Status and trends in Arctic vegetation: Evidence from experimental warming and long-term monitoring

Bjorkman, Anne D.; Criado, Mariana García; Myers‐Smith, Isla H.; Ravolainen, Virve; Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg S.; Westergaard, Kristine Bakke; Lawler, James P.; Aronsson, Malin; Bennett, Bruce; Gardfjell, Hans; Heiðmarsson, Starri; Stewart, Lærke; Normand, Signe

doi:10.1007/s13280-019-01161-6

Cited by 149 publications

(179 citation statements)

References 104 publications

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“…This slowdown is seemingly at odds with earlier responses to long-term warming trends 3,25 . Research now indicates substantial heterogeneity in vegetation responses to climate change in the Arctic 18,19,26,27 . However, the mechanistic links between satellite records and in-situ observations 3,6,24 remain unclear due to conceptual and technical barriers in their analysis and combined interpretation.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complexity revealed in the greening of the Arctic

Myers‐Smith¹,

Kerby²,

Phoenix³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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As the Arctic warms, vegetation is responding and satellite measures indicate widespread greening at high latitudes. This ‘greening of the Arctic’ is among the world’s most significant large-scale ecological responses to global climate change. However, a consensus is emerging that the underlying causes and future dynamics of so-called Arctic greening and browning trends are more complex, variable, and inherently scale dependent than previously thought. Here, we summarize the complexities of observing and interpreting high-latitude greening to identify key priorities for future research. Incorporating satellite and proximal remote sensing with in-situ data, while accounting for uncertainties and scale issues will advance the study of past, present, and future Arctic vegetation change.

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Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complexity revealed in the greening of the Arctic

Myers‐Smith¹,

Kerby²,

Phoenix³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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“…These include species diversity and composition, phenology, spatial structure, demographics, temporal cycles, health, and productivity and other ecosystem functions and processes. Presented within this issue are complementary approaches to vegetation monitoring, ranging from plotbased measures (Bjorkman et al 2020) to literature and database analyses (Wasowicz et al 2020), conceptual discussions (Ravolainen et al 2020), and pan-Arctic remote sensing derived data analyses (Jenkins et al 2020). Monitoring attributes describing productivity and phenology is Fig.…”

Section: Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most comprehensively monitored vegetation attribute is phenology, specifically leaf green-up in the spring and leaf senescence in the fall, which has been monitored using both remote sensing (Jenkins et al 2020) and plotbased (Bjorkman et al 2020) methods. Both methods identify a slight trend toward earlier green-up over time, as well as in response to experimental warming (Bjorkman et al 2020).…”

Section: Vegetation: Biodiversity Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arctic terrestrial biodiversity status and trends: A synopsis of science supporting the CBMP State of Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report

Taylor

Lawler

Aronsson

et al. 2020

Ambio

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This review provides a synopsis of the main findings of individual papers in the special issue Terrestrial Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing Arctic. The special issue was developed to inform the State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report developed by the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), Arctic Council working group. Salient points about the status and trends of Arctic biodiversity and biodiversity monitoring are organized by taxonomic groups: (1) vegetation, (2) invertebrates, (3) mammals, and (4) birds. This is followed by a discussion about commonalities across the collection of papers, for example, that heterogeneity was a predominant pattern of change particularly when assessing global trends for Arctic terrestrial biodiversity. Finally, the need for a comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based monitoring program, coupled with targeted research projects deciphering causal patterns, is discussed.

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“…Changing vegetation diversity, abundance, composition, and phenology in the Arctic are all well documented (Sturm et al 2001;Walker et al 2006;Bjørkman et al 2020). Landscape-scale changes in vegetation (e.g., shrubification), affect ecosystems at multiple trophic levels (Myers-Smith et al 2011;Mod and Luoto 2016) and have generated concerns about trophic mismatch (Kirby and Post 2013).…”

Section: Impacts: Changing Vegetation Species Associations and Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

Cuyler

Rowell

Adamczewski

et al. 2019

Ambio

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Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond to future and rapid Arctic change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status and limitations of current monitoring, and summarize circumpolar status and recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance is ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not all populations are thriving. Six populations are in decline, and as recently as the turn of the century, one of these was the largest population in the world, equaling ca 41% of today's total abundance. Climate, diseases, and anthropogenic changes are likely the principal drivers of muskox population change and result in multiple stressors that vary temporally and spatially. Impacts to muskoxen are precipitated by habitat loss/degradation, altered vegetation and species associations, pollution, and harvest. Which elements are relevant for a specific population will vary, as will their cumulative interactions. Our summaries highlight the importance of harmonizing existing data, intensifying long-term monitoring efforts including demographics and health assessments, standardizing and implementing monitoring protocols, and increasing stakeholder engagement/contributions.

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Status and trends in Arctic vegetation: Evidence from experimental warming and long-term monitoring

Abstract: She is aConservation Scientist specialized in macroecology and biogeography, and is currently working to quantitate vegetation shifts under climatic change in extreme biomes such as the tundra and the savannah.

Cited by 149 publications

References 104 publications

Complexity revealed in the greening of the Arctic

Complexity revealed in the greening of the Arctic

Arctic terrestrial biodiversity status and trends: A synopsis of science supporting the CBMP State of Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report

Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future

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