13 research outputs found
The Response of the Alpine Dwarf Shrub Salix herbacea to Altered Snowmelt Timing: Lessons from a Multi-Site Transplant Experiment
Responses of flowering phenology of snowbed plants to an experimentally imposed extreme advanced snowmelt
In snowbed habitats, characterized by a
long-lasting snow cover, the timing of snowmelt can
be included among the major factors controlling plant
phenology. Nevertheless, only a few ecological studies
have tested the responses of flowering phenology
of species growing in very late snow-free habitats to an
advanced snowmelt (AS) date. The aim of this study
was to determine the impacts of an extremely earlier
melt-out of snow on flowering phenology of vascular
plant species inhabiting an alpine snowbed. The study
was conducted in the high Gavia Valley (Italy,
2,700 m a.s.l.). On 30th May 2012, we removed
manually the snow cover and set up an experiment
with 5 AS and 5 control plots. Phenological observations
of the most abundant vascular species were
conducted every 4–6 days. Moreover, we calculated
cumulative soil temperature and recorded the mortality
of reproductive structures of three species. For
several species flowering occurred earlier, and the
prefloration period was extended in the AS treatment
in comparison with the control. For the majority of
species, cumulative soil temperatures in the AS
treatment and the control were comparable, confirming
that temperature exerts the main control on the
flowering of the species inhabiting snowbeds. Earlier
flowering species resulted more affected by an AS date
in comparison with later flowering species. The
mortality of reproductive structures did not increase
in the AS treatments in comparison with the control
suggesting that few and weak frost events in late
spring do not affect the survival of reproductive
structures of the species studied
Alpine tundra species phenology is mostly driven by climate-related variables rather than by photoperiod
Phenology, growth, and fecundity of eight subarctic tundra species in response to snowmelt manipulations
Spring tree phenology in the Alps: effects of air temperature, altitude and local topography
Response of alpine plant florwer production to temperature and snow cover fluctuation at the species range boundary
Surface temperatures have risen globally during the last 30 years, especially in alpine areas. It is recognized that these increases are influencing phenology, physiology and distribution of plants. However, few studies have addressed the effects of climate warming at the species range boundary, where plants are expected to be more stressed. We analysed 11-year data sets of inflorescence production of four alpine plants (Carex foetida, Leucanthemopsis alpina, Senecio incanus, Silene suecica) at the southern boundary of their distribution range in the N-Apennines (N-Italy), in relation to air temperature and snow cover persistence. Inflorescence production of all species fluctuated greatly and was significantly affected by the variation of the mean temperature of June/July. We found significant relationships also between species data series and the snow cover persistence. Moreover, species responded differently to such parameters. One species showed a significant decrease of the reproductive effort, whereas the other three showed a stable trend of inflorescence production. We have shown that some alpine species are favoured by increased temperature and reduced snow cover even at the boundary of their range, where they are thought to be particularly sensitive to warming. However, the aptitude to cope with climate change might be limited by competition against thermophilous species migrating from lower altitude and in some cases by the low altitude of mountain peaks that prevent species upward migration. The individualistic response of species to climate change found here, support the statement that the composition of plant communities might rapidly change in the future. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V