Tree growth response to the 1913 eruption of Volcán de Fuego de Colima, Mexico

The impact of volcanic eruptions on forest ecosystems can be investigated using dendrochronological records. While long-range effects are usually mediated by decreased air temperatures, resulting in frost rings or reduced maximum latewood density, local effects include abrupt suppression of radial growth, occasionally followed by greater than normal growth rates. Annual rings in Mexican mountain pine (Pinus hartwegii Lindl.) on Nevado de Colima, at the western end of the Mexican Neovolcanic Belt, indicate extremely low growth in 1913 and 1914, following the January 1913 Plinian eruption of Volcán de Fuego, 7.7 km to the south. That event, which is listed among the largest explosive eruptions since A.D. 1500, produced ashflow deposits up to 40 m thick and blanketed our study area on Nevado de Colima with a tephra fallout 15–30 cm deep. Radial growth reduction in 1913–14 was ≥30% in 73% of the sampled trees. We geostatistically investigated the ecological impact of the eruption by mapping the decrease in xylem increment and found no evidence of a spatial structure in growth reduction. Little information has been available to date on forest species as biological archives of past environments in the North American tropics, yet this historical case study suggests that treeline tropical sites hold valuable records of prehistoric phenomena, including volcanic eruptions.     

Paleolimnological evidence of the response of the central Canadian treeline zone to radiative forcing and hemispheric patterns of temperature change over the past 2000 years

Instrumental climate records from the central Canadian treeline zone display a pattern of variation similar to general Northern Hemisphere temperature trends. To examine whether this general correspondence extends back beyond the instrumental record, we obtained a sediment core from Lake S41, a small lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada at 63°43.11′ N, 109°19.07′ W. A radiocarbon-based chronology was developed for the core. The sediments were analyzed for organic-matter content by loss-on-ignition (LOI), biogenic-silica content (BSi), and chironomid community composition to reconstruct July air temperature and summer water temperature. The paleolimnological records were compared with records of atmospheric CO₂ concentration, solar variability, and hemispheric temperature variations over the past 2000 years. The results of the analyses suggest that widely-documented long-term variations in Northern Hemisphere temperature associated with radiative forcing, namely the cooling following the medieval period during the Little Ice Age (LIA), and twentieth century warming, are represented in the central Canadian treeline zone. There is also evidence of a brief episode of warming during the eighteenth century. As evidenced by LOI and BSi, the twentieth century warming is typified by increased lake productivity relative to the LIA. Depending upon the measure, the increased productivity of the twentieth century nearly equals or exceeds that of any other period in the past 2000 years. In contrast, the rate of chironomid head capsule accumulation decreased and remained low during the twentieth century. Although the chironomid-inferred temperature reconstructions indicate cooling during the LIA, they present no evidence of greatly increased temperatures during the twentieth century. Warming during the twentieth century might have enhanced lake stratification, and the response of the chironomid fauna to warming was attenuated by decreased oxygen and lower temperatures in the hypolimnion of the more stratification-prone lake.

Diatom responses to 20th century climate-related environmental changes in high-elevation mountain lakes of the northern Canadian Cordillera

Diatom responses to 20th century climate-related environmental change were assessed from three high-elevation lakes in the northern Canadian Cordillera. Dominance of small benthic Fragilaria diatoms reflect the generally cold conditions with long periods of ice cover that have characterized these mountain lakes over at least the last ~300 years until the period of recent warming. At the turn of the 20th century, salient shifts in the diatom assemblages reveal individualistic limnological responses with the onset of climate warming trends in northwest Canada. At YK3 Lake, an oligotrophic, chemically dilute, alpine lake, increased representation of the planktonic Cyclotella pseudostelligera may reflect longer ice-free conditions and/or more stable thermal stratification. By contrast, in the more productive, alkaline lakes (BC2 and Deadspruce lakes), changes to more diverse assemblages of periphytic diatoms suggest greater benthic habitat availability, most likely associated with the enhanced growth of aquatic plants with lengthening of the growing seasons. In addition, diatom assemblages from these lakes suggest less alkaline conditions following the onset of 20th century climate warming. Continued alkalinity reduction throughout the 20th century is qualitatively inferred at the lower elevation, treeline lake (Deadspruce Lake), while greater representation of alkaliphilous Fragilaria diatoms after ~1950 suggested increased alkalinity at the alpine BC2 Lake. Our results confirm the sensitivity of diatoms from high-elevation mountain lakes to regional climate change in northwest Canada. Individualistic limnological responses to 20th century warming are potentially attributed to differences in their physical setting (e.g., bedrock geology, elevation, catchment vegetation) in this complex mountain environment.     

