COLLECTION SITES
To better understand how plants adapt to photoperiod and respond to climate change, the project will sample and transfer vegetation swards from two environments with very different light conditions:
- Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard Islands (79°N) – An area in the heart of the Arctic Circle, where the midnight sun illuminates the sky from April to August and the polar night lasts for a long period.
- Pale di San Martino, Dolomites (Trentino) (2600m above sea level) – A typical Alpine environment with long but not extreme summer days and a winter characterized by more variable photoperiod conditions.
This experiment will allow direct observation of how plants react to different light and climate conditions, helping us understand their adaptation mechanisms. 🌿☀️
THE COMMON GARDEN: An Open-Air Laboratory for Studying Plant Adaptation
In order to closely observe how plants from such different environments respond to the same climatic conditions, the project will establish a common garden at the Bruno Peyronel Alpine Botanical Garden. Located at an altitude of 2,290 meters, it is the highest botanical garden in Europe and is managed by dedicated volunteers.
Here, during the summer of 2025, vegetation swards collected from both Svalbard and the Dolomites will be transplanted and studied together. This environment provides ideal conditions for Alpine flora and will allow researchers to assess the plants’ responses to the same conditions of light, temperature, and water availability, contributing to a better understanding of their adaptation mechanisms to climate change. 🌿🔬
Ny Alesund
Snowbed in Pale di San Martino (TN) – Dolomites
Bruno Peyronel Alpine Botanical Garden