Climate warming and introduced herbivores disrupt alpine plant community of an oceanic island (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

Unexpected Vulnerability to High Temperature in the Mediterranean Alpine Shrub Erysimum scoparium (Brouss. ex Willd.) Wettst

“…Scattered shrubs of a few taxa dominate the dry Supramediterranean belt [ 28 ], being Spartocytisus supranubius , Pterocephalus lassiospermus, and Erysimum scoparium remarkable keystone species. Some of these are experiencing significant changes in their distribution over the last couple of years [ 29 ]. Specifically, Spartochytisus supranubius is under regression being negatively affected by climate and alien herbivores, while Pterocephalus lasiospermus is under expansion being positively affected by warmer temperatures and from herbivore presence [ 29 ].…”

“…Some of these are experiencing significant changes in their distribution over the last couple of years [ 29 ]. Specifically, Spartochytisus supranubius is under regression being negatively affected by climate and alien herbivores, while Pterocephalus lasiospermus is under expansion being positively affected by warmer temperatures and from herbivore presence [ 29 ]. The Supramediterranean belt species are characterised by diverse leaf functional traits and photoprotective strategies [ 30 , 31 ] but very few studies have addressed the ecophysiological reasons behind these worrying alterations in their distribution.…”

“…The Supramediterranean belt species are characterised by diverse leaf functional traits and photoprotective strategies [ 30 , 31 ] but very few studies have addressed the ecophysiological reasons behind these worrying alterations in their distribution. Overall, rise in minimum temperatures and drop in annual precipitation have been pinpointed as the most plausible factors, with additional pressure of herbivorism from invasive rodents [ 29 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. In particular, severe drought stress plus overpressure of rodents seem to be co-responsible for a recession of S. supranubius [ 29 , 32 ], while nitrogen-related benefits from rabbit invasion, low palatability for this rodent, plus relatively high heat-tolerance seem to be co-responsible for a recent expansion of P. lasiospermus [ 29 , 33 ].…”

Applying Agronomic Principles of Rhizobial Inoculation to the Conservation of a Keystone Legume Species in a High Mountain Ecosystem on an Oceanic Island

“…Spartocytisus supranubius, the dominant species in the Teide N.P. is currently experiencing a decrease in population (Cubas et al, 2018;Martín-Esquivel et al, 2020). In order to slow down this decline, periodic transplanting of juvenile individuals is a frequent strategy in Teide N.P.…”

“…These features mold this species well to its natural environment (Wheeler and Dickson, 1990), where specimens up to 4 m high and 10 m diameter can be found (Olano et al, 2017). In addition to the harsh climatic conditions of the alpine ecosystem, prolonged drought in recent decades and an overall temperature increase due to global warming are causing a progressive deterioration of S. supranubius adult individuals (González-Rodríguez et al, 2017;Olano et al, 2017;Martín-Esquivel et al, 2020).…”