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°).     

Interaction of geomorphic and ecologic features across altitudinal zones in a subarctic landscape

Vegetation is often considered to stabilize geomorphic processes. An increasing abundance of vegetation may cause negative feedbacks within a periglacial system. In this study, we explored the importance of vegetation on the occurrence of active cryoturbation-dominated feature fields in subarctic Finland on a landscape scale. The vegetation–cryoturbation interaction was studied across three altitudinal zones by applying hierarchical partitioning (HP) and variation partitioning (VP) methods that overcome collinearity problems in multivariate analysis. Firstly, our results showed that vegetation factors, especially the canopy cover of the field-layer vegetation and the total above ground biomass, were among the most important environmental variables affecting the occurrence of active cryoturbation features. Moreover, vegetation factors were for the most part positively associated with cryoturbation. Under the predicted global warming, the ‘greening’ of arctic and subarctic regions may, therefore, decrease and also increase the activity of the periglacial processes in sparsely vegetated terrain. Secondly, our analyses gave contrasting results of the environmental factors of the periglacial processes across altitudinal zones, although the relative importance of the vegetation group was rather constant throughout the zones. Thus, we stress the importance of the spatial study setting in geomorphic studies in topographically varying relief. We recommend either taking the altitudinal zonation of the landscape into consideration or studying the features within a predetermined zone to decrease misinterpretations in environment–process relationships. Methodologically, our results encourage wider applications of partitioning methods in multivariate settings in geomorphology.     

Holocene environmental change resets lichen surface dates on Recess Peak glacial deposits in the Sierra Nevada,California

Development of an accurate chronology for glacial deposits in the Sierra Nevada has long been problematic given the lack of suitable organic material for radiocarbon dating. Lichenometry initially appeared promising as ages showed an increase from cirque headwalls to down-canyon moraines. However, while Recess Peak lichen age estimates range from 2 to 3 ka, recent work shows these deposits to be at least 10 ka older. Here, we present evidence for a late Holocene reset of Recess Peak lichen ages by significant post-depositional climate change. Following late-Pleistocene deposition of Recess Peak moraines, warming through the mid-Holocene allowed forests to advance into shallow basins eliminating local inverted tree lines. This produced a partial canopy where shading killed the original post-Pleistocene crustose lichen colonies. Late-Holocene cooling resulted in forest retreat from these basins as alpine tree line fell. Lichens then recolonized the re-exposed Recess Peak deposits. We conclude that while Recess Peak lichen ages are accurate to within the dating uncertainty of the technique, existing lichen ages actually date the timing of post-mid-Holocene cooling and recolonization, and not the original emplacement of these deposits. Thus, applications of Lichenometry should consider post-depositional environmental change when interpreting the meaning of these dates.     

祁连山青海云杉林树线温度特征

树线温度对于解释树线位置及树线形成机理、预测树线对于气候变化的响应具有重要意义。通过在祁连山北坡青海云杉林郁闭林内、树线地带、高山灌丛分布带设置土壤温度自动观测仪器,初步分析了青海云杉林树线温度特征。结果表明:(1)树线处青海云杉根际土壤温度(10cm深度)生长季平均值为4.9℃,低于全球树线生长季平均土壤温度(6.7℃)。(2)生长季长度方面,青海云杉树线(104天)与亚北极(Subarctic,103天)、北方林(Boreal,106天)树线相近。(3)高山灌丛分布带在海拔上高于树线地带,但灌丛地带根际土壤生长季节均温(6.4℃),生长季长度(122天)均高于树线地带,显示了树线之上灌丛相对于乔木生活型有更佳的保持根际土壤热量的优势,从而也成为在树线之上灌丛能够很好生长,并且取代乔木的重要因素。     

