Private

FS 3.139

Mountain soil biodiversity

Details

Full Title
FS 3.139: Mountain soil biodiversity
Scheduled
TBA
Location
TBA
Convener
Julia Seeber
Co-Conveners
Nadine Praeg, Michael Steinwandter, Paul Illmer, Bettina Weber, Davnah Urbach,
Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
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Thematic Focus
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems
Keywords
mountain soils, plants, soil microorganisms, soil invertebrates, global change

Description

Growing evidence of rapid soil degradation across biomes throughout the world has raised awareness of the importance of soils and their biodiversity over the last decades.Mountain soils are critical for many ecosystem processes, functions and services, simultaneously being increasingly affected by climate warming and land use intensification or abandonment. This raises pressing questions on the potential effects of global change on biodiversity, functional roles and responses across altitudes, mountain ranges, and mountain systems. Also, there is an urgent need to increase and improve knowledge on mountain soil biodiversity across organismal groups in order to include mountain soils in future policy and conservation efforts. This session aims to bring together experts from different fields, including ecology, botany, microbiology and zoology, who study mountain soil organisms at local, regional, or global scales. The aim is to explore biodiversity, functional roles, adaptations and responses to global change, considering both current and future perspectives. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on the breadth of existing research and to identify key areas where future efforts could be focused. Building on recent progress, the session will provide a unique opportunity to delve into these issues, foster dialogue and inspire new directions for collaborative approaches to mountain soil biodiversity research.

Submitted Abstracts

ID: 3.7560

Impact of Warming on Soil Nematode Community Structure in Alpine Meadows of the Arunachal Pradesh, Indian Eastern Himalayan Region: A Climate Change Perspective Using Open Top Chambers

Priyanka Kashyap

Abstract/Description

Global climate is changing over time, which is evident when examining the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Shifts in snow water equivalent, glacier melt runoff, have led to alterations in soil structure and local fauna, particularly affecting soil nematodes across various trophic levels. These organisms are crucial to several soil ecological processes and are considered effective indicators for assessing soil health and monitoring environmental changes. With this in mind, an experimental study was conducted in the high altitudes of West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh. Using an open-top chamber (OTC), the study aimed to explore the impact of temperature changes on soil nematode community structure in the region. In October 2024, soil cores were collected from experimental plots (10 OTC + 10 Control Plots x each replicates 40 total samples). Nematodes were extracted, and identified at the genus level. The nematode community structure was analyzed and transformed to nematode-specific ecological indices. Data loggers were installed to measure climatic variables. Forty genera from 19 families and eight orders of nematodes were recorded in the study region. Soil and air temperatures were higher inside the OTC compared to the control plots for most of the year. Analysis revealed higher abundance of bacterivors in the OTC. Specifically, the densities of Acrobeles, Ceratoplectus, and Plectus significantly increased under the elevated temperature conditions of the OTC. In contrast, the abundance of predatory nematodes was slightly lower in the OTC compared to the control plots. The Maturity Index was notably lower in the OTC. Dissimilarity tests confirmed that nematode communities in the OTC were significantly different from control plots. Edaphic variables also varied between the chambers and control plots, suggesting that warming indirectly affects nematode diversity by altering soil moisture levels in the OTC plots. Based on these findings, it can be hypothesized that warming-induced changes in soil moisture are the primary factor driving differences in nematode responses between the OTC and control plots. The experimental data on nematode community structure transformed into nematode-specific indices can serve as indicators of soil health status and be valuable for long-term climate change impact assessments in IHR.

ID: 3.8726

Chemical and Physical Control of Bracken Fern Invasion: Impact on Soil Chemistry on Mulanje Mountain and Nyika Plateau, Malawi

