Centre for Biodiversity & Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190 006, India.
Department of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190 006, India.
Environ Monit Assess. 2022 May 11;194(6):420. doi: 10.1007/s10661-022-10044-5.
Globally, the treelines at higher elevations in mountains are reported to be advancing up-slope in response to recent climate warming. However, little is known about the treeline advancement in the Himalaya due to paucity of baseline vegetation data with which to compare, thus making their assessment and monitoring challenging. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study documented floristic and functional diversity of two treeline ecotone sites in Kashmir Himalaya. At each site, we conducted field sampling by laying five 20-m plots, with one at the highest limit (T0 plot), two plots below and two above the treeline and two nested subplots of 5-m for shrubs and five 1-m for herbs in each plot. We recorded 97 plant species belonging to 33 families from the two sites. We observed a considerable difference in species composition and distribution along the treeline ecotone. Majority of the species reported were perennial herbs. We observed a significant association of growth forms with the particular plots along the treeline ecotone. At both the sites, we recorded highest species richness at the T0 plot which was correlated well with the functional traits, thus indicating convergence of floristic and functional diversity at this transition zone. Interestingly, the T0 plot at both the sites showed maximum overlap of species with the plots above and below the treeline. In an era of climate warming, our study provides crucial baseline data that will facilitate assessment and monitoring of the Himalayan treelines.
全球范围内，有报道称高山上较高海拔处的树线正在向上坡方向推进，以应对近期气候变暖。然而，由于缺乏基线植被数据来进行比较，喜马拉雅山的树线推进情况知之甚少，这使得对其进行评估和监测具有挑战性。为了填补这一知识空白，本研究记录了克什米尔喜马拉雅山两个树线生态交错带的植物区系和功能多样性。在每个地点，我们通过布置五个 20 米的样本来进行实地采样，其中一个在最高限（T0 样地），两个在树线以下，两个在树线以上，每个样地有两个嵌套的 5 米灌木样地和五个 1 米草本样地。我们从两个地点记录了 97 种植物，隶属于 33 科。我们观察到在树线生态交错带沿线，物种组成和分布有相当大的差异。报道的大多数物种是多年生草本植物。我们观察到生长形式与树线生态交错带特定样地之间存在显著关联。在两个地点，我们在 T0 样地记录到了最高的物种丰富度，这与功能特征很好地相关，表明在这个过渡带，植物区系和功能多样性趋同。有趣的是，两个地点的 T0 样地与树线上下的样地有最大的物种重叠。在气候变暖的时代，我们的研究提供了至关重要的基线数据，这将有助于对喜马拉雅山树线进行评估和监测。
