Asymmetrical Warming Between Elevations May Result in Similar Plant Community Composition Between Elevations in Alpine Grasslands

Jiangwei Wang,Chengqun Yu,Gang Fu

doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.757943

Abstract

Asymmetrical warming between elevations is a common phenomenon and warming magnitude increases with increasing elevations on the Tibetan Plateau, which in turn may reduce temperature differences between elevations. However, it is still unclear how such phenomenon will affect plant community composition in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Therefore, in this study, we performed an experiment at three elevations (i.e., 4,300 m, 4,500 m, and 4,700 m) in alpine grasslands, the Northern Tibetan Plateau since May, 2010. Open top chambers were established at the elevations 4,500 m and 4,700 m. Plant species and phylogenetic composition were investigated in August, 2011–2019. There were no significant differences in plant species and phylogenetic composition, environmental temperature and moisture conditions between the elevation 4,300 m under non-warming conditions and the elevation 4,500 m under warming conditions in 2019. There were also no significant differences in plant species composition, environmental temperature and moisture conditions between the elevation 4,500 m under non-warming conditions and the elevation 4,700 m under warming conditions in 2019. Therefore, the narrowing temperature differences between elevations may result in plant community composition between elevations tending to be similar in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau under future elevational asymmetrical warming.

Highlights

Plant community structure is one of the most important plant characteristics, and understanding its changes under environmental changes plays important roles in predicting plant community change under global change (Hautier et al, 2014; Ma et al, 2017)
Plant Community Composition Similarity (Yao et al, 2000; Kuang and Jiao, 2016). This phenomenon can reduce temperature differences between adjacent elevations, which in turn may reduce the differences in plant community composition between adjacent elevations
It is very important to understand the changes in plant community composition to global change in alpine grasslands

Summary

Introduction

Plant community structure is one of the most important plant characteristics, and understanding its changes under environmental changes plays important roles in predicting plant community change under global change (Hautier et al, 2014; Ma et al, 2017). Plant Community Composition Similarity (Yao et al, 2000; Kuang and Jiao, 2016). This phenomenon can reduce temperature differences between adjacent elevations, which in turn may reduce the differences in plant community composition (i.e., plant β-diversity) between adjacent elevations. Various grasslands are important pastures at different temporal and spatial scales, which in turn provide animal by-products (e.g., milk and beef) for human (Sun et al, 2019). As an important grassland type, may be one of the most sensitive grasslands to climate change and human activities at global and regional scales (Klein et al, 2007). It is very important to understand the changes in plant community composition to global change in alpine grasslands

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion