Climate Change in Remote Mountain Regions: A Throughfall-Exclusion Experiment to Simulate Monsoon Failure in the Himalayas

摘要: The Himalayas are predicted to experience more than 3 times the mean global rise in temperature, as well erratic rainfall patterns and an increased likelihood of total monsoon failures. While many ecosystem manipulation experiments aiming at understanding effects altered precipitation, carbon dioxide conducted globally, such rare Asia, particularly Himalayas. To fill this gap, we simulated late onset failure, a multiyear drought stress experiment Bhutan. Two treatments, 100% throughfall exclusion ambient control plots, were applied 725 m2 plots (25 m × 29 m), each with 2 replicates hemlock-dominated (Tsuga dumosa) oak-dominated (Quercus lanata Quercus griffithii) 3260 2460 elevations, respectively. Roof application reduced volumetric soil water content upper (0–20 cm) layer by ∼ 20% coniferous 31% broadleaved forest; deeper layers less affected. We demonstrate that large-scale throughfall-exclusion can be successfully even remote Bhutan Himalayan setting. experiences gathered could utilized for future long-term ecological monitoring studies region.