Elevation-dependent tree growth response to climate in a natural Scots pine/downy birch forest in northern Sweden.

ABSTRACT: Forests dominate the landscape at high latitudes in the boreal regions and contribute significantly to the global carbon stock. Large areas are protected and provide possibilities to analyze natural forest dynamics including resilience to climate change. In Fennoscandia, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) often coexist in natural forests close to the limits of their ecological ranges. Tree growth in these forests is generally thought to be limited by temperature, and changes in growth trends can therefore serve as early indicators of the impact of global warming on natural ecosystems. We sampled 592 Scots pine and downy birch trees along two elevational gradients spanning the transition from the forest zone to the coniferous treeline in

SUBMITTER: Fassl M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10984726 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature