Altitudinal Patterns and Changes in the Composition of High Mountain Plant Communities

Lorite, Juan; Lamprecht, Andrea; Peñas, Julio; Rondinel-Mendoza, Katy; Fernandez-Calzado, Rosa; Benito, Blas; Cañadas, Eva

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-94219-9_11

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…Regarding geology, the massif is made up of siliceous rock (i.e., micaschists, phyllites, and quartzites) from the Permo-Triassic surrounded by carbonates (limestones and dolomites) from the Middle-Upper Triassic [ 41 ]. The different combinations of climatic conditions and rock types favour the presence of a high level of diversity of habitats and species [ 42 ]. In relation to the plant diversity, Sierra Nevada represents one of the most relevant hotspots in the western Mediterranean [ 43 , 44 ], with more than 2348 taxa of vascular plants, including 79 endemic and 16 sub-endemic to Sierra Nevada.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking Phenological Changes over 183 Years in Endemic Species of a Mediterranean Mountain (Sierra Nevada, SE Spain) Using Herbarium Specimens

Rondinel-Mendoza,

Lorite,

Marín-Rodulfo

et al. 2024

Plants

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Phenological studies have a crucial role in the global change context. The Mediterranean basin constitutes a key study site since strong climate change impacts are expected, particularly in mountain areas such as Sierra Nevada, where we focus. Specifically, we delve into phenological changes in endemic vascular plants over time by analysing data at three scales: entire massif, altitudinal ranges, and particular species, seeking to contribute to stopping biodiversity loss. For this, we analysed 5262 samples of 2129 herbarium sheets from Sierra Nevada, dated from 1837 to 2019, including reproductive structure, complete collection date, and precise location. We found a generalized advancement in phenology at all scales, and particularly in flowering onset and flowering peak. Thus, plants flower on average 11 days earlier now than before the 1970s. Although similar trends have been confirmed for many territories and species, we address plants that have been studied little in the past regarding biotypes and distribution, and which are relevant for conservation. Thus, we analysed phenological changes in endemic plants, mostly threatened, from a crucial hotspot within the Mediterranean hotspot, which is particularly vulnerable to global warming. Our results highlight the urgency of phenological studies by species and of including ecological interactions and effects on their life cycles.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking Phenological Changes over 183 Years in Endemic Species of a Mediterranean Mountain (Sierra Nevada, SE Spain) Using Herbarium Specimens

Rondinel-Mendoza,

Lorite,

Marín-Rodulfo

et al. 2024

Plants

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“…However, the study area has been modified by high anthropogenic activity and was reforested with P. sylvestris in the mid-20th century (Arias Abellán, 1981). Therefore, it is difficult to place the natural elevation of treeline in Sierra Nevada, which seems to have been artificially lowered down several hundred meters (Lorite et al, 2022).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It lies within a particular biogeographic region (Zamora and Oliva, 2022), renowned as a biodiversity super hotspot (Arroyo et al, 2022). High-elevation mountain environments can be particularly sensitive to recent climate warming and increase in drought conditions (Páscoa et al, 2017), which is causing altitudinal displacements of plant and animal species, and loss of biodiversity in the Sierra Nevada (Lorite et al, 2022). With projections of annual mean warming on land of 0.9-5.6 • C at the end of the century in the Mediterranean area (Ali et al, 2022), what will be the environmental consequences of such a rapid climate change in mountains such as the Sierra Nevada?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laguna Seca sediments reveal environmental and climate change during the latest Pleistocene and Holocene in Sierra Nevada, southern Iberian Peninsula

Jiménez-Moreno,

López-Avilés,

García-Alix

et al. 2023

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

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“…It comprises 2348 vascular plant taxa, where 362 taxa inhabit the alpine area, 75 endemic species (62 endemic plus 13 sub-endemic) among them, constituting ca. 79% of the endemism of the entire area [ 41 ]. For this reason, Sierra Nevada is considered one of the most important plant hotspots within the Mediterranean region [ 42 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Fate of Endemic Species Specialized in Island Habitat under Climate Change in a Mediterranean High Mountain

Mendoza-Fernández

Fernández-Ceular

Alcaraz‐Segura

et al. 2022

Plants

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Mediterranean high-mountain endemic species are particularly vulnerable to climatic changes in temperature, precipitation and snow-cover dynamics. Sierra Nevada (Spain) is a biodiversity hotspot in the western Mediterranean, with an enormous plant species richness and endemicity. Moehringia fontqueri is a threatened endemic plant restricted to north-facing siliceous rocks along a few ridges of the eastern Sierra Nevada. To guide conservation actions against climate change effects, here we propose the simultaneous assessment of the current reproductive success and the possible species’ range changes between current and future climatic conditions, assessing separately different subpopulations by altitude. Reproductive success was tested through the seed-set data analysis. The species' current habitat suitability was modeled in Maxent using species occurrences, topographic, satellite and climatic variables. Future habitat suitability was carried out for two climatic scenarios (RCP 2.6 and 8.5). The results showed the lowest reproductive success at the lowest altitudes, and vice versa at the highest altitudes. Habitat suitability decreased by 80% from current conditions to the worst-case scenario (RCP 8.5). The lowest subpopulations were identified as the most vulnerable to climate change effects while the highest ones were the nearest to future suitable habitats. Our simultaneous assessment of reproductive success and habitat suitability aims to serve as a model to guide conservation, management and climate change mitigation strategies through adaptive management to safeguard the persistence of the maximum genetic pool of Mediterranean high-mountain plants threatened by climate change.

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Altitudinal Patterns and Changes in the Composition of High Mountain Plant Communities

Cited by 3 publications

References 91 publications

Tracking Phenological Changes over 183 Years in Endemic Species of a Mediterranean Mountain (Sierra Nevada, SE Spain) Using Herbarium Specimens

Tracking Phenological Changes over 183 Years in Endemic Species of a Mediterranean Mountain (Sierra Nevada, SE Spain) Using Herbarium Specimens

Laguna Seca sediments reveal environmental and climate change during the latest Pleistocene and Holocene in Sierra Nevada, southern Iberian Peninsula

The Fate of Endemic Species Specialized in Island Habitat under Climate Change in a Mediterranean High Mountain

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