Innocent Julius Taulo
Kalemba, Mphatso

Abstract/Description

Mountain soils are crucial for environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation. However, invasive species like bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) threaten these ecosystems. P. aquilinum, found globally except Antarctica, disrupts soil processes and biodiversity. In Malawi, particularly on Mulanje Mountain and Nyika plateau, it has become a dominant invasive species, significantly displacing grasslands and posing a substantial ecological threat. This study investigated the impact of physical and chemical control methods on soil chemistry in grasslands of Mulanje Mountain and Nyika National Park, Malawi, heavily invaded by the bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum. The research, conducted over four years, examined the effects of chemical treatments (Forester, Eco-Imazypyr, and lime application) and physical methods (mowing and slashing/cutting) on soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, exchangeable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), available phosphorus (P), total nitrogen (N), and the Carbon-to-Nitrogen (C:N) ratio. Four experimental plots (35m x 29m) were established at each site, with treatments randomly assigned and replicated. At least six soil samples were randomly collected from each of 5m x 5m quadrants at a depth of 0.15m before and after treatment application and analyzed using standard soil analysis procedures. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (Minitab 18.0). The results revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in total nitrogen levels, soil pH and organic carbon stock levels, with lime treatment resulting in the highest (14.46%) increase in pH from the initial 4.08 to 4.67 and Forester treatment yielding the most substantial (64.4%) increase in SOC from the initial 58.14Mg C/ha to 95.62Mg C/ha. The Forester treatment led to the most substantial (64.4%) increase in SOC, from 58.14 Mg C/ha to 95.62 Mg C/ha. No significant differences were observed in exchangeable calcium, magnesium, or C:N ratios. However, all treatments significantly enhanced available phosphorus in the soil, with physical methods, particularly mowing, showing notable effects. In conclusion, both physical and chemical control methods for P. aquilinum positively influenced soil chemistry. The increases in soil pH and organic carbon suggest improved soil health. These findings highlight the importance of implementing effective management strategies to preserve mountain soils and maintain ecological balance in the face of invasive species

ID: 3.9684

Linking soil microbial and plant diversity along spontaneous afforestation dynamics

Speranza Claudia Panico
Alberti, Giorgio; Orzan, Lorenzo; Foscari, Alessandro; Piazza, Natalie; Tomao, Antonio; Incerti, Guido

Abstract/Description

In this study we investigate the effects of rewilding, a spontaneous process ongoing since decades after land abandonment at national and European levels, with a focus on the replacement of former grasslands and pastures by tree forest. In particular, we explored the ecological dynamics occurring within the topsoil. The main objectives are: i) to clarify how topsoil physico-chemical properties change along the successional gradient, ii) to provide an overview of soil microbial communities response along the same gradient, and iii) assess causal relationships among soil predictors and microbial response, in terms of community composition and diversity, as well as abundance of bacterial and fungal taxonomic groups. The study areas were the Foreste Casentinesi National Park and the Julian Prealps Regional Park (Italy), In both areas we identified by historical ortophotos (period 1954-2020) five successional stages replicated in four chronosequences: grassland-pasture (G), shrubland (S), early (E), intermediate (I), and late afforestation (L). Replicated topsoil samples (0–10 cm) were analysed for pH, bulk density (BD), and organic carbon (OC), and total nitrogen (N) contents. Microbial communities were assessed from environmental DNA extracted by the fine soil fractions followed by DNA metabarcoding using ITS and 16S markers for fungi and bacteria, respectively. Results showed that as the succession progresses, soil acidification and a reduction in bulk density occur, coupled with an increase in soil organic matter at later stages in mature soils. However, such trends are quantitatively affected by site-specific variability. Bacterial and fungal communities respond differently to secondary grassland afforestation: fungi, mainly Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, exhibit greater specialisation in mature successional stages, while bacteria, dominated by Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobiota, show more site-specific traits. Comparisons between the two study areas showed a lower variability in microbial diversity in the Casentino National Park, likely due to its more homogeneous environmental conditions, including plant cover. Our study underlines the functional importance of soil biota in enhancing and sustaining carbon storage in forest soils undergoing natural afforestation. On a broader scale, the study highlights the value of nature-based solutions such as rewilding for climate neutrality and biodiversity conservation.

ID: 3.9804

Soil fauna on mountaintops: the ‘GLORIA Extended’ samplings in South Tyrol (Italy)

