Juha M Alatalo1, Annika K Jägerbrand2, Shengbin Chen3, Ulf Molau4. 1. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar. 2. Calluna AB, Hästholmsvägen 28, 131?30 Nacka, Sweden. 3. College of Environment and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China. 4. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, PO Box 461, SE-405?30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract
Background and Aims: Climate change is expected to have major impacts on high alpine and arctic ecosystems in the future, but empirical data on the impact of long-term warming on lichen diversity and richness are sparse. This study report the effects of 18 years of ambient and experimental warming on lichens and vascular plant cover in two alpine plant communities, a dry heath with sparse canopy cover (54 %) and a mesic meadow with a more developed (67 %) canopy cover, in sub-arctic Sweden. Methods: The effects of long-term passive experimental warming using open top chambers (OTCs) on lichens and total vascular plant cover, and the impact of plant cover on lichen community parameters, were analysed. Key Results: Between 1993 and 2013, mean annual temperature increased about 2 °C. Both site and experimental warming had a significant effect on cover, species richness, effective number of species evenness of lichens, and total plant canopy cover. Lichen cover increased in the heath under ambient conditions, and remained more stable under experimental warming. The negative effect on species richness and effective number of species was driven by a decrease in lichens under experimental warming in the meadow. Lichen cover, species richness, effective number of species evenness were negatively correlated with plant canopy cover. There was a significant negative impact on one species and a non-significant tendency of lower abundance of the most common species in response to experimental warming. Conclusions: The results from the long-term warming study imply that arctic and high alpine lichen communities are likely to be negatively affected by climate change and an increase in plant canopy cover. Both biotic and abiotic factors are thus important for future impacts of climate change on lichens.
Background and Aims: Climate change is expected to have major impacts on high alpine and arctic ecosystems in the future, but empirical data on the impact of long-term warming on lichen diversity and richness are sparse. This study report the effects of 18 years of ambient and experimental warming on lichens and vascular plant cover in two alpine plant communities, a dry heath with sparse canopy cover (54 %) and a mesic meadow with a more developed (67 %) canopy cover, in sub-arctic Sweden. Methods: The effects of long-term passive experimental warming using open top chambers (OTCs) on lichens and total vascular plant cover, and the impact of plant cover on lichen community parameters, were analysed. Key Results: Between 1993 and 2013, mean annual temperature increased about 2 °C. Both site and experimental warming had a significant effect on cover, species richness, effective number of species evenness of lichens, and total plant canopy cover. Lichen cover increased in the heath under ambient conditions, and remained more stable under experimental warming. The negative effect on species richness and effective number of species was driven by a decrease in lichens under experimental warming in the meadow. Lichen cover, species richness, effective number of species evenness were negatively correlated with plant canopy cover. There was a significant negative impact on one species and a non-significant tendency of lower abundance of the most common species in response to experimental warming. Conclusions: The results from the long-term warming study imply that arctic and high alpine lichen communities are likely to be negatively affected by climate change and an increase in plant canopy cover. Both biotic and abiotic factors are thus important for future impacts of climate change on lichens.
Authors: Sarah C Elmendorf; Gregory H R Henry; Robert D Hollister; Robert G Björk; Anne D Bjorkman; Terry V Callaghan; Laura Siegwart Collier; Elisabeth J Cooper; Johannes H C Cornelissen; Thomas A Day; Anna Maria Fosaa; William A Gould; Járngerður Grétarsdóttir; John Harte; Luise Hermanutz; David S Hik; Annika Hofgaard; Frith Jarrad; Ingibjörg Svala Jónsdóttir; Frida Keuper; Kari Klanderud; Julia A Klein; Saewan Koh; Gaku Kudo; Simone I Lang; Val Loewen; Jeremy L May; Joel Mercado; Anders Michelsen; Ulf Molau; Isla H Myers-Smith; Steven F Oberbauer; Sara Pieper; Eric Post; Christian Rixen; Clare H Robinson; Niels Martin Schmidt; Gaius R Shaver; Anna Stenström; Anne Tolvanen; Orjan Totland; Tiffany Troxler; Carl-Henrik Wahren; Patrick J Webber; Jeffery M Welker; Philip A Wookey Journal: Ecol Lett Date: 2011-12-05 Impact factor: 9.492
Authors: Seeta A Sistla; John C Moore; Rodney T Simpson; Laura Gough; Gaius R Shaver; Joshua P Schimel Journal: Nature Date: 2013-05-15 Impact factor: 49.962