Alpine Vegetation- patterns of biodiversity and response to environmental change Bill Bowman- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Mountain Research Station, INSTAAR ([email protected]) reference: Körner, Ch. 1999. Alpine Plant Life. Springer Verlag, Berlin
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Alpine Vegetation- patterns of biodiversity and response to environmental change
Alpine Vegetation- patterns of biodiversity and response to environmental change Bill Bowman- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Mountain Research Station, INSTAAR ([email protected]) reference: Körner, Ch. 1999. Alpine Plant Life. Springer Verlag, Berlin. What is the alpine? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Alpine Vegetation- patterns of biodiversity and response to
environmental changeBill Bowman- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Alpine plant diversity relationship to soil N+P availability on Niwot Ridge
other factors: disturbance (climate & animal) water availability
Environmental change in alpine - primarily “indirect:”climate, N deposition, stratospheric ozone degredation (↑UV)locally most immediate threat is N deposition
Colorado ranks 3rd in U.S. population growth, with most of the increase in the Front Range urban corridor:
source: William TravisCU Geography
Moist meadows- elevated Ninputs due to topographic location
Snow is an effective reservoir of atmospheric N
inputs
Where in the alpine landscape is change most probable?
Moist meadow plant N uptake from snow(% growth demand)
Desch
amps
ia (g
rass
)
Acom
asty
lis
Arte
misia
Bist
orta
Calth
a0
250
500
750
a
bb
b
c (13)
(5)
(1)
(6)
(10)
15 N
upta
ke ( g
N g
-1 ti
ssue)
+ responder to N non responders
}
15N labeling experiment:
change in plant species composition ("weedy" native species)- may already be occurring
change in ecosystem properties:> enhancement of N cycling (net N mineralization and nitrification) rates- loss of N from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems> greater climatic control (lower biological control) over variation in primary production
Implications of differential N uptake by alpine vegetation: