Abstract ID: 3.10547 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

Himalayan region, also known as third pole, is vulnerable to the ongoing climate change as the region is experiencing rapid warming, increase in extreme temperature and precipitation, frequent and intense droughts affecting the diverse bio-physical sectors. However, there is still a knowledge gap on how the increasing extreme climate, especially droughts, is affecting the growth and sensitivity of the diverse forest trees of the region. Similarly, there is paucity of information about the quantitative annual growth of diverse tree species in response to climate change. Therefore, a comprehensive dendrochronological study was conducted based on a network of more than 100 tree-ring chronologies from Central (Nepal) Himalaya. Growth statistics revealed that the mean and maximum annual radial growth rate and mean sensitivity decreased with increasing elevations while expressed population signal, R-bar and first order autocorrelation increased with increasing elevation. Temporal trend of tree-ring chronologies revealed both positive and negative growth trends during the 20th century reflected in terms of topographic as well as within and between tree species variability. Study found that warm but dry late winter and spring seasons could result locally missing rings in the trees growing in the Nepal Himalaya. Tree-growth climate relationships revealed species-specific as well as some geographical patterns in the climatic responses. Trees from western part of the Nepal Himalaya are more moisture or drought sensitive, while trees from the eastern and central part and from high elevations are more sensitive to temperature change. Favorable spring season climate is very important for the growth of the majority of the species in the region. In the warming but drying anticipated future, climate change in the Himalayan region can affect tree species in diverse ways ultimately impacting the overall ecosystem services provided by them.