Succession of vascular plants in front of retreating glaciers in central Spitsbergen

Abstract

Vegetation succession in front of five retreating glaciers was studied using phytosociological relevés (60) located at different distances between the Little Ice Age (LIA) moraines and the present glacier fronts around Petunia Bay. Approximate dating of succession stages was based on a study of the changing position of glacier fronts in the past approximately 100 years. The described succession corresponds to the uni−directional, non−replacement model of succession. All constituent species, except one, present in the nearby old tundra have colonized the glacier forelands since the end of the LIA. The first species appeared about 5 years after deglaciation. The latest succession stages closely re− semble the old tundra.

Vegetation diversity and selected abiotic factors influencing the primary succession process on the foreland of Gåsbreen, Svalbard

“…These differences may be caused by different habitat conditions, including the stability of the moraines or water availability. The species composition of the first coloniser group of the Gåsbreen moraine and the five glacier moraines of Petuniabukta is similar, but in the Petuniabukta area there is no species exchange but only the arrival of additional species (Prach and Rachlewicz 2012). A different sequence of colonisation in this region can be due to the influence of the microclimate; Petuniabukta being located in the warmest and driest part of Spitsbergen.…”

“…On the Midtre Lovénbreen foreland (Hodkinson et al 2003) and glaciers around Petuniabukta (Prach and Rachlewicz 2012), the first plants appear much earlier (two years after deglaciation) than on the Gåsbreen marginal zone. The most probable factors determining this difference are the less stable substrate and harsher climate of the Gåsbreen foreland.…”

“…A significant proportion of the world's latest research related to primary succession on glacier marginal zones is based on this area and covers a variety of topics, including plant communities evolution (Hodkinson et al 2003;Moreau et al 2005;Moreau et al 2008), pioneering species , species ecology (Nakatsubo et al 2005;Uchida et al 2006;Yoshitake et al 2007), and the role of soil microorganisms (Bekku 2004), including mycorrhizal fungi . Apart from the Ny-Ålesund region, research has been conducted on the western coast of Spitsbergen (Tishkov 1986), in central Spitsbergen (Ziaja and Dubiel 1996;Prach and Rachlewicz 2012), and in southern Spitsbergen (Kuc 1964;Fabiszewski 1975;Pirożnikow and Górniak 1992;Wojtuń et al 2008).…”

“…Pirożnikow and Górniak 1992;Nakatsubo et al 2010;Prach and Rachlewicz 2012), and their interactions with mycorrhizal fungi (Těšitel et al 2014;Davey et al 2015). Other components of the marginal zone vegetation of the glacier (in particular bryophytes and lichens) were often overlooked or treated generally and lacked detailed species identification (e.g.…”

What do Holocene sediments in Petuniabukta, Spitsbergen reveal?

“…Polygonum viviparum bulbils were quite common in the top two layers. Saxifraga oppositifolia, considered as a pioneer species of deglaciated or newly emerged areas (Prach and Rachlewicz 2012 this issue), was found only in one case, at 12 cm depth. Silene acaulis was found only once, at 15 cm depth.…”