8/4/2023 0 Comments Sitka noaa weatherThere is no mention of warmer temperatures raising the tree line for these species, which would likely feature prominently if any warming had been detected. The rowan and sitka spruce’s newfound success at these heights is likely a testament to these conditions. Research shows that increased CO2 levels can boost tree growth, especially at high altitudes where the air is thinner. We can infer that their growth is likely influenced by changes in environmental conditions, such as CO2 enrichment. Consequently, it’s clear that overgrazing cannot be the sole or even primary cause of the initial deforestation. But how accurately does this perspective reflect the full complexity of the situation? While overgrazing certainly impacts regrowth, it doesn’t wholly explain the vast ecological changes witnessed over the millennia.įive thousand years ago, these mountainsides bore witness to a significant die-off of trees, well before modern grazing practices were implemented. Watts states, these habitats across the Scottish Highlands have largely been lost due to overgrazing. The prevailing narrative places blame on overgrazing by livestock and deer for the degradation of high-altitude habitats. While this botanical breakthrough is worthy of celebration, it upends much of these researchers’ ideas about what shapes and influences these high-altitude ecosystems. Some were 200m above previously known altitudes.” “It was fascinating to find trees growing at the absolute limit of environmental tolerance for these species. She reveals, her main concern being to record the distribution and altitudes of trees and other mountain plants. “I have now bagged more than 200 Munros”, PhD researcher Sarah Watts, from Stirling’s Faculty of Natural Sciences, is at the forefront of this work. This news is hints at the potential restoration of hilltop woodlands lost over thousands of years. Recent research by the University of Stirling has reported trees growing at record-breaking heights, such as a rowan standing tall at 1,150m (3,773ft) near the top of Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan, a Munro in West Affric. There’s something stirring on the peaks of Scotland’s Munros.
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