The dynamic land-cover of the Altai Mountains: Perspectives based on past and current environmental and biodiversity changes.

ABSTRACT: We present climate-dependent changes in the high-mountain forest ecotone, old-growth forests, alpine phytocenoses, and deglaciated forelands in the Aktru glacial basin (Altai Republic, Russia). A number of independent sources (variations in upper treeline altitude, dendrochronological data, analysis of lacustrine sediments and botanical and geographical studies linked with the dynamics of glacial-dammed lakes in the Chuya and Kurai intermountain depressions) suggest Holocene temperatures reached about 4 °C higher than today. Unlike the European Alps, glaciers in the continental Altai Mountains disappeared before forming again. Also, the upper altitudinal limit of mountain forests during the Holocene was greater than in the European Alps. The high variability of mountain ecosystems in south

SUBMITTER: Volkov IV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8497672 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature