Jing He , Jun Li

Animal Science Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311900, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol. 15, No. 6   
Received: 19 Sep., 2025    Accepted: 30 Oct., 2025    Published: 21 Nov., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This study systematically reviews the ecological significance of snow cover, analyzes the driving forces of snow cover changes and their ecosystem impacts, constructs a comprehensive framework from physical processes to ecological feedback, and puts forward policy recommendations for the management and protection of snow cover ecosystems in the context of climate warming. Research has found that as climate warming continues to advance, the thickness, duration and spatial distribution of snow cover are changing rapidly, triggering a series of ecological chain effects ranging from vegetation growth, animal overwintering strategies to microhabitat stability. Especially in cold-temperate coniferous forests, tundra and alpine ecosystems, snow cover acts as an "ecological buffer layer", which can regulate soil temperature, protect root systems, maintain permafrost dynamics, and influence spring flood peaks and river flow processes. Different ecosystems show differentiated responses to snow cover changes, but generally present trends such as earlier greening of vegetation, increased overwintering risks for animals, and more extreme hydrological processes. This research not only helps to deepen the understanding of the coupling mechanism between snow cover and ecosystems, but also provides a scientific basis for regional management, climate adaptation strategies and future prediction.

Snow accumulation; Ecosystem; Water cycle; Global warming; Permafrost