e-journal

Short-term climate change manipulation effects do not scale up to long-term legacies: effects of an absent snow cover on boreal forest plants

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1. Despite time-lags and nonlinearity in ecological processes, the majority of our knowledge about
ecosystem responses to long-term changes in climate originates from relatively short-term experiments.

2. We utilized the longest ongoing snow removal experiment in the world and an additional set of
new plots at the same location in northern Sweden to simultaneously measure the effects of longterm
(11 winters) and short-term (1 winter) absence of snow cover on boreal forest understorey
plants, including the effects on root growth and phenology.

3. Short-term absence of snow reduced vascular plant cover in the understorey by 42%, reduced fine
root biomass by 16%, reduced shoot growth by up to 53% and induced tissue damage on two common
dwarf shrubs. In the long-term manipulation, more substantial effects on understorey plant
cover (92% reduced) and standing fine root biomass (39% reduced) were observed, whereas other
response parameters, such as tissue damage, were observed less. Fine root growth was generally
reduced, and its initiation delayed by c. 3 (short-term) to 6 weeks (long-term manipulation).

4. Synthesis. We show that one extreme winter with a reduced snow cover can already induce ecologically
significant alterations. We also show that long-term changes were smaller than suggested
by an extrapolation of short-term manipulation results (using a constant proportional decline). In
addition, some of those negative responses, such as frost damage and shoot growth, were even absolutely
stronger in the short-term compared to the long-term manipulation. This suggests adaptation
or survival of only those individuals that are able to cope with these extreme winter conditions, and
that the short-term manipulation alone would overpredict long-term impacts. These results highlight
both the ecological importance of snow cover in this boreal forest, and the value of combining
short- and long-term experiments side by side in climate change research.

Key-words: minirhizotron, Norway spruce, Picea abies, plant–climate interactions, root phenology,
snow removal, soil frost, understory, Vaccinium

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Ketersediaan

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Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

Journal of Ecology

No. Panggil

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Penerbit

London : British Ecological Society., 2016

Deskripsi Fisik

Journal of Ecology 2016, 104, 1638–1648

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

doi: 10.1111/1365-27

Klasifikasi

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Tipe Isi

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Tipe Media

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Tipe Pembawa

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Edisi

2016, 104

Subjek

EKOLOGI

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

agus

Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

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