Go or grow? Feedbacks between moving slopes and shifting plants in high mountain environments

Abstract

High mountains are climate change hotspots. Quickly rising temperatures trigger vegetation shifts such as upslope migration, possibly threatening mountain biodiversity. At the same time, mountain slopes are becoming increasingly unstable due to degrading permafrost and changing rain and snowfall regimes, which favour slope movements such as rockfall and debris flows. Slope movements can limit plant colonization, while, at the same time, plant colonization can stabilize moving slopes. Thus, we here propose that response of high mountain environments to climate change depends on a ‘biogeomorphic balance’ between slope movement intensity and the trait-dependent ability of mountain plants to survive and stabilize slopes. We envision three possible scenarios of biogeomorphic balance: (1) Intensifying slope movements limit vegetation shifts and thus amplify instability. (2) Shifting ecosystem engineer species reduce slope movement and facilitate shifts for less movement-adapted species. (3) Trees and tall shrubs shifting on stable slopes limit slope instability but decrease biodiversity. Previous geomorphic, ecological and palaeoecological studies support all three scenarios. Given differences in ecologic and geomorphic response rates to climate change, as well as high environmental heterogeneity and elevational gradients in mountain environments, we posit that future biogeomorphic balances will be variable and heterogeneous in time and space. To further unravel future biogeomorphic balances, we propose three new research directions for joint research of mountain geomorphologists and ecologists, using advancing field measurement, remote sensing and modelling techniques. Recognizing high mountains as ‘biogeomorphic ecosystems’ will help to better safeguard mountain infrastructure, lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world.