Extreme weather conditions correspond with localised vegetation death at Cradle Mountain,Tasmania |
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Authors: | Micah Visoiu Jennie Whinam |
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Institution: | 1. +61 2. 3 3. 6165 4348;4. Biodiversity Conservation Branch, Department of Primary Industries, Parks Water and Environment, Hobart, Tas, Australia |
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Abstract: | A chance observation of a drought‐related plant mortality event in early 2014 in a normally wet and cool alpine area was matched with local weather data providing a unique insight into this event. The observed plant death was largely indiscriminate in areas that were topographically predisposed to being susceptible to drought. The weather conditions surrounding this event included 5 weeks with very little rain, an extreme heatwave and subsequent brief periods where warm temperatures and dry air combined to produce highly evaporative conditions. Extreme weather conditions such as this are expected to occur with increasing frequency as a result of climate change. Observing and reporting on real‐world examples of how extreme weather events affect native vegetation is integral to improved climate change risk assessment and to inform future management actions. |
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Keywords: | alpine biodiversity conservation climate change ecosystem processes monitoring and evaluation World Heritage Areas |
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