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Morgan J, Walker Z. Early-melting snowpatch plant communities are transitioning into novel states. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16520. [PMID: 37783739 PMCID: PMC10545709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42808-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Snowpatch plant community distribution and composition are strongly tied to the duration of long-lasting snow cover in alpine areas; they are vulnerable to global climatic changes that result in warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons. We used a revisitation study to quantify early-melting snowpatch floristic and functional diversity change in southern Australia, and document shrub size-class distributions over time to detect evidence for their encroachment into snowpatches, a key prediction with climatic change. Early-melting snowpatch vegetation has declined in areal extent, changed in species composition, and shrub and tussock grass cover has increased, but changes in functional trait diversity were less clear. Species gains, particularly by non-clonal species, accounted for most of the floristic change observed. Shrub recruitment was ongoing by most shrub species. Biotic differentiation is occurring; many early-melting snowpatches are transitioning to a novel state with changed composition and taller vegetation structure, but there is little evidence for species loss having occurred. Given enough time, however, the long-term loss of species is likely (i.e. biotic homogenisation) if taller shrubs outcompete short-statured snowpatch species. Our results provide evidence that this alpine ecosystem is forming a novel community with an uncertain future.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Morgan
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.
- Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.
| | - Zac Walker
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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Sumner EE, Morgan JW, Venn SE, Camac JS. Survival and growth of a high-mountain daisy transplanted outside its local range, and implications for climate-induced distribution shifts. AOB PLANTS 2022; 14:plac014. [PMID: 35498909 PMCID: PMC9049260 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Field transplant experiments can improve our understanding of the effects of climate on distributions of plants versus a milieu of biotic factors which may be mediated by climate. We use a transplant experiment to test how survival and growth of a mountain-top daisy (Podolepis robusta), when planted within and outside its current local range, varies as a function of individual plant size, elevation, aspect and the presence of other vegetation. We expected a home-site advantage for the species, with highest survival and growth within the species' current elevational limits, and a decline in vital rates above (due to physiological limitations) and below (due to competition with near-neighbours) these limits. Transplant survival during the beginning of the census was high (89 %), though by the third growing season, 36 % of initial transplants were remaining. Elevation had a significant negative effect on individual mortality rates; plants growing at higher elevations had a lower estimated hazard rate and thus, higher survival relative to those planted at elevations below the current lower limit of the distribution. By contrast, we detected no significant effect of elevation on growth rates. Small vegetation gaps had no effect on growth rates, though we found a negative, but non-significant, effect on mortality rates. Aspect had a very strong impact on growth. Plants transplanted to cool aspects had a significantly lower growth rate relative to transplants growing on a warm aspect. Conversely, aspect was not a significant predictor of individual mortality rates. Restrictions on the local distribution of P. robusta appear to be governed by mortality drivers at lower elevation and by growth drivers associated with aspect. We highlight that our ability to understand the drivers of distributions in current and future climates will be limited if contextual- and individual-level plant responses remain understudied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E Sumner
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - John W Morgan
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Susanna E Venn
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - James S Camac
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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Camac JS, Umbers KDL, Morgan JW, Geange SR, Hanea A, Slatyer RA, McDougall KL, Venn SE, Vesk PA, Hoffmann AA, Nicotra AB. Predicting species and community responses to global change using structured expert judgement: An Australian mountain ecosystems case study. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:4420-4434. [PMID: 34117681 PMCID: PMC8457067 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Conservation managers are under increasing pressure to make decisions about the allocation of finite resources to protect biodiversity under a changing climate. However, the impacts of climate and global change drivers on species are outpacing our capacity to collect the empirical data necessary to inform these decisions. This is particularly the case in the Australian Alps which have already undergone recent changes in climate and experienced more frequent large-scale bushfires. In lieu of empirical data, we use a structured expert elicitation method (the IDEA protocol) to estimate the change in abundance and distribution of nine vegetation groups and 89 Australian alpine and subalpine species by the year 2050. Experts predicted that most alpine vegetation communities would decline in extent by 2050; only woodlands and heathlands are predicted to increase in extent. Predicted species-level responses for alpine plants and animals were highly variable and uncertain. In general, alpine plants spanned the range of possible responses, with some expected to increase, decrease or not change in cover. By contrast, almost all animal species are predicted to decline or not change in abundance or elevation range; more species with water-centric life-cycles are expected to decline in abundance than other species. While long-term ecological data will always be the gold standard for informing the future of biodiversity, the method and outcomes outlined here provide a pragmatic and coherent basis upon which to start informing conservation policy and management in the face of rapid change and a paucity of data.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S. Camac
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk AnalysisSchool of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVic.Australia
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine EcologyLa Trobe UniversityBundooraVic.Australia
| | - Kate D. L. Umbers
- School of ScienceWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNSWAustralia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNSWAustralia
| | - John W. Morgan
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine EcologyLa Trobe UniversityBundooraVic.Australia
- Department of EcologyEnvironment and EvolutionLa Trobe UniversityBundooraVic.Australia
| | - Sonya R. Geange
- Research School of BiologyAustralian National UniversityActonACTAustralia
| | - Anca Hanea
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk AnalysisSchool of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVic.Australia
| | - Rachel A. Slatyer
- Research School of BiologyAustralian National UniversityActonACTAustralia
| | - Keith L. McDougall
- NSW Department of Planning, Industry and EnvironmentQueanbeyanNSWAustralia
| | - Susanna E. Venn
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityBurwoodVic.Australia
| | - Peter A. Vesk
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVic.Australia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Bio21 InstituteSchool of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVic.Australia
