限制性,未来利用树轮资料估算NPP的时空精度仍有待提高。     

祁连山中部祁连圆柏生长与更新方式的树轮记录

选择祁连山中部50m×15m的祁连圆柏样方进行树轮生态学取样与分析。分析结果表明,样方内大部分祁连圆柏的树龄小于250年,最近几年有大量幼苗萌生。祁连圆柏的径生长方式各有异同,大部分祁连圆柏在生长过程中出现1次以上生长释放事件,1970¹980年间出现生长释放的频率最高,占总释放次数的35%,轮宽年表也显示祁连圆柏的轮宽指数自1970s以来持续上升。另外,相关分析结果表明,温度是影响采样点区域祁连圆柏径向生长的主要环境因子,较高的温度有利于树木生长,6、7月份的降水也与树木径向生长呈显著正相关。在全球变暖的背景下,如果能积极开展植树造林,并有效控制人类活动的干扰,该区域祁连圆柏林更新状况将会显著改观。     

Holocene regional and local vegetation history and lake-level changes in the Torneträsk area, northern Sweden

A combination of pollen and macrofossil analyses from six lakes at altitudes between 370 and 999 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in the Torneträsk area reflect the Holocene vegetation history. The main field study area has been the Abisko valley at altitudes around 400 m a.s.l. The largest lake, Vuolep Njakajaure has annually laminated (varved) sediments. The chronology and sedimentation rates in the pollen-influx calculations are based on varve yrs in this lake and on radiocarbon dated terrestrial plant macrofossils in the other lakes. A strong increase of mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa) during the early Holocene with a tree-line c. 300 m above the present, indicates that the summer temperature was c. 1.5 °C higher than today, assuming that the land uplift has been 100 m since then. Scattered stands of pine (Pinus sylvestris) may have been growing in the area immediately after the deglaciation but a forest consisting of pine and mountain birch expanded first at low elevations and reached the eastern parts of the Torneträsk area at c. 8300 cal BP and the western parts at c. 7600 cal BP. The highest pine-birch forest limit was not reached until 6300 cal BP (110 m above present pine limit). Warm and dry conditions during the pine forest maximum led to lowering of the water level documented in Lake Badsjön in the Abisko valley about 1-1.5 m lower than today. Pine and mountain birch were growing at the maximum altitude until c. 4500 cal BP. Assuming that land uplift has been in the range of 20-40 m since the mid-Holocene, this implies that the temperature was then c. 1.5-2 °C higher than today. Rising lake-levels and lowering limits of pine and mountain birch since c. 4500 cal BP indicate a more humid and cool climate during the late Holocene.     

输水漫溢对塔里木河中游胡杨林恢复的影响

生态输水是胡杨林保护专项行动的重要举措,分析输水漫溢对胡杨林恢复的影响是评估生态修复成效的关键。以塔里木胡杨国家级自然保护区为研究对象,采用密集时序遥感技术对2016年胡杨林保护专项行动实施以来的生态输水进行动态监测,定量分析漫溢水面和漫溢频次对胡杨林植被盖度变化的影响。结果表明：(1)漫溢水面主要存在于8—9月,年漫溢面积最大为246.7km²,最小为70.5 km²,在空间分布上呈现北多南少、下游大于上游的格局。(2)2016—2021年保护区胡杨林植被盖度从18.88%增加至19.61%,其中输水漫溢面占比65%的塔里木河北岸呈增加趋势,而南岸呈减小趋势。(3)输水漫溢区植被盖度的平均增长速率最高可达未输水区的4～5倍,当输水漫溢频次为3次时,植被盖度的增长速率显著提高。     

Finnland

The forest limits of south-east Norway have expanded to higher altitudes. Two main processes are believed to cause these changes: regrowth after abandonment of human utilisation and recent climate changes. The article aims at separating the effects of these two processes on the upper forest limits and recent forest expansion. Four datasets representing 161.5 km² have been used: climate data, downscaled climate change scenario data, forest height growth, and four vegetation maps. The maps represent the years 1959 and 2001, potential natural vegetation (PNV), and a climate change scenario (CCS). The recent upper potential climatic and edaphic forest limit (UPCEFL) was used to define the potential for forest regrowth after the abandonment of human utilisation. Forest height growth and climate data were then used to analyse any supplementary effect of recent climate change. The projected future forest limits were based on the IPCC IS92a scenario for 2020–2049. The results show that raised forest limits and forest range expansion often attributed to recent climate change is rather the product of regrowth, a process that was climatically retarded from 1959 to 1995. For the period 1995–2006, the data indicate a preliminary effect of climate change escalating the regrowth and probably pushing the future forest limits to higher altitudes.     

