Aboveground-trait variations in 11 (sub)alpine plants along a 1000-m elevation gradient in tropical Mexico

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

Download Full-text

Variation of plant communities along an elevation gradient in the Guandi Mountains, North China

Community Ecology ◽

10.1556/comec.5.2004.2.10 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 227-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

J.T. Zhang ◽

T.G. Chen

Keyword(s):

Plant Communities ◽

North China ◽

Elevation Gradient

Download Full-text

Advances in the studies of reproductive strategies of alpine plants

Biodiversity Science ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1003.2012.14039 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 286-299

Author(s):

Peng Deli ◽

Zhang Zhiqiang ◽

Niu Yang ◽

Yang Yang ◽

Song Bo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Strategies ◽

Alpine Plants

Download Full-text

A much needed compilation of studies of a Neotropical elevation gradient

Frontiers of Biogeography ◽

10.21425/f5fbg23413 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Genoveva Rodríguez-Castañeda

Keyword(s):

Elevation Gradient

Download Full-text

Past and future snowmelt trends in the Swiss Alps: the role of temperature and snowpack

Climatic Change ◽

10.1007/s10584-021-03027-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 165 (3-4) ◽

Author(s):

Maria Vorkauf ◽

Christoph Marty ◽

Ansgar Kahmen ◽

Erika Hiltbrunner

Keyword(s):

Snow Depth ◽

Growing Season ◽

High Elevation ◽

Alpine Plants ◽

Swiss Alps ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Freezing Damage ◽

Strong Shift ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Early Snowmelt

AbstractThe start of the growing season for alpine plants is primarily determined by the date of snowmelt. We analysed time series of snow depth at 23 manually operated and 15 automatic (IMIS) stations between 1055 and 2555 m asl in the Swiss Central Alps. Between 1958 and 2019, snowmelt dates occurred 2.8 ± 1.3 days earlier in the year per decade, with a strong shift towards earlier snowmelt dates during the late 1980s and early 1990s, but non-significant trends thereafter. Snowmelt dates at high-elevation automatic stations strongly correlated with snowmelt dates at lower-elevation manual stations. At all elevations, snowmelt dates strongly depended on spring air temperatures. More specifically, 44% of the variance in snowmelt dates was explained by the first day when a three-week running mean of daily air temperatures passed a 5 °C threshold. The mean winter snow depth accounted for 30% of the variance. We adopted the effects of air temperature and snowpack height to Swiss climate change scenarios to explore likely snowmelt trends throughout the twenty-first century. Under a high-emission scenario (RCP8.5), we simulated snowmelt dates to advance by 6 days per decade by the end of the century. By then, snowmelt dates could occur one month earlier than during the reference periods (1990–2019 and 2000–2019). Such early snowmelt may extend the alpine growing season by one third of its current duration while exposing alpine plants to shorter daylengths and adding a higher risk of freezing damage.

Download Full-text

Altitudinal gradient affect abundance, diversity and metabolic footprint of soil nematodes in Banihal-Pass of Pir-Panjal mountain range

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95651-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shahid Afzal ◽

Humira Nesar ◽

Zarrin Imran ◽

Wasim Ahmad

Keyword(s):

Elevation Gradient ◽

Carbon Assimilation ◽

Shannon Index ◽

Nematode Community ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Soil Nematode ◽

Nematode Communities ◽

Nematode Abundance ◽

Belowground Carbon ◽

Abundance And Diversity

AbstractDespite enormous diversity, abundance and their role in ecosystem processes, little is known about how community structures of soil-inhabiting nematodes differ across elevation gradient. For this, soil nematode communities were investigated along an elevation gradient of 1000–2500 masl across a temperate vegetation in Banihal-Pass of Pir-Panjal mountain range. We aimed to determine how the elevation gradient affect the nematode community structure, diversity and contribution to belowground carbon assimilation in the form of metabolic footprint. Our results showed that total nematode abundance and the abundance of different trophic groups (fungivores, herbivores and omnivores) declined with the increase of elevation. Shannon index, generic richness and evenness index indicated that nematode communities were more diverse at lower elevations and declined significantly with increase in elevation. Nematode community showed a pattern of decline in overall metabolic footprint with the increase of elevation. Nematode abundance and diversity proved to be more sensitive to elevation induced changes as more abundant and diverse nematode assemblage are supported at lower elevations. Overall it appears nematode abundance, diversity and contribution to belowground carbon cycling is stronger at lower elevations and gradually keep declining towards higher elevations under temperate vegetation cover in Banihal-pass of Pir-Panjal mountain range.

Download Full-text