Adaption of Alpine Plant Species in Val Müstair,
Switzerland
Authors:
Anna Townsend, The International School of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
Julia Eriksson, Vägga gymnasieskola, Karlshamn, Sweden.
Nora Willmaring, Gymnasium Bersenbrück, Bersenbrück, Germany.
Tutor:
Claudia Baumberger
Valchava, Switzerland 2015-06-26
1. Abstract
Our preference in alpine plant species made us interested in special adaptations of plants at
different altitudes. We collected data in Val Müstair at different altitudes using a square meter
to determine the percentage of special features the vegetation had. After analysing the results
we concluded that there was a sure difference in vegetation height. Vegetation at higher
altitudes were shorter than at lower altitudes. The percentage of vegetation that had a special
alpine feature increased as altitude increased however we found that cushions, waxy or
leathery leaves and succulent plants were most dominant at the highest altitude compared to
no special features at the lowest altitude.
2. Introduction
There are many adaptations to alpine plant species that allow them to thrive at high altitudes.
We were interested in investigating which adaptations the species express at different
altitudes. Due to the many adaptations, we chose to observe only several of the features
including the height, the hairiness, waxy or leather coating, cushions, rosettes and any
succulent species which will be further explained in the method. We asked ourselves the
research question below in order to investigate these specific alpine features.
Research Question: How have alpine plant species adapted to different altitudes?
Hypothesis:
● Plants are taller in the lower regions than in the higher regions.
● The plant species in the higher regions will be more hairy, have a waxy or a leather
coating and have rolled or folded leaves. There will be more rosettes, cushions and
succulent plants in the higher regions.
3. Material and methods
We explored areas along the Val Müstair in the Canton of Grisons: Sta. Maria, Valchava,
Buffalora and Alp Mots, Switzerland. We decided to choose patches at different altitudes. The
patches were chosen by chance. To define the plots (relevées) we needed a string (4 meters)
and 4 pins. An area of 1 m2 was created with this material. The compass function of an
iPhone 4s was used to find the coordinates of the plots. The altitude was determined with a
map of the region and by inserting the coordinates in www.gpsvisualizer.com. The exposition
of the patch was also approximated. Firstly, we determined the geology of the area
(Verrucano, Dolomite or Limestone; common rock types in Val Müstair). Verrucano contains
quartz which gives it its shiny characteristic, therefore, easier to distinguish. To determine
between Dolomite and Limestone, a piece was tested with hydrochloric acid. If there was a
reaction when the acid got in contact at room temperature with the stone it is limestone. If there
was no reaction it is dolomite. We tested on a stone inside the patch or the stone closest to it.
The average height was estimated. Then we estimated the percent coverage of rock,
stone/scree, bare soil and vegetation in percent.
The vegetation is divided in the following categories: Draw shrubs, Herbs, Grass and
Lichen/Moss. We focused on plants and their typical alpine adaptations. We focused on the
Following features and noted the proportion of their occurrence in the total patch (Landolt and
Urbanska, 2003):
Cushions: A form of nanism. Dwarf plants are protected from water evaporation since the
wind velocity is lower close to the ground. By growing close to the soil the heat of it is used
most efficiently. Nanism is also a protection against low night temperatures. Cushion plants
are low and formed in a compact, dense structure. The plants are able to absorb a lot of
water and store it. In this way they are similar to the mosses. For example: Silene acaulis,
Dryas octopetala, Carex firma.
Rosettes: The leaves are only on the ground, usually forming a flat circle around the stem. In
this way, the most sensitive parts of the plant are protected from extreme temperature
changes. For example: Primula farinosa.
Dense hairiness: Hairiness, especially on the leaf underside, reduces evaporation.
Furthermore, the hairs protect against solar radiation. For example: Antennaria dioica, Dryas
octopetala.
Wax coating/Leathery leaves: Protects the plant from water evaporation. It also
helps reflecting UV-light (Osnas, L. D. J, 2015). For example: Gentiana clusii,
Polygonum viviparum, Globularia nudicaulis.
Rolled/Folded leaves: Allows less exposure to sunlight which reduces water evaporation,
conserving the water. For example: Nardus stricta.
Succulence: Succulence means that the plant has thick, curved leaves functioning as a water
storage. Succulence in alpine plants is rare but can be observed in species growing on cliffs
and scree slopes. For example: Sedum atratum.
One plant can show more than one feature, therefore the patch may have more than 100% of
the features.
To answer the research question we compared the percentage of each feature written above
at 17 different altitudes. The results are presented below.
Figure 1: Map of all the relevée sites in Val Müstair (see Appendix for relevée details).
4. Results
Below are graphs summarizing the raw data we collected in the field.
Figure 2: Average height of vegetation.
The height of vegetation was tallest in the 6 lowest altitudes and shortest at higher altitudes.
Figure 3: Percentage of surface cover.
On relevée 1 to 6 and 8 the surface type was 100% vegetation. More surface types
appeared in relevées at higher altitudes.
Figure 4: Cover of vegetation type.
Relevées between 1 to 6 and 8 were dominated by herbs and grass. More cover of draw shrub
and lichen/moss were found in the higher relevées (7 and 9 upwards).
