Evelyn Carter, Rajesh Gupta

Mountain ecosystems are sentinels of global change, yet long-term community responses remain poorly resolved. We analysed twenty years of vegetation surveys across 140 plots spanning 1,200 m of elevation.

Warm-adapted species advanced upslope at a median rate of 3.2 m per year, while cold-specialist cover declined by 18%. Community reshuffling was strongest near the treeline ecotone, signalling accelerating turnover under continued warming.