Fifty years of change in the lower tree line in an arid coniferous forest in the Qilian Mountains, northwestern China.

ABSTRACT: Tree line areas exhibited significant changes in response to climate change, including upward migration. Lower tree line dynamics are rarely studied, but as unique features in arid and semi-arid areas, they may influence forest distribution. Here, eight lower tree line plots in a Picea crassifolia Kom. (Qinghai spruce) forest in the arid and semi-arid Qilian Mountains of northwestern China were used to determine changes in tree line location and relationships with meteorological factors during 1968-2018. The results showed that the lower tree line descended by an average of 9.82 m during 1968 to 2018, and exhibited almost no change after 2008. The change in the lower tree line was significantly correlated with the annual average temperature (°C) and annual precipitation (mm) and may be aff

SUBMITTER: Fang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10569624 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature