Periglacial microclimate in low-altitude scree slopes supports relict biodiversity
Air circulation through talus slopes creates unique microclimates, with some of the most interesting being low elevation mid-latitude scree in areas with frequent snow-free <0°C (eg. “black frost”) days that allow for development of year-round ice accumulations. Here, we document this phenomenon...
| Published in: | Journal of Natural History |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2012.707248 http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0211428 |
| Summary: | Air circulation through talus slopes creates unique microclimates, with some of the most interesting being low elevation mid-latitude scree in areas with frequent snow-free <0°C (eg. “black frost”) days that allow for development of year-round ice accumulations. Here, we document this phenomenon on Kamenec Hill in North Bohemia (Czech Republic) located at an altitude of 330 m a.s.l., where mean annual temperatures under 0°C are maintained in a narrow strip along the slope’s lower margin. This microhabitat, as well as intersticial spaces between scree blocks elsewhere on this slope, supports an important assemblage of boreal and/or arctic bryophytes, pteridophytes and arthropods that are disjunct from their normal ranges far to the north. This freezing scree slope represents a classic example of a paleorefugium that significantly contributes to protection and maintenance of regional landscape biodiversity. |
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