Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass?
1. Macrolichens are important for the functioning and biodiversity of cold northern ecosystems and their reindeer-based cultures and economies. 2. We hypothesized that, in climatically milder parts of the Arctic, where ecosystems have relatively dense plant canopies, climate warming and/or increased...
Published in: | Journal of Ecology |
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2001
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Online Access: | https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/9de23edf-c1c9-4b0e-9ad8-2a62a36050ff https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x http://://000172926100007 |
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ftumanchesterpub:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/9de23edf-c1c9-4b0e-9ad8-2a62a36050ff 2023-11-12T04:10:08+01:00 Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? Cornelissen, J. H C Callaghan, T. V. Alatalo, J. M. Michelsen, A. Graglia, E. Hartley, A. E. Hik, D. S. Hobbie, S. E. Press, M. C. Robinson, C. H. Henry, G. H R Shaver, G. R. Phoenix, G. K. Jones, D. Gwynn Jonasson, S. Chapin, F. S. Molau, U. Neill, C. Lee, J. A. Melillo, J. M. Sveinbjörnsson, B. Aerts, R. 2001 https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/9de23edf-c1c9-4b0e-9ad8-2a62a36050ff https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x http://://000172926100007 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Cornelissen , J H C , Callaghan , T V , Alatalo , J M , Michelsen , A , Graglia , E , Hartley , A E , Hik , D S , Hobbie , S E , Press , M C , Robinson , C H , Henry , G H R , Shaver , G R , Phoenix , G K , Jones , D G , Jonasson , S , Chapin , F S , Molau , U , Neill , C , Lee , J A , Melillo , J M , Sveinbjörnsson , B & Aerts , R 2001 , ' Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? ' , Journal of Ecology , vol. 89 , no. 6 , pp. 984-994 . https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x Arctic Ecosystem manipulation experiment Macrolichen Nutrient availability Vascular plant Warming article 2001 ftumanchesterpub https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x 2023-10-30T09:12:57Z 1. Macrolichens are important for the functioning and biodiversity of cold northern ecosystems and their reindeer-based cultures and economies. 2. We hypothesized that, in climatically milder parts of the Arctic, where ecosystems have relatively dense plant canopies, climate warming and/or increased nutrient availability leads to decline in macrolichen abundance as a function of increased abundance of vascular plants. In more open high-arctic or arctic-alpine plant communities such a relationship should be absent. To test this, we synthesized cross-continental arctic vegetation data from ecosystem manipulation experiments simulating mostly warming and increased nutrient availability, and compared these with similar data from natural environmental gradients. 3. Regressions between abundance or biomass of macrolichens and vascular plants were consistently negative across the subarctic and mid-arctic experimental studies. Such a pattern did not emerge in the coldest high-arctic or arctic-alpine sites. The slopes of the negative regressions increased across 10 sites as the climate became milder (as indicated by a simple climatic index) or the vegetation denser (greater site above-ground biomass). 4. Seven natural vegetation gradients in the lower-altitude sub- and mid-arctic zone confirmed the patterns seen in the experimental studies, showing consistent negative relationships between abundance of macrolichens and vascular plants. 5. We conclude that the data supported the hypothesis. Macrolichens in climatically milder arctic ecosystems may decline if and where global changes cause vascular plants to increase in abundance. 6. However, a refining of our findings is needed, for instance by integrating other abiotic and biotic effects such as reindeer grazing feedback on the balance between vascular plants and lichens. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Subarctic The University of Manchester: Research Explorer Arctic Journal of Ecology 89 6 984 994 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Manchester: Research Explorer |
op_collection_id |
ftumanchesterpub |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic Ecosystem manipulation experiment Macrolichen Nutrient availability Vascular plant Warming |
spellingShingle |
