Are treelines advancing? A global meta-analysis of treeline response to climate warming

• Published in: Ecology letters Vol. 12; no. 10; pp. 1040 - 1049
• Main Authors: Harsch, Melanie A, Hulme, Philip E, McGlone, Matt S, Duncan, Richard P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Abrupt; advance; altitude; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Climate; Climate change; Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change; data collection; Databases, Factual; diffuse; Earth, ocean, space; Ecosystems; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; forest dynamics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geography; global meta-analysis; Global warming; Greenhouse Effect; growth & development; krummholz; Latitude; Meta-analysis; Meteorology; physiology; Plant growth; Plant populations; Population Density; Population Dynamics; Temperature; Transition zone; Treeline; Trees; Trees - growth & development; Trees - physiology; Warming; Temperature; global meta-analysis; krummholz; forest dynamics; Vegetation dynamics; diffuse; Abrupt; Metaanalysis; advance; Dynamical climatology; Climate change; Treeline

Treelines are temperature sensitive transition zones that are expected to respond to climate warming by advancing beyond their current position. Response to climate warming over the last century, however, has been mixed, with some treelines showing evidence of recruitment at higher altitudes and/or...