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Complexity revealed in the greening of the Arctic

Author

Listed:
  • Isla H. Myers-Smith

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Jeffrey T. Kerby

    (Dartmouth College
    University of California)

  • Gareth K. Phoenix

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Jarle W. Bjerke

    (FRAM High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment)

  • Howard E. Epstein

    (University of Virginia)

  • Jakob J. Assmann

    (University of Edinburgh
    University of Aarhus)

  • Christian John

    (University of California)

  • Laia Andreu-Hayles

    (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University)

  • Sandra Angers-Blondin

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Pieter S. A. Beck

    (Joint Research Centre)

  • Logan T. Berner

    (Northern Arizona University)

  • Uma S. Bhatt

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Anne D. Bjorkman

    (Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre
    University of Gothenburg)

  • Daan Blok

    (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research)

  • Anders Bryn

    (University of Oslo)

  • Casper T. Christiansen

    (NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bjerknes Center for Climate Research)

  • J. Hans C. Cornelissen

    (Vrije Universiteit)

  • Andrew M. Cunliffe

    (University of Exeter)

  • Sarah C. Elmendorf

    (University of Colorado)

  • Bruce C. Forbes

    (Arctic Centre, University of Lapland)

  • Scott J. Goetz

    (Northern Arizona University)

  • Robert D. Hollister

    (Grand Valley State University)

  • Rogier Jong

    (University of Zurich)

  • Michael M. Loranty

    (Colgate University)

  • Marc Macias-Fauria

    (University of Oxford)

  • Kadmiel Maseyk

    (The Open University)

  • Signe Normand

    (University of Aarhus)

  • Johan Olofsson

    (Umeå University, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences)

  • Thomas C. Parker

    (University of Stirling)

  • Frans-Jan W. Parmentier

    (University of Oslo
    Lund University
    UiT—The Arctic University of Norway)

  • Eric Post

    (University of California)

  • Gabriela Schaepman-Strub

    (University of Zurich)

  • Frode Stordal

    (University of Oslo)

  • Patrick F. Sullivan

    (University of Alaska Anchorage)

  • Haydn J. D. Thomas

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Hans Tømmervik

    (FRAM High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment)

  • Rachael Treharne

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Craig E. Tweedie

    (University of Texas at El Paso)

  • Donald A. Walker

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Martin Wilmking

    (University Greifswald)

  • Sonja Wipf

    (Team Mountain Ecosystems)

Abstract

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 important 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 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.

Suggested Citation

  • Isla H. Myers-Smith & Jeffrey T. Kerby & Gareth K. Phoenix & Jarle W. Bjerke & Howard E. Epstein & Jakob J. Assmann & Christian John & Laia Andreu-Hayles & Sandra Angers-Blondin & Pieter S. A. Beck & , 2020. "Complexity revealed in the greening of the Arctic," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(2), pages 106-117, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:10:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1038_s41558-019-0688-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0688-1
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yanlan Liu & William J. Riley & Trevor F. Keenan & Zelalem A. Mekonnen & Jennifer A. Holm & Qing Zhu & Margaret S. Torn, 2022. "Dispersal and fire limit Arctic shrub expansion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Ronny Rotbarth & Egbert H. Nes & Marten Scheffer & Jane Uhd Jepsen & Ole Petter Laksforsmo Vindstad & Chi Xu & Milena Holmgren, 2023. "Northern expansion is not compensating for southern declines in North American boreal forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Jinshi Jian & Vanessa Bailey & Kalyn Dorheim & Alexandra G. Konings & Dalei Hao & Alexey N. Shiklomanov & Abigail Snyder & Meredith Steele & Munemasa Teramoto & Rodrigo Vargas & Ben Bond-Lamberty, 2022. "Historically inconsistent productivity and respiration fluxes in the global terrestrial carbon cycle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Yating Chen & Xiao Cheng & Aobo Liu & Qingfeng Chen & Chengxin Wang, 2023. "Tracking lake drainage events and drained lake basin vegetation dynamics across the Arctic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    5. JiHyun Kim & Yeonjoo Kim & Donatella Zona & Walter Oechel & Sang-Jong Park & Bang-Yong Lee & Yonghong Yi & Angela Erb & Crystal L. Schaaf, 2021. "Carbon response of tundra ecosystems to advancing greenup and snowmelt in Alaska," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Coenen, Johanna & Newig, Jens & Meyfroidt, Patrick, 2022. "Environmental governance of a Belt and Road project in Montenegro – National agency and external influences," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    7. Jacqueline Oehri & Gabriela Schaepman-Strub & Jin-Soo Kim & Raleigh Grysko & Heather Kropp & Inge Grünberg & Vitalii Zemlianskii & Oliver Sonnentag & Eugénie S. Euskirchen & Merin Reji Chacko & Giovan, 2022. "Vegetation type is an important predictor of the arctic summer land surface energy budget," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Mariana García Criado & Isla H. Myers-Smith & Anne D. Bjorkman & Signe Normand & Anne Blach-Overgaard & Haydn J. D. Thomas & Anu Eskelinen & Konsta Happonen & Juha M. Alatalo & Alba Anadon-Rosell & Is, 2023. "Plant traits poorly predict winner and loser shrub species in a warming tundra biome," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Floris M. Beest & Efrén López-Blanco & Lars H. Hansen & Niels M. Schmidt, 2023. "Extreme shifts in habitat suitability under contemporary climate change for a high-Arctic herbivore," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-14, April.
    10. Zefeng Chen & Weiguang Wang & Giovanni Forzieri & Alessandro Cescatti, 2024. "Transition from positive to negative indirect CO2 effects on the vegetation carbon uptake," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Zhihua Liu & John S. Kimball & Ashley P. Ballantyne & Nicholas C. Parazoo & Wen J. Wang & Ana Bastos & Nima Madani & Susan M. Natali & Jennifer D. Watts & Brendan M. Rogers & Philippe Ciais & Kailiang, 2022. "Respiratory loss during late-growing season determines the net carbon dioxide sink in northern permafrost regions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.

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