神农架大九湖四万年以来的植被与气候变化

通过对大九湖6 m长连续沉积岩芯剖面(DJH-1 孔) 7 个样品的AMS¹⁴C年龄测定和151 块孢粉样品的鉴定分析, 揭示了神农架区域4 万以年来植被和气候演变。末次冰期阶段大九湖附近发育森林草地或草地-草甸植被。MIS 3 晚期, ~42-39 cal ka BP之间, 气候相对干冷, 发育森林草地;~39-31 cal ka BP 之间, 气候较为湿润, 草甸扩张并伴随低海拔阔叶树种的发育。MIS 2 阶段, 草甸组分中蒿属显著增加, 高海拔可能分布有荒漠草地, 气候极端干冷;该时期植被带垂直下降达到1000 余m, 按垂直温度递减率推算, 冰盛期阶段该区域温度下降约7℃左右。从冰消期开始, 森林植被开始扩张, 北温带、暖温带和亚热带乔木组分依次增加。约在9.4-4 cal ka BP之间, 演变为亚热带常绿阔叶落叶林, 属全新世适宜期;从约4 cal ka BP以来, 北温带阔叶和针叶树开始增加, 气候趋于凉干。通过对比区域高分辨率的洞穴石笋及高纬冰芯氧同位素记录, 表明神农架区域植被环境变化对气候变化敏感, 并记录了H1, YD气候突变事件;进一步体现出该区域气候环境演变主要与北半球太阳辐射控制的东亚夏季风强度变化有关, 且与北半球高纬气候变化一致。     

Growth and physiological responses of larch trees to climate changes deduced from tree-ring widths and δ13C at two forest sites in eastern Siberia

Tree-ring chronologies of ring width and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) over the past 160 years were developed using living larch trees at two forest sites, each with different annual precipitation, in eastern Siberia: Spasskaya Pad (SP) (62°14′N, 129°37′E); and Elgeeii (EG) (60°0′N, 133°49′E). Intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) was derived from tree-ring δ¹³C. The physiological responses of the larch trees to climate varied between these sites and over time. Ring widths correlated negatively with summer temperatures at SP, where summer precipitation is lower than at EG, probably due to temperature-induced water stress. Since the 1990s, however, the negative effect of warming has been more severe at EG, where the productivity of larch trees is higher than at SP. A greater reduction of larch tree growth and higher increase rate of iWUE at EG reflects greater temperature-induced water stress, which is incident to the larger forest biomass. Our results suggest that effect of increase in atmospheric CO₂ on larch tree growth is not sufficient to compensate for temperature-induced water stress on larch growth in eastern Siberia and differences in precipitation and forest productivity largely affect the larch tree response to changing climate in eastern Siberia.     

The influence of topographic variables on treeline trees under different environmental conditions

Aiming to analyze the site conditions of treeline trees at the highest elevations, we investigated 360 km of treelines in the Upper Valtellina, Italian Alps. We analyzed approximately five trees per km and determined the environmental factors limiting treeline elevation by distinguishing between geomorphologic constraints (mean elevation 2355 m), climatic constraints (2530 m), and human impacts (2335 m). Up to 82% of the 1814 analyzed treeline trees were influenced by geomorphological constraints, whereas human impacts influenced only 3% of the trees. Climatic treelines (15% of trees) were most common in the western sector. Moreover we analyzed the frequency distributions of elevation, slope, and aspect. Elevation was the most important variable that was also strongly associated with climatic treelines. The slope variable was more strongly associated with treelines limited by geomorphology than by climate. By reconstructing the altitudinal dynamics at the Mt. Confinale study site, we found rates of an ongoing treeline upward shift of up to 2.6 m/y in the period 2000–2009. Our results indicate that climatic conditions related to the ongoing air temperature rise in this region will likely enhance the treeline shift, especially at high elevations (>2400 m a.s.l.) and on non-extreme slopes (<45°).