Michael Steinwandter
Breschi, Jacopo; Hilpold, Andreas; Seeber, Julia

Abstract/Description

For decades, the ‘GLORIA’ programme has been studying how plant communities living on mountaintops are changing around the world. It has therefore become a standard method for assessing plants on mountains. In 2020, an additional module was introduced to study the soil fauna on GLORIA mountaintops: ‘GLORIA Extended’. To our knowledge, this protocol has only been used twice: first in the Gesäuse National Park in Styria (Austria), and then in South Tyrol (Italy). There are two GLORIA target regions in South Tyrol: (1) the Dolomites and (2) the Texel Group. Each target region consists of four isolated mountain peaks at four different elevations above the natural tree line. Five metres below each summit, we installed four pitfall traps in each of the four cardinal directions (i.e. 16 traps in total), which remained active for two weeks. We also conducted suction sampling for small invertebrates living in the ground vegetation. Preliminary results show significant differences between the soil faunal communities of the four peaks. The mean abundance (as activity density) decreases linearly with increasing elevation. Coleoptera were the most dominant taxa always exceeding 30% of the total community and reaching even 60% on the highest peaks. Other dominant groups change with elevational steps (e.g. in the Dolomites): Formicidae at 2199 m (<25%), Opiliones at 2730 m (~18%), and Araneae at 2890 m (~15%). Taxa such as Isopoda and Chilopoda were absent from the higher peaks, reaching their elevation limits. Further, we could find more macro- and mesofauna specimens on the south-facing than on the north-facing slopes. These insights into the compositions of the soil fauna already reveal a highly diverse and separable communities, up to the high alpine sites. Certain groups such as Diplopoda and Opiliones were found up to 3000 m, showing that the soil fauna is also active in high alpine zones. We expect new findings of alpine soil fauna as such remote peaks have rarely been sampled before.

ID: 3.10389

Microbial community structure in understory soils depends more on plant traits than on phylogeny

Francisco Pugnaire
Ortega, Raul; Miralles, Isabel

Abstract/Description

Plants select microbial species from surrounding soil communities through a number of mechanisms that include aboveground (shade, temperature) and belowground (moisture, nutrients) changes in addition to organic matter addition as root and leaf litter but, above all, through roots exudates. This process allows plants to select microbial species that best fit their interests. We looked at the effects of plant traits in a group of phylogenetically related species on the composition and structure of soil microbial communities. We selected eight Arenaria (Caryophyllaceae) species spreading along several mountains in the Andalusia region of Spain, all belonging to the same section, Plinthine. We expected that phylogenetically close plant species would share more microbial species than distantly related species, as they share similar requirements as well as morphological and physiological traits. We found that the different plant species form different microbial communities under their canopy, attracting or repelling species from the surrounding environment to different degree. Contrary to our expectations, preliminary results with Arenaria sp suggest this selection might be more dependent on plant traits than on phylogenetic relatedness.

ID: 3.10519

Root Structure and Symbioses in Soils of Contrasting Alpine Habitats

Martha Apple

Abstract/Description

Roots represent an important structural component of alpine soils and vary in terms of morphology and symbioses. From surveys of plant species distributions in ongoing studies at sites in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, we found variations in root structure and symbioses with habitat. At Goat Flat (2792 m, 46° 3′ 1.74″ N, 113° 16′ 46.61″ W), periglacial patterned ground alternates between edges and polygonal centers. Vascular plant and moss cover is approximately 90% on the edges, which form channels and delineate the sparsely (5-10%) vegetated polygons. The edges are inhabited by a range of species with woody root systems, including the ectomycorrhizal Picea engelmannii, and the dwarf shrubs Salix arctica, and Dryas octopetala, which are clonal via adventitious roots. However, plants of the polygon edges likely extend their roots into the adjacent polygon centers. The polygon centers are predominantly inhabited by herbaceous perennial species with arbuscular mycorrhizae and a variety of root systems, including taproots and fibrous roots. Approximately 10% of the polygon center plants are in the Fabaceae, symbiotic with N-fixing bacteria. In contrast, and at a snowfield uphill from the Goat Flat patterned ground (2837 m, 46° 3′ 17″ N, 113° 15′ 43″ W), is dominated by fibrous-rooted, often arbuscular mycorrhizal herbaceous species, including the monocots Calamagrostis purpurea, Poa alpina, and Carex sp.,and the dicots Antennaria alpina, Polygonum bistortoides, and Epilobium anagallidifolium. A range of woody-rooted dwarf shrubs lives beyond the summer edges of the snowfield and includes the ectomycorrhizal D. octopetala, S. arctica, and the ericaceous Cassiope mertensiana and Phyllodoce empetriformis. Differences in root structure and symbionts with habitat contribute to mountain soil biodiversity.

