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Tundra study uncovers impact of climate warming in the Arctic
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-07/uoe-tsu070615.php[font face=Serif]Public Release: 6-Jul-2015
[font size=5]Tundra study uncovers impact of climate warming in the Arctic[/font]
University of Edinburgh
[font size=3]Significant changes in one of the Earth's most important ecosystems are not only a symptom of climate change, but may fuel further warming, research suggests.
One of the biggest studies to date of key vegetation in the Arctic tundra provides strong evidence that dramatic changes in the region are being driven by climate warming.
Studies of tundra shrubs - which act as a barometer of the Arctic environment - show that they grow more when temperatures are warmer. Increased shrub growth, driven by recent and future warming in the Arctic, could cause more warming in tundra ecosystems and for the planet as a whole.
Taller shrubs prevent snow from reflecting heat from the sun back into space, warming the Earth's surface. They can also influence soil temperatures and thaw permafrost. Increased shrubs can change the cycling of nutrients and carbon in soil, affecting its decomposition and the amount of carbon released to the atmosphere. All these factors can contribute to climate warming both in the Arctic and on a global scale.
…[/font][/font]
[font size=5]Tundra study uncovers impact of climate warming in the Arctic[/font]
University of Edinburgh
[font size=3]Significant changes in one of the Earth's most important ecosystems are not only a symptom of climate change, but may fuel further warming, research suggests.
One of the biggest studies to date of key vegetation in the Arctic tundra provides strong evidence that dramatic changes in the region are being driven by climate warming.
Studies of tundra shrubs - which act as a barometer of the Arctic environment - show that they grow more when temperatures are warmer. Increased shrub growth, driven by recent and future warming in the Arctic, could cause more warming in tundra ecosystems and for the planet as a whole.
Taller shrubs prevent snow from reflecting heat from the sun back into space, warming the Earth's surface. They can also influence soil temperatures and thaw permafrost. Increased shrubs can change the cycling of nutrients and carbon in soil, affecting its decomposition and the amount of carbon released to the atmosphere. All these factors can contribute to climate warming both in the Arctic and on a global scale.
…[/font][/font]
