Background
Due to climate warming, plant species are shifting their ranges, trying to track their climatic niches. This can for example be displayed by range expansions or upward shifts of plants from lower elevations. Changes in community composition are occurring with novel lowland species invading into the alpine ecosystem. The RangeX project is an upslope translocation field and lab experiment, aiming to understand range shifts in mountains across ecologically contrasting regions (Norway, Switzerland, South Africa and China). We want to investigate the establishment, growth and reproduction of ten focal lowland species in novel climatic conditions with and without competition.
RangeX works at two field sites in Norway near Voss, one lowland and one montane grassland. In 2021, lowland plants have been transplanted beyond their current range limits to higher elevations. We have chosen species that vary in their functional traits but share similar habitat requirements. The goal of this experiment is to disentangle the two factors warming and competition by using open top chambers (OTCs) and a removal treatment of the native vegetation.
Opportunities for master students
- Germination experiment in the lab and / or in the field:
- How successful are lowland plants in establishing under different climatic conditions, with and without competitors/facilitators?
- Seedling measurements:
- Seedling growth traits
- Physiology measurements (thermotolerance, hydraulics, stomata density)
- Physiology measurements on adult plants after five years in the field:
- Thermotolerance, hydraulics, stomata density
- Native community:
- Vegetation analysis of native species
- How much of the total resources can lowland and native species exploit?
- Belowground:
- Root traits
- How much are lowland plant species investing into belowground biomass?
We have more detailed descriptions of some of the projects on the website, but if you have questions about the projects or other ideas, feel free to contact us!
Supervisors
Nadine Arzt, nadine.arzt@uib.no,
Sonya Geange, sonya.geange@uib.no
Vigdis Vandvik, vigdis.vandvik@uib.no