ID: 3.10876

Distribution and diversity of Mortierellaceae fungi in calcareous glacier forefields – An isolation-based approach

Sophie Szedlacsek
Mandolini, Edoardo; Peintner, Ursula; Staykova, Anastasiya

Abstract/Description

Mortierellaceae are cosmopolitan soil-inhabiting fungi that can be found in nearly all terrestrial habitat types and are therefore considered an essential part of the core soil microbiome. Many species from this family are known to endure harsh environments, including highly exposed and nutrient-depleted terrains like glacier forefields. The glaciers of the European Alps are highly impacted and threatened by climate change, leading to an increasingly accelerated retreat of the total glacial ice volume. This is especially drastic in calcareous glaciers, as they are usually characterized by lower altitudes. Recently deglaciated areas are highly interesting from an ecological perspective since they allow us to investigate the establishment of pioneer microbial communities and soil development in early stages. The focus of this study is the diversity of Mortierellaceae across four calcareous glacier forefields across the Alpine range (Switzerland: Grießen, Tsanfleuron, Italy: Marmolada, Austria: Dachstein). In total 20 sediments (five from each glacier forefield) from an altitude range of 2,250 -3,300 were analyzed, all derived from a calcite or dolomite bedrock. Every sampling location is deglaciated for only a maximum of 25 years with minimal to no plant succession and low soil organic material. The distribution and abundance of Mortierellaceae in the earliest stages of soil development were assessed based on an isolation-driven approach. Fungal pure cultures were obtained by direct-plating single soil grains. Fungal isolates were identified based on a combined approach (rDNA sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and morphology). We could show that these calcareous glacier forefields harbor a rich and abundant diversity of Mortierellaceae. We detected 18 different Mortierellaceae taxa from these oligotrophic habitats with a large proportion of species typical for alpine environments: Mortierella triangularis was detected in each glacier forefield and, together with Mortierella lapis, can be considered widespread in high alpine habitats. We also isolated so far undescribed Mortierellaceae species from Dachstein and Marmolada. This proves that alpine glacier forefields are still understudied and raise further potential for future investigations. The ecological function and interactions of these fungi in alpine environments will be addressed in ongoing studies.

ID: 3.11288

Biogeography of soil microorganisms and their associations to plants

Johanna Mayerhofer
Roth, Tobias; Enkerli, Jürg; Meuli, Reto Gulio; Widmer, Franco

Abstract/Description

The complex landscape of mountainous areas with large ranges in environmental factors provides a multitude of habitats leading to an extensive above and belowground biodiversity. Switzerland is characterized by two mountain ranges, i.e., the Alps and the Jura, that are characterized by large gradients of mean annual temperature, yearly precipitation and soil pH. Using a regular grid with 255 sites (1,010 samples) across Switzerland we assessed soil and geographic drivers of soil bacterial and fungal communities and their associations to plant communities. Bacterial and fungal communities were determined using amplicon sequencing and plant communities were recorded at each site.
In total, 109,693 bacterial and 28,085 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were detected, of which about one third and two thirds were assigned to the genus-level for fungi and bacteria respectively, revealing that much of the diversity of soil microorganisms remains unknown and awaits detailed description. Also, we observed 756 plant species. Richness of plant species, bacterial ASVs and fungal ASVs as well as community structures of all three types of organisms differed significantly among biogeographic regions, elevational zones and land-use types. Among the five land-use types, i.e., forest, alpine grassland, meadow, arable land and settlement were 47 alpine grassland sites. They were characterized by the lowest bacterial and fungal ASV richness and the highest plant species richness compared to the other land-use types. Further, 0.8% of the bacterial and 5.7% of the fungal ASVs as well as 25.2% of the plant species were specific to alpine grassland.
Within alpine grassland sites, we found that the community structures of all three types of organisms were significantly associated (r between 0.52 and 0.61) and soil pH was the most important environmental factor for all three communities, explaining 5.5% of the fungal, 10.4% of the plant and 17.6% of the bacterial community structure variation.
In conclusion, alpine grasslands include distinct communities of plants, fungi and bacteria. Further, associations of communities reveal potential interaction probably impacted by soil pH, which was strongest for bacteria followed by plants and fungi.

