Evergreen broad-leaved woody species [Elektronische Ressource] : indicators of climate change / von Silje Berger

Evergreen broad-leaved woody species – indicators of climate change Von der Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover zur Erlangung des Grades Doktorin der Naturwissenschaften Dr. rer. nat genehmigte Dissertation von Dipl.-Biol. Silje Berger geboren am 28. März 1978 in Oslo, Norwegen 2008 Referent: Prof. Dr. Richard Pott Korreferent: PD Dr. Gian-Reto Walther Tag der Promotion: 19. November 2007 Abstract Evergreen broad-leaved species are at their northern boundary of distribution in Cen-tral Europe. On the global scale, low winter temperatures play an important role limiting the distribution of evergreen broad-leaved vegetation towards the poles. In recent years, a global warming trend has been observed; the increase in annual mean temperature in Europe is mainly due to rising winter temperatures. In this study it is documented that the ranges of indigenous as well as introduced evergreen broad-leaved species are expanding northward in Central and Northern Europe.