Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lea-Rebekka Tonjer, Ella Thoen, Luis Morgado, Synnove Botnen, Sunil Mundra, Line Nybakken, Anders Bryn, Havard Kauserud
Summary: Climate change is causing forest lines to shift higher globally, impacting soil biota and carbon sequestration. Analysis of soil biota composition across the forest line ecotone revealed significant differences in fungal and micro-eukaryotic populations. Ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi dominate below the forest line, while root-associated ascomycetes are more prevalent above it. Ergosterol and soil carbon content strongly correlated with root-associated ascomycetes abundance, suggesting potential implications for carbon turnover and sequestration.
Article
Forestry
Andreas Gruber, Walter Oberhuber, Gerhard Wieser
Summary: The margin of the life-form tree in high elevation or latitude areas is determined by low temperature, with trees defined as upright woody species taller than 2-3m. The global temperature limit of the life-form tree occurs when the mean soil temperature in the growing season declines to 6.7 +/- 0.8 degrees C. However, disturbance and human land use can lead to the absence of trees at the climatic treeline.
Article
Forestry
Lili Zheng, Peili Shi, Tiancai Zhou, Ge Hou, Minghua Song, Feihai Yu
Summary: Research on Balfour spruce population dynamics at treeline ecotones on north- and east-facing slopes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau found that the treeline positions have not shifted towards higher altitudes recently. More recruits were found above the treeline on the north-facing slope, indicating better regeneration conditions, but individual growth rate was lower. The results suggest that slope aspects play a role in mediating a trade-off between growth and survival of treeline species, impacting their response to climate change.
Article
Ecology
Jordon Tourville, David Publicover, Martin Dovciak
Summary: This study examines the recent climate-induced treeline advance in the northeastern United States. The results show that treelines have shifted upslope over the past decades, with gradual diffuse treelines moving at a greater rate. Both climate warming and treeline demography are important factors contributing to treeline shifts. Topographical features and climate variables explain significant variation in the magnitude of treeline advance.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Mengyue Huang, Guoyan Wang, Xiaojuan Bie, Yunqing Jiang, Xiyue Huang, Jing-Ji Li, Songlin Shi, Tingbin Zhang, Pei-Hao Peng
Summary: This study reveals that seasonal snow cover patterns play a crucial role in determining treeline elevation in the eastern Himalayas. The research finds that treeline elevation increases with summer temperature and snowline elevation, but decreases with snow cover days and spring temperature. Spring snowline elevation and seasonal snow cover days have the greatest impact on treeline elevation, suggesting that the effects of temperature and moisture on treeline elevation are strongly mediated by seasonal snow cover.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily M. Koot, Mary Morgan-Richards, Steven A. Trewick
Summary: Mountains serve as sensitive indicators of climate change, and their environmental gradients have a significant impact on biodiversity. This study used statistical models to predict potential habitat changes for 12 flightless grasshopper species in New Zealand's alpine regions. The results indicate that due to habitat loss, the range of these species will significantly decrease, and some may even face extinction.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lifeng Wang, Yamei Chen, Yu Zhou, Haifeng Zheng, Zhenfeng Xu, Bo Tan, Chengming You, Li Zhang, Han Li, Li Guo, Lixia Wang, Youyou Huang, Jian Zhang, Yang Liu
Summary: The study revealed that litter chemistry, nutrients, and stoichiometry play a vital role in litter quality degradation and release of carbon fractions. Differences in litter chemistry among different vegetation types lead to variations in litter removal rates, indicating the influence of vegetation type on litter decomposition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ritwika Mukhopadhyay, Erik Naesset, Terje Gobakken, Ida Marielle Mienna, Jaime Candelas Bielza, Gunnar Austrheim, Henrik Jan Persson, Hans Ole orka, Bjorn-Eirik Roald, Ole Martin Bollandsas
Summary: Due to climate change, treelines are shifting to higher altitudes and latitudes. Accurately estimating the biomass of trees and shrubs in alpine areas is crucial for carbon reporting. This study utilized remotely sensed data, such as airborne laser scanning (ALS) and digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP), to estimate aboveground biomass (AGB) in a treeline ecotone in Southern Norway. Despite weak fit of the prediction models, the estimates showed adequate precision with relatively narrow confidence intervals (CIs). The results suggest that ALS and DAP data can be effectively used for AGB estimation in treeline ecotones.
