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Ko YW, Lee DS, Kim JH, Ha SY, Kim S, Choi HG. The glacier melting process is an invisible barrier to the development of Antarctic subtidal macroalgal assemblages. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116438. [PMID: 37331559 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Ecological macroalgal succession in glacier-free areas has remained at the pioneer seral stage despite six decades of glacial retreat at Marian Cove, King George Island, Antarctica. With the rapid melting of glaciers in the West Antarctic Peninsula owing to global warming, a massive amount of meltwater is flowing into the coast, creating marine environmental gradients such as turbidity, water temperature, and salinity. This study examined the spatial and vertical distributions (up to a depth of 25 m) of macroalgal assemblages from nine sites in Maxwell Bay and Marian Cove. The macroalgal assemblages were analyzed for six sites located 0.2, 0.8, 1.2, 2.2, 3.6, and 4.1 km away from the glacier, including three sites where the glacial retreat history of Marian Cove could be estimated. To investigate the effects of meltwater, differences in the coastal environment were analyzed based on data collected from five stations located 0.4, 0.9, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 km away from the glacier. The macroalgal assemblages and marine environment were divided into two groups-inside and outside the cove-based on the region 2-3 km away from the glacier, which has been ice-free since 1956 and shows significant differences. In the three sites near the glacier front, Palmaria decipiens was dominant, and three to four species were distributed, whereas in the two sites outside the cove, nine and 14 species appeared, respectively, similar to the assemblage of the other three sites in Maxwell Bay. Palmaria decipiens, a representative opportunistic pioneer species in Antarctica, is dominant because of its physiological adaptation despite the high turbidity and low water temperature of the glacier front. This study shows that macroalgal assemblages in Antarctic fjord-like coves respond to glacial retreat and are valuable in understanding the macroalgal succession in Antarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Wook Ko
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong Seok Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Ha Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Yong Ha
- Division of Ocean Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghee Kim
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Gu Choi
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, Republic of Korea.
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Rola K, Rożek K, Chowaniec K, Błaszkowski J, Gielas I, Stanek M, Wietrzyk-Pełka P, Węgrzyn M, Fałowska P, Dziurowicz P, Nicia P, Bejger R, Zadrożny P, Pliszko A, Zalewska-Gałosz J, Zubek S. Vascular plant and cryptogam abundance as well as soil chemical properties shape microbial communities in the successional gradient of glacier foreland soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160550. [PMID: 36460115 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the glacier forelands, microbes play a fundamental role in soil development and shaping the vegetation structure. Such ecosystems represent various stages of soil development and are, therefore, an excellent place to study the interrelationship between soil, plants, and microorganisms. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of vegetation and soil physicochemical properties developing after glacier retreat on soil microbial communities. Specifically, abundance, species richness and the composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), as well as microbial biomass and community structure in soils were compared between plots established in 800-meter transects of three glacier forelands in northern Sweden. The cover of vascular plants and cryptogams, soil C content, AMF spore density and species richness, AMF biomass indicators, total microbial biomass, and bacterial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) were significantly and positively related to the distance from the glacier terminus. On the other hand, macronutrient concentrations and pH decreased along with increasing distance. No significant impact of the distance from the glacier terminus on the ratio fungal/bacterial PLFA was observed. Moreover, we found a significant effect of both glacier and the distance from the glacier terminus on the microbial community structure. AMF species richness and spore density in the glacier forelands were generally low, which is probably due to a limited supply of inoculum in primary successional ecosystems. Most microbial biochemical markers and AMF parameters were positively associated with the number of arbuscular mycorrhizal plant species and vascular plant and lichen cover as well as C content in soil, whereas negatively with soil macronutrients and pH. This could be related to an increase in plant cover and a decrease in soil nutrient levels as plant succession progresses. Our results showed that vegetation, soil C content, and microbial communities are interlinked and exhibit concordant patterns along successional gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaja Rola
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Rożek
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Chowaniec
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Janusz Błaszkowski
- Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Management and Agriculture, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Słowackiego 17, 71-434 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Igor Gielas
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Stanek
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Wietrzyk-Pełka
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Węgrzyn
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Patrycja Fałowska
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Patrycja Dziurowicz
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Nicia
- Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Romualda Bejger
- Department of Bioengineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Paweł Zadrożny
