부산대학교 도서관

Unprecedented modern rates of warming are expected to advance alpine treelines to higher elevations, but global evidence suggests that current treeline dynamics are influenced by a variety of factors. Seasonal snow cover has an essential impact on tree recruitment and growth in alpine regions, which may in turn influence current treeline elevation; however, little research has been conducted on its role in regional treeline formation. Based on 11,804 treeline locations in the eastern Himalayas, we extracted elevation, climate, and topographic data for treeline and snowline. Specifically, we used linear and structural equation modelling to assess the relationship between these environmental factors and treeline elevation, and the climate-snow-treeline interaction mechanism. The results showed that the treeline elevation increased with summer temperature and permanent or seasonal snowline elevation, but decreased with snow cover days and spring temperature at the treeline positions (P ​