International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 277-285 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 277 Review Article Open Access White Blanket: The Ecological Importance of Snowpack Jing He , Jun Li Animal Science Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311900, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: lijun@cuixi.org International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.5 doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2025.15.0028 Received: 19 Sep., 2025 Accepted: 30 Oct., 2025 Published: 21 Nov., 2025 Copyright © 2025 He and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: He J., and Li J., 2025, White blanket: the ecological importance of snowpack, International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 15(6): 277-285 (doi: 10.5376/ijmec.2025.15.0028) Abstract This study systematically reviews the ecological significance of snow cover, analyzes the driving forces of snow cover changes and their ecosystem impacts, constructs a comprehensive framework from physical processes to ecological feedback, and puts forward policy recommendations for the management and protection of snow cover ecosystems in the context of climate warming. Research has found that as climate warming continues to advance, the thickness, duration and spatial distribution of snow cover are changing rapidly, triggering a series of ecological chain effects ranging from vegetation growth, animal overwintering strategies to microhabitat stability. Especially in cold-temperate coniferous forests, tundra and alpine ecosystems, snow cover acts as an "ecological buffer layer", which can regulate soil temperature, protect root systems, maintain permafrost dynamics, and influence spring flood peaks and river flow processes. Different ecosystems show differentiated responses to snow cover changes, but generally present trends such as earlier greening of vegetation, increased overwintering risks for animals, and more extreme hydrological processes. This research not only helps to deepen the understanding of the coupling mechanism between snow cover and ecosystems, but also provides a scientific basis for regional management, climate adaptation strategies and future prediction. Keywords Snow accumulation; Ecosystem; Water cycle; Global warming; Permafrost 1 Introduction Snow cover is widely distributed in the mid-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and major mountainous areas around the world. Its coverage varies with the change of seasons and is an important natural factor affecting global energy balance, water cycle and ecological processes. According to satellite products and long-term monitoring data, the snow cover area in the Northern Hemisphere can reach approximately 46 million square kilometers in winter, while it significantly decreases in summer (Niittynen et al., 2018). This remarkable spatiotemporal dynamics makes snow cover an important interface connecting the atmosphere, soil, hydrology and biological communities. The thickness, duration and physical structure of snow cover profoundly affect surface albedo, temperature gradient under snow, biological activity rhythm and seasonal variation of permafrost (Von Oppen et al., 2022). In cold-temperate zones, coniferous forests, tundra and alpine ecosystems, snow cover is not only a passive climate product but also a key "regulator" affecting the stability of the ecosystem. For instance, in northern coniferous forests, the insulating effect of snow accumulation can significantly mitigate the impact of extreme winter temperatures on root systems and soil microorganisms. In the tundra system, snow cover thickness determines vegetation phenology, ground temperature gradient and freeze-thaw cycle, and has a continuous impact on vegetation renewal and carbon cycle (Voiskova et al., 2019). Furthermore, the water resources of alpine ecosystems mainly come from snowmelt, and the melting rhythm determines the recharge process of downstream rivers, the water level of wetlands, and the production activities in agricultural and pastoral areas. Therefore, the significance of snow cover far exceeds its surface coverage effect; instead, it is deeply embedded in every aspect of the ecosystem's operation. With the acceleration of global warming, snow cover changes have become a cutting-edge topic in international climate and ecological research. A large number of studies have shown that in the past few decades, the spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has shown a significant decreasing trend, the duration of snow cover has shortened, the snow water equivalent has decreased, and the frequency of warm winter events has increased
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