High Mountain Areas

Abstract

in abundance (high confidence). While the plant productivity has generally increased, the actual impact on provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services varies greatly (high confidence). {2.3.3}

Long‐term changes in flowering synchrony reflect climatic changes across an elevational gradient

“…However, prolonged increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation likely increase plant competition for the reduced available subsurface moisture and nutrients, which could result in phenological shifts among species with different life history traits and rooting depths (Sherry et al 2007, Dorji et al 2013, Zhu et al 2016). Moreover, the expected reduction in snowfall and earlier snowmelt due to climate warming (Kohler et al 2014, Hock et al 2019) could alter micro‐climatic factors and drive significant changes in flowering phenology (Dunne et al 2003, Iler et al 2013, Theobald et al 2017) and co‐flowering synchrony (Carbognani et al 2016) of plant communities at the higher elevations.…”

“…Precipitation significantly and homogeneously decreased along the gradient. In contrast to temperature, no clear global trend in precipitation has been observed with locally varying responses in mountain areas (Kohler et al 2014, Hock et al 2019), although strong decreases in the amount and frequency of precipitation have been observed in the southwestern USA (Zhang et al 2021). Our results suggest that temperature was the strongest driver of decreased co‐flowering synchrony throughout the gradient.…”

“…Worldwide, montane climates are experiencing elevation dependent warming (EDW), as warming rates vary across elevation bands (Pepin et al 2015). Although patterns of EDW are not uniform and may differ among regions and seasons, EDW in combination with regional factors is expected to cause a global average increase of surface air temperatures in mountains of 0.3 ± 0.2°C per decade until the mid‐21st century, regardless of the climate scenario (IPCC 2018, Hock et al 2019). Changes in precipitation patterns are more heterogeneous than temperature changes, both among and within mountain regions.…”

“…Future projections indicate annual precipitation increases of up to 20% in several regions (e.g. Himalaya, eastern Africa, European Alps), and decreases in the Mediterranean and the southern Andes (Hartmann et al 2013, Hock et al 2019). Similarly, the intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation events are expected to vary by season and region.…”

Aligning social networks and co-designed visions to foster systemic innovation in the Alps

“…In contrast, the Visp district is in a relatively better position to achieve its vision through innovation due to lower levels of conflict between regional actors and a higher structural capacity to innovate. However, the resilience of an ‘innovated’ Visp district needs to be seen critically compared to that of the Haute Romanche district: strengthening a business as usual tourism-based mountain economy that relies on high-volume visits and, to a substantial extent, on downhill skiing is a long-term perspective that should be questioned given the clear signs and forecasts of climate change impacts on vanishing glaciers and shortening snow cover season (Hock et al 2019 ).…”