A new international study involving researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that vegetation in the Arctic is changing rapidly as species from nearby forests spread into the tundra.
A new international study involving researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that vegetation in the Arctic is changing rapidly as species from nearby forests spread into the tundra. This change is occurring in half of the 1,100 areas studied and is mainly driven by species that already exist in the transition zone between forest and tundra.
In an increasingly warmer world, the Arctic tundra is becoming more forestlike. This process, known as borealisation, is particularly widespread in Eurasia and in Arctic mountain regions, where the distance to the boreal (northern) forest is shorter. Many species of grasses and shrubs that can live in both the tundra and the forest are gaining ground in the tundra. This is shown by a new large-scale study of 1,100 sampling sites across the entire Arctic biome.
Consequences
“If this trend continues, it could have a number of consequences. For example, it could accelerate the melting of the permafrost or change the seasonal migration of reindeer. It could also affect the traditional livelyhoods of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, who rely on hunting, reindeer herding, and gathering plants as a part of their subsistence and cultural practice,” says Robert Björk, a researcher on Arctic ecosystems at the University of Gothenburg.
Read More: University of Gothenburg
