Increasing Vascular Plant Richness on 13 High Mountain Summits in Southern Norway since the Early 1970s

High mountain zones in the Mediterranean area are considered more vulnerable in comparison to lower altitudes zones. Lefka Ori massif, a global biodiversity hotspot on the island of Crete is part of the Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments (GLORIA) monitoring network. The paper examines species and vegetation changes with respect to climate and altitude over a seven-year period (2001–2008) at a range of spatial scales (10 m Summit Area Section-SAS, 5 m SAS, 1 m2) using the GLORIA protocol in a re-survey of four mountain summits (1664 m–2339 m). The absolute species loss between 2001–2008 was 4, among which were 2 endemics. At the scale of individual summits, the highest changes were recorded at the lower summits with absolute species loss 4 in both cases. Paired t-tests for the total species richness at 1 m2 between 2001–2008, showed no significant differences. No significant differences were found at the individual summit level neither at the 5 m SAS or the 10 m SAS. Time series analysis reveals that soil mean annual temperature is increasing at all summits. Linear regressions with the climatic variables show a positive effect on species richness at the 5 m and 10 m SAS as well as species changes at the 5 m SAS. In particular, June mean temperature has the highest predictive power for species changes at the 5 m SAS. Recorded changes in species richness point more towards fluctuations within a plant community’s normal range, although there seem to be more significant diversity changes in higher summits related to aspects. Our work provides additional evidence to assess the effects of climate change on plant diversity in Mediterranean mountains and particularly those of islands which remain understudied.

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Changes in plant diversity in a water-limited and isolated high-mountain range (Sierra Nevada, Spain)

Alpine Botany ◽

10.1007/s00035-021-00246-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrea Lamprecht ◽

Harald Pauli ◽

Maria Rosa Fernández Calzado ◽

Juan Lorite ◽

Joaquín Molero Mesa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Snow Cover ◽

Sierra Nevada ◽

Plant Diversity ◽

Endemic Species ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

Permanent Plots ◽

High Mountain ◽

Mountain Range

AbstractClimate change impacts are of a particular concern in small mountain ranges, where cold-adapted plant species have their optimum zone in the upper bioclimatic belts. This is commonly the case in Mediterranean mountains, which often harbour high numbers of endemic species, enhancing the risk of biodiversity losses. This study deals with shifts in vascular plant diversity in the upper zones of the Sierra Nevada, Spain, in relation with climatic parameters during the past two decades. We used vegetation data from permanent plots of three surveys of two GLORIA study regions, spanning a period of 18 years (2001–2019); ERA5 temperature and precipitation data; and snow cover durations, derived from on-site soil temperature data. Relationships between diversity patterns and climate factors were analysed using GLMMs. Species richness showed a decline between 2001 and 2008, and increased thereafter. Species cover increased slightly but significantly, although not for endemic species. While endemics underwent cover losses proportional to non-endemics, more widespread shrub species increased. Precipitation tended to increase during the last decade, after a downward trend since 1960. Precipitation was positively related to species richness, colonisation events, and cover, and negatively to disappearance events. Longer snow cover duration and rising temperatures were also related to increasing species numbers, but not to cover changes. The rapid biotic responses of Mediterranean alpine plants indicate a tight synchronisation with climate fluctuations, especially with water availability. Thus, it rather confirms concerns about biodiversity losses, if projections of increasing temperature in combination with decreasing precipitation hold true.

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Woody flora as a predictor of vascular plant richness: An insight in Italy

Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology ◽

10.1080/11263504.2013.870251 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 149 (3) ◽

pp. 565-573 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

G. Abbate ◽

S. Bonacquisti ◽

S. Burrascano ◽

E. Giovi ◽

A. Giuliani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vascular Plant ◽

Plant Richness

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Biological soil crust cover is negatively related to vascular plant richness in Ozark sandstone glades

The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society ◽

10.3159/torrey-d-15-00076 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 144 (2) ◽

pp. 170-178 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jesse E. D. Miller ◽

Ellen I. Damschen

Keyword(s):

Biological Soil Crust ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Soil Crust ◽

Plant Richness

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The viability of the crustacean Eurycercus lamellatus (Branchiopoda, Cladocera) in a high mountain area in southern Norway

Fauna norvegica ◽

10.5324/fn.v40i0.3340 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 22-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tore Qvenild ◽

Trygve Hesthagen

Keyword(s):

Brown Trout ◽

Salmo Trutta ◽

High Mountain ◽

Mountain Area ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Western Area ◽

Brown Trout Salmo Trutta ◽

High Predation ◽

Southern Norway ◽

High Mountain Area

The branchiopod Eurycercus lamellatus is widely distributed in Norwegian lakes, ranging from coastal to alpine areas. On the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in southern Norway, E. lamellatus was searched for in 144 lakes in 11 catchments in the western and 16 catchments in the central and eastern areas. Their occurrence is mainly based on the diet of brown trout Salmo trutta. Eurycercus lamellatus was recorded in 25% and 70% of the lakes in these two areas, respectively. This may be due to striking differences in the environmental conditions, with more dilute water and lower water temperatures in western areas, and hence shorter growing seasons. The occurrence of E. lamellatus in central and eastern catchments increased with lake size, being found in 65% and 85% of lakes with a surface area of <2.0 and ≥2.0 km2, respectively. In the western area, E. lamellatus occurred less frequently in lakes above 1000 m a.s.l. That was not the case for lakes in central and eastern catchments. In this central part of Hardangervidda, the relative abundance of E. lamellatus in the diet of brown trout was obtained from five different lakes, showing that they were preyed upon throughout the growing season (June to October). When the two big crustaceans Gammarus lacustris and Lepidurus arcticus are at low densities in these lakes, E. lamellatus became the staple food item for brown trout, except for larger fish (>400 mm). However, under high predation pressure, E. lamellatus also contributed significantly to the diet of larger fish. The abundance of E. lamellatus seems to vary highly on a yearly basis in one of the lakes (Sandvatn). Even though E. lamellatus is described as a typical littoral species, it was common down to depths of 15 m.

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