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Decreasing nutrient concentrations in soils and trees with increasing elevation across a treeline ecotone in Rolwaling Himal, Nepal

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Abstract

At a global scale, tree growth in alpine treeline ecotones is limited by low temperatures. At a local scale, however, tree growth at its upper limit depends on multiple interactions of influencing factors and mechanisms. The aim of our research was to understand local scale effects of soil properties and nutrient cycling on tree growth limitation, and their interactions with other abiotic and biotic factors in a near-natural Himalayan treeline ecotone. Soil samples of different soil horizons, litter, decomposition layers, and foliage samples of standing biomass were collected in four altitudinal zones along three slopes, and were analysed for exchangeable cations and nutrient concentrations, respectively. Additionally, soil and air temperature, soil moisture, precipitation, and tree physiognomy patterns were evaluated. Both soil nutrients and foliar macronutrient concentrations of nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and foliar phosphorus (P) decrease significantly with elevation. Foliar manganese (Mn) concentrations, by contrast, are extraordinarily high at high elevation sites. Potential constraining factors on tree growth were identified using multivariate statistical approaches. We propose that tree growth, treeline position and vegetation composition are affected by nutrient limitation, which in turn, is governed by low soil temperatures and influenced by soil moisture conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Ram BAHADUR, Björn BONNET, Ram Prasad CHAUDHARY, Sabine FLAIZ, Lisa-Marie FUNKE, Lena GEIGER, Lars GERLITZ, Helge HEYKEN, Nina KIESE, Juliana KLEIN, Peter KÜHN, Agnes KRETTEK, Simon RUPPERT, Anna SCHLEINITZ, Dorje SHERPA, Chandra Kanta SUBEDI, Bijay SUBEDI, Madan K. SUWAL, Hanna WANLI and Ronja WEDEGÄRTNER for their support. Besides, we want to thank several local people in Beding who provided lodging and support in field data collection.

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  1. Geoecology, Department of Geography and Regional Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Simon Drollinger

  2. Soil Science and Geomorphology, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Michael Müller, Timo Kobl & Thomas Scholten

  3. CEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Niels Schwab, Jürgen Böhner & Udo Schickhoff

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Correspondence to Simon Drollinger.

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Decreasing nutrient concentrations in soils and trees with increasing elevation across a treeline ecotone in Rolwaling Himal, Nepal

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Drollinger, S., Müller, M., Kobl, T. et al. Decreasing nutrient concentrations in soils and trees with increasing elevation across a treeline ecotone in Rolwaling Himal, Nepal. J. Mt. Sci. 14, 843–858 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-016-4228-4

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