ID: 3.11977

The development of plant–microbe networks following glacier retreat

Nora Khelidj
Arraiano Castilho, Ricardo; Tu, Bao Ngan; de Vere, Natasha; Sanders, Ian; Losapio, Gianalberto

Abstract/Description

Glacier retreat is a striking symptom of global warming. All over the world, glaciers are retreating and exposing new areas for colonisation by living organisms, including plants and microorganisms. Microorganisms are among the first colonizer of deglaciated terrains and play an important role in soil development. Moreover, they play an important role in plant establishment, as numerous microbes have close interactions with plants, and perform different functions that can be positive (i.e. symbiotic) and/ or negative (i.e. pathogenic). However, we are lacking knowledge on the impact of glacier retreat on plant–microbe interactions and how networks assemble and develop following glacier retreat. Here, we assessed how plant and microbe diversity as well as their interaction networks respond to glacier retreat along a 140-years chronosequence (Mont Miné, Val d’Hérens, Switzerland). Using field survey and environmental DNA, we assessed the effects of plant succession on soil microbial communities at 3 different levels: patch, rhizosphere, and endosphere. Our results highlight the novel assembly and development of networks along the foreland influenced by interaction, rewiring from patch to rhizosphere and endosphere.

ID: 3.12074

Interconnected Microbial Communities in Alpine Grassland Ecosystems

Nadine Praeg
Rzehak, Theresa; Galla, Giulio; Scholz, Matthias; Seeber, Julia; Hauffe, Heidi C.; Illmer, Paul

Abstract/Description

Soil is a complex ecosystem, including an abiotic fraction and thousands of bacterial and fungal taxa, but also many plant and animal species that themselves host microorganisms. However, traditional perspectives often examine soil microbial diversity separately from those of the organisms that inhabit it. Here, we seek to challenge such view and propose an alternative and holistic interpretative framework in which the soil meta-community is the combined set of different microbial communities belonging to various organisms found within the soil or interacting with it.
Applying this comprehensive view, this study explores soil prokaryote and fungal diversity and associated microbiota in mammals, invertebrates, and plants in alpine pastures. The study comprises more than 900 samples of soil, rhizosphere (Carex spp. and Festuca spp.), invertebrates (nematodes, collembolans, earthworms, and beetles) and vertebrates (feces of hares, wild ungulates and livestock) along an elevational gradient (which is used as a proxy for climate change) in the European Alps.
We found that, in addition to climatic and soil properties, biotic factors, especially the presence of living organisms, shapes soil microbial communities. Analyses of fungal and bacterial taxa shared between sample types revealed greater overlaps between soil, rhizosphere, and soil-dwelling invertebrates, compared to other invertebrates and vertebrates, although a core microbiota for all organisms also exists.
This finding highlights the central role of soil microbiota and the above/belowground and host/habitat-specific associations in the alpine meta-community. Our data reveal the common characteristics of microbial communities from different organisms interacting with the soil and underline their intricate connections in alpine pastures, even across a 1500 m elevation gradient.

ID: 3.12165

Microbial Diversity in Montane and Subalpine Soils of the Eastern Alps

Theresa Rzehak
Praeg, Nadine; Illmer, Paul

Abstract/Description

Mountain areas are highly structured habitats where elevation, parent material and slope as well as several climatic parameters like temperature, exposure towards solar radiation, wind, and precipitation, change even on a short spatial scale. The great variety makes mountain areas to hotspots for biodiversity. Soil microorganisms of the alpine ecosystems are adapted to prevailing harsh and oligotrophic conditions and their diversity and community composition is impacted by many, site-specific abiotic (as mentioned above) and biotic properties (e.g., vegetation, soil fauna). However, the key drivers for microbial diversity in alpine soils are still under debate. Here, we aim to i) examine the prokaryote and fungal diversity of soils across the Eastern Alps, ii) link the microbial diversity and community structure to environmental properties, and iii) identify key environmental drivers of microbial diversity. In this study, 35 soils were sampled across North Tyrol, Austria. The soils comprise different land use types (grassland, forest), parent materials (calcareous, siliceous) and elevational levels (500, 1000, 1500, 2000 m a.s.l.). The sampled sites have been well described within the Tyrolean soil survey network, including biotic (e.g. vegetation cover) and abiotic (geology, soil chemistry) properties. Besides profound chemical soil analysis, prokaryote and fungal community composition was characterized using amplicon sequencing. We found that microbial diversity varied significantly among the sampled soils, depending on land use type, parent material and elevational level. Almost every specific combination of land use, geology, elevation exhibited characteristic prokaryote and fungal key species. Linking the microbial community structures to environmental properties revealed significant impacts of the soil pH and the contents of dissolved organic carbon and water on prokaryotes and fungi.

