The report should be divided into the following sections, with subheadings:

1. Decadal trends in temperature and precipitation (500-750 words): Review the evidence for changes in temperature and precipitation in the Australian alpine landscape and comment on the causes. How do these trends compare to other regions of Australia?
2. Monitoring change in the alpine climate (500-750 words): List and briefly describe the methodologies used in collecting local (e.g. eddy flux) and regional scale (e.g. satellites, ground instrument networks) climate information for the Australian alpine catchment.
3. Predicted impacts (500-750 words): Drawing on evidence from the Australian alps and other alpine system worldwide, what are the projected impacts of changing temperature and precipitation on flora and fauna?
4. Class data (500-750 words): This year we will visit two census plots that were established in 2013 to monitor key, long-term climate trend indicators in this region: soil CO2 flux, soil temperature and spring snow pack depth. This year, we will collect data on these indicators and ask that you collate and present the data in your report. CO2 soil flux, soil temperature and moisture content data from previous years will be made available through Blackboard. Discuss and interpret the field data.

Australian Alpine Landscape: Decadal trends in temperature and precipitation

The Australian Alpine region ranges from few hundred metres above sea level to the peak of Mount Kosciusko at 2228 metres above sea level. There is almost no dry season and very mild summers. The alps experience precipitation in the form of snow, hail, rain etc. specially during winters and spring. 

The annual mean temperature in the alpine regions of Australia have been increasing year on year. This pattern is similar in other regions of Australia as well. Evidences suggest that the mean temperature has nearly shot up by 0.2 degree each decade. At this rate, in the coming 40 years the mean temperature may go up by 0.6 degree to up to 3 degrees. (Dick Williams, 2018)

Coming to the precipitation recorded in the regions, north of Mount Kosciusko recorded a high annual precipitation of 3800 mm and the average precipitation in the areas is anywhere between 1800 to 2000 mm. However, it has been observed that the snow cover at the alps has been on a decrease. The Australian Alps support an important water storage function. This water is a source for the Murray Darling basin which ensures water content throughout the year as the precipitation occurs round the year. Rainfall is also generally higher in mountainous regions as compared to the surrounding areas. The term for this is Orographic rainfall. (Mason, 2017)

All of the above trends are nothing but a direct effect of global warming on the Australian alps and this is pretty much the picture worldwide. The global average temperature has increased by approximately 0.6 degree in the past 100 years. This rise is going to continue as years go by.  Over the years, man has contributed to the global warming phenomena. Apart from the rising pollution and urbanization, another major factor is the combustion of fuels to produce energy. While electricity is a necessity, it is important that we move completely to renewable sources of energy. Another factor contribution to this change is the reduction in forest cover in the alpine regions. The same trend is observed worldwide where the reduction in forest cover is leading to rapid depletion of the ozone layer and quick melting of ice and snow caps. Temperatures are rising all around the world due to the greenhouse effect. Climate change in the alps leads to warmer, dryer summers and less snow along with extreme weather implications. The impacts of these changes on the flora and fauna of the region have been discussed in the subsequent section. 

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