The unique Arctic-like tundra landscape of the Krkonoše Mountains in northern Czechia is gradually disappearing as rising temperatures allow shrubs, tall grasses and dwarf bushes to spread across the mountain ridges. The Krkonoše National Park administration is looking for ways to protect rare cold-adapted plants while respecting natural processes in one of the country’s most valuable and protected nature reserves.
Radek Drahný|Photo: Milan Baják, Czech Radio
The changes are increasingly visible on the slopes and summits, including Studniční hora, the second-highest peak in the Krkonoše range. Low alpine grasslands are giving way to expanding patches of dwarf mountain pine, heather and bilberry, which compete with distinctive flora adapted to the harsh mountain climate. Radek Drahný, spokesperson for the Krkonoše National Park administration, says this is perceived as big problem since the tundra represents one of the reserve’s rarest features.
Studniční hora|Photo: Magdalena Kašubová, Radio Prague International
“As the global climate changes, we can see on the Krkonoše ridges that the weather is no longer as extremely harsh and cold. This helps species that are already present here to spread fast, whereas they would normally be confined to a smaller area. If the Krkonoše tundra becomes overgrown, we will lose one of the mountains’ rarest natural phenomena.”
Conservationists say the pace and nature of the changes have become increasingly noticeable. Until recently, changes in vegetation were relatively slow. Researchers are now observing not only the expansion of existing dwarf mountain pine but also the emergence of new plants from seedlings in areas where they were previously absent.
David Krause, head of the park’s monitoring and conservation planning department, says that the spread of shrubs and dwarf vegetation into open mountain habitats is known internationally as shrubification .
“Shrubification – the spread of shrub-like vegetation – is a global phenomenon in colder regions, and the Krkonoše Mountains are no exception. This vegetation benefits from climate change. In the Krkonoše Mountains, bilberry is a good example: it is spreading across valuable alpine grasslands, effectively taking away the space other plants need to survive,” he explains.
Finding the right response presents a dilemma for conservationists. National parks are generally intended to allow natural processes to take their course. At the same time, the Krkonoše administration has a legal obligation to protect endangered and legally protected species from disappearing. Drahný says the issue requires detailed scientific discussion to determine how these competing priorities can be balanced.
“The Krkonoše Mountains are a laboratory for observing climate change because its effects are most pronounced in the colder regions of the world. The Arctic is a prime example, but the Krkonoše Mountains belong in this category too. A major advantage is that scientific research in the Krkonoše Mountains has been carried out for more than 100 years,” he says.
Krkonoše|Photo: Barbora Němcová, Radio Prague International
The problem was discussed at a recent meeting of Czech and Polish researchers held in Špindlerův Mlýn in late September. Over 160 participants assessed the effects of climate change on the natural environment of the Krkonoše Mountains and explored what conservation and management practices could be adapted. Their findings are expected to provide a basis for developing future strategies for both the Krkonoše National Park in Czechia and the Karkonosze National Park in Poland.