ID: 3.12315

Do soil microbes affect the plant species-specific responses to shifted snowmelt timing and summer drought in alpine grassland?

Coline Le Noir De Carlan
Hiltbrunner, Erika

Abstract/Description

In the future, earlier snowmelt and frequent summer droughts are expected to impact alpine grassland. We will present results from a manipulative experiment in the Swiss Alps at 2500 m a.s.l. (set-up in 2016 for snow manipulation and 2017 for drought) in which annually recurring treatments of advanced and delayed snowmelt were combined with 5- and 10-week summer droughts by rain-out shelters (2.5 m x 3m). There, aboveground biomass of forbs and graminoids was substantially reduced by recurrent 10-week drought, while the dominant sedge Carex curvula remained unaltered. Yet within functional groups, variable responses of the different plant species to the treatments were observed.
In these environments where nutrient limitation may occur, certain plants may strongly rely on soil microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungi, while others including the dominant sedge have different strategies that may involve other microbial partners. We therefore now ask whether these species-specific responses, in particular to drought, are correlated with changes in soil microbial communities. Using metabarcoding, we will present the response of soil bacterial and fungal communities to snow manipulation and summer drought. These analyses will be combined with the assessment of root colonisation by mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes.

ID: 3.12346

Shrub encroachment reshapes soil fungal communities in subalpine grasslands

Lucia Laorden-Camacho
Grigulis, Karl; Tello-García, Elena; Mouhamadou, Bello; Marchal, Camille; Binet, Marie-Noelle; Colace, Marie-Pascale; Lyonnard, Blandine; Peintner, Ursula; Tappeiner, Ulrike; Leitinger, Georg; Lavorel, Sandra

Abstract/Description

Shrub encroachment is a global process that has received increasing interest amongst researchers due to its consequences in ecosystem functions. While there is increasing evidence of the impacts of shrub encroachment in plant communities and biogeochemical cycles, the effects of shrub encroachment on soil microbial communities is still not fully understood. While some studies have found changes in the microbial composition in shrub encroached subalpine grasslands, to our knowledge there is no study on the direct or indirect effects of the changes of plant community traits on soil microbial communities in these ecosystems in the Alps. We hypothesize that changes in the quality of plant community tissues with increasing shrub density (i.e. higher recalcitrant compounds with lower decomposition rates) have an indirect effect on soil fungal communities. We conducted our study in two different locations in the European Alps: Lautaret (France) and Stubai Valley (Austria). We collected plant, soil and root samples in a total of 60 plots of 10 x 10 m along a gradient of increasing shrub biomass. We calculated community weighted means of plant functional traits, we conducted soil biochemical analysis and used high-throughput sequencing of ITS1 to calculate relative abundances of fungal functional groups in root and soil samples. Our preliminary results show lower arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi and higher ericoid mycorrhiza fungi relative abundances with increasing shrub biomass, related to changes in pH and soil carbon:nitrogen ratio respectively. Our results also show increasing trends of pathotrophs, saprotrophs and endophytes with increasing shrub biomass. Our data suggests that the presence of shrubs alters the relative abundances of fungal functional communities, specially the symbiotroph fungi, and results in changes of fungal functional diversity, which may result in changes in ecosystem functioning and have implications in the management of subalpine grasslands.

ID: 3.13430

Geographically distant alpine snowbeds feature distinct soil microbial communities but a common response to climate change

Mariangela Girlanda
Voyron, Samuele; Benech, Andrea; Marengo, Giacomo; Nepote Valentin, Davide; Pintaldi, Emanuele; Romano, Alessia; Adamo, Martino; Ravetto Enri, Simone; Carbognani, Michele; Petraglia, Alessandro; Freppaz, Michele; Lombardi, Giampiero; Lonati, Michele