Article
Geography, Physical
Yu Li, Qian Wang, N. John Anderson, Xiangdong Yang
Summary: The study revealed that the Cladocera record from Cuoqia Lake closely correlates with long-term climate changes and significant climate events, indicating substantial impacts on the alpine lake ecosystem since the Last Glacial Maximum. The findings also suggest that the lake ecosystem response was strongly mediated by catchment-vegetation processes, such as treeline shifts, highlighting the indirect effects of climate change on cladoceran assemblages during the Holocene.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Amanda Hansson, Wen-Hsi Yang, Paul Dargusch, James Shulmeister
Summary: Numerous studies have shown that treelines are moving to higher elevations and latitudes, which is attributed to climate change. It is important to predict future treeline movements to understand their impacts on high-alpine ecosystems and potential climatic feedback mechanisms. Recent findings reveal that the rate of temperature change during autumn, particularly in October, is a significant predictor of treeline migration.
CURRENT FORESTRY REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Maaike Y. Bader, Luis D. Llambi, Bradley S. Case, Hannah L. Buckley, Johanna M. Toivonen, J. Julio Camarero, David M. Cairns, Carissa D. Brown, Thorsten Wiegand, Lynn M. Resler
Summary: Globally, treeline ecotones exhibit diverse spatial patterns, providing valuable information about the processes influencing treeline dynamics. A new framework focuses on hillside-scale patterns and dimensional changes in tree cover, clustering, height, and shape, to better understand demographic processes and growth patterns affecting treelines. Improved recognition of treeline patterns and collaborative research efforts are necessary to advance our understanding of treeline-forming processes and vegetation dynamics in response to climate warming.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaofeng Wang, Bao Yang
Summary: Global climate change is reshaping the geographical distribution of forests, particularly in mountain regions. The growth rates of Chinese Pine and Qinghai Spruce along the alpine forest ecotone in the Helan Mountains are affected by water shortage and intraspecific competition, leading to differences in tree growth. Climate warming has different effects on the radial growth of these tree species, with Qinghai Spruce being inhibited by rising temperatures while Chinese Pine showing less significant impacts, potentially leading to shifts in their distribution boundaries.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shikui Dong, Shuai Li, Yudan Xu, Hao Shen, Houjuan Song, Zhaofei Wu, Shengnan Wu, Bingrong Zhou, Fu Li
Summary: Plant phenology serves as a connection between climate change and ecosystem functions. The timing coordination of interspecific and intraspecific phenology changes is an important characteristic for species coexistence. The study found that the phenological differences of three key alpine plants in response to temperature and precipitation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were highlighted in the context of climate warming. The overlapping degree of interspecific phenological niches has increased in the past 20 years, reducing the possibility of species coexistence.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaoxia Li, Eryuan Liang, J. Julio Camarero, Sergio Rossi, Jingtian Zhang, Haifeng Zhu, Yongshuo H. Fu, Jian Sun, Tao Wang, Shilong Piao, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Under warmer springs, growth reactivation in trees is advanced while delayed in shrubs at the alpine treeline. This phenological mismatch creates a competitive advantage for trees and offers a new explanation for the dynamics of alpine treeline under climate change. A combination of long-term monitoring and meta-analysis revealed that shrubs are more sensitive to chilling accumulation, leading to delayed response in warmer winters and a shorter growing season. The findings suggest that the warming-induced phenological mismatch may contribute to the increasing shifts in alpine treeline.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Jincy Rachel Mathew, Chandra Prakash Singh, Hitesh Solanki, Dhruvi Sedha, Mehul R. Pandya, Bimal K. Bhattacharya
Summary: Alpine treeline ecotones serve as early warning systems for climate change impact on terrestrial ecosystems. Traditional approaches to vegetation structure evaluation using optical and SAR imaging satellites have limitations in mountainous terrain, while LiDAR technology provides an accurate means to estimate three-dimensional traits. This review examines the use of LiDAR remote sensing in alpine treeline research, evaluates the associated challenges and opportunities, and discusses the promising future of LiDAR technology.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Siddhi P. Jani, Sivakumar Prasanth Kumar, Naman Mangukia, Saumya K. Patel, Himanshu A. Pandya, Rakesh M. Rawal
Summary: This study presents a machine-learning approach to predict the binding affinity of peptides of different lengths within the MHC-II pocket. Compared to conventional methods, this approach uses crystal structures as templates and performs docking to generate conformations. The findings show that this method outperforms other methods in certain MHC-II types.
