Effects of climate change on treeline trees in Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest, Central Himalaya)

Climate change is progressively reducing physiological limitations for treeline trees in Sagarmatha National Park, potentially facilitating further altitudinal forest advance. Research indicates that growth of Abies spectabilis is strongly influenced by summer temperatures, while Betula utilis growth depends on spring precipitation. Stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ18O) revealed increased photosynthetic efficiency over time, particularly in A. spectabilis, without stronger stomatal control of transpiration. The study combined ring-width measurements with isotopic analysis to assess tree responses to rising temperatures and shifting monsoon patterns at ~4000 m a.s.l. in the Central Himalayas.

Pandey, S., Cherubini, P., Saurer, M., Carrer, M., & Petit, G. (2020). Effects of climate change on treeline trees in Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest, Central Himalaya). Journal of Vegetation Science, 31(6), 1144–1153. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12921