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Chua CY, Wong CMVL. Effects of simulated warming on bacterial diversity and abundance in tropical soils from East Malaysia using open top chambers. Can J Microbiol 2020; 67:64-74. [PMID: 33084348 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2019-0461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The effects of global warming are increasingly evident, where global surface temperatures and atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide have increased in past decades. Given the role of terrestrial bacteria in various ecological functions, it is important to understand how terrestrial bacteria would respond towards higher environmental temperatures. This study aims to determine soil bacterial diversity in the tropics and their response towards in situ warming using an open-top chamber (OTC). OTCs were set up in areas exposed to sunlight throughout the year in the tropical region in Malaysia. Soil samples were collected every 3 months to monitor changes in bacterial diversity using V3-V4 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing inside the OTCs (treatment plots) and outside the OTCs (control plots). After 12 months of simulated warming, an average increase of 0.81 to 1.15 °C was recorded in treatment plots. Significant changes in the relative abundance of bacterial phyla such as Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi were reported. Increases in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria were also observed in treatment plots after 12 months. Substantial changes were observed at the genus level, where most bacterial genera decreased in relative abundance after 12 months. This study demonstrated that warming can alter soil bacteria in tropical soils from Kota Kinabalu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuen Yang Chua
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Clemente Michael Vui Ling Wong
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.,Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
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Hoffmann AA, Rymer PD, Byrne M, Ruthrof KX, Whinam J, McGeoch M, Bergstrom DM, Guerin GR, Sparrow B, Joseph L, Hill SJ, Andrew NR, Camac J, Bell N, Riegler M, Gardner JL, Williams SE. Impacts of recent climate change on terrestrial flora and fauna: Some emerging Australian examples. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group School of BioSciences Bio21 Institute The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Paul D. Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment University of Western Sydney Penrith New South Wales
| | - Margaret Byrne
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions Science Division Bentley Delivery Centre Bentley Western Australia Australia
| | - Katinka X. Ruthrof
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Western Australia Australia
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Kings Park Science Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Jennie Whinam
- Geography and Spatial Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Melodie McGeoch
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | | | - Greg R. Guerin
- TERN School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Ben Sparrow
- TERN School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Leo Joseph
- Australian National Wildlife Collection National Research Collections Australia CSIRO Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Sarah J. Hill
- Insect Ecology Lab Centre of Excellence for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - Nigel R. Andrew
- Insect Ecology Lab Centre of Excellence for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - James Camac
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Nicholas Bell
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group School of BioSciences Bio21 Institute The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment University of Western Sydney Penrith New South Wales
| | - Janet L. Gardner
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Stephen E. Williams
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science College of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
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Bokhorst S, Convey P, Huiskes A, Aerts R. Dwarf shrub and grass vegetation resistant to long-term experimental warming while microarthropod abundance declines on the Falkland Islands. AUSTRAL ECOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Bokhorst
- Department of Ecological Sciences; Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences; VU University Amsterdam; De Boelelaan 1085 NL-1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - P. Convey
- British Antarctic Survey; Natural Environment Research Council; Cambridge UK
| | - A. Huiskes
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research; Yerseke The Netherlands
| | - R. Aerts
- Department of Ecological Sciences; Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences; VU University Amsterdam; De Boelelaan 1085 NL-1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
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Hirst MJ, Griffin PC, Sexton JP, Hoffmann AA. Testing the niche‐breadth–range‐size hypothesis: habitat specialization vs. performance in Australian alpine daisies. Ecology 2017; 98:2708-2724. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Megan J. Hirst
- Bio21 Institute School of Biosciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
- The Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria Melbourne Victoria 3141 Australia
| | - Philippa C. Griffin
- Bio21 Institute School of Biosciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
- Melbourne Bioinformatics and EMBL Australia Bioinformatics Resource The University of Melbourne 187 Grattan Street Carlton Victoria 3053 Australia
| | - Jason P. Sexton
- School of Natural Sciences University of California Merced California 95343 USA
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- Bio21 Institute School of Biosciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
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Camac JS, Williams RJ, Wahren CH, Hoffmann AA, Vesk PA. Climatic warming strengthens a positive feedback between alpine shrubs and fire. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:3249-3258. [PMID: 28063181 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to increase fire activity and woody plant encroachment in arctic and alpine landscapes. However, the extent to which these increases interact to affect the structure, function and composition of alpine ecosystems is largely unknown. Here we use field surveys and experimental manipulations to examine how warming and fire affect recruitment, seedling growth and seedling survival in four dominant Australian alpine shrubs. We found that fire increased establishment of shrub seedlings by as much as 33-fold. Experimental warming also doubled growth rates of tall shrub seedlings and could potentially increase their survival. By contrast, warming had no effect on shrub recruitment, postfire tussock regeneration, or how tussock grass affected shrub seedling growth and survival. These findings indicate that warming, coupled with more frequent or severe fires, will likely result in an increase in the cover and abundance of evergreen shrubs. Given that shrubs are one of the most flammable components in alpine and tundra environments, warming is likely to strengthen an existing feedback between woody species abundance and fire in these ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Camac
- The Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., 3086, Australia
| | - Richard J Williams
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., 3086, Australia
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, 0909, Australia
| | - Carl-Henrik Wahren
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., 3086, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., 3086, Australia
- Bio21 Institute, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Peter A Vesk
- The Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
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Fraser IP, Williams RJ, Murphy BP, Camac JS, Vesk PA. Fuels and landscape flammability in an Australian alpine environment. AUSTRAL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Imogen P. Fraser
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Richard J. Williams
- CSIRO Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre Winnellie Northern Territory Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Darwin Northern Territory Australia
| | - James S. Camac
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University New South Wales Australia
| | - Peter A. Vesk
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
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