The RCAAE extends a big congratulations to Iris Hickman on the completion of her Masters, which investigated long-term vegetation dynamics of mountain summits in the Australian Alps. You can find Iris’ thesis along with other RCAAE theses on our Resources page

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Iris Hickman

Climate warming and altered disturbance regimes are expected to drive the spread of warm-adapted species into alpine ecosystems, threatening unique, endemic plants. While much of the evidence on plant distribution shifts comes from revisiting sites in the Northern Hemisphere, similar studies in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the Australian Alps, remain scarce.

My thesis investigates the long-term responses of alpine vegetation on summit areas in the Australian Alps over 18 years. By revisiting 14 alpine summits with permanent plots established in 2004 and 2012, my research tracks vegetation changes through resurveys in 2012, 2017, and 2022. The study focuses on the role of climate change, fires, and local microhabitats in shaping plant dynamics.

Key findings include:

• Longer growing seasons have increased the cover of shrubs and grasses.
• Fires in 2007 temporarily boosted the growth of forbs and grasses due to post-fire succession.
• Vegetation changes vary by elevation, with higher elevations seeing more pronounced shifts in plant composition.
• There is limited evidence of new species migrating upslope, suggesting some resistance to climate change.

While alpine ecosystems may show resilience in limiting novel species, ongoing threats like climate change, invasive species, and fire pose challenges for their future stability without urgent action.