Life at 0 °C: the biology of the alpine snowbed plant Soldanella pusilla

Körner, Christian; Riedl, Susanna; Keplinger, Tobias; Richter, Andreas; Wiesenbauer, Julia; Schweingruber, Fritz Hans; Hiltbrunner, Erika

doi:10.1007/s00035-019-00220-8

Cited by 41 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…However, with a significant increase in spring temperatures over the past two decades, positive growth responses to warmer early seasons have also been detected in the studied R. alpinus alpine populations. This may reflect earlier snowmelt and activation of apical meristem activity (Körner et al ., 2019), which begins to produce leaves earlier and thus increases the total annual leaf production. Favorable conditions for spring growth may result in the early initiation of apical meristems and increased supply of photosynthetic assimilates which, along with the high concentration of stored carbohydrates in rhizomes (Klimeš et al ., 1993), may benefit growth processes (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpine plant growth and reproduction dynamics in a warmer world

et al. 2020

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Climate warming may stimulate growth and reproduction in cold-adapted plants, but also reduce their performance due to warming-induced drought limitation. We tested this theory using a unique experiment with the alpine forb Rumex alpinus. We examined how climate warming over the past four decades affected its annual rhizome growth, leaf production and flowering, and whether responses varied between alpine, subalpine and montane populations. Before the period of accelerated warming in the 1970s and 1980s, the primary limitation on growth had been cold temperatures and short growing seasons. Increased summer temperatures in the 1990s and 2000s enhanced rhizome growth and leaf production, but not flowering. Alpine and subalpine plants profit more than montane plants, currently producing three times longer annual rhizome increments and twice as many leaves as 40 yr ago, and achieving nearly the same values as montane plants. During the warmest 2005-2015 period, growth became contingent on summer precipitation and began to decrease across all populations, likely due to an increasing water shortage in dense monospecific stands. Warming releases plants from cold limitations but induces water shortage. Rumex alpinus exceeds its thermal optimum and becomes water-limited as the climate warms. Our results suggest that warming-induced responses in alpine plants will not be onesided shifts to higher growth and reproduction, but rather multidimensional and spatiotemporally variable.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpine plant growth and reproduction dynamics in a warmer world

et al. 2020

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“…Snow roots are a very special type of roots that counteract geotropism to grow upward into long‐lasting snow fields. They develop under snow at near 0ºC, a phenomenon that had previously only been reported from plant shoots (Körner et al 2019). Up to now, this intriguing and spectacular looking plant structure has been discovered and studied in only a single species, i.e., the vernal forb, Corydalis conorhiza Ledeb.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 74%

Snow roots: Where are they and what are they for?

Onipchenko

Kipkeev

Mommer

et al. 2021

Ecology

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“…Subnivean development is widespread among perennial plants inhabiting cold regions or flowering in early spring (Forbis and Diggle 2001;Hamerlynck and Smith 1994;Kimball and Salisbury 1974;Körner et al 2019). This phenomenon is particularly pronounced towards the end of winter when below the thinning snow cover vegetative and reproductive organs resume growth by absorbing long-wave radiation and heating up above zero.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flower preformation in the nival plant Ranunculus glacialis L.: shoot architecture and impact of the growing season length on floral morphogenesis and developmental dynamics

Mauracher

Wagner

2021

Alp Botany

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Flower preformation is a widespread phenomenon in perennial plants from temperate and cold regions. An advanced preformation status reduces the prefloration period and thus increases the chance to mature seeds in time. Despite the particular importance of this strategy for high-mountain plants, studies are rare. Here we investigated how the length of the growing season impacts floral development, and to what extent floral development is synchronized with reproductive phenophases in the arctic-alpine species Ranunculus glacialis L. The study was carried out in the alpine-nival ecotone in the European Central Alps at sites with different snowmelt dates. Individuals were sampled at regular intervals throughout the growing season, and shoot architecture and changes in floral structures were analysed in detail using different microscopic techniques. R. glacialis individuals consist of a cluster of independent ramets, comprising 3 sympodia each. Floral initiation terminates the vegetative growth of each sympodium 2–3 years before flowers become functional. A specific feature is that basal and distal leaves on a sympodium mature in different years. The date of snowmelt did not affect the speed of development but flower size and the number of lateral flowers within an inflorescence. Belowground floral preformation is closely linked to aboveground reproductive processes, however, continues below the snow in case winter conditions set in too early. The staggered preformation of architectural units creates a permanent belowground reserve pool of floral structures which might be advantageous in the climatically harsh and unpredictable high-mountain environment.

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Life at 0 °C: the biology of the alpine snowbed plant Soldanella pusilla

Cited by 41 publications

References 50 publications

Alpine plant growth and reproduction dynamics in a warmer world

Alpine plant growth and reproduction dynamics in a warmer world

Snow roots: Where are they and what are they for?

Flower preformation in the nival plant Ranunculus glacialis L.: shoot architecture and impact of the growing season length on floral morphogenesis and developmental dynamics

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