000			02581nam a22003137a 4500
003			ZW-GwMSU
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008			230502b |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
040			_aMSU _cMSU _erda
100			_aDAI, Li
245			_aThe spatial variation of alpine timberlines and their biogeographical characteristics in the northern Tianshan Mountains of China
264			_aVerlag _bSpringer _c2013
336			_2rdacontent _atext _btxt
337			_2rdamedia _aunmediated _bn
338			_2rdacarrier _avolume _bnc
440			_aEnvironmental earth sciences _vVolume , number ,
520			_aAlpine timberline is a proper indicator of climate change and has received much attention in ecological research during the past decades. In this study, variations of alpine timberlines and their biogeographic characteristics were investigated by a combination of field surveys, climate indices, and soil nutrient analyses in the northern Tianshan Mountains (NTM) of northwest China. The timberline altitudes were probed to range from 2,530 to 2,800 m a.s.l. in the NTM, gradually descending from west to east along the V-shaped Ili valley (from Zhaosu to Xinyuan), and ascending from west to east across the northernmost range of the study area (from Bole to Balikun). The vertical widths between the upper and lower limits of the timberlines were widest in the middle NTM (Kuytun to Changji) and the Ili valley (Zhaosu to Xinyuan). Interactions between the terrain and air currents resulted in variant climates within the NTM, which contributed to significant timberline distribution differences. Although vertical width was positively correlated to soil nutrient (especially organic matter, r = 0.78), and timberline altitudes were positively related to the soil pH values, the temperature during the growing season primarily determines both altitude and vertical width. In conclusion, timberline altitudes were dominated by the combined effects of local topography, soil nutrient properties, water, and thermal conditions. Identifying the dominating influencing factors of NTM timberlines provided potential insights to better understand the effects of climate change on the alpine ecosystem over central Asia.
650			_anorthern tianshan mountains
650			_aalpine timberline distribution
650			_aclimate index
700			_aLI, Yanzhong
700			_aLUO, Geping
700			_aXU, Wenqiang
700			_aLU, Lei
700			_aLI, Chaofan
700			_aFENG, Yixing
856			_uhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1721-0
942			_2lcc _cJA
999			_c161925 _d161925