What is causing the observed transitions in Arctic ecosystems?

Ranga Babu Myneni, Boston University, rmyneni@bu.edu (Presenter)
Liang Alan Xu, Boston University, bireme@bu.edu
Sangram Ganguly, NASA ARC, sangramganguly@gmail.com
Compton Tucker, NASA GSFC, compton.j.tucker@nasa.gov
Jorge E Pinzon, NASA/GSFC/SSAI, jorge.e.pinzon@nasa.gov
Julienne Stroeve, NSIDC, stroeve@nsidc.org
Ramakrishna R. Nemani, NASA ARC, rama.nemani@nasa.gov

The Arctic is experiencing highly amplified warming rates compared to the rest of the planet. Reports abound of increased tree and shrub abundance, decline in nonvascular vegetation and changing species diversity. The mechanisms forging these ecosystem transitions are, however, poorly understood. Here, using a variety of surface and satellite data from the past 30 years, we argue that this warming had created newer climatic habitats - those with photosynthetically active growing seasons longer by nearly three weeks - over about 50% of the Arctic lands. Aided by concomitant permafrost degradation, and consequent substrate changes and nutrient release, these newer climatic niches are facilitating a northward march and thickening of woody vegetation and changing the relative richness of extant and immigrant species. These results represent the most direct evidence of large-scale impact of recent climate change on Earth’s biotic systems. The Arctic has become an accidental natural laboratory, and given the potential for further amplification of warming from anthropogenic forcings, it deserves comprehensive monitoring.

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Global Change Impact & Vulnerability   (Tue 11:30 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Myneni, Ranga: Global LAI/FPAR Earth System Data Records from NPP-VIIRS to Extend the EOS-MODIS Time Series ...details
• Myneni, Ranga: Global Products of Leaf Area Index and Fraction Vegetation Absorbed PAR from the Terra/Aqua MODIS and NPP VIIRS Sensors: Algorithm Refinement and Cal/Val for ESDR Proposal ...details
• Myneni, Ranga: Modest Maintenance of Terra and Aqua MODIS LAI/FPAR Products and Transitioning to Core Production ...details

Poster Location ID: 251