Tundra Plant Responses to a Rapidly Warming Arctic
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet with widespread impacts that are altering carbon cycling, wildlife dynamics and ultimately influencing the the global climate. Tundra vegetation is increasing, and bare ground is decreasing, and where plants were already present, they are now growing taller.
As the climate warms, the biodiversity of tundra plant communities are shifting in surprising ways. At focal Arctic sites, plants are leafing out two weeks earlier in spring, but the period of plant growth is not always longer in warmer summers. Below-ground, the growing season may be 50% longer, with root growth continuing until soils refreeze in autumn. Shifting seasonality of plant growth and changing tundra vegetation, will have impacts for wildlife and the livelihoods of people. Taken together, climate change is providing a natural experiment allowing us to uncover how tundra ecosystems are responding as the climate warms.
Linnean Society talk by global change ecologist Prof. Isla Myers-Smith.
Time: 18:00 BST
