Shrub growth and plant diversity along an elevation gradient: Evidence of indirect effects of climate on alpine ecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Enhanced shrub growth and expansion are widespread responses to climate warming in many arctic and alpine ecosystems. Warmer temperatures and shrub expansion could cause major changes in plant community structure, affecting both species composition and diversity. To improve our understanding of the ongoing changes in plant communities in alpine tundra, we studied interrelations among climate, shrub growth, shrub cover and plant diversity, using an elevation gradient as a proxy for climate conditions. Specifically, we analyzed growth of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and its associated plant communities along an elevation gradient of ca. 600 vertical meters in the eastern European Alps. We assessed the ramet age, ring width and shoot length of V. myrtillus, and the shrub cover and plant

SUBMITTER: Boscutti F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5919657 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature