Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes
We report here on two extensive data sets across the tree line in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida in the Venezuelan Andes. First, we describe the tree distribution with elevation at this site. Second, we report on several years of temperature data beginning in 2001 for the soil surface, 10, 20, and 40 c...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2024.2390771 |
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| author | Vicente Marcano Rafael Navarro-González Christopher P. McKay |
| author_facet | Vicente Marcano Rafael Navarro-González Christopher P. McKay |
| author_sort | Vicente Marcano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We report here on two extensive data sets across the tree line in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida in the Venezuelan Andes. First, we describe the tree distribution with elevation at this site. Second, we report on several years of temperature data beginning in 2001 for the soil surface, 10, 20, and 40 cm depth from 2,000 to 4,978 m elevation. The tree line at this site is dominated by Polylepis and is located near 4,100 m. At the tree line, the annual mean temperature at 10 cm depth was 6.66°C with an annual maximum temperature of 13°C and an annual minimum temperature of 1.4°C; the lowest maximum temperature for any day of the year was 6°C, so though there is not continuous growth, every day of the year the temperature gets high enough that some growth is possible. The mean annual air temperature was 6.4°C. The topographic lapse rate across the tree line is 5.7°C/km for all depths. Below 3,500 to 2,500 m elevation in the cloud forest zone the topographic rate decreases to 0.9°C/km. Our results are consistent with the emerging model of temperature correlation with the elevation of tree line. Temperature archive data set identifier: https://zenodo.org/records/12628498. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1f96249c46524615b96d7e63094d675c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1523-0430 1938-4246 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
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| series | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-1f96249c46524615b96d7e63094d675c2025-01-13T14:40:40ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research1523-04301938-42462024-12-0156110.1080/15230430.2024.2390771Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan AndesVicente Marcano0Rafael Navarro-GonzálezChristopher P. McKay1Grupo de Ciencias Atmosféricas y el Espacio, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, VenezuelaSpace Science Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USAWe report here on two extensive data sets across the tree line in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida in the Venezuelan Andes. First, we describe the tree distribution with elevation at this site. Second, we report on several years of temperature data beginning in 2001 for the soil surface, 10, 20, and 40 cm depth from 2,000 to 4,978 m elevation. The tree line at this site is dominated by Polylepis and is located near 4,100 m. At the tree line, the annual mean temperature at 10 cm depth was 6.66°C with an annual maximum temperature of 13°C and an annual minimum temperature of 1.4°C; the lowest maximum temperature for any day of the year was 6°C, so though there is not continuous growth, every day of the year the temperature gets high enough that some growth is possible. The mean annual air temperature was 6.4°C. The topographic lapse rate across the tree line is 5.7°C/km for all depths. Below 3,500 to 2,500 m elevation in the cloud forest zone the topographic rate decreases to 0.9°C/km. Our results are consistent with the emerging model of temperature correlation with the elevation of tree line. Temperature archive data set identifier: https://zenodo.org/records/12628498.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2024.2390771Tropical AndesPico Bolivartree linemean annual soil temperaturetopographic lapse ratePolylepis |
| spellingShingle | Vicente Marcano Rafael Navarro-González Christopher P. McKay Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research Tropical Andes Pico Bolivar tree line mean annual soil temperature topographic lapse rate Polylepis |
| title | Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes |
| title_full | Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes |
| title_fullStr | Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes |
| title_short | Temperatures and treeline elevation in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida of the Venezuelan Andes |
| title_sort | temperatures and treeline elevation in the sierra nevada de merida of the venezuelan andes |
| topic | Tropical Andes Pico Bolivar tree line mean annual soil temperature topographic lapse rate Polylepis |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2024.2390771 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vicentemarcano temperaturesandtreelineelevationinthesierranevadademeridaofthevenezuelanandes AT rafaelnavarrogonzalez temperaturesandtreelineelevationinthesierranevadademeridaofthevenezuelanandes AT christopherpmckay temperaturesandtreelineelevationinthesierranevadademeridaofthevenezuelanandes |