Institute
Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
Time & Place
Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:00:00 NZDT in ER 263
Abstract
The subantarctic islands to the south of New Zealand sit at the northern edge of the Southern Ocean under the core of the southern westerlies, and thus are thought to be highly sensitive to changing climates. In particular, Auckland and Campbell Islands are tall enough to have treelines. Theory suggests that these clearly demarked alpine vegetation boundaries should be sensitive to temperature change. However, postglacial records show that they often are unresponsive to regional temperature trends, including warming over the recent past. In this talk I will outline the history of these treelines, suggest why they often ignore temperature change, and discuss the implications for their future and that of mainland treelines.