Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline
Abstract Attempts at identifying climate warming effects on mountain and arctic vegetation caused a recent hype in treeline studies. In this perspectives article, we recall the need of clear‐cut definitions, a consistent terminology and a theoretical framework that permits hypothesis testing. Founde...
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crwiley:10.1111/jbi.14593 2024-10-13T14:05:25+00:00 Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline Körner, Christian Hoch, Günter 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14593 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jbi.14593 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/jbi.14593 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Journal of Biogeography volume 50, issue 5, page 838-845 ISSN 0305-0270 1365-2699 journal-article 2023 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14593 2024-09-17T04:49:24Z Abstract Attempts at identifying climate warming effects on mountain and arctic vegetation caused a recent hype in treeline studies. In this perspectives article, we recall the need of clear‐cut definitions, a consistent terminology and a theoretical framework that permits hypothesis testing. Founded in the ecological niche concept, the application of the fundamental niche edge to treeline permits defining the potential climatic limit of tree growth, while the realized niche edge captures all deviations for reasons related to other, more local, abiotic factors, biotic interactions, disturbances and human interventions. An important point is that a globally common phenomenon calls for a common abiotic driver which is the temperature at the low temperature edge of the niche of the life form tree. We explain why other abiotic factors that may affect the local range limits, such as microclimate, moisture and wind do not devaluate the classical isotherm concept. Our key message is that applying a clearly defined concept of potential treeline, also allows defining deviations from it and explaining the deviations within a reproducible theoretical framework. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Wiley Online Library Arctic Journal of Biogeography 50 5 838 845 |
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English |
description |
Abstract Attempts at identifying climate warming effects on mountain and arctic vegetation caused a recent hype in treeline studies. In this perspectives article, we recall the need of clear‐cut definitions, a consistent terminology and a theoretical framework that permits hypothesis testing. Founded in the ecological niche concept, the application of the fundamental niche edge to treeline permits defining the potential climatic limit of tree growth, while the realized niche edge captures all deviations for reasons related to other, more local, abiotic factors, biotic interactions, disturbances and human interventions. An important point is that a globally common phenomenon calls for a common abiotic driver which is the temperature at the low temperature edge of the niche of the life form tree. We explain why other abiotic factors that may affect the local range limits, such as microclimate, moisture and wind do not devaluate the classical isotherm concept. Our key message is that applying a clearly defined concept of potential treeline, also allows defining deviations from it and explaining the deviations within a reproducible theoretical framework. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Körner, Christian Hoch, Günter |
spellingShingle |
Körner, Christian Hoch, Günter Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
author_facet |
Körner, Christian Hoch, Günter |
author_sort |
Körner, Christian |
title |
Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
title_short |
Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
title_full |
Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
title_fullStr |
Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
title_full_unstemmed |
Not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
title_sort |
not every high‐latitude or high‐elevation forest edge is a treeline |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14593 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jbi.14593 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/jbi.14593 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Journal of Biogeography volume 50, issue 5, page 838-845 ISSN 0305-0270 1365-2699 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14593 |
container_title |
Journal of Biogeography |
container_volume |
50 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
838 |
op_container_end_page |
845 |
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1812811509092319232 |