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Can flowers affect land surface albedo and soil microclimates?
Amy M Iler1,2,3,4, A Sarah Walwema5,6, Heidi Steltzer5,7
1Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. ailer@chicagobotanic.org.
International Journal of Biometeorology
|June 12, 2021
Summary
Flowers significantly impact soil microclimate by altering land surface albedo. Removing yellow flowers led to warmer, drier soils and reduced light reflection, highlighting flowers' role in climate regulation.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Science
- Plant Biology
Background:
- Vegetation phenology, such as leaf-out and senescence, influences Earth's climate at various scales.
- The impact of flowers on climate and microclimate remains largely unexplored.
- Subalpine meadows are sensitive ecosystems where floral changes can have measurable effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of flowers on land surface albedo and soil microclimate in a subalpine meadow.
- To test hypotheses regarding changes in reflectance, soil temperature, moisture, and plant water stress following flower removal.
- To understand the role of floral phenology in mediating climate change impacts on vegetation.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a 3-year flower removal experiment using Helianthella quinquenervis in a subalpine meadow.
- Simulated earlier flowering and frost events under climate change scenarios by removing flowers.
- Measured land surface reflectance, soil temperature, soil moisture, and plant water use efficiency.
Main Results:
- Flower removal resulted in greener plots with lower light reflectance.
- Soil temperatures increased by up to 1.2 °C during peak daylight hours in removal plots.
- Soil moisture decreased by approximately 1% in removal plots, with warming effects more pronounced in years with high flower abundance.
Conclusions:
- Flowers exert a previously undocumented influence on soil microclimate, mediated by flowering phenology and climate change.
- Changes in floral cover can alter land surface albedo, impacting local and potentially regional climate.
- Understanding floral impacts on albedo is crucial for improving models of vegetation-climate interactions, especially concerning anthropogenic changes like climate change, plant invasions, and agriculture.
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