Publications by authors named "Helen K Grant"
Glob Chang Biol
March 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how climate change factors, specifically reduced snow cover and shrub expansion, affect nutrient cycling in alpine grasslands, which are experiencing warming at twice the global average.
- The combination of these factors significantly disrupts the seasonal coupling of plant and soil microbial nitrogen cycling, leading to substantial decreases in plant nitrogen uptake and soil microbial biomass during critical seasonal periods.
- Overall, these disruptions hinder the ability of alpine ecosystems to retain nitrogen and maintain plant productivity, raising concerns for their resilience under ongoing climate change.
Article Synopsis
- Climate change is affecting mountain ecosystems by reducing winter snow cover, causing earlier spring snowmelt, and leading to shrub expansion in alpine areas.
- Research shows that changes in snow conditions impact soil microbial communities and function, with these effects lasting into summer.
- The expansion of ericaceous shrubs alters these impacts, enhancing certain soil microbes while reducing soil respiration and nitrogen availability, indicating that vegetation shifts can influence soil responses to climate change in alpine regions.