Field Survey and Research Approaches at Apine Treelines

A tree line, as the altitudinal or latitudinal limit of erect trees, is considered as a sensitive ecological indicator of climate change, and becomes one of the hot issues in the studies of global change ecology. During the last decade, rapid progress has been made in tree line studies. However, field survey and research methods may vary significantly among tree line literatures, limiting the evaluation of mountainous forest response and feedback to climate change at regional or global scale. Herein, we reviewed the research progress regarding the field survey and research methods on tree lines, evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and pointed out the current research frontiers. Field survey and research methods in tree line literatures mainly include: Repeat landscape photography, remote sensing image analysis, land line transect method, circular sampling plot, rectangular or square sampling plot, spatial point pattern analysis, tree line dynamic model, controlled experiment, and transplant experiment. Repeat landscape photography and remote sensing image analysis can provide an intuitive reference for treeline dyanmics, but some uncertainties remain. Compared with selective sampling approach (e.g., line transect method, circular sampling plot and square small plot), sample-total method (rectangular large plots including the whole tree line ecotone, i.e., encompassing the current timberline and the tree line) provides more robust results regarding tree line structure and shifts. Spatial point pattern analysis has been used to establish the linkage between the ecological patterns and processes of the tree line ecotone. Tree line dynamic models can be used to reveal temporal patterns of position and structure of tree line ecotones and their driving mechanisms. Controlled or transplant experiment has advantages in exploring the critical drivers of tree line dynamics. In future studies, sample-total method and its protocol are recommended when exploring variations in structure and position of tree lines; regular monitoring of fixed large tree line plot is worth carrying out; controlled or transplant experiment can be set up at diverse tree lines across a regional scale; researchers should attempt to develop new tree line dynamic models with good transplantation capability.     

Postglacial midge community change and Holocene palaeotemperaturereconstructions near treeline, southern British Columbia (Canada)

Stratigraphic analysis of fossil chironomid head capsules wasperformed at North Crater Lake and Lake of the Woods, located at treeline (2250m) in the Ashnola region of southernmost British Columbia. Priorto 10,000 yr BP, cold conditions were indicated by the lack oftemperate taxa and the presence of cold-stenotherms. The abundance anddiversity of warm-adapted taxa (e.g., Dicrotendipes,Microtendipes, Polypedilum and Cladopelma)increased rapidly after 9500 yr BP, whereas taxa indicative ofcold conditions disappeared. Beginning prior to deposition of the Mazama ash(6730 ± 40 yr BP), several warm-adapted taxa decreasedin abundance. Mid- to late-Holocene assemblages (ca. 4500yr BP to present) indicated continued cooling as revealed by afurther reduction in diversity and abundance of warm-adapted taxa atboth lakes, and the reappearance of cold-stenotherms in Lake of theWoods. Diversity changes in the cores paralleled the inferred climatic changes.Diversity was low during the late-glacial, increased in theearly-Holocene, and declined after 5400 yr BP.To quantitatively infer past climatic changes, a newweighted yphen;averaging partial-least-squares (WA-PLS)model was developed and applied to the fossil midge data. The quantitativereconstructions revealed late-glacial mean July air temperatures rangingfrom about 8 to 10°C. Summer air temperatures were highest inthe early Holocene (13 to 17°C), gradually decreasing by about3°C through the mid- to late-Holocene.     

Late Holocene environmental changes inferred from diatoms in a lake on the western Taimyr Peninsula, northern Russia

Changes in the diatom assemblages preserved in a sediment core taken from a small lake located north of arctic treeline on the western Taimyr Peninsula, Russia, were examined in order to investigate late Holocene (i.e., ca 5000 cal yr BP to present) climatic and environmental changes within the region. Early diatom assemblages were dominated by benthic Fragilaria taxa and indicate a transitional phase in the lake history, most likely reflecting lake development and environmental change associated with treeline retreat to the south of the study site. Concurrent with pollen and macrofossil evidence of a vegetation shift to shrub tundra in the catchment basin at ca 4200 cal yr BP, an increase in cold-water taxa, followed by little change in diatom assemblages until ca 2800 cal yr BP, suggests that conditions were relatively cool and stable at this time. The last 2000 years of the Middendorf Lake record have been marked by fluctuating limnological conditions, characterized by striking successional shifts between Fragilaria pinnata and Aulacoseira distans var. humilis. Recent conditions in Middendorf Lake indicate an increase in diatom taxa previously rare in the record, possibly associated with twentieth-century climatic warming. The Middendorf Lake record indicates that significant limnological change may occur in the absence of catchment vegetation shifts, suggesting late-Holocene decoupling of aquatic and terrestrial responses to climatic and hydrological change. Our study results represent one of the few paleoecological records currently available from northern Russia, and highlight the need for further development of calibration data sets from this region.