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androbran t1_j91bbck wrote

Yep, there are places I have routinely backpacked for decades and during that time places that were once alpine meadows have now slowly turned into forests because of changing temperatures

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meat_thistle t1_j96dg2d wrote

Sometimes forest encroachment happens in meadows and grasslands due to the lack of forest fires rather than climate changes. Climate change is real and is affecting plant and animal composition at higher elevations and northern latitudes. Smokey the Bear isn’t real.

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nikidisucy t1_j98ybqt wrote

That's a good point - forest encroachment can also be caused by the suppression of natural wildfires, but climate change is still a major factor.

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howmuchisazjay t1_j96cgc6 wrote

I could be wrong but isn't most vegetation hindered by reduced oxygen level after 7k ft?

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yagodemalina t1_j99621r wrote

Reduced oxygen levels at higher elevations can certainly impact vegetation, but climate change is also playing a role in the rapid spread of plants up mountains.

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710211 t1_j99hiai wrote

Changing temperatures are causing alpine meadows to turn into forests over time, which can impact the ecosystem in complex ways.

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Lonny_loss t1_j92gm5g wrote

To be fair, that’s just how succession in forests works. Meadows don’t stay meadows forever.

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dumnezero t1_j92my6e wrote

Alpine meadows, natural ones, grow in places where it's hostile for trees. There are multiple stressors that are correlated with altitude.

Here's an intro article: https://www.encyclopedie-environnement.org/en/life/how-do-plants-cope-with-alpine-stress/

If you're thinking of semi-natural (man made) grasslands in mountainous areas, then, yes, the succession to trees is natural.

Mountains are hotspots of biodiversity. But the climate warming effect is known already: as the climate is warming, species are moving up the mountain, and it's not just plants. The mountain gets narrower towards the top, which leads to more crowding, and the species at the top already have nowhere to go.

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kingbao888 t1_j99obfk wrote

Yes, natural factors like altitude can also play a role in determining which plant species thrive in different areas.

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Lonny_loss t1_j93ozd6 wrote

It really just depends on the topography

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placeflacepleat t1_j94izgd wrote

It really doesn't though. Out here in the US pacific NW, timberline lodge on Mt hood is an example. You get to an elevation where it's simply too cold for trees to grow any further up. Obviously close to the lodge the flora are somewhat maintained, but the altitude and temp have kept it tree free since before white guys showed up. Succession simply can't happen, at least currently.

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harishahuja t1_j98q74g wrote

In some areas, the altitude and temperature are simply too extreme for trees to grow, but this is not the case everywhere.

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huangjiajia8 t1_j96vy35 wrote

Topography is certainly a factor, but climate change is still playing a major role in the rapid spread of plants up mountains.

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