Counting marmots…
In a subalpine meadow at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gunnison County, CO USA, overhead radiators were used to simulate over 4 years the ecosystem warming expected from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Warming advanced snowmelt by a week or more, elevated midsummer soil temperatures by up to 6 degrees at midday, and reduced soil moisture by up to 25%. Soil microclimate response to heating varied considerably and explicably with season, time of day, and vegetation cover. Observed effects of heating on soil mesofaunal biomass and diversity, forb, graminoid, and shrub above-ground biomass, and net seasonal carbon balance are summarized and contrasted with their interannual variation and spatial variation along natural microclimate gradients. It is concluded that natural microclimate variations provide a poor surrogate for studying ecological effects of climate alteration.
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