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Global warming-related tree growth decline and mortality on the north-eastern Tibetan plateau

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  • Eryuan Liang
  • Christoph Leuschner
  • Choimaa Dulamsuren
  • Bettina Wagner
  • Markus Hauck

Abstract

Semi-arid forests at the limit of their existence close to the Gobi Desert in Inner Asia might be vulnerable to warming-induced drought stress. Yet, not much is known about the impact of global-change-type droughts on these forests. Here, we show that warming-related tree mortality is recently taking place in high-elevation semi-arid Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) forests of the north-eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (Qilian Mountains). Tree-ring samples were collected from 24 Qinghai spruce forest plots (20 m × 20 m) at three elevations (2600, 2700, 2800 m) along eight elevation transects on north-facing slopes. Three lines of evidence suggest that these forests are increasingly at risk of increased tree mortality as a consequence of global warming, (i) a strong precipitation and air humidity dependence of radial growth, (ii) increasing frequency of missing tree rings, and (iii) a rising tree mortality rate in recent decades. The recent drought episode on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau may represent a precursor of future global-change-type drought events in large parts of Inner Asia. Warming-related tree mortality of the semi-arid forests may be interpreted as early-warning signs for the densely populated artificial oases surrounding the Gobi Desert, which largely depend on river run-off from the mountain forests on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Eryuan Liang & Christoph Leuschner & Choimaa Dulamsuren & Bettina Wagner & Markus Hauck, 2016. "Global warming-related tree growth decline and mortality on the north-eastern Tibetan plateau," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 163-176, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:134:y:2016:i:1:p:163-176
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-015-1531-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aiguo Dai, 2013. "Increasing drought under global warming in observations and models," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 3(1), pages 52-58, January.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Jianfeng Peng & Jinbao Li & Ting Wang & Jiaxin Huo & Liu Yang, 2019. "Effect of altitude on climate–growth relationships of Chinese white pine (Pinus armandii) in the northern Funiu Mountain, central China," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 273-288, May.

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