biostudies-literatureUnknown6Dvorsky MVascular plants in the western Tibetan Plateau reach 6000 m--the highest elevation on Earth. Due to the significant warming of the region, plant ranges are expected to shift upwards. However, factors governing maximum elevational limits of plant are unclear. To experimentally assess these factors, we transplanted 12 species from 5750 m to 5900 m (upper edge of vegetation) and 6100 m (beyond range) and monitored their survival for six years. In the first three years (2009-2012), there were plants surviving beyond the regional upper limit of vegetation. This supports the hypothesis of dispersal and/or recruitment limitation. Substantial warming, recorded in-situ during this period, very likely facilitated the survival. The survival was ecologically a non-random process, species better adapteScientific reports24440https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4829891biostudies-literatureGardening in the zone of death: an experimental assessment of the absolute elevation limit of vascular plants.PMC4829891Chlumska ZRehakova KDvorsky MCapkova KKopecky MDolezal JAltman JMacek MLiancourt PfalseGardening in the zone of death: an experimental assessment of the absolute elevation limit of vascular plants.Vascular plants in the western Tibetan Plateau reach 6000 m--the highest elevation on Earth. Due to the significant warming of the region, plant ranges are expected to shift upwards. However, factors governing maximum elevational limits of plant are unclear. To experimentally assess these factors, we transplanted 12 species from 5750 m to 5900 m (upper edge of vegetation) and 6100 m (beyond range) and monitored their survival for six years. In the first three years (2009-2012), there were plants surviving beyond the regional upper limit of vegetation. This supports the hypothesis of dispersal and/or recruitment limitation. Substantial warming, recorded in-situ during this period, very likely facilitated the survival. The survival was ecologically a non-random process, species better adapte2016-01-01T00:00:00Z2016 Apr2025-04-03T22:21:58.895Z2019-03-27T03:11:53ZS-EPMC48298912707130510.1038/srep24440