The Role of Snow in the Ecology
of Seasonally Snow-Covered Ecosystems: A Review
H. Gerry Jones1
Snow ecology has a long history of studies on the mechanisms by which metabolic change and
specific snoworganism interaction can lead to adaptation to the cold and over-winter survival of
many plants and animals. However, the role of snow in the global nutrient dynamics and biological
productivity of terrestrial ecosystems has not, until recently, received the same degree of attention.
In this paper we will present an overall review of progress in the field by drawing on a variety of
recent studies that describe the physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of snow-
packs that allow essential processes of nutrient flow and change to continue in, and under, seasonal
snow covers. Particular attention will be paid to snow as a mediator of energy exchange between
the atmosphere, vegetative cover, and the subnivean environment and as a hydrologic and nutrient
reservoir of importance to both snow biology and to growth in the snow-free growing seasons. The
microbiological activity of snow-covered soils will be reviewed with particular reference to soil
respiration and the emissions of gases produced during the wintertime dynamics of nitrogen--the
overall limiting factor to terrestrial productivity. In addition, the life cycles of some true nival
organisms will be discussed and some possible food webs based on both these true snow organisms
and other active supra- and subnivean species will be presented in the light of recent work.
1
Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Universit du Qubec, CP 7500, 2700 Einstein Ste-Foy,
Qubec G1V 4C7, Canada
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