Table 1 Geographical location and other characteristics of elevation transects.
Study transect | Elevation range | Geographical coordinates | Vegetation type | Climate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Daksum- Sinthan Top, Kashmir (DSTK) | 2200–3800 (m a.s.l.) | 33°36′43"N and 75°26′6"E 33°34'N and 75°30'E | Mixed evergreen coniferous forest with dominance of Abies pindrow, Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana, and broadleaved Betula utilis as the main treeline species | The climate in Kashmir is sub-Mediterranean type with four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) based on mean temperature and precipitation. Kashmir Himalaya experiences an annual minimum temperature of about 7.3 °C and annual maximum temperature of about 19.7 °C with annual precipitation of about 1000 mm |
Tungnath Timberline Landscape, Uttarakhand (TTLU) | 2000–3700 (m a.s.l.) | 30°29′22″N and 79°12′55″E | The dominant forest vegetation includes evergreen broadleaf forests of Quercus semecarpifolia, and Rhododendron arboreum; evergreen needle-leaf coniferous forests—Abies pindrow, and A. spectabilis; and Krummholz of R. campanulatum | Climate of Uttarakhand is monsoonal with dry pre- monsoon. Temperature and precipitation varies considerably across the region. At Tungnath (study site) the annual mean temperature ranges between 17.2 °C (at 1600 m a.s.l.) to 6.0 °C (at 3680 m a.s.l.). Annual precipitation ranges between 2209–2598 mm. However, pre-monsoon precipitation varies between 280–380 mm annually |
Khangcehndzonga National Park, Sikkim (KNPS) | 1700–4000 (m a.s.l.) | 27°42′N 88°08′E | The dominant vegetation includes evergreen broadleaf forests of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus, Castanopsis histrix, Quercus lamellosa, Rhododendron arboretum, R. hodgsonii; evergreen needle leaf coniferous forests of Tsuga dumosa and Abies densa leading to krummholz thickets and alpine scrubs dominated by Rhododenron spp. and Juniperus spp. | The climate of Sikkim state varies extremely due to high elevation and ranges from sub-tropical in south to tundra in the north. The area falls under monsoonal precipitation regime and based on monsoon circulation the state possess four prevalent seasons viz. (i) cold (Dec–Feb), (ii) Spring (March–May), (iii) Monsoon (June–Sep), (iv) Period of retreating monsoon (Oct–Nov). In Yuksam-Dzongri transect the mean temperature ranges between 14.45 °C (at 1700 m a.s.l.) to 4.25 °C (at 4000 m a.s.l.). Annual precipitation ranges between 765 and 1021.0 mm |
