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Plant species’ range shifts in mountainous areas—all uphill from here?

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Abstract

Species from many different habitats are responding to recent climate change. Mountainous areas are of particular interest as they provide pronounced gradients and have experienced above-average temperature increases. Data from the beginning of the 20th century of both the upper and lower range limits of plants of the European Alps were updated a century later and analyzed in order to identify common trends and deviating patterns of shifts at opposing ends of species’ ranges. At the upper limit, there was a strong trend towards an increase in species richness per summit, including 33 species that were recorded for the first time on any of the investigated summit areas. The species experienced a consistent upward shift exceeding 100 elevational meters, and 49 out of the 125 investigated species shifted upwards to a present altitude which is higher than any reported occurrence in the region one century ago. The response at the lower range limit was more heterogeneous and suggests species-specific differences in responsiveness and response patterns. With this approach of the combined analysis of upper and lower range limits along elevational gradients, it is possible to identify candidate species that might not keep pace with climate change, and thus, might face an increased risk of extinction with continued global warming.

Zusammenfassung

Tier- und Pflanzenarten aus den verschiedensten Lebensräumen zeigen bereits Reaktionen auf den Klimawandel. Gebirgslebensräume sind in diesem Zusammenhang von besonderem Interesse, da sie ausgeprägte Gradienten aufweisen und eine im Vergleich zum globalen Durchschnitt stärkere Erwärmung erfahren haben. Detaillierte Angaben zu den höchst- und tiefstgelegenen Vorkommen von Pflanzenarten in den Alpen liegen von anfangs des 20. Jahrhunderts vor. Diese Angaben dienten als Grundlage für die vorliegende Arbeit. Sie wurden ein Jahrhundert später aktualisiert und im Hinblick auf gemeinsame Trends bzw. divergierende Veränderungsmuster an den jeweiligen Arealgrenzen ausgewertet. An der Arealobergrenze war ein deutlicher Trend zu einer höheren Artenzahl pro Gipfel zu verzeichnen, darunter 33 Arten, welche zum ersten Mal überhaupt auf den untersuchten Gipfelbereichen nachgewiesen werden konnten. Die Arten erfuhren eine deutliche Aufwärtsverschiebung, die in manchen Fällen mehr als 100 Höhenmeter betragen kann, und 49 der 125 untersuchten Arten kommen mittlerweile in einer Höhe vor, die oberhalb der früher dokumentierten regionalen Höchstgrenze liegt. Die Veränderungen an der Untergrenze zeigen hingegen ein deutlich heterogeneres Bild und weisen auf unterschiedliche, artspezifische Reaktionsgeschwindigkeiten und -muster hin. Allerdings zeigte sich im Gegensatz zur Arealobergrenze kein deutlicher Aufwärtstrend der Arealuntergrenze bei den untersuchten Arten. Mit dem Ansatz der kombinierten Analyse der Veränderungen an der Arealober- und untergrenze lassen sich Arten erkennen, welche möglicherweise nicht mit dem Klimawandel Schritt halten können und damit einem erhöhten Aussterberisiko im Zusammenhang mit der fortschreitenden Erderwärmung ausgesetzt werden.

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Acknowledgments

Research was supported by the DFG (WA 1523/6-1) for GRW, by the EC within the FP 6 Integrated Project ‘ALARM’ (GOCE-CT-2003-5006675) for JB and GRW, and by the Dr. Joachim De Giacomi-Foundation as well as Bergbahnen Oberengadin for EF. GRW thanks E. Beever and J. Belant for the organization of and invitation to the symposium at The Wildlife Society (TWS) conference in Tucson, AZ. Participation was made possible with the funding of TWS, U.S.G.S., and DFG (German Research Foundation; KON 1240/2007 & WA 1523/8-1) and served as stimulus for the compilation of this article. We would like to thank M. Heggli and R. Reinalter for field assistance, J.-L. Dupouey and C. Burga for valuable discussions, and E. Beever, M. Heggli, J.S. Campbell, S. Wipf and two anonymous reviewers, whose comments improved drafts of the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Esther Frei

    Present address: Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätstr. 16, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

  2. Jeanne Bodin

    Present address: Phytoecology team, Forest Ecology and Ecophysiology Unit, UMR INRA-UHP 1137, INRA Nancy, Champenoux, 54280, France

  3. Gian-Reto Walther

    Present address: Species Management Division, Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), 3003, Bern, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland

    Esther Frei

  2. Institute of Geobotany, Leibniz University of Hannover, Hannover, 30167, Germany

    Jeanne Bodin

  3. Department of Plant Ecology, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    Gian-Reto Walther

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  1. Esther Frei
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  2. Jeanne Bodin
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  3. Gian-Reto Walther
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Correspondence to Esther Frei.

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Responsible editor: Sonja Wipf.

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Frei, E., Bodin, J. & Walther, GR. Plant species’ range shifts in mountainous areas—all uphill from here?. Bot. Helv. 120, 117–128 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-010-0076-y

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