Vegetation patterns and competitive dynamics along elevation gradients: interactions between environmental factors and vegetation in the Central Himalayas

Paudel, Prashant; Olin, Stefan; Tjoelker, Mark; Pontarp, Mikael; Metcalfe, Daniel; Smith, Benjamin

doi:10.5194/bg-23-4999-2026

Articles | Volume 23, issue 14

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-4999-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-4999-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 23, issue 14

Research article

|

21 Jul 2026

Research article |

| 21 Jul 2026

Vegetation patterns and competitive dynamics along elevation gradients: interactions between environmental factors and vegetation in the Central Himalayas

Prashant Paudel, Stefan Olin, Mark Tjoelker, Mikael Pontarp, Daniel Metcalfe, and Benjamin Smith

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-4999-2026-supplement

Data sets

Model input data and simulated output that reproduce the analyses presented in the article Prashant Paudel et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17214851

Model code and software

Lund-Postdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator (LPJ-GUESS) Prashant Paudel et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17214801

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Short summary

We used computer simulations to study how vegetation changes from low to high elevations in the Himalayas. We found that competition between plants is more important in warm lowlands, while cold conditions limit plant growth at high elevations. These differences influence plant diversity, vegetation structure, and the amount of plant growth across mountain landscapes, showing how climate and plant strategies together shape ecosystems.