A ‘scavenger hunt’ that could help preserve Rocky Mountain alpine plants » Yale Climate Connections

Transcript:

Emily Griffoul of Colorado’s Betty Ford Alpine Gardens scours the Rocky Mountains to find the unique plants that have evolved to survive the cold winds, bright sun, and heavy snow of this high-altitude environment.

Griffoul: “These alpine plants … they’re just spectacular both visually and from, like, an evolutionary perspective.”

For example, some have long roots that secure them in loose rocks or tiny hairs that protect them from wind.

Yet many alpine plants are in trouble. Climate change is warming their cold, mountaintop homes and allowing plants from lower elevations to move up and displace them.

So Griffoul and other scientists are collecting seeds from these alpine plants to preserve their genes and help ensure they do not go extinct.

Before doing so, however, she has to confirm there are enough of the plants in the wild that taking their seeds will not put the species at risk. This can be challenging, especially when the population is small.

So she uses historical data and photos from volunteers to identify where they might be found.

Griffoul: “And then once you get out there, it’s like the best scavenger hunt in the world.”

If she can find enough, she’ll collect their seeds – adding to the garden’s collection and helping protect alpine plants for decades to come.

Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media