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Natural Snowmelt Timing Influences Community Structure and Phenological Patterns in Alpine Meadows, West Himalaya: A Case Study

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Abstract

The snow duration in high-altitude ecosystems is under pressure due to the rapid warming in Himalaya, thus bringing changes to the snowmelt regime. This study aims to assess the impact of early snowmelt on species composition, diversity and phenology in different alpine communities. Based on snowmelt timing (7–14 days), two sites, viz. early snowmelt and late snowmelt, were identified in five selected communities each, and within each site, 50 × 50 m permanent plot was marked. Twenty-five, 1 × 1 m quadrats were randomly laid within the plot to record the data on abundance and phenology of species. A total of 80 species were recorded across the sites. The early snowmelt sites had higher species diversity than late snowmelt sites in all communities. Similarly, plant density was higher in early snowmelt sites (61–527 individuals m−2) than in late snowmelt sites (52–548 individuals m−2). The initiation and duration of vegetative and reproductive phenophases of a majority of species have advanced and lengthened over the past few decades in the study area. Early snowmelt appears to influence early growing herb species’ vegetative and reproductive phenology. Some species have already advanced and lengthened their vegetative and flowering phenophases, especially those germinating immediately after the beginning of snowmelt, which could be due to the warming of meadows and less difference in diurnal changes in temperature.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Director and Dean, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), for providing necessary facilities and Uttarakhand Forest Department for granting permission to conduct field work in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. We also thank Prof. S. P. Singh for his suggestions. We would also like to thank Sachin MH and Manish Bisht for their help during the field work.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Mission on Himalayan Studies, MoEF & CC, New Delhi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Habitat Ecology, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, India

    Rahul Kumar & Bhupendra S. Adhikari

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  1. Rahul Kumar
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  2. Bhupendra S. Adhikari
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Contributions

Rahul Kumar, B.S. Adhikari conceptualized the study; Rahul Kumar helped in data curation, formal analysis & writing; B.S. Adhikari, Rahul Kumar contributed to methodology; BS Adhikari performed supervision & review.

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Correspondence to Bhupendra S. Adhikari.

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Significance Statement: The present study deals with the natural snowmelt influence on herbaceous plant phenological events and their response to warming in alpine region of West Himalaya. The earlier studies conducted on alpine phenology in West Himalaya so far were very few and general in nature, focused on community phenology with very few records for species phenology and no consideration of abiotic and biotic influences. Similarly, earlier studies conducted on alpine phenology across globe were mostly snow manipulation experiments focusing on future trends and not present species behavior. The present study will work as a baseline for future studies and snow manipulation experiments in the alpine Himalayan landscape.

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Kumar, R., Adhikari, B.S. Natural Snowmelt Timing Influences Community Structure and Phenological Patterns in Alpine Meadows, West Himalaya: A Case Study. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 94, 107–119 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-023-01509-9

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