Last modified on Fri 29 Jan 2021 00.17 EST
Alpine flowers could go extinct after glaciers disappear as more competitive species colonise terrain higher up the mountain, new research has warned.
Glaciers are retreating at historically unprecedented rates, exposing new land for plants to grow, which benefits delicate alpine species in the short term. However, these early pioneers – some of which are endemic – soon become endangered as more aggressive species take over, driving them out of their remaining habitat and decreasing overall biodiversity, according to the paper published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
Purple saxifrage is among the alpine plants facing extinction as melting glaciers force them higher. Photograph: Trevor Dines/Plantlife