Phenological responses of alpine snowbed communities to advancing snowmelt.

Autor: Crepaz H; Institute for Alpine Environment Eurac Research Bozen Italy.; Department of Ecology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck Austria., Quaglia E; Independent Researcher Torino Italy., Lombardi G; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino Università degli Studi di Torino Grugliasco Italy.; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center Palermo Italy., Lonati M; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino Università degli Studi di Torino Grugliasco Italy., Rossi M; European Commission Ispra Italy.; Institute for Earth Observation Eurac Research Bozen Italy., Ravetto Enri S; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino Università degli Studi di Torino Grugliasco Italy., Dullinger S; Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research University of Vienna Vienna Austria., Tappeiner U; Institute for Alpine Environment Eurac Research Bozen Italy.; Department of Ecology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck Austria., Niedrist G; Institute for Alpine Environment Eurac Research Bozen Italy.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Ecology and evolution [Ecol Evol] 2024 Jul 14; Vol. 14 (7), pp. e11714. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 14 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11714
Abstrakt: Climate change is leading to advanced snowmelt date in alpine regions. Consequently, alpine plant species and ecosystems experience substantial changes due to prolonged phenological seasons, while the responses, mechanisms and implications remain widely unclear. In this 3-year study, we investigated the effects of advancing snowmelt on the phenology of alpine snowbed species. We related microclimatic drivers to species and ecosystem phenology using in situ monitoring and phenocams. We further used predictive modelling to determine whether early snowmelt sites could be used as sentinels for future conditions. Temperature during the snow-free period primarily influenced flowering phenology, followed by snowmelt timing. Salix herbacea and Gnaphalium supinum showed the most opportunistic phenology, while annual Euphrasia minima struggled to complete its phenology in short growing seasons. Phenological responses varied more between years than sites, indicating potential local long-term adaptations and suggesting these species' potential to track future earlier melting dates. Phenocams captured ecosystem-level phenology (start, peak and end of phenological season) but failed to explain species-level variance. Our findings highlight species-specific responses to advancing snowmelt, with snowbed species responding highly opportunistically to changes in snowmelt timings while following species-specific developmental programs. While species from surrounding grasslands may benefit from extended growing seasons, snowbed species may become outcompeted due to internal-clock-driven, non-opportunistic senescence, despite displaying a high level of phenological plasticity.
Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study.
(© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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