Climate warming promotes growth in Himalayan alpine cushion plants but threatens survival through increased extreme snowfall.

ABSTRACT: Climate warming stimulates growth and reproduction in cold-adapted plants but also leads to extreme weather events that may hinder their performance. We examined these predictions in the cold-arid Himalayan subnival zone at 5900 m, where unprecedented warming and extreme snowfalls occurred over the past three decades. We collected 205 individuals of Ladakiella klimesii, analyzing climate influences on their growth and recruitment through annual growth rings. Radial growth was highly sensitive to summer temperatures, with warmer conditions significantly enhancing growth. However, increased winter precipitation negatively impacted growth and recruitment by shortening the growing season. Warmer winters and springs, combined with autumn snow cover, favored recruitment, while extreme late winte

SUBMITTER: Jandova V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12138181 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature