MOUNTAINS AT RISK.

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Presentation transcript:

MOUNTAINS AT RISK

Alpine areas: early warning indicators Organisms on edge of environmental tolerance Same processes as downstream forested and grassland ecosystems Less capacity! Less “buffering” Snow: moderates soil temperature, stores water and chemical, released at once

Environmental change in alpine - primarily “indirect:” climate, N deposition, stratospheric ozone degredation (↑UV) locally most immediate threat is N deposition William Bowman slide

GLOBAL PROBLEM: N DEPOSITION INCREASES

Regional Problem:Colorado ranks 3rd in U. S Regional Problem:Colorado ranks 3rd in U.S. population growth, with most of the increase in the Front Range urban corridor: source: William Travis CU Geography

NITROGEN CYCLE Plants are usually nitrogen limited Plants can only use inorganic nitrogen Nitrate (NO 3-) Ammonium (NH4) Lots of nitrogen around Air is mostly nitrogen Soils have lots of organic nitrogen However, hard to convert organic N to inorganic N. Thus, usually no nitrate in streams

Green Lake 4 Saddle Stream Albion NADP Site Como Creek

Green Lake 4: View southwest towards Arikaree Peak (4008 m) from the shore near the outlet in late September.

Niwot Ridge NADP collector after a large snow storm.

NIWOT RIDGE NADP

IS INCREASING N DEPOSITION CAUSING CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS? WHAT KIND OF CHANGES SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR? WHERE WILL WE SEE THOSE CHANGES FIRST? STREAMS ARE ONE PLACE TO LOOK

STREAM WATERS AT RISK Episodic acidification is occurring Low alkalinity associated with high nitrate Occurs on the rising limb of the hydrograph Release of nitrate in the form of an ionic pulse in snowmelt increases problem of nitrogen in rain and snow

Where in the alpine landscape is change most probable? Snow is an effective reservoir of atmospheric N inputs Moist meadows- elevated N inputs due to topographic location William Bowman slide

IONIC PULSE

IONIC PULSE: solute concentrations in meltwater greater than snowpack

SNOW ENHANCES POLLUTION Stores pollutants for 6-8 months Pollutants released in several weeks Pollutants released as an ionic pulse Concentrations in meltwater 5-10 greater than average concentrations in snowpack Snowmelt saturates subsurface, reducing infiltration Pollution pulse goes directly into streams

ALPINE AREAS AT RISK Current levels of nitrogen deposition in the Colorado Front Range are causing changes in stream water quality Nitrate values in streamwater may be a good indicator of ecosystem health Are there terrestrial changes caused by nitrogen deposition?

} 15N labeling experiment: + responder to N non responders William Bowman slide

Implications of differential N uptake by alpine vegetation: change in plant species composition ("weedy" native species)- may already be occurring change in ecosystem properties: > enhancement of N cycling (net N mineralization and nitrification) rates- loss of N from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems > greater climatic control (lower biological control) over variation in primary production William Bowman slide