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

High-elevation limits and the ecology of high-elevation vascular plants: legacies from Alexander von Humboldt

“…An obvious question is do other snow-bed plants have snow-roots? Onipchenko et al (2021), following an observation of "root-like structures in the snow" in an obscure 1948 publication about snow-beds in the Aragat Mountains in Armenia, investigated snow-beds at 3300 m on Mt Aragatz in the Lesser Cauacasus in Armenia. Using a combination of field observations, anatomical studies, and DNA barcoding, Onipchenko et al (2021) present very strong evidence for snow-roots in six species in five families and some evidence for snow-roots in two additional species.…”

“…Onipchenko et al (2021), following an observation of "root-like structures in the snow" in an obscure 1948 publication about snow-beds in the Aragat Mountains in Armenia, investigated snow-beds at 3300 m on Mt Aragatz in the Lesser Cauacasus in Armenia. Using a combination of field observations, anatomical studies, and DNA barcoding, Onipchenko et al (2021) present very strong evidence for snow-roots in six species in five families and some evidence for snow-roots in two additional species. The species with very strong evidence are Carum caucasicum and Chamaesciadum acaule (Apiaceae), Gagea pusilla (Lilaceae), Minuartia aizoides (Caryophyllaceae), Ranunculus aragatzii (Ranunculaceae), and Sibbaldia procumbens (Rosaceae).…”

“…Current knowledge shows snow-roots being present in nine species in seven families, all occurring in the Caucasian mountains sensu lato including mountains in Turkey and Iran. Onipchenko et al (2021), failed to find snow-roots in the Slovakian Tatra, the Swiss or Italian Alps, or in the Chinese Himalaya. However, they report fine, whitish, aboveground nets (roots?)…”

“…Clearly there is very much to be discovered about how widespread snow-roots are both geographically and taxonomically and what features of snow such as its nitrogen content, atmospheric nitrogen loading, and/or oxygen availability are responsible for the development of snow-roots (Onipchenko et al 2021). As Körner (2003, p. 62) concludes "snowbeds represent a rather specific part of the alpine life form from subtropical to polar latitudes, with microenvironmental peculiarities and the co-occurrence of a variety of plant response types with respect to stress resistance, development and biomass production.…”