Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns

Alpine snowbeds are characterised by a very short growing season. However, the length of the snow-free period is increasingly prolonged due to climate change, so that snowbeds become susceptible to invasions from neighbouring alpine meadow communities. We hypothesised that spatial distribution of sp...

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Main Authors: Schöb, Christian, Veit, Heinz, Choler, P., Kammer, Peter M., Zaal Kikvidze, Philippe
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.7892/boris.34299
http://boris.unibe.ch/34299/
id ftdatacite:10.7892/boris.34299
record_format openpolar
spelling ftdatacite:10.7892/boris.34299 2023-05-15T18:09:27+02:00 Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns Schöb, Christian Veit, Heinz Choler, P. Kammer, Peter M. Zaal Kikvidze, Philippe 2008 application/pdf https://dx.doi.org/10.7892/boris.34299 http://boris.unibe.ch/34299/ en eng Copernicus Publications info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess 910 Geography & travel Text article-journal ScholarlyArticle 2008 ftdatacite https://doi.org/10.7892/boris.34299 2021-11-05T12:55:41Z Alpine snowbeds are characterised by a very short growing season. However, the length of the snow-free period is increasingly prolonged due to climate change, so that snowbeds become susceptible to invasions from neighbouring alpine meadow communities. We hypothesised that spatial distribution of species generated by plant interactions may indicate whether snowbed species will coexist with or will be out-competed by invading alpine species – spatial aggregation or segregation will point to coexistence or competitive exclusion, respectively. We tested this hypothesis in snowbeds of the Swiss Alps using the variance ratio statistics. We focused on the relationships between dominant snowbed species, subordinate snowbed species, and potentially invading alpine grassland species. Subordinate snowbed species were generally spatially aggregated with each other, but were segregated from alpine grassland species. Competition between alpine grassland and subordinate snowbed species may have caused this segregation. Segregation between these species groups increased with earlier snowmelt, suggesting an increasing importance of competition with climate change. Further, a dominant snowbed species (Alchemilla pentaphyllea) was spatially aggregated with subordinate snowbed species, while two other dominants (Gnaphalium supinum and Salix herbacea) showed aggregated patterns with alpine grassland species. These dominant species are known to show distinct microhabitat preferences suggesting the existence of hidden microhabitats with different susceptibility to invaders. These results allow us to suggest that alpine snowbed areas are likely to be reduced as a consequence of climate change and that invading species from nearby alpine grasslands could outcompete subordinate snowbed species. On the other hand, microhabitats dominated by Gnaphalium or Salix seem to be particularly prone to invasions by non-snowbed species. Text Salix herbacea DataCite Metadata Store (German National Library of Science and Technology) Will Point ENVELOPE(-36.022,-36.022,-54.560,-54.560)
institution Open Polar
collection DataCite Metadata Store (German National Library of Science and Technology)
op_collection_id ftdatacite
language English
topic 910 Geography & travel
spellingShingle 910 Geography & travel
Schöb, Christian
Veit, Heinz
Choler, P.
Kammer, Peter M.
Zaal Kikvidze, Philippe
Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
topic_facet 910 Geography & travel
description Alpine snowbeds are characterised by a very short growing season. However, the length of the snow-free period is increasingly prolonged due to climate change, so that snowbeds become susceptible to invasions from neighbouring alpine meadow communities. We hypothesised that spatial distribution of species generated by plant interactions may indicate whether snowbed species will coexist with or will be out-competed by invading alpine species – spatial aggregation or segregation will point to coexistence or competitive exclusion, respectively. We tested this hypothesis in snowbeds of the Swiss Alps using the variance ratio statistics. We focused on the relationships between dominant snowbed species, subordinate snowbed species, and potentially invading alpine grassland species. Subordinate snowbed species were generally spatially aggregated with each other, but were segregated from alpine grassland species. Competition between alpine grassland and subordinate snowbed species may have caused this segregation. Segregation between these species groups increased with earlier snowmelt, suggesting an increasing importance of competition with climate change. Further, a dominant snowbed species (Alchemilla pentaphyllea) was spatially aggregated with subordinate snowbed species, while two other dominants (Gnaphalium supinum and Salix herbacea) showed aggregated patterns with alpine grassland species. These dominant species are known to show distinct microhabitat preferences suggesting the existence of hidden microhabitats with different susceptibility to invaders. These results allow us to suggest that alpine snowbed areas are likely to be reduced as a consequence of climate change and that invading species from nearby alpine grasslands could outcompete subordinate snowbed species. On the other hand, microhabitats dominated by Gnaphalium or Salix seem to be particularly prone to invasions by non-snowbed species.
format Text
author Schöb, Christian
Veit, Heinz
Choler, P.
Kammer, Peter M.
Zaal Kikvidze, Philippe
author_facet Schöb, Christian
Veit, Heinz
Choler, P.
Kammer, Peter M.
Zaal Kikvidze, Philippe
author_sort Schöb, Christian
title Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
title_short Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
title_full Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
title_fullStr Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
title_full_unstemmed Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
title_sort changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns
publisher Copernicus Publications
publishDate 2008
url https://dx.doi.org/10.7892/boris.34299
http://boris.unibe.ch/34299/
long_lat ENVELOPE(-36.022,-36.022,-54.560,-54.560)
geographic Will Point
geographic_facet Will Point
genre Salix herbacea
genre_facet Salix herbacea
op_rights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
op_doi https://doi.org/10.7892/boris.34299
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