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Resource allocation pattern under simulated environmental change and seedling establishment of alpine dwarf shrubs in a mid-latitude mountain

We set up 11 open-top chambers (OTCs) on a fell-field (1680 m a.s.l.) in the Taisetsu Mountains, northern Japan to assess responses to warming of circumpolar plants growing around their southern distribution margins. The OTCs increased the daily mean air-temperature by 1.7°C throughout the growing season. For five alpine species - two deciduous shrubs: Arctous alpinus and Vaccinium uliginosum and three evergreen shrubs: Ledum palustre subsp. decumbens, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, and Empetrum nigrum var. japonicum - effects of artificial warming on reproductive components were investigated during five (for flower production) or four (for fruit production) years. In addition, seedling establishments were compared among the three vegetation types and bare ground. Flower production in the OTCs was enhanced significantly in both deciduous species over that of control plots. In contrast, comparison to the control plots showed a significant decrease in flower production in the OTCs in two of the evergreen species. Fruit production of V. uliginosum and L. palustre was enhanced in the OTCs relative to the control plots. Both deciduous species allocated their resources to reproduction rather than to vegetative growth. Seedling establishment was very rare and was restricted on bare ground in this study site. We concluded that the difficulty of seedling establishment gives advantage to some species, which show active vegetative growth under global warming, to develop their vegetation cover.