Pathways for Ecological Change in Canadian High Arctic Wetlands Under Rapid Twentieth Century Warming
We use paleoecological techniques to investigate how Canadian High Arctic wetlands responded to a mid‐twentieth century increase in growing degree days. We observe an increase in wetness, moss diversity, and carbon accumulation in a polygon mire trough, likely related to ice wedge thaw. Contrastingl...
Published in: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2019
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/a7c754b7-f028-4efb-87f6-3e70bb5befb8 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082611 https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/179377149/2019GL082611.pdf |
Summary: | We use paleoecological techniques to investigate how Canadian High Arctic wetlands responded to a mid‐twentieth century increase in growing degree days. We observe an increase in wetness, moss diversity, and carbon accumulation in a polygon mire trough, likely related to ice wedge thaw. Contrastingly, the raised center of the polygon mire showed no clear response. Wet and dry indicator testate amoebae increased concomitantly in a valley fen, possibly relating to greater inundation from snowmelt followed by increasing evapotranspiration. This occurred alongside the appearance of generalist hummock mosses. A coastal fen underwent a shift from sedge to shrub dominance. The valley and coastal fens transitioned from minerogenic to organic‐rich wetlands prior to the growing degree days increase. A subsequent shift to moss dominance in the coastal fen may relate to intensive grazing from Arctic geese. Our findings highlight the complex response of Arctic wetlands to warming and have implications for understanding their future carbon sink potential |
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