Comparison of precipitation and temperature regime in the Šumava National Park and in the surrounding foothills

Abstract

The IPCC IS92a scenario predicts climate changes including within-year fluctuations in precipitation and a temperature increase of 1.7 °C by the year 2050 and a further 2.7 °C by the year 2100. We attempted to detect these changes in the Šumava Mts. and compare them with climate changes in the surrounding foothills. We used meteorological data records for the years 1961-2017, provided by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI). We recorded a decrease in precipitation, including snow cover, in the mountains and in the foothills during the last 15-20 years. Air temperature has also increased significantly in spring and summer over the last two decades. We assume that the increase in spring temperature negatively affects snow cover and causes it to melt earlier. We found that all these changes affect both the Šumava National Park and the surrounding foothills at the same rate; as a result, natural disturbances such as windstorm and bark beetle infestations occur more often and are more severe in both areas. Thus, changes in temperature and precipitation must be also considered in future management planning.

Keywords

• climate change
• foothills
• forest management
• mountains
• rainfall
• snow cover
• Šumava