Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 53 CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE MOUNTAIN WILDFLOWER SCAPE MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO A HIKER IN 2046? e safest answer to this question is "much the same as it does today." ere are many variables that could affect this habitat, and I would more likely be wrong if I chose any other answer. However, there are some clear trends that will have some impacts. e most obvious of these is that there are more people moving into the western part of the state and more people using the back- country for recreation. e greater access and heavier use of the mountains means greater soil com- paction and a shift to species that do better in disturbed habitats (such as dandelions and thistle). If the average temperature does increase, the big question is whether there will be an increase or decrease in annual precipitation. If rainfall increases, the forests may spread and many herbaceous and woody species to the south and west of the state may find acceptable habitats in Montana. Presumably, we will still have a dry season, and depending on the extent of this season, fires may be- come more intense due to the greater biomass. If annual precipitation stays the same or diminishes as the climate warms, many of the mountain wildflowers will be replaced by more drought-tolerant species, particularly grasses but also sagebrush and other composites prevalent in the drier regions of the Great Basin. WHAT PLACE DO WILDFLOWERS HAVE IN THE ECOSYSTEM, AND HOW WOULD THE ECOSYSTEM AND WILD- LIFE BE IMPACTED BY RADICAL CHANGE OR LOSS OF INDIGENOUS PLANTS AND WILDFLOWERS? Wildflowers, like other plants, serve the ecological role of a primary producer, converting energy from sunlight to carbohydrates and other organic compounds. Many wildflowers are direct food sources for insects, birds, and mammals living in or passing through the mountains. In addition, wildflowers are typically herbaceous annuals or perennials and as such perform a critical role in forming a ground cover as the snow melts and contributing to the development of the soil. Certain wildflowers can also play more specialized ecological roles. Perhaps the best example is the nitrogen fixing capability of legumes (members of the pea family). Lupines, clovers, and other members of this family obtain much of the nitrogen they need from nitrogen gas in the atmosphere. Most other plants cannot obtain their nitrogen from the atmosphere but thrive on the soil nitrogen (nitrates) the legumes leave behind. us, species in the pea family are common members of the alpine plant community where soils are young and low in nitrates. Species in every ecosystem have complex interactions, so any major change in the wildflowers present will also alter what animals are present (particularly birds and insects). e change may also modify the water purifying ability of the habitat, as well as erosion potential and soil-building capa- bility, but these effects are harder to predict. INTERVIEW WITH NORMAN WEEDEN PROFESSOR OF PLANT GENETICS DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCES AND PLANT PATHOLOGY, MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Norm Weeden received his Ph.D (in Genetics) at University of California, Davis. He authored A Sierra Nevada Flora and then spent 18 years at Cornell focusing primarily on plant genetics. In 1999, after their two sons fledged, he and his wife, Cathy, moved to Bozeman where he joined the faculty at Montana State University in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology where he's been for 16 years. He is now focusing on peas and apples. He and a colleague have just published A Guide to the Yellow-Flowered Composites of Montana. SOLAR FOR LIFE THE CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTION FOR HOME & BUSINESS Harness energy from the sun to reduce and stabilize your energy costs for decades at prices less than you currently pay. • Offset up to 100% of annual electrical consumption by net-metering solar electricity back to the grid • Become energy self-sufficient by adding batteries and buffering yourself from grid instability or the high cost of running grid power to remote locations • Let the sun power your commute by using solar energy to offset the energy used by your electric vehicle • Contribute to a more secure electrical grid in Montana by generating cost-effective, clean electricity in your community info@onsiteenergyinc.com | 406 551 6135 619 North Church Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715 CONTINUED

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