The alpine flora: Where do we go from here?

Joseph Kleinkopf, PhD Student

Biology
Mentor: Hannah Marx

Alpine plants survive at the elevational limits of life. Here, winters are cold and long, and extreme levels of UV radiation are unrelenting in the summer.

This habitat of extremes makes up only 2.9% of Earth’s surface but is home to nearly 4% of all plant species. Many of these species are at risk of extirpation or extinction as our climate continues to warm.

To better understand how alpine plants will respond to changes in our climate, it is important first to understand the processes underpinning the assembly of current alpine plant communities.

Historical and contemporary specimens housed at herbaria can provide insight into understanding the processes underlying alpine plant community assembly. Continued collection and collaboration will be vital to understanding spatial and temporal change in alpine plant communities.