3. Arctic ecosystems

‘Arctic ecosystems’ highlights the treeless landscapes that fringe the Arctic Ocean, in which the diversity of plants is low, nutrient supply is limited, and soil depth is constrained by permafrost. The aim is to capture some of the key characteristics of the Arctic biome in the past and present. Ho...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dodds, Klaus, Woodward, Jamie
Format: Book Part
Language:unknown
Published: Oxford University Press 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780198819288.003.0003
Description
Summary:‘Arctic ecosystems’ highlights the treeless landscapes that fringe the Arctic Ocean, in which the diversity of plants is low, nutrient supply is limited, and soil depth is constrained by permafrost. The aim is to capture some of the key characteristics of the Arctic biome in the past and present. How do ecosystems function in the northern high latitudes? How have they responded to the recent environmental change? Arctic vegetation is grouped into twenty-one provinces based on various characteristics including relative uniformity of species and number of endemics. High fluctuation in animal populations is a key feature of the Arctic biome.