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. Comparisons show that the prevalence of
vascular species, such as shrubs and plants, is increasing as
temperatures rise. The degree of change depends on climate zone,
soil moisture and the presence of permafrost. The research is
part of an international tundra study with data going back 30
years. By analyzing changes in vegetatio