New plant species are conquering mountain necks. This is also happening in the Tatra Mountains

Researchers from various European countries, including Poland, have observed an accelerated increase in plant species richness on mountain tops. The situation has been linked to global warming, and its victims may be those species that have lived there for centuries.

European researchers led by Dr. Manuel Steinbauer of Aarhus University in Denmark, conducted field studies of the speciesoin plants found on the gorish peaks. A total of 302 peaks across Europe were checked, including the Tatras. Polish gory studied by Dr. hab. Bogdan Jaroszewicz and Patryk Czortek of the Bialowieza Geobotanical Station of the Faculty of Biology at Warsaw University.

The results of the study, published in the prestigious journal „Nature”.

As a result of the study, a fivefold increase in rospecies diversity across the continent. This acceleration is strikingly in sync with global warming, ktohe effects of which have already reached even the most inaccessible places on Earth. This may have far-reaching implications not only for robiodiversity, but roAlso for the functioning of the entire ecosystem.

The article, whichory was published in „Nature”, points to the so-called “new” neurons. „The Great Acceleration” (Great Acceleration). This term, proposed by Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen, describes the trend of social development and human impact on the environment. It has been observed globally since about the middle of the 20th century and is considered a key indicator of the beginning of the Anthropocene epoch – The current geological epoch dominated by human activity.

„Analyses of floristic data from 302 European summitoin goThe rs of the last 145 years have shown that changes in species richness in the highest parts of the gor are consistent with the trajectory of other changes typical of the Great Acceleration. Wspohe rate of increase in the species richness of plants on the tops of gor is much higher than in the decade beginning the Anthropocene (1957-1966)” – reads the website of the Bialowieza Geobotanical Station of the UW Biology Department.

Global climate change, botanists say, has caused plants normally found in lower-lying areas to now be able to inhabit gors peakow. Plants from age can fall victim to this state of affairsow occurring only in the higher parts of the gor. This is because they have adapted to the extreme conditions of theoin temperature with strong sunlight and fairly krotkim the growing season. However, they are not adapted to compete for resources with other species.

Amongod speciesoin endangered are m.in. castoThe spreading vine or the spotted, celadon or grape rockeries – ktore roAlso outside the Tatra Mountains are rare species.

Scientists poroThey related their findings to studies conducted between 1957 and 1966. It turns out that at that time on gorish peaks appeared on average 1.1 previously unknown species there per 10 years. Currently, it is an average of 5.5 new speciesow plants.