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Wind distortion in alpine and subantarctic plants is constant among life forms but dose not necessarily reflect prevailing wind direction
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 13:27 authored by Fitzgerald, NB, James KirkpatrickJames KirkpatrickWoody plants in windy environments have been used as indicators of prevailing wind direction, because wind can influence plant growth form. We investigated whether non-woody plants also display consistent prevailing wind deformation by observing the direction of asymmetry in growth form of cushion plants, graminoids, and prostrate shrubs growing in highly wind-exposed treeless environments in alpine Tasmania and subantarctic Macquarie Island. Wind distortion of individual plants was inferred from vertical photographs of feldmark and alpine heath vegetation. High correspondence in growth direction between plants of different types suggests a uniform wind influence on plants at the local scale (within <2 m). Dominant wind direction inferred from plant distortion was not consistent with the strongest and most frequent winds. On a relatively dry mountain with shallow soils the plants responded to strong northwest winds in an apparent desiccation response. Elsewhere, they responded to strong southwest winds in an apparent ice abrasion response. We conclude that, in maritime alpine and subantarctic environments, the direction of wind distortion can be measured using any of shrubs, graminoids, or cushion plants, but that this direction is not necessarily a response to the prevailing strongest winds, but rather winds that most damage foliage, the cause of damage varying with environmental context.
History
Publication title
Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine ResearchVolume
49Issue
4Pagination
521-535ISSN
1523-0430Department/School
School of Geography, Planning and Spatial SciencesPublisher
Inst Arctic Alpine ResPlace of publication
Univ Colorado, Boulder, USA, Co, 80309Rights statement
Copyright 2017 Regents of the University of ColoradoRepository Status
- Restricted