Joseph Zeno

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

Botany

Advisor(s)

Jacquelyn Gill

Committee Members

Daniel Hayes, José Meireles

Graduation Year

May 2025

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

Alpine plants of the Northeast are tundra relicts that depend on extreme mountaintop climates, which is thought to increase their vulnerability to climate change. And yet, alpine plants have persisted in small populations for millennia, but it remains unknown whether this is due to properties of the plants themselves or their microhabitats. In particular, variations in microclimate temperatures might affect alpine plant area coverage and traits related to plant form and photosynthesis, since microclimates are often influenced by topographic complexity across mountaintops. To address this knowledge gap, this study employs photogrammetry, GIS, microclimate data, and leaf spectral analysis to analyze the physiology and ecology components of the alpine specialist, Diapensia lapponica—a cushion plant that is an indicator species in Northeast alpine zones. Based on the results, it’s likely that D. lapponica area coverage and traits do vary according to topographic complexity, more specifically the aspect and complex conditions that influence the differences in traits between D. lapponicacommunities. Higher abundance of structural traits on Mt. Adams, versus higher abundance of nutrient levels on Mt. Mansfield, provides essential context into the differences in populations. The more information about alpine plant communities, the more it paves the way for proper management—and a world that understands the drivers of ecological change.

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