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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ftethz:oai:www.research-collection.ethz.ch:20.500.11850/222357 2023-08-20T04:09:30+02:00 Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns Schöb, Christian id_orcid:0 000-0003-4472-2286 Kammer, Peter M. Kikvidze, Zaal Choler, Philippe Veit, Heinz 2008 application/application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/222357 https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000222357 en eng Copernicus info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.5194/we-8-142-2008 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/222357 doi:10.3929/ethz-b-000222357 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Web Ecology, 8 (1) info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2008 ftethz https://doi.org/20.500.11850/22235710.3929/ethz-b-00022235710.5194/we-8-142-2008 2023-07-30T23:47:32Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Salix herbacea ETH Zürich Research Collection Will Point ENVELOPE(-36.022,-36.022,-54.560,-54.560) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
ETH Zürich Research Collection |
op_collection_id |
ftethz |
language |
English |
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 |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Schöb, Christian id_orcid:0 000-0003-4472-2286 Kammer, Peter M. Kikvidze, Zaal Choler, Philippe Veit, Heinz |
spellingShingle |
Schöb, Christian id_orcid:0 000-0003-4472-2286 Kammer, Peter M. Kikvidze, Zaal Choler, Philippe Veit, Heinz Changes in species composition in alpine snowbeds with climate change inferred from small-scale spatial patterns |
author_facet |
Schöb, Christian id_orcid:0 000-0003-4472-2286 Kammer, Peter M. Kikvidze, Zaal Choler, Philippe Veit, Heinz |
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 |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/222357 https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000222357 |
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_source |
Web Ecology, 8 (1) |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.5194/we-8-142-2008 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/222357 doi:10.3929/ethz-b-000222357 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/20.500.11850/22235710.3929/ethz-b-00022235710.5194/we-8-142-2008 |
_version_ |
1774722510876573696 |