Establishing the first Canadian sites of the
Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments (GLORIA)
Arrowsmith
Kristina Swerhun
MSc. Candidate at the University of Victoria / Whistler Naturalists
Whistler
Introduction
The environmental condition of our planet is rapidly being altered due to a
combination of land-use changes, diminished air and water quality, and
climate warming. The pace of these changes is raising concern about
the distribution of plant and animal life. Alpine plant biodiversity is
expected to decline as a result of climate warming, with cold-adapted
species being driven out of their distribution range by warm-adapted
species.
The Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments
(GLORIA) is a worldwide observation network coordinated by the
University of Vienna. GLORIA is designed to monitor alpine peaks over
the long term (every 5 to 10 years) to assess climate-induced threats on
alpine biodiversity. To date, 47 multi-summit regions have been
installed in 23 countries. In the summer of 2006, GLORIA sites were
established in the Whistler and Arrowsmith regions.
Fig 3.
Fig 4.
Fig 5.
Fig 1.
Fig 6.
Fig 7.
Fig 8.
Methods
The GLORIA program focuses on recording changes in species richness
(number of species); species composition (loss or gain of individual
species); patterns of vegetation (changes in % cover); and soil
temperatures of microhabitats:
1. The Arrowsmith area (Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve) and the
Whistler area (Garibaldi Park) were chosen as GLORIA target regions.
Both fall within the region known as the Georgia Basin (CAN) - Puget
Sound (US), a watershed area bordered by mountains (fig 1).
2. Within each target region, four summits representing an altitudinal
gradient of vegetation patterns characteristic for the respective
mountain regions were selected (fig 2).
3. Nested permanent monitoring plots
were laid out on the top 10 vertical
metres of each summit (fig 3,4),
temperature dataloggers were installed
on major aspects (fig 5), and photos
were taken for documentation.
4. A vascular plant species list was
compiled; cover of specified variables
and frequency within the nested regions
of each summit were measured (fig 6).
5. Photos and data were archived at the
GLORIA coordination office (fig 7,8).
6. Baseline observations were analyzed to
investigate drivers of alpine biodiversity.
Fig 2.
Davidson’s
penstemon
Spotted saxifrage
(Plant photos by Bob Brett)
Conclusion
Results
Overall species diversity
A total of 103 individual
vascular plant species
were identified and
inventoried during the
establishment of the
eight GLORIA
monitoring sites (fig
9). The Whistler
region had a total of
68 species and the
Arrowsmith region had
75. Thirty-nine plant
species were common
to both regions. The
presence of all
species was ‘as
expected’. Common
species are shown
above right.
Spreading phlox
Summit
Elev (m)
Shari’s
Summit
1,450
Kristina’s Crag
Zone
#
represented species
Arrowsmith
Treeline
56
1,514
Treeline
54
Amber’s
Alpine
1,745
Treelinelower alpine
55
Peter’s Peak
1,800
Lower alpine
37
Whistler
Low
1,844
Treeline
30
Medium
2,118
Lower alpine
48
High
2,262
Alpine-nival
28
Spearhead
2,457
Alpine-nival
32
Fig 9.
We found that plots with larger areas and with more plant cover had
greater diversity (number of species). These findings are consistent
with other alpine research and tells us that the sites chosen are typical
alpine areas and suitable for long-term monitoring. After repeated
plant monitoring and with data from the temperature loggers, we will
be able to determine if a warming climate threatens alpine biodiversity
in southwest BC. With this kind of detailed information, scientists will
be able to develop a plan to limit predicted losses in alpine
biodiversity. The inclusion into an international network allows the
alpine regions studied in Canada to be compared to other mountain
regions around the world.
Committee members: Dan
Smith, Nancy Turner, Glen
Jamieson
Acknowledgements: Hans
Roemer, Peter Rothermel, Rick
& Libby Avis, Judith Holm, Barb
Baker, Shari Willmott, Amber
Paulson, Ben Tanasichuk,
Bob Brett, Adam Autio,
Whistler-Blackcomb