Climate change threatens the survival of Australian alpine plants

Xinhua News Agency, Sydney, June 6 (Reporter Yalin Hao and Xinyu Li) A new study by the University of New South Wales in Australia found that Australia's native alpine plants are difficult to adapt to climate change and their survival may be threatened.

In the Kosciuszko National Park in southeastern New South Wales, the researchers selected 21 plants as the research objects, focusing on their changes in plant size, leaf thickness, and leaf shape over the past 100 years.

Researchers report that these plants grow in an ecosystem that is less resistant to climate change.

Researchers believe that in the past century, the temperature rise in the high mountain areas of Australia has been higher than average, and most of the native alpine plants involved in the study are “untouched”, reflecting that they may not be able to adapt to the environment of the high mountains.

The researchers also plan to study the response of alpine plants to long-lasting heat waves this summer to predict the impact of such weather on plants and the environment in the future.

Related research has been published in the scientific journal "Ecology and Evolution".