Global warming: Arctic is greening up

Arctic study plots dating back 30 years in some cases show incontrovertible changes in vegetation linked with rising temperatures. PHOTO COURTESY ULF MOLAU.

Long-term research shows patterns of change linked with temperature and soil moisture

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Swedish scientists from the University of Gothenburg say they’ve linked changes in Arctic vegetation with increasing temperatures. Many Arctic plants are growing taller, the proportion of ground covered with plants has grown, and, above all, there has been an increase in evergreen shrubs.

“We’ve managed to link the vegetation changes observed at the different sites to the degree of local warming, … the vegetation changes in our fixed plots are a result of local warming at numerous sites across the world’s tundra,” said University of Gothenburg. biologist Robert Björk. (more…)

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