Abstract/Description

Snowbeds are particularly sensitive to global warming, which leads to reduced snowfall and shorter snow cover durations, potentially affecting ecosystem functions performed by the soil microbiota. However, the relationship between aboveground and belowground alpine ecosystems remains largely understudied. We have compared soil microbial (fungal, bacterial and archaeal) communities under snowbed vegetation assigned to Salicion herbaceae with those under either i) the surrounding typical alpine grassland (Caricion curvulae) or ii) transitional plant communities (i.e. previous snowbeds where encroachment of more competitive grassland plant species is taking place), at two distant sites in Italy (Monte Rosa Massif in Piedmont and Passo Gavia in Lombardy) at the same elevation (approx. 2700 m asl). At both sites the soils are acidic and exhibit a carbon-rich A horizon, with a slightly higher degree of soil development in Passo Gavia, where some evidences of podsolization are observed. Metabarcoding of the ITS2 and 16S region amplified from 277 topsoil samples collected at three timepoints (winter, early and late summer), resulting in 4473 and 13,764 OTUs, respectively, indicated significant differences in soil microbial assemblages between the two sites. Despite such regional differences, at both sites vegetation shifts were tightly paralleled belowground (aboveground vegetation being more influential on microbial communities than seasonal variation). The interconnected changes in aboveground plant communities, soil properties and soil microbial communities serve as indicators of broader ecosystem responses to global warming.

ID: 3.13673

Mapping and quantifying Soil Organic Carbon stocks from the treeline to permafrost regions in the Swiss Alps

Michael Zehnder
Udke, Annegret; Meusburger, Katrin; Hagedorn, Frank; Rixen, Christian

Abstract/Description

Cold regions store the largest terrestrial soil carbon pools, yet their stability is increasingly uncertain due to rising temperatures. In Alpine mountain regions, we still lack a status-quo quantification of total soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks above the treeline. To address this gap, we compiled SOC stock measurements from over 350 sites across the Swiss Alps, spanning elevations from 1,750 to 3,150 m asl characteristic of the heterogenous Alpine landscape. While topsoil carbon contents and fine earth densities down to 20cm depth were measured using replicated soil cores, deeper SOC stocks (>20 cm) were estimated by applying pedotransfer functions derived from corresponding soil properties measured at 16 representative soil pits reaching bedrock. We developed a predictive spatial model using random forest regression, integrating spatial covariates such as topography, NDVI, climate, and soil pH information. The model demonstrated good predictive power, enabling the first SOC stock map for unmanaged land from the treeline to permafrost regions in Switzerland. This study highlights the role of alpine grasslands as substantial carbon pools in national inventories and represents a crucial step in monitoring changes in the Alpine soil carbon budget.

ID: 3.8786

Unveiling the anthropogenic causes affecting termite habitats in Shiwalik Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India.

Urja Agarwal
Singh, Yashaswi; Uniyal, V.P.

Abstract/Description

The Indian Himalayan region is a biodiversity hotspot holding diverse abundance of species and numerous endemism. Among them, resides termites known as ecosystem engineers owing to their multifaceted roles in the ecosystem. Their ability to enhance the physical and chemical properties of the soil provides stability and health to nutrient deficient terrains of higher altitude. Presence of termite mounds in the area increase nutrient concentration and carbon flux harbouring diverse flora. Sensitivity of termites to environmental changes makes them vital indicators of climate fluctuations and habitat disturbances. The study is being conducted in Doon valley, nestled between the Shiwaliks and lesser Himalayas is home to diverse fauna and flora owing to its unique climatic conditions and geography. The valley documented good termite diversity with six endemic species of termites 50 years ago. However, no studies have been conducted in the valley since then to assess their current status. The valley has been facing rapid urbanization and industrialization since past few decades which has led to deforestation, habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss. The study shows the effects of these anthropogenic pressures on the diversity of termites across four habitats viz. forest, riverine, agriculture and urban. We have also corroborated data of Land Use Land Cover data (2017–2023) and ESRI Sentinnel-2 to quantify the land use changes. We found that the built up area has intensified during 2017 to 2023 from 366378200 m2 to 437576100 m2. It shows how in recent years, the anthropogenic activities has been encroaching the forest area affecting termite habitats. Our findings show a need for conservation measures to mitigate biodiversity loss and preserve ecosystem functions in the Western Himalayan region.

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FS 3.205: Mountain Festivals: The Representation, Marketing, and Consumption of Mountaineering Cultures

#IMC: September 14 - 18 2025

FS 3.139

Mountain soil biodiversity

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