Establishing climatic constraints shaping the distribution of alien plant species along the elevation gradient in the Alps

Barni, Elena; Bacaro, Giovanni; Falzoi, Simone; Spanna, Federico; Siniscalco, Consolata

doi:10.1007/s11258-012-0039-z

Cited by 43 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Higher elevations are also predicted to experience greater impacts from climate warming (McDougall et al., ), which may further promote the upward expansion of non‐native species. Indeed, with increasing human expansion and ongoing climate warming, more opportunities are being created for non‐native species to spread into higher elevations (Barni, Bacaro, Falzoi, Spanna, & Siniscalco, ; le Roux et al., ). Our data from Hawaii and New Zealand illustrate how this potential for increased human activity needs future consideration.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

Guo

Fei

Shen

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim Much is known about the elevational diversity patterns of native species and about the mechanisms that drive these patterns. A similar level of understanding is needed for non‐native species. Using published data, we examine elevational diversity patterns of non‐native plants and compare the resulting patterns with those observed for native plants. Location Global. Methods We compiled data from 65 case studies on elevational diversity patterns of non‐native plants around the world (including 32 cases in which both non‐native and native plants were sampled). We compared the elevational distributions (upper and lower limits, and extents) and diversity patterns of non‐native and native species. Results Compared to native plant species, the elevational diversity patterns of non‐native plant species were more negative (47% vs. 13%) and less unimodal (44% vs. 84%). That is, non‐native species richness tended to be highest at lower elevations, whereas native species richness peaked at mid‐elevations. In cases where species richness for both non‐native and native species on the same mountains showed unimodal patterns in relation to elevation, maximum values in species richness occurred at lower elevations for non‐native species. Main conclusions At present levels of invasion, non‐native and native species show different patterns in both distribution and diversity along elevational gradients worldwide. However, our observations constitute a snapshot of ongoing, long‐term invasion processes. As non‐native species typically show strong associations with human activities, future changes in human population (e.g. growth and migration), land use and climate change may promote upward spread of non‐native species and may thus increase risks of impact on native species and communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

Guo

Fei

Shen

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

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“…, Barni et al. ). There is evidence that human, animal, and plant diseases are currently moving toward higher elevations with climate change, posing a new threat to mountain livelihoods, ecosystems, and biodiversity (Benning et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, propagule pressure and habitat disturbances may increase in mountainous regions due to economic development, leading to the exchange of climatically pre-adapted mountain species between mountainous regions (e.g., tourism;McDougall et al 2005McDougall et al , 2011b. Second, climate change might reduce the climatic limitation of current non-native species distributions and facilitate invasions into mountains (Pauchard et al 2009, Walther et al 2009, Barni et al 2012. There is evidence that human, animal, and plant diseases are currently moving toward higher elevations with climate change, posing a new threat to mountain livelihoods, ecosystems, and biodiversity (Benning et al 2002, Hay et al 2002, Kurz et al 2008, Walther et al 2009, Siraj et al 2014.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Will climate change increase the risk of plant invasions into mountains?

Petitpierre

McDougall

Seipel

et al. 2016

Ecological Applications

128

112

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1Mountain ecosystems have been less adversely affected by invasions of non-native plants than 2 most other ecosystems, partially because most invasive plants in the lowlands are limited by 3 climate and cannot grow under harsher high-elevation conditions. However, with ongoing 4 climate change, invasive species may rapidly move upwards and threaten mid, and then high 5 elevation mountain ecosystems. We evaluated this threat by modeling the current and future 6 habitat suitability for 48 invasive plant species in Switzerland and New South Wales, Australia. 7Both regions had contrasting climate interactions with elevation, resulting in possible different 8 responses of species distributions to climate change. Using a species distribution modeling 9 approach that combines data from two spatial scales, we built high-resolution species distribution 10 models (≤ 250 m) that account for the global climatic niche of species and also finer variables 11 depicting local climate and disturbances. We found that different environmental drivers limit the 12 elevation range of invasive species in each of the two regions, leading to region-specific species 13 responses to climate change. The optimal suitability for plant invaders is predicted to markedly 14 shift from the lowland to the montane or subalpine zone in Switzerland, whereas the upward shift 15 is far less pronounced in New South Wales where montane and subalpine elevations are already 16 suitable. The results suggest that species most likely to invade high elevations in Switzerland 17 will be cold-tolerant, whereas species with an affinity to moist soils are most likely to invade 18 higher elevations in Australia. Other plant traits were only marginally associated with elevation 19limits. These results demonstrate that a more systematic consideration of future distributions of 20 invasive species is required in conservation plans of not yet invaded mountainous ecosystems. 21

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“…In contrast, less attention has been paid in understanding such processes in more pristine and high-elevation environments, where most of the world's protected areas are located (Pauchard et al 2009). Mountain and island ecosystems are known to be particularly prone to invasions by alien species (e.g., Barni et al 2012): the reason for island ecosystems to be highly susceptible and vulnerable to the intentional and unintentional introduction of invasive species include their comparatively low Distributional patterns of endemic, native and alien species along a roadside elevation gradient in Tenerife, Canary Islands habitat diversity, their simplified trophic webs and high rates of endemism (Courchamp et al 2003). Island communities have undergone long lasting processes of mutual evolution due to their isolation from other ecosystems (Steinbauer et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distributional patterns of endemic, native and alien species along a roadside elevation gradient in Tenerife, Canary Islands

et al. 2015

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Abstract:Invasion by alien plant species may be rapid and aggressive, causing erosion of local biodiversity. This is particularly true for islands, where natural and anthropogenic corridors promote the rapid spread of invasive plants. Although evidence shows that corridors may facilitate plant invasions, the question of how their importance in the spread of alien species varies along environmental gradients deserves more attention. Here, we addressed this issue by examining diversity patterns (species richness of endemic, native and alien species) along and across roads, along an elevation gradient from sea-level up to 2050 m a.s.l. in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), at multiple spatial scales. Species richness was assessed using a multi-scale sampling design consisting of 59 T-transects of 150 m × 2 m, along three major roads each placed over the whole elevation gradient. Each transect was composed of three sections of five plots each: Section 1 was located on the road edges, Section 2 at intermediate distance, and Section 3 far from the road edge, the latter representing the "native community" less affected by road-specific disturbance. The effect of elevation and distance from roadsides was evaluated for the three groups of species (endemic, native and alien species), using parametric and non-parametric regression analyses as well as additive diversity partitioning. Differences among roads explained the majority of the variation in alien species richness and composition. Patterns in alien species richness were also affected by elevation, with a decline in richness with increasing elevation and no alien species recorded at high elevations. Elevation was the most important factor determining patterns in endemic and native species. These findings confirm that climate filtering reflected in varying patterns along elevational gradients is an important determinant of the richness of alien species (which are not adapted to high elevations), while anthropogenic pressures may explain the richness of alien species at low elevation.

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Establishing climatic constraints shaping the distribution of alien plant species along the elevation gradient in the Alps

Cited by 43 publications

References 47 publications

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

Will climate change increase the risk of plant invasions into mountains?

Distributional patterns of endemic, native and alien species along a roadside elevation gradient in Tenerife, Canary Islands

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