Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities
Recent research using repeat photography, long-term ecological monitoring and dendrochronology has documented shrub expansion in arctic, high-latitude and alpine tundra ecosystems. Here, we (1) synthesize these findings, (2) present a conceptual framework that identifies mechanisms and constraints o...
Published in: | Environmental Research Letters |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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IOP Science
2011
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/4051 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 |
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ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/4051 2023-05-15T15:00:50+02:00 Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities Myers-Smith, Isla Forbes, Bruce C. Wilmking, Martin Hallinger, Martin Lantz, Trevor Blok, Daan Tape, Ken D Ravolainen, Virve Macias-Fauria, Marc Sass-Klaassen, Ute Levesque, Esther Boudreau, Stephane Ropars, Pascale Hermanutz, Luise Trant, Andrew Collier, Laura Siegwart Weijers, Niels Martin Rozema, Jelte Rayback, Shelly A Schmidt, Niels Martin Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela Wipf, Sonja Rixen, Christian Menard, Cecile B Venn, Susanna Goetz, Scott Andreu-Hayles, Laia Elmendorf, Sarah Welker, Jeffrey Grogan, Paul Epstein, Howard E. Hik, David S. 2011 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/4051 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 eng eng IOP Science Environmental Research Letters (2011) (6):4 FRIDAID 883300 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 1748-9326 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/4051 URN:NBN:no-uit_munin_3771 openAccess VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Vegetation history: 495 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Vegetasjonshistorie: 495 VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Ecology: 488 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Økologi: 488 Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed 2011 ftunivtroemsoe https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 2021-06-25T17:53:15Z Recent research using repeat photography, long-term ecological monitoring and dendrochronology has documented shrub expansion in arctic, high-latitude and alpine tundra ecosystems. Here, we (1) synthesize these findings, (2) present a conceptual framework that identifies mechanisms and constraints on shrub increase, (3) explore causes, feedbacks and implications of the increased shrub cover in tundra ecosystems, and (4) address potential lines of investigation for future research. Satellite observations from around the circumpolar Arctic, showing increased productivity, measured as changes in 'greenness', have coincided with a general rise in high-latitude air temperatures and have been partly attributed to increases in shrub cover. Studies indicate that warming temperatures, changes in snow cover, altered disturbance regimes as a result of permafrost thaw, tundra fires, and anthropogenic activities or changes in herbivory intensity are all contributing to observed changes in shrub abundance. A large-scale increase in shrub cover will change the structure of tundra ecosystems and alter energy fluxes, regional climate, soil–atmosphere exchange of water, carbon and nutrients, and ecological interactions between species. In order to project future rates of shrub expansion and understand the feedbacks to ecosystem and climate processes, future research should investigate the species or trait-specific responses of shrubs to climate change including: (1) the temperature sensitivity of shrub growth, (2) factors controlling the recruitment of new individuals, and (3) the relative influence of the positive and negative feedbacks involved in shrub expansion. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change permafrost Tundra University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive Arctic Environmental Research Letters 6 4 045509 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Vegetation history: 495 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Vegetasjonshistorie: 495 VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Ecology: 488 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Økologi: 488 |
spellingShingle |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Vegetation history: 495 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Vegetasjonshistorie: 495 VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Ecology: 488 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Økologi: 488 Myers-Smith, Isla Forbes, Bruce C. Wilmking, Martin Hallinger, Martin Lantz, Trevor Blok, Daan Tape, Ken D Ravolainen, Virve Macias-Fauria, Marc Sass-Klaassen, Ute Levesque, Esther Boudreau, Stephane Ropars, Pascale Hermanutz, Luise Trant, Andrew Collier, Laura Siegwart Weijers, Niels Martin Rozema, Jelte Rayback, Shelly A Schmidt, Niels Martin Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela Wipf, Sonja Rixen, Christian Menard, Cecile B Venn, Susanna Goetz, Scott Andreu-Hayles, Laia Elmendorf, Sarah Welker, Jeffrey Grogan, Paul Epstein, Howard E. Hik, David S. Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
topic_facet |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Vegetation history: 495 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Vegetasjonshistorie: 495 VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Ecology: 488 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Økologi: 488 |
description |
Recent research using repeat photography, long-term ecological monitoring and dendrochronology has documented shrub expansion in arctic, high-latitude and alpine tundra ecosystems. Here, we (1) synthesize these findings, (2) present a conceptual framework that identifies mechanisms and constraints on shrub increase, (3) explore causes, feedbacks and implications of the increased shrub cover in tundra ecosystems, and (4) address potential lines of investigation for future research. Satellite observations from around the circumpolar Arctic, showing increased productivity, measured as changes in 'greenness', have coincided with a general rise in high-latitude air temperatures and have been partly attributed to increases in shrub cover. Studies indicate that warming temperatures, changes in snow cover, altered disturbance regimes as a result of permafrost thaw, tundra fires, and anthropogenic activities or changes in herbivory intensity are all contributing to observed changes in shrub abundance. A large-scale increase in shrub cover will change the structure of tundra ecosystems and alter energy fluxes, regional climate, soil–atmosphere exchange of water, carbon and nutrients, and ecological interactions between species. In order to project future rates of shrub expansion and understand the feedbacks to ecosystem and climate processes, future research should investigate the species or trait-specific responses of shrubs to climate change including: (1) the temperature sensitivity of shrub growth, (2) factors controlling the recruitment of new individuals, and (3) the relative influence of the positive and negative feedbacks involved in shrub expansion. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Myers-Smith, Isla Forbes, Bruce C. Wilmking, Martin Hallinger, Martin Lantz, Trevor Blok, Daan Tape, Ken D Ravolainen, Virve Macias-Fauria, Marc Sass-Klaassen, Ute Levesque, Esther Boudreau, Stephane Ropars, Pascale Hermanutz, Luise Trant, Andrew Collier, Laura Siegwart Weijers, Niels Martin Rozema, Jelte Rayback, Shelly A Schmidt, Niels Martin Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela Wipf, Sonja Rixen, Christian Menard, Cecile B Venn, Susanna Goetz, Scott Andreu-Hayles, Laia Elmendorf, Sarah Welker, Jeffrey Grogan, Paul Epstein, Howard E. Hik, David S. |
author_facet |
Myers-Smith, Isla Forbes, Bruce C. Wilmking, Martin Hallinger, Martin Lantz, Trevor Blok, Daan Tape, Ken D Ravolainen, Virve Macias-Fauria, Marc Sass-Klaassen, Ute Levesque, Esther Boudreau, Stephane Ropars, Pascale Hermanutz, Luise Trant, Andrew Collier, Laura Siegwart Weijers, Niels Martin Rozema, Jelte Rayback, Shelly A Schmidt, Niels Martin Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela Wipf, Sonja Rixen, Christian Menard, Cecile B Venn, Susanna Goetz, Scott Andreu-Hayles, Laia Elmendorf, Sarah Welker, Jeffrey Grogan, Paul Epstein, Howard E. Hik, David S. |
author_sort |
Myers-Smith, Isla |
title |
Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
title_short |
Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
title_full |
Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
title_fullStr |
Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
title_sort |
shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems : dynamics, impacts and research priorities |
publisher |
IOP Science |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/4051 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Climate change permafrost Tundra |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change permafrost Tundra |
op_relation |
Environmental Research Letters (2011) (6):4 FRIDAID 883300 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 1748-9326 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/4051 URN:NBN:no-uit_munin_3771 |
op_rights |
openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509 |
container_title |
Environmental Research Letters |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
045509 |
_version_ |
1766332893847617536 |