On the Origin and Ecology of Alpine Plant Parasitic Fungi

Abstract

A summary is given on the origin of Alpine plants after a short discussion of the term “Alpine” and a comparison of Alpine and Arctic climate.

The ice periods of the past one million years nearly destroyed the original Tertiary flora of the Alps; however, during the last 10,000 years many of the preglacial plants have re-invaded those sites being gradually freed of ice cover. These plants were accompanied by plant parasitic fungi. The present geographic distribution of some plant species may indicate their location during the glaciation. A small portion of Alpine plants, with their fungi, survived at ice-free sites within the glaciated Alps. These facts are compared with the situation in the Arctic, and examples are cited.

Strategies of survival under alpine conditions are discussed with reference to Savile’ (1972) paper on the adaptation of plants to the Arctic climate. Frequently, the adaptation of fungi to the short Alpine summers has been effected by a simplification of the life cycle; e.g., the suppression of conidial states or the development of systemic infections. Adaptation to winter conditions of deep snow cover is manifested by the ability of some fungi to grow at temperatures at or even below the freezing point. Many Alpine fungi have adapted to the high amount of UV radiation by developing thick, darkly pigmented cell walls and gelatinous sheaths around the spores.