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Planet Ark
SYDNEY - In
an early warning to the rest of the world, Australia's snowy alpine
regions are shrinking and could disappear in 70 years because
of global warming, Australian scientists say.
"In Australia
we could have the complete loss of the alpine ecosystems within
the next 70 years," said botanist John Morgan in La Trobe
University's latest campus magazine.
A La Trobe
study found that sub-alpine trees in the Snowy Mountains have
started growing 40 metres (130 feet) higher than they had in the
past 25 years as a result of global warming.
"Australia's
mountains are just at the limit of alpine, so changes could happen
very dramatically here. We may be any early warning system for
the rest of the world," said Morgan.
Australia's
mountains are low by world standards, with only 100 to 200 metres
(328-656 feet) separating the tree-line from the top of some mountains.
Yet there are more than 250 species of alpine plants growing in
the restricted habitat.
Morgan said
the amount and duration of snow was crucial for the survival of
alpine vegetation, with some plants dependent on banks of snow
not melting until late in the spring.
La Trobe scientists
say Australia's Snowy Mountains sub-alpine forest are 300 to 500
years old, suggesting the forest had been stable for centuries.
"We are
now starting to see movement in the trees. They are now establishing
and growing 30 and 40 metres from the existing tree-line. Every
year since 1975 new snow gums have established where they were
previously absent," Morgan said.
Morgan said
the movement of sub-alpine trees higher up the mountains supported
evidence that global warming was changing the pattern of vegetation
in the world's alpine regions.
The demise
of Australia's alpine ecosystem would mean the end of a small
but thriving ski industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars
a year.
Australia's
highest peak is the 2,228-metre (7,310 feet) Mount Kosciuszko.
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