Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone
The sensitivity and response of climatic treelines in the Himalayas to climate change is still being debated. Regeneration of tree species in the treeline ecotone is considered a sensitivity indicator and thus of great scientific interest. The aim of this study is to detect predictor variables for r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/454 |
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| author | Niels Schwab Birgit Bürzle Maria Bobrowski Jürgen Böhner Ram Prasad Chaudhary Thomas Scholten Johannes Weidinger Udo Schickhoff |
| author_facet | Niels Schwab Birgit Bürzle Maria Bobrowski Jürgen Böhner Ram Prasad Chaudhary Thomas Scholten Johannes Weidinger Udo Schickhoff |
| author_sort | Niels Schwab |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The sensitivity and response of climatic treelines in the Himalayas to climate change is still being debated. Regeneration of tree species in the treeline ecotone is considered a sensitivity indicator and thus of great scientific interest. The aim of this study is to detect predictor variables for regeneration densities of the major tree species in central Himalayan treeline ecotones (<i>Abies spectabilis</i>, <i>Betula utilis</i>, <i>Rhododendron campanulatum</i>), analysing five development stages from seedling to mature tree. We applied negative binomial generalized linear models with predictors selected from a wide range of soil, topography, climate and stand characteristic variables. We found considerably varying predictors across the tree species and their stages of development. Soil conditions, topography and climate, as well as competing and facilitating tree species, had high predictive power for population densities. These predictors were clearly species- and development stage-specific. Predictors’ spatial- and development-specific heterogeneity induce a high degree of complexity and diversify any potentially linear response of tree population densities and treeline position to changing climatic conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:50:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c56d7d2d31a243c6a11045105846bc47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:50:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-c56d7d2d31a243c6a11045105846bc472023-11-24T01:13:28ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-03-0113345410.3390/f13030454Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline EcotoneNiels Schwab0Birgit Bürzle1Maria Bobrowski2Jürgen Böhner3Ram Prasad Chaudhary4Thomas Scholten5Johannes Weidinger6Udo Schickhoff7CEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanyCEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanyCEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanyCEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanyRECAST Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur 44618, NepalDepartment of Geosciences, Soil Science and Geomorphology, University of Tübingen, 72070 Tübingen, GermanyCEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanyCEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanyThe sensitivity and response of climatic treelines in the Himalayas to climate change is still being debated. Regeneration of tree species in the treeline ecotone is considered a sensitivity indicator and thus of great scientific interest. The aim of this study is to detect predictor variables for regeneration densities of the major tree species in central Himalayan treeline ecotones (<i>Abies spectabilis</i>, <i>Betula utilis</i>, <i>Rhododendron campanulatum</i>), analysing five development stages from seedling to mature tree. We applied negative binomial generalized linear models with predictors selected from a wide range of soil, topography, climate and stand characteristic variables. We found considerably varying predictors across the tree species and their stages of development. Soil conditions, topography and climate, as well as competing and facilitating tree species, had high predictive power for population densities. These predictors were clearly species- and development stage-specific. Predictors’ spatial- and development-specific heterogeneity induce a high degree of complexity and diversify any potentially linear response of tree population densities and treeline position to changing climatic conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/454<i>Abies spectabilis</i><i>Betula utilis</i>competitionlife history stagesNepalrecruitment |
| spellingShingle | Niels Schwab Birgit Bürzle Maria Bobrowski Jürgen Böhner Ram Prasad Chaudhary Thomas Scholten Johannes Weidinger Udo Schickhoff Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone Forests <i>Abies spectabilis</i> <i>Betula utilis</i> competition life history stages Nepal recruitment |
| title | Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone |
| title_full | Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone |
| title_fullStr | Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone |
| title_short | Predictors of the Success of Natural Regeneration in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone |
| title_sort | predictors of the success of natural regeneration in a himalayan treeline ecotone |
| topic | <i>Abies spectabilis</i> <i>Betula utilis</i> competition life history stages Nepal recruitment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/454 |
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