Molecular Soil Biology 2024, Vol.15, No.3, 109-117 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/msb 116 9 Conclusion This study has highlighted the significant role of snow cover dynamics in influencing soil moisture and plant growth in temperate ecosystems. Key findings from the reviewed studies indicate that snow cover affects various ecological processes, including soil temperature, moisture availability, and nutrient cycling. For instance, deepened winter snow cover has been shown to enhance soil moisture during the early growing season, stabilize plant community composition, and increase root biomass in temperate grasslands. Conversely, reduced snow cover can lead to increased soil freeze-thaw cycles, adversely affecting root-microbe interactions and decreasing nitrification rates in northern hardwood forests. Additionally, snow cover changes can alter the timing of snowmelt, which in turn affects plant phenology and growth, as observed in alpine tundra ecosystems. The findings underscore the importance of considering snow cover dynamics in ecosystem management and conservation strategies. Enhanced snow accumulation can stabilize arid grassland systems by reducing resource competition and promoting coexistence between plant functional groups, thereby mitigating the impacts of chronic drought during the growing season. In contrast, reduced snow cover and the resulting soil freeze-thaw cycles can impair microbial metabolism and soil organic matter cycling, potentially affecting soil nutrient availability and plant-soil interactions in mountain grasslands. Therefore, adaptive management practices that account for changing snow cover patterns are crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability and function in the face of climate change. Snow cover plays a critical role in temperate ecosystems by regulating soil moisture, temperature, and nutrient dynamics, which in turn influence plant growth and ecosystem productivity. The reviewed studies collectively highlight the complex and multifaceted impacts of snow cover changes on ecological processes. As global climate change continues to alter snowfall patterns and snowmelt timing, understanding these dynamics becomes increasingly important for predicting and managing the future health and productivity of temperate ecosystems. Continued research and monitoring are essential to develop effective conservation strategies that can mitigate the adverse effects of changing snow cover on these vital ecosystems. Acknowledgments Our publisher greatly appreciates the professional opinions of the two peer reviewers. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Blankinship J., and Hart S., 2012, Consequences of manipulated snow cover on soil gaseous emission and N retention in the growing season: a meta-analysis, Ecosphere, 3: 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1890/ES11-00225.1 Blume-Werry G., Kreyling J., Laudon H., and Milbau A., 2016, Short-term climate change manipulation effects do not scale up to long-term legacies: effects of an absent snow cover on boreal forest plants, Journal of Ecology, 104(6): 1638-1648. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12636 Chen L., Chen Z., Jia G., Zhou J., Zhao J., and Zhang Z., 2020, Influences of forest cover on soil freeze-thaw dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions through the regulation of snow regimes: A comparison study of the farmland and forest plantation, The Science of the Total Environment, 726: 138403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138403 Chen S., Huang Y., and Wang G., 2019, Response of vegetation carbon uptake to snow-induced phenological and physiological changes across temperate China, The Science of the Total Environment, 692: 188-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.222 Christiansen C., Lafrenière M., Henry G., and Grogan P., 2018, Long-term deepened snow promotes tundra evergreen shrub growth and summertime ecosystem net CO2 gain but reduces soil carbon and nutrient pools., Global Change Biology, 24: 3508-3525. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14084. Darrouzet-Nardi A., Steltzer H., Sullivan P., Segal A., Koltz A., Livensperger C., Schimel J., and Weintraub M., 2019, Limited effects of early snowmelt on plants decomposers and soil nutrients in Arctic tundra soils., Ecology and Evolution, 9: 1820-1844. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4870
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