Global warming and the stronger regional temperature trends recently recorded over the European Alps have triggered several biological and physical dynamics in high-altitude environments. We defined the present treeline altitude in three valleys of a region in the western Italian Alps and reconstructed the past treeline position for the last three centuries in a nearly undisturbed site by means of a dendrochronological approach. We found that the treeline altitude in this region is mainly controlled by human impacts and geomorphological factors. The reconstruction of the altitudinal dynamics at the study site reveals that the treeline shifted upwards of 115 m over the period 1901-2000, reaching the altitude of 2505 m in 2000 and 2515 m in 2008. The recent treeline shift and the acceleration of tree colonization rates in the alpine belt can be mainly ascribed to the climatic input. However, we point out the increasing role of geomorphological factors in controlling the future treeline position and colonization patterns in high mountains.

Climate warming and recent treeline shift in the European Alps : the role of geomorphological factors in high-altitude sites / G.F. Leonelli, M. Pelfini, U. Morra Di Cella, V. Garavaglia. - In: AMBIO. - ISSN 0044-7447. - 40:3(2011), pp. 264-273. [10.1007/s13280-010-0096-2]

Climate warming and recent treeline shift in the European Alps : the role of geomorphological factors in high-altitude sites

G.F. Leonelli
Primo
;
M. Pelfini
Secondo
;
V. Garavaglia
Ultimo
2011

Abstract

Global warming and the stronger regional temperature trends recently recorded over the European Alps have triggered several biological and physical dynamics in high-altitude environments. We defined the present treeline altitude in three valleys of a region in the western Italian Alps and reconstructed the past treeline position for the last three centuries in a nearly undisturbed site by means of a dendrochronological approach. We found that the treeline altitude in this region is mainly controlled by human impacts and geomorphological factors. The reconstruction of the altitudinal dynamics at the study site reveals that the treeline shifted upwards of 115 m over the period 1901-2000, reaching the altitude of 2505 m in 2000 and 2515 m in 2008. The recent treeline shift and the acceleration of tree colonization rates in the alpine belt can be mainly ascribed to the climatic input. However, we point out the increasing role of geomorphological factors in controlling the future treeline position and colonization patterns in high mountains.
Climate change; European Alps; Geomorphology; Larix decidua; Tree rings; Treeline
Settore GEO/04 - Geografia Fisica e Geomorfologia
2011
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Pelfini_2011.pdf

accesso riservato

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 730.75 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
730.75 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/152055
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 14
  • Scopus 107
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 100
social impact