- Department of Soil Science and Agrophysics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Pliszko
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Zalewska-Gałosz
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Szymon Zubek
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Díaz M, Monfort-Lanzas P, Quiroz-Moreno C, Rivadeneira E, Castillejo P, Arnau V, Díaz W, Agathos SN, Sangari FJ, Jarrín-V P, Molina CA. The microbiome of the ice-capped Cayambe Volcanic Complex in Ecuador. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1154815. [PMID: 37213502 PMCID: PMC10196084 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1154815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in microbial ecology is to understand the principles and processes by which microbes associate and interact in community assemblages. Microbial communities in mountain glaciers are unique as first colonizers and nutrient enrichment drivers for downstream ecosystems. However, mountain glaciers have been distinctively sensitive to climate perturbations and have suffered a severe retreat over the past 40 years, compelling us to understand glacier ecosystems before their disappearance. This is the first study in an Andean glacier in Ecuador offering insights into the relationship of physicochemical variables and altitude on the diversity and structure of bacterial communities. Our study covered extreme Andean altitudes at the Cayambe Volcanic Complex, from 4,783 to 5,583 masl. Glacier soil and ice samples were used as the source for 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries. We found (1) effects of altitude on diversity and community structure, (2) the presence of few significantly correlated nutrients to community structure, (3) sharp differences between glacier soil and glacier ice in diversity and community structure, where, as quantified by the Shannon γ-diversity distribution, the meta-community in glacier soil showed more diversity than in glacier ice; this pattern was related to the higher variability of the physicochemical distribution of variables in the former substrate, and (4) significantly abundant genera associated with either high or low altitudes that could serve as biomarkers for studies on climate change. Our results provide the first assessment of these unexplored communities, before their potential disappearance due to glacier retreat and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Díaz
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
- *Correspondence: Magdalena Díaz,
| | - Pablo Monfort-Lanzas
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristian Quiroz-Moreno
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Erika Rivadeneira
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Pablo Castillejo
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Internacional SEK, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Vicente Arnau
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Wladimiro Díaz
- Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (ISysBio), University of Valencia and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Spiros N. Agathos
- Earth and Life Institute (ELI), Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Félix J. Sangari
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), CSIC – Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Pablo Jarrín-V
- Dirección de Innovación, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad INABIO, Quito, Ecuador
| | - C. Alfonso Molina
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- C. Alfonso Molina,
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Callaghan TV, Cazzolla Gatti R, Phoenix G. The need to understand the stability of arctic vegetation during rapid climate change: An assessment of imbalance in the literature. AMBIO 2022; 51:1034-1044. [PMID: 34386943 PMCID: PMC8847490 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01607-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In early studies, northern vegetation response to global warming recognised both increases in biomass/cover and shrinking of species' distributional ranges. Subsequent field measurements focussed on vegetation cover and biomass increases ("greening"), and more recently decreases ("browning"). However, satellite observations show that more than 50% of arctic vegetation has not changed significantly despite rapid warming. While absence of change in remote sensing data does not necessarily mean no ecological change on the ground, the significant proportion of the Arctic that appears to be stable in the face of considerable climate change points to a greater need to understand Arctic ecosystem stability. In this paper, we performed an extensive review of the available literature to seek balances or imbalances between research focussing on "greening", "browning" and "stability/no change". We find that greening studies dominate the literature though two relatively small areas of the Arctic are disproportionately represented for this main change process. Critically, there are too few studies anywhere investigating stability. We highlight the need to understand the mechanisms driving Arctic ecosystem stability, and the potential longer-term consequences of remaining stable in a rapidly changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry V Callaghan
- Department of Botany, National Research Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave, Tomsk, Russia, 634050
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | | | - Gareth Phoenix
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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Volkov IV, Zemtsov VA, Erofeev AA, Babenko AS, Volkova AI, Callaghan TV. The dynamic land-cover of the Altai Mountains: Perspectives based on past and current environmental and biodiversity changes. AMBIO 2021; 50:1991-2008. [PMID: 34519957 PMCID: PMC8497672 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01605-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
