Climate warming promotes growth in Himalayan alpine cushion plants but threatens survival through increased extreme...

Climate warming stimulates growth and reproduction in cold-adapted plants but also leads to extreme weather events that may hinder their performance. We examined these predictions in the cold-arid Himalayan subnival zone at 5900 m, where unprecedented warming and extreme snowfalls occurred over the past three decades. We collected 205 individuals of Ladakiella klimesii, analyzing climate influences on their growth and recruitment through annual growth rings. Radial growth was highly sensitive to summer temperatures, with warmer conditions significantly enhancing growth. However, increased winter precipitation negatively impacted growth and recruitment by shortening the growing season. Warmer winters and springs, combined with autumn snow cover, favored recruitment, while extreme late winter and summer snowfall disrupted growth and recruitment through intensified soil disturbances. We also found a trade-off between growth rate and longevity: Plants established during warmer periods grow rapidly but have shorter lifespans, whereas those emerging in colder conditions grow more slowly yet persist longer, with implications for long-term population stability. These findings highlight the complex relationship between growth, longevity, and survival in a shifting climate. Although warming promotes growth, it may also decrease longevity and population persistence. The rising frequency of extreme snowfall presents new survival challenges for the world's highest-occurring plants.