Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden
Increased snow depth already observed, and that predicted for the future are of critical importance to many geophysical and biological processes as well as human activities. The future characteristics of sub-arctic landscapes where permafrost is particularly vulnerable will depend on complex interac...
Published in: | Environmental Research Letters |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 https://doaj.org/article/11c241da4c8d498f92595a5ee227ab5f |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:11c241da4c8d498f92595a5ee227ab5f 2023-09-05T13:11:10+02:00 Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden Margareta Johansson Terry V Callaghan Julia Bosiö H Jonas Åkerman Marcin Jackowicz-Korczynski Torben R Christensen 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 https://doaj.org/article/11c241da4c8d498f92595a5ee227ab5f EN eng IOP Publishing https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 https://doaj.org/toc/1748-9326 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 1748-9326 https://doaj.org/article/11c241da4c8d498f92595a5ee227ab5f Environmental Research Letters, Vol 8, Iss 3, p 035025 (2013) snow manipulation sub-arctic permafrost active layer thickness vegetation changes Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 2023-08-13T00:37:28Z Increased snow depth already observed, and that predicted for the future are of critical importance to many geophysical and biological processes as well as human activities. The future characteristics of sub-arctic landscapes where permafrost is particularly vulnerable will depend on complex interactions between snow cover, vegetation and permafrost. An experimental manipulation was, therefore, set up on a lowland peat plateau with permafrost, in northernmost Sweden, to simulate projected future increases in winter precipitation and to study their effects on permafrost and vegetation. After seven years of treatment, statistically significant differences between manipulated and control plots were found in mean winter ground temperatures, which were 1.5 ° C higher in manipulated plots. During the winter, a difference in minimum temperatures of up to 9 ° C higher could be found in individual manipulated plots compared with control plots. Active layer thicknesses increased at the manipulated plots by almost 20% compared with the control plots and a mean surface subsidence of 24 cm was recorded in the manipulated plots compared to 5 cm in the control plots. The graminoid Eriophorum vaginatum has expanded in the manipulated plots and the vegetation remained green longer in the season. Article in Journal/Newspaper Active layer thickness Arctic Eriophorum Peat Peat plateau permafrost Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Environmental Research Letters 8 3 035025 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
snow manipulation sub-arctic permafrost active layer thickness vegetation changes Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 |
spellingShingle |
snow manipulation sub-arctic permafrost active layer thickness vegetation changes Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 Margareta Johansson Terry V Callaghan Julia Bosiö H Jonas Åkerman Marcin Jackowicz-Korczynski Torben R Christensen Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden |
topic_facet |
snow manipulation sub-arctic permafrost active layer thickness vegetation changes Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 |
description |
Increased snow depth already observed, and that predicted for the future are of critical importance to many geophysical and biological processes as well as human activities. The future characteristics of sub-arctic landscapes where permafrost is particularly vulnerable will depend on complex interactions between snow cover, vegetation and permafrost. An experimental manipulation was, therefore, set up on a lowland peat plateau with permafrost, in northernmost Sweden, to simulate projected future increases in winter precipitation and to study their effects on permafrost and vegetation. After seven years of treatment, statistically significant differences between manipulated and control plots were found in mean winter ground temperatures, which were 1.5 ° C higher in manipulated plots. During the winter, a difference in minimum temperatures of up to 9 ° C higher could be found in individual manipulated plots compared with control plots. Active layer thicknesses increased at the manipulated plots by almost 20% compared with the control plots and a mean surface subsidence of 24 cm was recorded in the manipulated plots compared to 5 cm in the control plots. The graminoid Eriophorum vaginatum has expanded in the manipulated plots and the vegetation remained green longer in the season. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Margareta Johansson Terry V Callaghan Julia Bosiö H Jonas Åkerman Marcin Jackowicz-Korczynski Torben R Christensen |
author_facet |
Margareta Johansson Terry V Callaghan Julia Bosiö H Jonas Åkerman Marcin Jackowicz-Korczynski Torben R Christensen |
author_sort |
Margareta Johansson |
title |
Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden |
title_short |
Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden |
title_full |
Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden |
title_fullStr |
Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden |
title_full_unstemmed |
Rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic Sweden |
title_sort |
rapid responses of permafrost and vegetation to experimentally increased snow cover in sub-arctic sweden |
publisher |
IOP Publishing |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 https://doaj.org/article/11c241da4c8d498f92595a5ee227ab5f |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Active layer thickness Arctic Eriophorum Peat Peat plateau permafrost |
genre_facet |
Active layer thickness Arctic Eriophorum Peat Peat plateau permafrost |
op_source |
Environmental Research Letters, Vol 8, Iss 3, p 035025 (2013) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 https://doaj.org/toc/1748-9326 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 1748-9326 https://doaj.org/article/11c241da4c8d498f92595a5ee227ab5f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035025 |
container_title |
Environmental Research Letters |
container_volume |
8 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
035025 |
_version_ |
1776198515451494400 |