Phenology, the Seasonal Appearance of Plant
Species, and Nitrogen-Fixing Microbes at the
GLORIA Site in Southwestern Montana, USA
Martha Apple, John Warden, Josh Prince, Sergio Morales,
Tyler Pullman, Charlie Apple, and James Gallagher
GLORIA (Global Research Initiative in Alpine Environments)
www.gloria.ac.at
Questions:
1. Can individual species be detected throughout the
growing season?
2. If GLORIA sites are surveyed at different times
in the growing season, are different plants observed?
3. Do lichens at the GLORIA site have nitrogen-fixing
Cyanobacteria as their phycobiont, and, do the legumes
have nodules with N-fixing bacteria?
4. Which functional groups of microbes are found in
cryptogamic crusts near the SW Montana GLORIA site?
SITE:
• The Southwestern Montana, USA, GLORIA Site, US-PIO, is
east of the North American Continental Divide:
• On Mt. Fleecer, 2873 m (9425 ft.), (45°49’36”N, 112°48’08”W)
between the Pintlar and the Pioneer Mountains,
• On Mt. Keokirk, 2987.3 m (9801 ft.), 45°35’37” N, 112°57’03”
W, south of Mt. Fleecer in the Pioneer Mountains.
METHODS:
We collected a series of photographs at the three Mt. Fleecer subsummits at the corners of 3m2 grids placed 5m below the high
summit points at N, S, E, and W
Between the latest (July 3) and earliest (August 30) snows:
• Fleecer Treeline and Lower Alpine - July 9-12, Aug. 3 & 28
• Fleecer Upper Alpine - July 23, Aug. 22
We then compared the photographs for differences in species
presence, flowering, fruiting, and seed production, and also
noted new species not found during the baseline survey.
We also collected and examined:
The legumes, (Lupinus sp.) and Oxytropis campestris, for root
nodules with N-fixing bacteria,
Lichens and Cryptogamic crust for N-fixing Cyanobacteria
Fleecer Treeline, South 11:July 9, August 3, August 28 2010
FTLS117910
FTLS118310
FTLS1182810
Fleecer Treeline South, July 9, 2010
Fleecer Treeline South,
August 3 2010
Fleecer Treeline
South 8-28-10
Mt. Fleecer
Lower Alpine
Fleecer Lower Alpine, East, July 12, 2010
Fleecer Lower Alpine, East, August 3, 2010
Fleecer Lower Alpine, East, August 28 2010
Fleecer Upper Alpine, August 22, 2010
Fleecer Upper Alpine, South, July 23 2010
Fleecer Upper Alpine, South, August 22 2010
New Species Found in 2010 at the Mt. Fleecer Treeline Sub-summit
In July:
Ranunculus glabberimus, Ranunculaceae
Claytonia lanceolata, Portulacaceae
Heucheria cylindrica, Saxifragaceae
Cryptantha sp., Boraginaceae (only one in bloom).
In August:
Woodsia scopulina, Dryopteridaceae, a cliff fern
Gentiana calycosa, Gentianaceae
Gentiana amarella, Gentianaceae
Solidago multiradiata, Asteraceae
Agoseris glauca, Asteraceae
Campanula rotundifolia, Campanulaceae
Boletus sp., Boletaceae
Key Points on Phenology and Species Appearance:
• Structural and life history differences among species play an
important role in when they are visible.
• All of the new species were found at Treeline
• Greatest and fastest change in species presence at Treeline.
• By late August, flowering still in progress at Treeline but mostly
completed at Lower and Upper Alpine.
• Little change in species during the summer at Upper Alpine.
• Grazing in late August at Lower Alpine (mountain goat, elk, and
the hay-gathering pika) and probably a bear digging and turning
rocks at Treeline.
Some species can be detected throughout the growing season, while
others are visible for only part of the season. Some species are more
visible at certain times, but can still be detected earlier or later
because their new and/or remnant leaves, stalks, or seeds are visible.
Examples:
Dodecatheon pulchellum absent by late August, even though it is
abundant and showy in early summer bloom and mid-summer fruiting.
Phlox sp. visible throughout summer, leaves from previous year(s) remain
visible although Phlox seeds are unobvious.
Gentiana sp. only apparent in August but then very showy.
Grass and Carex sp. leaves and stems visible long before and after
flowering.
Cassiope mertensiana and other woody shrubs are always visible.
Of the 42 vascular plant species found at Mt. Fleecer in 2008, all
but 4 were found in 2010. Of the remaining 38 (which include 2
trees, 3 shrubs, 1 Lycopod, and 32 herbaceous angiosperms):
5 were only visible on specific dates in 2010:
3 only in early season – Dodecatheon pulchellum, Lewisia
pygmaea, Dryas octopetela
1 only in mid-season – Arabis drummondii
1 only in mid-to-late season – Erigeron simplex
Of the 8 new vascular plant species found in 2010,
3 were visible on all dates (Heucheria cylindrica, Woodsia
scopulinum, Solidago multiradiata)
3 were only visible early (Claytonia lanceolata, Cryptantha sp.,
Ranunculus glabberimus,
2 were only visible later (Gentiana calycosa, Gentiana amarella).
Fine-Scale Phenology and Photographs:
Are Useful in Comparisons of:
Summers
Perennials, annuals, biennials,
Length of time from:
Leaf emergence to flowering,
Flowering to seed production
Seed production to seed dispersal
Appearance of early or late species
Availability of flowers to pollinators
In mountain regions with short summers, even a few weeks can
result in changes in presence and phenological phases of
plant species.
Nitrogen-Fixing Microbes
The Search for Nitrogen-Fixing Microbes:
Root nodules with N-fixing bacteria present in Lupinus sp., not yet
observed in Oxytropis campestris.
The lichens had Chlorophyta, green algae, but not N-fixing Cyanobacteria.
The search continues for Cyanobacteria in cryptogamic crusts.
Microbes can be sensitive biomarkers of climate
change in alpine environments We plan to assess temporal and spatial changes in
microbial communities by measuring bacterial
abundance and key enzymatic gene expression for a
suite of nitrogen and carbon cycle related genes in
cryptogamic crusts on Mt. Fleecer.
Schematic
of
major
nitrogen
transformation steps in soils and
microbial genes involved in them.
Dashed lines=Biological incorporation,
Solid
lines=transformations.
Boxes=specific genes involved in step
and targeted by our study.