Changes in the flora of Lobbia Alta, a peak of the Adamello-Presanella Alps (Trento, Italy) between 1935 and 2021

By

Prosser, Filippo
Bertolli, Alessio
Tomasi, Giulia

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-3-15

Original Publication

Italian botanist

Volume

15

Pages

9--20

Subjects

climate change , flora of Trentino , southeastern Alps , summit flora

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft 2016-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/italianbotanist.15.97630

 

Abstract

Global warming is causing an enrichment of summit flora worldwide. This article presents the case of a peak in the southeastern Alps (Lobbia Alta, 3,196 m a.s.l., Adamello, Trento, Italy), for which a complete list of tracheophytes dating back to 1935 was available. As this peak is well delimited by glaciers and vertical cliffs, it has been possible to faithfully repeat this floristic inventory. We made three surveys, in 1991, 2006 and 2021, exploring the whole area. It resulted that in 86 years the species present on this peak have tripled, increasing from 17 to 51, with an acceleration in recent years. The biological forms have increased from two to six. The average temperature and the nutritional indexes according to Ellenberg have increased as well. We found that as many as six species reach their elevation record in the Alps on the Lobbia Alta, suggesting that this area is particularly prone to species ascension. Particularly interesting is the discovery of a 35 cm-tall specimen of Larix decidua at 3,130 m a.s.l., which seems to be the elevational record of the species.