Alpine Ecosystems in a Changing World

Dear Colleagues,

Above climatic treelines, the cold-adapted alpine plant life zone is in low growth form, characterized by carbon-rich but nutrient-poor soils due to stresses mostly caused by low temperature. Since the second half of the last century, alpine ecosystems have experienced climatic warming more rapidly and in a more elevation-dependent way than others. These ecosystems are also now subject to considerable disturbance, such as more frequent extreme climate events, elevated CO₂, increased nitrogen deposition, grazing, fencing, fertilizing, as well as ecological projects, which induce subtle changes in the patterns, functions, processes, and mechanisms of alpine ecosystems, specifically including plant growth, species interaction, and ecosystem processes. In the face of these environmental forces, it is expected that alpine ecosystems are more sensitive to global warming, increasing nitrogen deposition, and grazing. How will alpine plant eco-physiology respond and species interaction change with the intertwined natural environment and human activities, and consequently impact on ecosystem functioning? An understanding of the performance and roles of alpine plants in ecosystems, and the response and adaptation to the interference of human activities, requires more experimental evidence which accounts for species adaptation to these changes and species interaction in determining vegetation patterns and dynamics.

From the perspective of limitation, adaptation, and response to the changing environment, this Special Issue focuses on alpine plants’ adaptation mechanisms to harsh environments with the features of low temperature, desiccation stress, and nutrient limitation, as well as the response modes to the interference of human activities such as grazing, fencing, and fertilizing. A series of mechanisms and eco-physiological processes are included, from species strategies for survival, growth, reproduction, and population change to the ecophysiology of water relation, carbon gain and investment, and nutrient cycling in the specific high-altitude cold environment. In addition, plant and soil relationships as well as species interactions impact upon plant composition, coexistence, and community dynamics. Under the pressing environmental forces due to rapid warming, nitrogen deposition, extreme climatic events, and overgrazing, the plant diversity will shape the sensitivity, resistance, and resilience of alpine ecosystems to extreme events. Alpine ecosystems are expected to exhibit an unprecedented response to environment change from species to community level. Contributions to this Special Issue are welcome from the high-altitude regions including but not limited to the Hindu Kush Himalayas, European Alps, Scandes, and Andes.

Dr. Peili Shi
Dr. Jian Sun
Dr. Huakun Zhou
Guest Editors

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• plant survival in harsh alpine environment
• alpine plant life cycle and strategy
• low temperature and growth limitation
• water relation and desiccation stress in high altitudes
• carbon gain and investment of alpine plants
• nutrient acquisition and cycling in cold environments
• plant–soil relationship
• species interaction and community dynamics
• niche differentiation and species coexistence
• influence of plant composition and diversity on ecosystem processes
• sensitivity, resistance, and resilience to extreme climate
• traits and functional plant ecology
• nitrogen deposition and plant/soil nutrient stoichiometry
• alpine plants and ecosystems in response to global change
• degradation characteristics and recovery effects
• sustainable recovery mechanisms and models
• adaptation mechanism and ecological carrying capacity early-warning