Table 1.

Seasonal (spring = March-May; summer = June-August) and monthly mean air temperature, degree days and precipitation sum during 2006 and 2007 growing seasons. Long-term mean values ± standard deviation of air temperature were available from timberline (LTM-Pk; 1967-2004). Accordingly, seasonal and monthly mean air temperature and degree days during study years are shown for the timberline plot. Anom2006 and Anom2007 are air temperature anomalies relative to the 1901-2000 average from high-elevation meteorological stations in the Alps in 2006 and 2007, respectively (Auer et al. 2007). Precipitation records are from top of Mt. Patscherkofel (LTM-Pk; 1967-2004).

	Air temperature (°C)					Degree days		Precipitation (mm)
	LTM-Pk	2006	2007	Anom2006	Anom2007	2006	2007	LTM-Pk	2006	2007
Spring	0.6 ± 1.4	0.4	4.0	0.6	3.1	81	231	201 ± 55	174	154
Summer	9.3 ± 1.4	9.9	10.6	1.4	1.4	562	586	358 ± 63	278	409
Jun	7.8 ± 1.9	9.2	10.1	2.1	2.4	187	188	109 ± 35	81	120
Jul	10.0 ± 1.9	13.8	11.3	4.3	1.1	298	227	127 ± 39	70	108
Aug	10.1 ± 1.9	6.9	10.6	− 2.3	0.7	90	188	121 ± 50	126	182
Sep	7.1 ± 2.0	11.0	5.5	3.5	− 1.6	198	88	78 ± 29	34	101
Oct	4.1 ± 2.2	7.2	3.9	4.0	0.2	98	80	48 ± 29	53	24