PROTEINS-STRUCTURE FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sufiya Rashid, Kausar Rashid, Aijaz H. Ganie, Irshad A. Nawchoo, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: This study investigated the seed ecology traits and regeneration potential of Actaea kashmiriana. It found that the species' seeds are wind-dispersed and have gradually decreased viability. Treatment with gibberellic acid showed the highest percentage of seed germination.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zubair Ahmad Rather, Jeff Ollerton, Sajad H. Parey, Shoukat Ara, Stella Watts, Manzoor Ahmad Paray, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: This study used network analysis to investigate the structure and function of a plant-pollinator network in the understudied biodiversity hotspot of the Kashmir Himalaya. The network exhibited nestedness and modularity, and was influenced by alien species. The study also found that plant-pollinator interactions had a positive impact on the stability of the network.
Article
Plant Sciences
Sufiya Rashid, Kausar Rashid, Bilal A. Wani, Aijaz H. Ganie, Irshad A. Nawchoo, Anzar A. Khuroo
Summary: This study investigated the reproductive biology of Actaea kashmiriana, an endemic medicinal plant species from the Himalaya for the first time. The species was found to be self-compatible and cross-fertile, and predominantly outbreeder. Various insect visitors were identified as the main pollinators of the species. The findings have immediate implications for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of this medicinally prized endemic species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sajad A. Wani, Rameez Ahmad, Firdous A. Dar, Bilal A. Rasray, Showkeen A. Lone, Faizan Shafee, Irfan Rashid, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: The study aimed to estimate dark diversity, site-specific species pool, community completeness, and species co-occurrence patterns in the Himalaya. The results showed that disturbed sites had higher dark diversity, while natural sites had higher site-specific species pool. Most species co-occurrences were found to be random, indicating a minimal role of biotic and abiotic factors. These findings have immediate implications for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration in the study region, and can potentially be upscaled to larger spatial scales.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shiekh Marifatul Haq, Irfan Rashid, Muhammad Waheed, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: The study finds that forest vegetation plays a crucial role in storing biomass and carbon, making it one of the main nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change. Through investigating multiple vegetation strata in the Jammu and Kashmir region of the Western Himalaya in India, it is discovered that the carbon stock of the entire ecosystem is highly dependent on these vegetation layers. The findings have significant implications for preserving natural forest ecosystems and restoring degraded forest landscapes, leading to better carbon sequestration and climate mitigation outcomes in the Himalayan region.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shahid Ul Islam, Zahid Ahmed Mangral, Khalid Hussain, Lubna Tariq, Basharat Ahmad Bhat, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo, Tanvir Ul Hassan Dar
Summary: This study investigates the soil microbiome of an endangered Himalayan forest herb, Trillium govanianum, and reveals significant differences in microbial community structure and diversity along an elevational gradient and in relation to soil physicochemical factors. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the underground biodiversity and its drivers for species conservation and ecosystem restoration.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kausar Rashid, Sufiya Rashid, Tajamul Islam, Aijaz Hassan Ganie, Irshad A. Nawchoo, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: Understanding the vegetation and soil ecology is crucial for conservation and restoration of threatened species. This study investigated the vegetation composition and soil properties of natural habitats of Trillium govanianum. The dominant species in these habitats were Fragaria nubicola, Corydalis diphylla, Galium aparine, and Leucanthemum vulgare. Three-leaf vegetative plants had higher density, abundance, and importance value index than one-leaf vegetative and three-leaf reproductive plants. Soil properties influenced the variations in vegetation composition among the sites, and key soil properties were concentrated in specific sites with high density of T. govanianum. These findings contribute to the development of conservation strategies and habitat restoration for this threatened species.