Figure 5: Special features of Alpine species.
This graph shows the special features at different altitudes. Lower relevées had no to few
different special features such as relevée 1, 2 and 3 whereas the higher relevées four or more
different special features such as relevées 9 to 17.
5. Discussion
After collecting data in the field we came to a number of conclusions. Figure 2 shows that the
average height of vegetation changes between relevées. For example, between relevée 6 and
relevée 7 there is a 42cm difference. This is due to the altitude difference. Relevée number 6
(1607 m a s l) was about 400m lower than relevée number 7 (1982 m a s l).
At higher altitudes there is a greater variety of surface cover. Between relevée 1 and 6 there
was 100% vegetation, whereas relevées 7 to 17, with the exception of relevee 8, had more than
one surface type including rocks, stone/scree and bare soil. Figure 3 shows that the square
meters contained lower percentage of vegetation and more of the other surface types at higher
altitudes. It is possible that the temperature, the wind and other non biotic factors caused this,
because the plants have to be well adapted to the surrounding and not all of the plants are
adapted to the high altitudes.
Figure 4 shows that lichen/moss was seen more frequently at higher altitudes with an
anomaly of relevée number 8. This is because lichen/moss grows close to the ground, making
them better adapted to higher altitudes. Furthermore, mosses are able to absorb and store
water. Figure 4 also shows that the cover of grass is reduced in the highest altitudes.
Herbs and grasses were dominant in the 6 lowest relevées due to an altitude difference. We
only found draw shrubs in relevée 11. There were draw shrubs in the other areas as well but
due to the “by chance” method they were not in the patches.
Figure 5 shows that on higher altitudes the feature of cushions and waxy coated or leather
leaves gets more frequent. From this we assume that species with waxy coating or leather
leaves are more likely to survive and thrive at higher altitudes. Cushions were found in relevée
11, 12, 13, 16 and 17. Cushions, for example Silene acaulis, were expected in these higher
regions as there is more wind that increases evaporation. Their compact structure prevents
them from evaporation.. The lower relevées had few to no special features. For example,
relevée 1 had no species alpine adaptations. Alpine succulent species, for example,
Sedum atratum, were only found at the two highest altitudes. Succulence is most likely an
efficient way to reduce evaporation by storing water.
Our results support our first hypothesis: Plants are taller in the lower regions than in
the higher regions. Our results present a clear difference in height between the vegetation
from the lowest relevée and highest relevée. Our second hypothesis is: The plant species in the
higher regions will have more special alpine features such as dense-hairiness, a waxy or leather
coating and rolled or folded leaves. There will be found more rosettes, cushions and succulent
plants in the higher regions. Special features of the species in the higher altitudes did become
more frequent, however it was different from what we originally expected. Not all adaptations
were found at the highest points. This could be due to the patch we chose to collect the data,
in which there were more rock and stones and less vegetation to analyze. If we had chosen a
patch with more vegetation, perhaps the result would be different. Another possible reason is
that some alpine adaptations are only found at some altitudes.
Further studies could be improved by choosing more relevées, for example, such as, Fuldera
and Tschierv, between Buffalora and Valchava, one could also look at more special alpine
species adaptations, such as, exploring the root system of plants at different altitudes.
Additionally one could go into further detail about the hairs on the plants by measuring the
average hair length and note every species in the patch and compare the species found in each
relevée. Finally, a significant improvement could be to collect data in more than one patch at
each altitude.
6. Acknowledgements
We would like to thank:
Schweizer Jugend forscht
Stiftung Jugend forscht e.V.
Ernst A.C. Lange-Stiftung
Förbundet Unga Forskare
Proscientia and the Norwegian Research Council
We thank Romana and Simon in the kitchen and Werner Braun, the owner of Chasa
Muntanella, Valchava.
Our Guides:
Beat Schlüchter
Hans Schmocker
Salome Steiner
And a special thanks to our guide and tutor:
Claudia Baumberger
7. References
"Find "Missing" Elevations with GPS Visualizer." GPS Visualizer: Assign Elevation Data to
Coordinates. Web. 25 June 2015. <http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation>.
Landolt E., Urbanska KM. (2003). Our Alpine Flora. (2nd Edition). SAC
Publications, Zurich.
Lauber K., Wagner G. (2009). Flora Helvetica. (4th Edition). Haupt, Bern.
Osnas, L. D. J. "The Most Interesting Layer of Wax in the World." The Botanist in the Kitchen.
Web. 22 June 2015.
<https://botanistinthekitchen.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/the-most-interesting-layer-of-wax-in-t
e-world/>.
Front page photo: Julia Eriksson
8. Appendix
Table 1: Raw data we collected during our investigation.
Pictures from our field work in Val Müstair, Switzerland.
Polygonum bistorta
Photo: Julia Eriksson
Photo: Julia Eriksson
Photo: Claudia Baumberger
Dense hairiness (Hieracium sp.)
Photo: Nora Willmaring
Waxy coated leaves (Globularia nudicaulis)
Photo: Nora Willmaring
Cushion (Silene acaulis)
Photo: Nora Willmaring