A Multivariate Regression Model to Explain the Altitudinal Distribution of Timberlines on the Eurasian Continent

被引:0
|
作者
Zhao, Fang [1 ,2 ]
Shakoor, Abdul [1 ,2 ]
Zaib, Gul [3 ]
Zhang, Baiping [4 ]
Lan, Xincan [1 ]
Tang, Jiale [1 ]
机构
[1] Henan Univ, Coll Geog & Environm Sci, Kaifeng 475004, Henan, Peoples R China
[2] Henan Univ, Minist Educ, Key Lab Geospatial Technol Middle & Lower Yellow, Kaifeng 475004, Henan, Peoples R China
[3] Yangzhou Univ, Inst Epigenet & Epigen, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, Peoples R China
[4] Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geog Sci & Nat Resources Res, State Key Lab Resource & Environm Informat Syst, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China
基金
中国国家自然科学基金;
关键词
Eurasia; timberline elevation; climatic variables; climatic continentality; mean temperature of the warmest month; annual precipitation; mean temperature of the coldest month; multivariable model; CLIMATIC VARIABILITY; TREELINE DYNAMICS; SWEDISH SCANDES; FOREST; ELEVATION; NORTHERN; MOUNTAINS; RESISTANCE; LANDSCAPE; PATTERNS;
D O I
10.5586/asbp.918
中图分类号
Q94 [植物学];
学科分类号
071001 ;
摘要
The altitude of alpine timberline elevation has been considered to correlate with certain climatic factors. Many related isotherms (e.g., warmest month 10 degrees C isotherm) have been proposed to explain the altitudinal distribution of alpine timberline at the global scale. However, any climatic index actually has a wide range at the alpine timberline position worldwide. The altitudinal position of the alpine timberline is related to far more than just one climatic factor. Therefore, we developed a multivariable model for timberline elevation variability by collecting data from 473 timberline sites on the Eurasian continent. We analyzed 12 climatic variables that potentially account for timberline variation. Principal component and regression analyses were used to mine four climatic variables. The mean temperature of the warmest month (MTWM), mean temperature of the coldest month (MTCM), climatic continentality (K), and annual precipitation (AP) explained 95% of the variability of timberline elevation. MTWM, MTCM, K, and AP contributed 18%, 41.28%, 34.9%, and 5.82%, respectively, to the altitudinal distribution of alpine timberline on the whole continent; 20%, 44%, 28.86%, and 7.14% in the eastern continent; and 17.71%, 39.79%, 40.21%, and 2.29% in the western continent. We showed that MTWM, MTCM, K, and AP are deterministic factors for the altitudinal distribution of alpine timberline in the Eurasian continent. MTCM and K contributed to explaining the altitudinal distribution of timberline both in the entire, eastern, and western parts of the Eurasian continent. Our research highlights the significance of MTCM for the altitudinal distribution of timberline.
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页数:12
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