Impacts of twenty years of experimental warming on soil carbon, nitrogen, moisture and soil mites across alpine/subarctic tundra communities
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Abstract High-altitude and alpine areas are predicted to experience rapid and substantial increases in future temperature, which may have serious impacts on soil carbon, nutrient and soil fauna. Here we report the impact of 20 years of experimental warming on soil properties and soil mites in three contrasting plant communities in alpine/subarctic Sweden. Long-term warming decreased juvenile oribatid mite density, but had no effect on adult oribatids density, total mite density, any major mite group or the most common species. Long-term warming also caused loss of nitrogen, carbon and moisture from the mineral soil layer in mesic meadow, but not in wet meadow or heath or from the organic soil layer. There was a significant site effect on the density of one mite species, Oppiella neerlandica , and all soil parameters. A significant plot-scale impact on mites suggests that small-scale heterogeneity may be important for buffering mites from global warming. The results indicated that juvenile mites may be more vulnerable to global warming than adult stages. Importantly, the results also indicated that global warming may cause carbon and nitrogen losses in alpine and tundra mineral soils and that its effects may differ at local scale.Keywords:
Subarctic climate
Soil carbon
Subarctic climate
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Geographical analysis has shown that Sparganium hyperboreum is most widespread in the forest-tundra and in the subarctic tundra subzone. In Western Siberia, this species grows in low and slightly mineralized and slightly acidic/neutral/slightly alkaline cool waters with fluctuating water level. It forms both monodominant communities (Sparganietum hyperborei purum association), and communities in which it is an edificator. In the southern tundra, S. hyperboreum is often found in anthropogenically transformed water bodies and man-made reservoirs. The species is characterized by high vegetative mobility and ecological plasticity with four ecological forms, depending on the depth of growth. Along with this, S. hyperboreum is characterized by only one life form.
Subarctic climate
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Abstract. Spatial changes in tree and upland tundra cover in response to a complex environmental gradient and to landscape factors were investigated in the high subarctic forest‐tundra of NW Canada. Vegetation and terrain studies provided ground truth for a grid of 1314 air photos which covered 24 % of the Canadian high subarctic and some of the adjacent low subarctic and low arctic. Across the high subarctic, gradual spatial change in % cover of tree and upland tundra vegetation is typical at both high and low cover values, with more rapid change occurring at intermediate cover. Cover gradients of zonal tree and tundra vegetation in the forest‐tundra region in general follow a sigmoid pattern. Tundra and tree patch sizes increase in area and variability with higher tundra and tree cover, respectively.
Subarctic climate
Arctic vegetation
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Abstract An analysis of primary productivity reveals a valid positive correlation with climatic indices (mean July temperature, degree days above 0°C, and summer precipitation) when one compares polar deserts, arctic tundra and typical subarctic tundra. This correlation does not apply, however, when one compares typical and southern subarctic tundra. The analysis also suggests that there are viable grounds for distinguishing polar deserts, arctic tundra, and subarctic tundra as independent zones, rather than classing the arctic tundra and subarctic tundra as subzones of the tundra zone.
Subarctic climate
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1. Introduction 2. What is the tundra? 3. Temperature and humidity in the tundra 4. The diversity of tundra landscapes 5. Snow and its role in the life of the tundra 6. Adaptation of living organisms to conditions in the tundra zone 7. Distribution of animals and plants 8. Interrelationships between organisms 9. Man and the tundra.
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The response of breeding Lapland longspurs to burned sedge tussock-shrub tundra was studied in 1978 on the Seward Peninsula in an area burned by lightning-ignited fires during 1977. In late May and mid-June 1978, plant standing crop in burned tundra was <5% of standing crop in unburned tundra. Lapland longspurs were less abundant in burned than unburned tundra. An average of 1.4 longspurs/h were recorded in burned tundra, whereas 4.6 longspurs/h were seen in unburned tundra. One longspur nest was found in 5 ha of burned tundra; three were found in 5 ha of unburned tundra. Nest locations in burned and unburned tundra were similar though nests in burned tundra generally had less protective cover. Several factors may be involved in the reduced abundance of Lapland longspurs in burned tundra.Key words: Lapland longspur, burned tundra, Alaska, abundance, nest sites
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Subarctic climate
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Subarctic climate
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Subarctic climate
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