Arctic Ecosystem manipulation experiment Macrolichen Nutrient availability Vascular plant Warming Cornelissen, J. H C Callaghan, T. V. Alatalo, J. M. Michelsen, A. Graglia, E. Hartley, A. E. Hik, D. S. Hobbie, S. E. Press, M. C. Robinson, C. H. Henry, G. H R Shaver, G. R. Phoenix, G. K. Jones, D. Gwynn Jonasson, S. Chapin, F. S. Molau, U. Neill, C. Lee, J. A. Melillo, J. M. Sveinbjörnsson, B. Aerts, R. Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
topic_facet |
Arctic Ecosystem manipulation experiment Macrolichen Nutrient availability Vascular plant Warming |
description |
1. Macrolichens are important for the functioning and biodiversity of cold northern ecosystems and their reindeer-based cultures and economies. 2. We hypothesized that, in climatically milder parts of the Arctic, where ecosystems have relatively dense plant canopies, climate warming and/or increased nutrient availability leads to decline in macrolichen abundance as a function of increased abundance of vascular plants. In more open high-arctic or arctic-alpine plant communities such a relationship should be absent. To test this, we synthesized cross-continental arctic vegetation data from ecosystem manipulation experiments simulating mostly warming and increased nutrient availability, and compared these with similar data from natural environmental gradients. 3. Regressions between abundance or biomass of macrolichens and vascular plants were consistently negative across the subarctic and mid-arctic experimental studies. Such a pattern did not emerge in the coldest high-arctic or arctic-alpine sites. The slopes of the negative regressions increased across 10 sites as the climate became milder (as indicated by a simple climatic index) or the vegetation denser (greater site above-ground biomass). 4. Seven natural vegetation gradients in the lower-altitude sub- and mid-arctic zone confirmed the patterns seen in the experimental studies, showing consistent negative relationships between abundance of macrolichens and vascular plants. 5. We conclude that the data supported the hypothesis. Macrolichens in climatically milder arctic ecosystems may decline if and where global changes cause vascular plants to increase in abundance. 6. However, a refining of our findings is needed, for instance by integrating other abiotic and biotic effects such as reindeer grazing feedback on the balance between vascular plants and lichens. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cornelissen, J. H C Callaghan, T. V. Alatalo, J. M. Michelsen, A. Graglia, E. Hartley, A. E. Hik, D. S. Hobbie, S. E. Press, M. C. Robinson, C. H. Henry, G. H R Shaver, G. R. Phoenix, G. K. Jones, D. Gwynn Jonasson, S. Chapin, F. S. Molau, U. Neill, C. Lee, J. A. Melillo, J. M. Sveinbjörnsson, B. Aerts, R. |
author_facet |
Cornelissen, J. H C Callaghan, T. V. Alatalo, J. M. Michelsen, A. Graglia, E. Hartley, A. E. Hik, D. S. Hobbie, S. E. Press, M. C. Robinson, C. H. Henry, G. H R Shaver, G. R. Phoenix, G. K. Jones, D. Gwynn Jonasson, S. Chapin, F. S. Molau, U. Neill, C. Lee, J. A. Melillo, J. M. Sveinbjörnsson, B. Aerts, R. |
author_sort |
Cornelissen, J. H C |
title |
Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
title_short |
Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
title_full |
Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
title_fullStr |
Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
title_sort |
global change and arctic ecosystems: is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? |
publishDate |
2001 |
url |
https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/9de23edf-c1c9-4b0e-9ad8-2a62a36050ff https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x http://://000172926100007 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Subarctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Subarctic |
op_source |
Cornelissen , J H C , Callaghan , T V , Alatalo , J M , Michelsen , A , Graglia , E , Hartley , A E , Hik , D S , Hobbie , S E , Press , M C , Robinson , C H , Henry , G H R , Shaver , G R , Phoenix , G K , Jones , D G , Jonasson , S , Chapin , F S , Molau , U , Neill , C , Lee , J A , Melillo , J M , Sveinbjörnsson , B & Aerts , R 2001 , ' Global change and arctic ecosystems: Is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass? ' , Journal of Ecology , vol. 89 , no. 6 , pp. 984-994 . https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00625.x |
container_title |
Journal of Ecology |
container_volume |
89 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
984 |
op_container_end_page |
994 |
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1782329756072542208 |