Definition of the alpine treeline

Definition of the alpine treeline

• Definition of the alpine treeline

• Driving forces of treeline formation

• Upword shifts of the alpine treelines, corresponding to global warming, in the Himalayas and worldwide

• Physioecological machanisms of the alpine treeline shifts

• Conclusions

Repeated damage

• Repeated damage

• by freezing, frost desiccation or phototoxic effects after frost impair

• tree growth

• Source limitation hypothesis:

• Tree growth is considered source limited when carbon assimilation through photo-synthesis is insufficient to meet growth requirements.