climate change

Vegetation response to accelerated climate change: A case study of the White Mountains of New Hampshire
In the next century, climate change caused by "greenhouse" warming may severely alter the world's climate patterns. Forests throughout the world will be affected by this climate change. In order to bring a better understanding to the general public of how climate change will effect their lives, this paper lays the groundwork for showing the effects of anthropogenically caused accelerated climate...
The North Atlantic oscillation and its links to snow cover and duration in the Swiss Alps
A study of snow statistics over the past 50 years at several climatological stations in the Swiss Alps has highlighted periods in which snow was either abundant or not. Periods with relative low snow amounts and duration are closely linked to the presence of persistent high surface pressure fields over the Alpine region during late fall and in winter. These high pressure episodes are accompanied...
Snow as a defining character of the alpine/subalpine fauna
There is an obvious decline in animal species abundance with increased altitude within the latitudinal band of south-eastern mainland Australia which encompasses the Australian Alps. Among the vertebrates, there is only one endemic mammal species, four frogs and five reptiles. The greatest degree of endemism occurs among the invertebrates. In the Australia Alps it is the snow rather than the...
Long-term variability in temperature, precipitation, and snow cover in the Australian Alps: Is there a link with declines of alpine frogs?
A number of species of frogs are confined to the Australian Alps. These include notably two species of Corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree and P. pengilleyi), the Alpine Tree Frog (Litoria verreauxii) and the Baw Baw Frog (Philoria frosti). Three species, the Southern Corroboree Frog, Northern Corroboree Frog and the Baw Baw frog are found only in particularly wet and cool parts of the Alps...
Winter shade increases snow gum growth
There has been an enormous emphasis placed on the impact of increased temperatures associated with global warming. Linked with climate change has been the possibility of future changes to the current location of the tree line. However at a finer scale the clearing of forest cover can lower temperature significantly. Not only is the thermal environment significantly modified when trees are removed...
Predicting the effects of climate change on the terrestrial vascular vegetation of subantarctic Macquarie Island
Some of the highest rates of global warming are occurring in high southern latitudes (ca. 0.25?C per decade, Jones 1988). The effect of this warming on the terrestrial vegetation is not yet fully understood. Using an altitudinal temperature gradient as an analogy to temperature change a study has been initiated with the aim of predicting the effects of climate warming on subantarctic Macquarie...
Climate change impacts on the spatial extent of snow cover in the Australian Alps

Climate change impacts on the spatial extent of snow cover in the Australian Alps are examined using the Galloway snow model and the latest Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) climate change scenarios. These scenarios take into account a range of quantifiable uncertainties associated with projecting climate change and thus allow for...

Advance and retreat phases of the Karakorum glaciers during the 20th century: Case studies in the Braldo Valley, Pakistan

Variation that took place at the terminus of some Karakorum glaciers (particularly the Baltoro glacier and the Liligo glacier) during the present century has been reconstructed using several methodologies. The two glaciers studied have shown different behaviors at the termini, at least regarding the rate of displacement. The Baltoro is one of the longest glaciers on the Earth, excluding Artic...

Movement of mountain vegetation zones under predicted climatic change

Scotland has over 90 percent of the UK's montane (alpine) habitat. These areas contain important populations of relic arctic, alpine and endemic plants, which also support important bird populations, all of which are of high conservation value. Within these areas, natural zonation of vegetation can be seen at different altitudes. This zonation is largely due the effects of temperature and...

International tundra experiment
The international tundra experiment was established in 1990 to foster research into the ecology of tundra and alpine plants and their response to changes in climate, particularly increasing warming. Currently there are over twenty active ITEX field sites encompassing high and low arctic sites and alpine regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Just recently an Australian subantartic site on Maquarie...

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