Global impacts of glacier retreat on ecosystem services provided by soil and vegetation in mountain Regions: A literature review

Abstract

Glacier retreat in mountain regions is driving profound ecological transformations with significant implications for biodiversity and socio-economic activities. However, the impacts of these ecological changes on ecosystem functioning and service provision remain poorly understood. This systematic literature review synthesises existing knowledge on the impacts of glacier retreat on ecosystem services provided by soil and vegetation in high-mountain regions worldwide. We identified 11 ecosystem services from 383 papers showing that the roles of plants and soil in providing ecosystem services shift over space and time as glaciers retreat. Regulating services, such as climate regulation and soil erosion mitigation, generally increased with glacier retreat, while supporting services, such as nutrient cycling, showed idiosyncratic responses that depended on the local context. Additionally, certain ecosystem services, such as the provision of biochemical and genetic resources, occurred only in areas near glacier fronts and have not been recorded elsewhere. These shifting patterns highlight potential trade-offs and win–win conditions in ecosystem service provision between vegetation and soil as well as within different plant communities. We conclude by emphasising the need for conservation and management strategies that account for both gains and losses of ecosystem services as well as for changes in biodiversity that sustain these services. Understanding the consequences of biodiversity change for ecosystem service dynamics is crucial for informing sustainability efforts and ensuring the resilience of high-mountain ecosystems in the face of ongoing glacier extinction.