We present climate-dependent changes in the high-mountain forest ecotone, old-growth forests, alpine phytocenoses, and deglaciated forelands in the Aktru glacial basin (Altai Republic, Russia). A number of independent sources (variations in upper treeline altitude, dendrochronological data, analysis of lacustrine sediments and botanical and geographical studies linked with the dynamics of glacial-dammed lakes in the Chuya and Kurai intermountain depressions) suggest Holocene temperatures reached about 4 °C higher than today. Unlike the European Alps, glaciers in the continental Altai Mountains disappeared before forming again. Also, the upper altitudinal limit of mountain forests during the Holocene was greater than in the European Alps. The high variability of mountain ecosystems in southern Siberia suggests their potential instability in a currently changing climate. However, periglacial successions associated with the strong continental climate and glacier retreat represent an area of increasing biodiversity and plant cover. The historical and current sensitivity of the continental mountains to climate variations which exceeds that of the European Alps requires greater understanding, environmental protection, and increased social responsibility for the consequences of anthropogenic contributions to climate change: the isolated Altai areas contribute little to climate changes, but are greatly affected by them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor V. Volkov
- Tomsk State Pedagogical University, 60 Kievskaya St., Tomsk, Russian Federation 634061
| | | | | | - Andrey S. Babenko
- Tomsk State University, 36 Lenina Pr., Tomsk, Russian Federation 634050
| | - Anastasia I. Volkova
- Institute of Archaeology & Ethnography of Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, 17 Lavrentieva Ave., Novosibirsk, Russian Federation 630090
| | - Terry V. Callaghan
- University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK
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Liu J, Kong W, Xia P, Zhu C, Li X. Prokaryotic Community Succession in Bulk and Rhizosphere Soils Along a High-Elevation Glacier Retreat Chronosequence on the Tibetan Plateau. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:736407. [PMID: 34690976 PMCID: PMC8531754 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.736407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Early colonization and succession of soil microbial communities are essential for soil development and nutrient accumulation. Herein we focused on the changes in pioneer prokaryotic communities in rhizosphere and bulk soils along the high-elevation glacier retreat chronosequence, the northern Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau. Rhizosphere soils showed substantially higher levels of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, ammonium, and nitrate than bulk soils. The dominant prokaryotes were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Crenarchaeota, Bacteroidetes, and Planctomycetes, which totally accounted for more than 75% in relative abundance. The dominant genus Candidatus Nitrososphaera occurred at each stage of the microbial succession. The richness and evenness of soil prokaryotes displayed mild succession along chronosequene. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis demonstrated that Proteobacteria (especially Alphaproteobacteria) and Actinobacteria were significantly enriched in rhizosphere soils compared with bulk soils. Actinobacteria, SHA_109, and Thermoleophilia; Betaproteobacteria and OP1.MSBL6; and Planctomycetia and Verrucomicrobia were separately enriched at each of the three sample sites. The compositions of prokaryotic communities were substantially changed with bulk and rhizosphere soils and sampling sites, indicating that the communities were dominantly driven by plants and habitat-specific effects in the deglaciated soils. Additionally, the distance to the glacier terminus also played a significant role in driving the change of prokaryotic communities in both bulk and rhizosphere soils. Soil C/N ratio exhibited a greater effect on prokaryotic communities in bulk soils than rhizosphere soils. These results indicate that plants, habitat, and glacier retreat chronosequence collectively control prokaryotic community composition and succession.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbo Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Academician (Expert) Workstation of Sichuan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weidong Kong
- Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pinhua Xia
- Guizhou Key Laboratory for Mountainous Environmental Information and Ecological Protection, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chunmao Zhu
- Research Institute for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokohama, Japan
| | - Xiangzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
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Quantifying Changes in Plant Species Diversity in a Savanna Ecosystem Through Observed and Remotely Sensed Data. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12062345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the impact of climate change on plant species diversity of a savanna ecosystem, through an assessment of climatic trends over a period of forty years (1974–2014) using Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, as a case study. The normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used as a proxy for plant species diversity to cover for the absence of long-term historical plant diversity data. Observed precipitation and temperature data collected over the review period were compared with the trends in NDVI to understand the impact of climate change on plant species diversity over time. The nonaligned block sampling design was used as the sampling framework, from which 198 sampling plots were identified. Data sources included satellite images, field measurements, and direct observations. Temperature and precipitation had significant (p < 0.05) trends over the period under study. However, the trend for seasonal total precipitation was not significant but declining. Significant correlations (p < 0.001) were identified between various climate variables and the Shannon index of diversity. NDVI was also significantly correlated to the Shannon index of diversity. The declining trend of plant species in savanna ecosystems is directly linked to the decreasing precipitation and increasing temperatures.
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Abstract
Since the 1980s, vegetated lands have experienced widespread greening at the global scale. Numerous studies have focused on spatial patterns and mechanisms of this phenomenon, especially in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Greening trends in the European Alps have received less attention, although this region has experienced strong climate and land-use changes during recent decades. We studied the rates and spatial patterns of greening in an inner-alpine region of the Western Alps. We used MODIS-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at 8-day temporal and 250 m spatial resolution, for the period 2000–2018, and removed areas with disturbances in order to consider the trends of undisturbed vegetation. The objectives of this study were to (i) quantify trends of greening in a representative area of the Western Alps; and (ii) examine mechanisms and causes of spatial patterns of greening across different plant types. We show that 63% of vegetated areas experienced significant trends during the 2000–2018 period, of which only 8% were negative. We identify (i) a climatic control on spring and autumn phenology with contrasting effects depending on plant type and elevation, and (ii) land-use change dynamics, such as shrub encroachment on abandoned pastures and colonization of new surfaces at high elevation. Below 1500 m, warming temperatures promote incremental greening in the transition from spring to summer, but not in fall, suggesting either photoperiod or water limitation. In the alpine and sub-alpine belts (>1800 m asl), snow prevents vegetation development until late spring, despite favorable temperatures. Instead, at high elevation greening acts both in summer and autumn. However, photoperiod limitation likely prevents forested ecosystems from fully exploiting warmer autumn conditions. We furthermore illustrate two emblematic cases of prominent greening: recent colonization of previously glaciated/non vegetated areas, as well as shrub/tree encroachment due to the abandonment of agricultural practices. Our results demonstrate the interplay of climate and land-use change in controlling greening dynamics in the Western Alps.
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Cazzolla Gatti R, Callaghan T, Velichevskaya A, Dudko A, Fabbio L, Battipaglia G, Liang J. Accelerating upward treeline shift in the Altai Mountains under last-century climate change. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7678. [PMID: 31118471 PMCID: PMC6531548 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44188-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Treeline shift and tree growth often respond to climatic changes and it is critical to identify and quantify their dynamics. Some regions are particularly sensitive to climate change and the Altai Mountains, located in Central and East Asia, are showing unequivocal signs. The mean annual temperature in the area has increased by 1.3-1.7 °C in the last century. As this mountain range has ancient and protected forests on alpine slopes, we focus on determining the treeline structure and dynamics. We integrated in situ fine-scale allometric data with analyses from dendrochronological samples, high-resolution 3D drone photos and new satellite images to study the dynamics and underlying causal mechanisms of any treeline movement and growth changes in a remote preserved forest at the Aktru Research Station in the Altai Mountain. We show that temperature increase has a negative effect on mountain tree growth. In contrast, only younger trees grow at higher altitudes and we document a relatively fast upward shift of the treeline. During the last 52 years, treeline moved about 150 m upward and the rate of movement accelerated until recently. Before the 1950s, it never shifted over 2150-2200 m a.s.l. We suggest that a continuous upward expansion of the treeline would be at the expense of meadow and shrub species and radically change this high-mountain ecosystem with its endemic flora. This documented treeline shift represents clear evidence of the increased velocity of climate change during the last century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Cazzolla Gatti
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA.
- Biological Institute, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia.
| | - Terry Callaghan
- Biological Institute, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Luca Fabbio
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (DBGES), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanna Battipaglia
- Department of Environmental, Biological, and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Jingjing Liang
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
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Dresch P, Falbesoner J, Ennemoser C, Hittorf M, Kuhnert R, Peintner U. Emerging from the ice-fungal communities are diverse and dynamic in earliest soil developmental stages of a receding glacier. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:1864-1880. [PMID: 30888722 PMCID: PMC6849718 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We used amplicon sequencing and isolation of fungi from in-growth mesh bags to identify active fungi in three earliest stages of soil development (SSD) at a glacier forefield (0-3, 9-14, 18-25 years after retreat of glacial ice). Soil organic matter and nutrient concentrations were extremely low, but the fungal diversity was high [220 operational taxonomic units (OTUs)/138 cultivated OTUs]. A clear successional trend was observed along SSDs, and species richness increased with time. Distinct changes in fungal community composition occurred with the advent of vascular plants. Fungal communities of recently deglaciated soil are most distinctive and rather similar to communities typical for cryoconite or ice. This indicates melting water as an important inoculum for native soil. Moreover, distinct seasonal differences were detected in fungal communities. Some fungal taxa, especially of the class Microbotryomycetes, showed a clear preference for winter and early SSD. Our results provide insight into new facets regarding the ecology of fungal taxa, for example, by showing that many fungal taxa might have an alternative, saprobial lifestyle in snow-covered, as supposed for a few biotrophic plant pathogens of class Pucciniomycetes. The isolated fungi include a high proportion of unknown species, which can be formally described and used for experimental approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Dresch
- Institute of MicrobiologyUniversity InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | | | | | | | - Regina Kuhnert
- Institute of MicrobiologyUniversity InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Ursula Peintner
- Institute of MicrobiologyUniversity InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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