NORDIC JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Muzamil Ahmad Mugal, Sajad Ahmad Wani, Firdous Ahmad Dar, Tajamul Islam, Ruquia Gulzar, Akhtar Hussain Malik, Chintala Sudhakar Reddy, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: The majority of global biodiversity databases lack sufficient coverage from the developing world, limiting their worldwide applicability. Bridging these knowledge gaps in global databases is an urgent research priority in biodiversity science. We present Trees of India (ToI), Version-I, a comprehensive database assembled from literature synthesis to investigate the patterns of diversity, distribution, endemic, and threat status of tree flora in India. Our data synthesis reveals significant policy and management implications for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate change mitigation in the world's most populous country.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hitendra Padalia, Ishwari Datt Rai, Divesh Pangtey, Kuldeep Rana, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo, Subrata Nandy, Gajendra Singh, K. Chandra Sekar, Neeraj Sharma, Sanjay K. Uniyal, Gautam Talukdar, Sameer Saran, Naveen Chandra, Aimon Bushra, Rameez Ahmad, Anil Thakar, Deepak, Jikmat Stanzin, Gopal Singh Rawat
Summary: The subalpine-alpine vegetation of the Himalayan global biodiversity hotspot is under threat from global warming, making it crucial to study its vegetation forms and ecological niches. This research used remote sensing data and machine learning methods to map the vegetation patterns at a regional scale, providing valuable information for conservation planning and bioresource utilization.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ruquia Gulzar, Sajad Ahmad Wani, Tabasum Hassan, C. Sudhakar Reddy, Bharat Babu Shrestha, Sharif Ahmed Mukul, Asad Shabbir, Iram Mujahid Iqbal, Sudheera M. W. Ranwala, P. Dorjee, P. Sujanapal, Irfan Rashid, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: Invasive alien species have significant ecological and economic impacts worldwide. This study focuses on filling geographical knowledge gaps in invasion research to meet the global biodiversity framework's target. The researchers present an inventory of invasive alien flora in South Asia, emphasizing the role of geographical proximity in shaping species distribution.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kausar Rashid, Sufiya Rashid, Tajamul Islam, Aijaz Hassan Ganie, Irshad A. Nawchoo, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: This study investigates the belowground developmental stages and their relation to aboveground phenology in a temperate Himalayan herb Trillium govanianum. The results show that the leaves and flower in T. govanianum are preformed belowground one season prior to aboveground development. Additionally, there is no significant difference in the floral organs between the belowground bud and aboveground anthesis stages.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tajamul Islam, Irshad A. A. Nawchoo, Junaid A. A. Magray, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: The study aimed to document the ethnomedicinal plants of the Overa-Aru wildlife sanctuary in Kashmir Himalaya. It revealed 64 plant species used against 8 human disease categories, including some first-time reports from the region. The findings highlight the pivotal role of protected areas in providing healthcare services to ethnic communities, in addition to biodiversity conservation.
Article
Anthropology
Tajamul Islam, Irshad A. Nawchoo, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: It is important to consider the local communities' perception of ecosystem services (ES) in the management planning of protected areas. A study conducted in the Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuary in Kashmir Himalaya revealed varying perceptions of ES among the surveyed villages, with provisioning services being considered the most important. The findings stress the significance of maintaining these services for achieving regional and global sustainability goals.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tajamul Islam, Maroof Hamid, Irshad A. Nawchoo, Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
Summary: The variation of plant leaf functional traits among different growth forms and vegetation zones in the Himalayas was investigated in this study. Significant differences in leaf functional traits were found among different growth forms and vegetation zones. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of trait-trait, trait-growth form, and trait-vegetation zone relationships.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
