Ecological dynamics across the Arctic associated with recent climate change.

4 pages International audience At the close of the Fourth International Polar Year, we take stock of the ecological consequences of recent climate change in the Arctic, focusing on effects at population, community, and ecosystem scales. Despite the buffering effect of landscape heterogeneity, Arctic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science
Main Authors: Post, Eric, Forchhammer, Mads C., Bret-Harte, M. Syndonia, Callaghan, Terry V., Christensen, Torben R., Elberling, Bo, Fox, Anthony D., Gilg, Olivier, Hik, David S., Høye, Toke T., Ims, Rolf A., Jeppesen, Erik, Klein, David R., Madsen, Jesper, Mcguire, A. David, Rysgaard, Søren, Schindler, Daniel E., Stirling, Ian, Tamstorf, Mikkel P., Tyler, Nicholas J.C., van Der Wal, Rene, Welker, Jeffrey, Wookey, Philip A., Schmidt, Niels Martin, Aastrup, Peter
Other Authors: Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Penn State System-Penn State System, Department of Arctic Environment Rockilde, Aarhus University Aarhus -National Environmental Research Institute Danmark (NERI), Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Abisko Scientific Research Station, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences Sheffield, University of Sheffield Sheffield, GeoBiosphere Science Centre, Lund University Lund, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management Copenhagen (IGN), Faculty of Science Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (UCPH)-University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (UCPH), The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity (NERI), Aarhus University Aarhus, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences Edmonton, University of Alberta, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø (UiT), Department of Freshwater Ecology (NERI), Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, United States Geological Survey Reston (USGS)-University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR), School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington Seattle, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Centre for Saami Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Financial support from Aarhus University, The Danish Polar Center, and the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: HAL CCSD 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00496209
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1173113
Description
Summary:4 pages International audience At the close of the Fourth International Polar Year, we take stock of the ecological consequences of recent climate change in the Arctic, focusing on effects at population, community, and ecosystem scales. Despite the buffering effect of landscape heterogeneity, Arctic ecosystems and the trophic relationships that structure them have been severely perturbed. These rapid changes may be a bellwether of changes to come at lower latitudes and have the potential to affect ecosystem services related to natural resources, food production, climate regulation, and cultural integrity. We highlight areas of ecological research that deserve priority as the Arctic continues to warm.