Climate change, alpine treeline dynamics and associated terminology: focus on northwestern Indian Himalaya

摘要

The study of alpine treeline as a climate marker may be used as an important indicator in mountain ecosystem dynamics. However, the terms, yardsticks and methods usually applied worldwide are not comparable among various studies. An appraisal of the relevant literature with special reference to the work by Panigrahy et al. (2010) in northwestern Indian Himalaya to promote and advocate adopting uniform pattern and interdisciplinary observations is attempted. It is observed that the terminological variability and the resultant confusion, variable definition of tree and treeline and their relative validation at the ground, remain major impediment in developing standardized and quantitative assessment protocols of treeline dynamics as a precise climatechange response. This situation has resulted in generating differential reliability in treeline study from local to the global level. In order to address this issue ecologically compatible terminology and UNESCO standard sampling methodology has been proposed. It is also concluded that treeline dynamics is more related to the deflected snow precipitation system rather than global warming in the Himalaya.