JPR Virtual Issue Vol. 2
Alpine and subalpine plant communities: Importance of knowledge of plant growth, reproduction and community assemblage processes for changing environments
Edited by Koichi Takahashi
Natural plant communities are exposed to environmental changes such as global warming and increased human activities. It is thought that alpine and subalpine ecosystems with cool climatic conditions are sensitive to environmental changes. This virtual issue introduces multidisciplinary research at alpine and subalpine plant communities. The articles include research on (1) species diversity, vegetation and biomass, (2) species assembly, (3) climate and growth of alpine plants,
(4) reproduction of alpine plants, (5) differences of growth traits among coexisting species, (6) vegetation changes by human activities and overgrazing of deer, and (7) differentiation of growth traits among ecotypes in relation to climatic conditions. These thirteen articles provide valuable knowledge for future research on the effects of environmental changes on alpine and subalpine plant communities.
Editorial
- Takahashi K (2018) J Plant Res 131:891-894
Alpine and subalpine plant communities: importance of plant growth, reproduction and community assemblage processes for changing environments.
Articles
- Namgail T, Rawat GS, Mishra C, van Wieren SE, Prins HHT (2012) J Plant Res 125:93-101
Biomass and diversity of dry alpine plant communities along altitudinal gradients in the Himalayas. - Manish K, Pandit MK, Telwala Y, Nautiyal DC, Koh LP, Tiwari S (2017) J Plant Res 130:829-844
Elevational plant species richness patterns and their drivers across non-endemics, endemics and growth forms in the Eastern Himalaya. - Zhu B, Wang X, Fang J, Piao S, Shen H, Zhao S, Peng C (2010) J Plant Res 123:439-452
Altitudinal changes in carbon storage of temperate forests on Mt Changbai, Northeast China. - Hirota M, Zhang P, Gu S, Shen H, Kuriyama T, Li Y, Tang Y (2010) J Plant Res 123:531-541
Small-scale variation in ecosystem CO2 fluxes in an alpine meadow depends on plant biomass and species richness. - Sakio H, Masuzawa T (2012) J Plant Res 125:539-546
The advancing timberline on Mt. Fuji: natural recovery or climate change? - Takahashi K, Tanaka S (2016) J Plant Res 129:1041-1049
Relative importance of habitat filtering and limiting similarity on species assemblages of alpine and subalpine plant communities. - Yoshie F (2010) J Plant Res 123:675-688
Vegetative phenology of alpine plants at Tateyama Murodo-daira in central Japan. - Takahashi K, Aoki K (2015) J Plant Res 128:553-562
Effects of climatic conditions on annual shoot length and tree-ring width of alpine dwarf pine Pinus pumila in central Japan. - Guerrina M, Casazza G, Conti E, Macrì C, Minuto L (2016) J Plant Res 129:477-485
Reproductive biology of an Alpic paleo-endemic in a changing climate. - Takahashi K, Obata Y (2014) J Plant Res 127:329-338
Growth, allometry and shade tolerance of understory saplings of four subalpine conifers in central Japan. - Takahashi K, Miyajima Y (2010) J Plant Res 123:741-749
Effects of roads on alpine and subalpine plant species distribution along an altitudinal gradient on Mount Norikura, central Japan. - Tsujino R, Matsui K, Yamamoto K, Koda R, Yumoto T, Takada K (2013) J Plant Res 126:625-634
Degradation of Abies veitchii wave-regeneration on Mt. Misen in Ohmine Mountains: effects of sika deer population. - Ozaki H, Oguchi R, Hikosaka K (2018) J Plant Res 131:987-999
Dependence of functional traits related to growth rates and their CO2 response on multiple habitat climate factors across Arabidopsis thaliana populations.
(1) Species diversity, vegetation and biomass
(2) Species assembly
(3) Climate and growth of alpine plants
(4) Reproduction of alpine plants
(5) Differences of growth traits among coexisting species
(6) Vegetation changes by human activities and overgrazing of deer
(7) Differentiation of growth traits among ecotypes in relation to climatic conditions