A 250-year reconstruction of average July air temperatures (1775-2024): A key climate indicator of vegetation growth in the alpine treeline ecotone of the High Tatra Mts, Slovakia

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00646953" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00646953 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60076658:12310/25:43910784

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.31577/congeo.2025.55.3.4" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.31577/congeo.2025.55.3.4</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.31577/congeo.2025.55.3.4" target="_blank" >10.31577/congeo.2025.55.3.4</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

A 250-year reconstruction of average July air temperatures (1775-2024): A key climate indicator of vegetation growth in the alpine treeline ecotone of the High Tatra Mts, Slovakia

Original language description

The reconstruction of historical air temperatures over the past 250 years (1775-2024) in the alpine treeline ecotone (ATE) of the High Tatra Mts, Slovakia, provides insights into long-term climate variability. As a high-elevation region sensitive to climatic fluctuations, the alpine treeline is a key indicator of environmental change. A model-based approach allows estimation of air temperature where direct measurements are lacking, offering a tool for assessing long-term climate impacts in high mountains. This study models the July monthly average air temperature (JL-Tavg) and the 10 degrees C July isotherm, a climatic threshold for vegetation growth. The regression model is based on the environmental temperature lapse rate (ETL), assuming a systematic decrease in temperature with altitude (- 0.65 degrees C per 100 m). Using air temperature data from European stations spanning 191-3109 m a.s.l., the model estimated ETL, which was then applied to reconstruct JL-Tavg and track the 10 degrees C isotherm across the Skalnata dolina ATE profile. The regression model showed a good fit between observed and predicted values, with root mean square error lower than the standard deviation of average JL-Tavg. Reconstructed data indicate that the 10 degrees C July isotherm fluctuated markedly between 1775 and 2024. The alpine treeline, defined as the elevation with zero probability of tree growth, varied from 2000 m a.s.l. during the cooler phase (1875-1974) to 2300 m a.s.l. in the warmer phase (1775-1874). Since 1975, accelerated warming has shifted this thermal boundary upward to 2400 m a.s.l., now representing the upper cold limit for alpine tree growth in the southern High Tatra Mts. Future work should integrate field monitoring, such as mapping dwarf pine above 2000 m a.s.l., to evaluate current distributional limits under ongoing warming.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10509 - Meteorology and atmospheric sciences

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Contributions to geophysics and geodesy

ISSN

1338-0540

e-ISSN

1338-0540

Volume of the periodical

55

Issue of the periodical within the volume

3

Country of publishing house

SK - SLOVAKIA

Number of pages

22

Pages from-to

341-362

UT code for WoS article

001673406700004

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105028262094