Scotland's frail populations of rare arctic-alpine plant and
animal species, including the Arctic bearberry, the dotterel and
mountain hare are at risk from over-grazing, airborne pollution and
climate change, a new book warns. In Alpine Biodiversity in
Europe, the first ever Europe-wide book on alpine wildlife and
environmental change, scientists note that species which reach
their southern distribution in Scotland, are particularly
vulnerable to temperature rises associated with climate
change.
Alpine Biodiversity
in Europe includes research from scientists at Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH), alongside Europe's leading researchers and
conservationists for mountains and tundra. It is the first time
Scotland's alpine mountain zone has been recorded within the
context of the wider European alpine environment. The book, which
is launched this week at the annual conference of the British
Ecological Society in Manchester, examines the state of alpine
species throughout Europe, including animals such as reindeer,
lemmings, and many species of spider and butterfly.
Professor Des Thompson, one of the book's editors and authors,
and principal uplands advisor with Scottish Natural Heritage
said:
"There is a very fine line between success and failure for
wildlife in Europe's mountains. Some of the plants and animals are
so finely adapted that small changes in climate or human influence
can tilt the balance towards local or even national extinction of
species. This new publication points out the potential threats to
alpine species throughout Europe and we hope that it will help to
influence policy to protect this vulnerable wildlife. We welcome
this distillation of a massive amount of research."
Scotland's highest mountains are at the very edge of the
alpine zone and are therefore
important in terms of
the geographical range of species it covers. However, its
relatively mild, wet climate makes it particularly sensitive to
climate change and in this sense the country is an important beacon
for changes across mountainous Europe. Species on the southern edge
of their range, including birds like the dotterel, ptarmigan and
snow bunting, as well as plants such as Scottish scurvy grass, are
particularly vulnerable. These species already have fragmented
distributions, often due to loss of habitat, and are hampered by a
limited ability to move and adapt to new environments.
The painstaking work by the authors has involved some unique
research and collaboration. Using temperature sensors (no larger
than a 50p coin) buried in the soil at 250 metres above the
treeline, high in the mountains, the researchers have made
simultaneous climatic observations throughout much of Europe.
Professors Christian Körner and Georg Grabbher, also
co-editors of the book, have since embarked on drawing together
comparable data from the world's other mountain regions (Global
Mountain Biodiversity Assessment) and on a world-wide monitoring
programme to monitor climate change and its impacts (Global
Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments).
Dr Laszlo Nagy, one of the book's authors said:
"It has been a hugely rewarding undertaking to draw all
this work together. We are struck by the existence of outlying
alpine areas such as those in the British Isles or in the
Mediterranean."
Alpine areas in the British Isles are restricted mainly to the
Scottish Highlands, lying over 750 metres above sea level. The book
draws together taxonomic, ecological, historical, functional and
climatic studies to develop a European-wide understanding of
biodiversity at and above the climatic treeline. The comparisons
between current and long-term observations emphasise the historical
tradition of alpine biodiversity research in Europe.
Alpine Biodiversity in Europe,
Ecological Studies vol. 167 (Nagy L, Grabherr G, Körner C, and
Thompson DBA, eds) will be launched at the annual conference of the
British Ecological Society, held in Manchester Metropolitan
University between 9-11 September. It is published by Springer
Verlag, priced £105. Sample pages, full contents list and ordering
is available on-line:
http://www.springeronline.com/3-540-00108-5
A companion, illustrated 16-page booklet
Alpine
Biodiversity in Europe: an Introduction is published
by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Hard copies are
available, free of charge, from Sally Johnson, Scottish Natural
Heritage, 2 Anderson Place, Edinburgh EH6 5NP, 0131 446 2400
, or
available online.