Snow cover matters to plants

Temperatures in the Arctic and alpine regions have risen twice as fast as the global average. Climate models predict that this trend will continue, particularly in winter, leading to a reduction in snow cover. Snow cover plays a key role in the functioning of cold climate and mountain ecosystems, as its presence strongly influences surface energy fluxes and biological and chemical processes in the soil. Snow cover buffers soil and plant temperatures, limits water loss, reduces the exposure to freeze-thaw cycles, and improves soil and plant water status after spring snowmelt. Conversely, snow can limit the length of the plant growing season. Due to global change, mountain regions are facing rapid reductions in snow cover, but the effects on woody species are still not well known. This session brings together researchers working on the influence of changes in snow cover on various plant traits, including plant phenology, growth, and hydraulics