Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Anders R. Johnsen, Tonny B. Thomsen, Simon M. Thaarup
Summary: The study aimed to test the applicability of surficial geochemical techniques under arctic conditions and found that pathfinder elements in plants could assist in identifying deep mineralization, while concentrations of elements in topsoil did not accurately identify deep mineralization.
JOURNAL OF GEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Xiaoming Lu, Fang Hu, Eryuan Liang, Shalik Ram Sigdel, Zhanhuan Shang, J. Julio Camarero
Summary: The loss of resilience and prolonged recovery times after extreme climate events could serve as early warning signals for approaching tipping points or irreversible changes. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding such critical slowing down in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in alpine shrublands. This study investigated the growth resilience of alpine willow shrubs to cold spells along elevational gradients and found that both growth resilience and recovery indices decreased with elevation. The results highlight the applicability of critical slowing down theory in assessing growth resilience in alpine shrublines and suggest that this phenomenon may be universal in various ecosystems.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Yuyang Wang, Jingfeng Xiao, Yaoming Ma, Yiqi Luo, Zeyong Hu, Fu Li, Yingnian Li, Lianglei Gu, Zhaoguo Li, Ling Yuan
Summary: This study examines the spatial variations and environmental controls of carbon fluxes in diverse alpine ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau. The results indicate significant differences in carbon flux among different grassland types, with soil temperature and moisture playing important roles in regulating the fluxes.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Elvira Hoerandl
Summary: The term Geographical parthenogenesis refers to the fact that asexual organisms usually occupy larger and more northern distribution areas than their sexual relatives and tend to colonize previously glaciated areas. While research in the last decade has shed some light on the question, the causal factors behind this phenomenon are still unclear. Uniparental reproduction and ecological factors like cold tolerance and epigenetic flexibility appear to play important roles in the success of apomictic plants, rather than genotypic diversity. Classical evolutionary theories like the Red Queen hypothesis have not been supported by studies on plants. The association of sexuality with abiotic stresses and the constraints on the origin of apomixis remain enigmatic. Future research directions are proposed.
Article
Ecology
Elena L. Zvereva, Vitali Zverev, Mikhail Kozlov
Summary: Current theory predicts that biotic interactions decrease with latitude and elevation, but empirical data show significant variations in the changes of herbivory along elevation gradients. This study explores Arctic mountains to fill the data gap in polar regions and finds that herbivory increases with elevation due to higher temperatures at the soil surface in open habitats above the tree line.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Francisco Pascoal, Rodrigo Costa, Philipp Assmy, Pedro Duarte, Catarina Magalhaes
Summary: This study examines the prokaryotic rare biosphere in the Arctic Ocean using 16S rRNA gene reads from seawater samples. The research shows that these rare taxa are highly sensitive to environmental heterogeneity and specific to different water masses. While 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing performs well in describing rare biosphere patterns, metagenome-derived data are better at capturing uncultivated rare taxa.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiaoming Lu, Eryuan Liang, Flurin Babst, J. Julio Camarero, Ulf Buentgen
Summary: This study compares two long-term shrub recruitment datasets from East Greenland and the Tibetan Plateau. The findings show that there has been a continuous increase in shrub recruitment since the 19th century, reaching critical tipping points in the 1930s and 1960s. Recent declines in shrub recruitment are likely due to warmer and drier climates, with El Nino Southern Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation playing a role. These results suggest that changes in atmospheric circulation explain the climate dynamics and response patterns in Arctic and alpine shrub communities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tanja Pyhajarvi, Tiina M. Mattila
Summary: Arctic and alpine environments are stressful for species, with lower species richness compared to more southern regions. Climatic oscillations have a dramatic effect, and understanding evolutionary forces in shaping Arctic-alpine species is crucial for predicting population viability and adaptive potential in these vulnerable environments.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2021)
Correction
Agronomy
Yuyang Wang, Jingfeng Xiao, Yaoming Ma, Yiqi Luo, Zeyong Hu, Fu Li, Yingnian Li, Lianglei Gu, Zhaoguo Li, Ling Yuan
Summary: The study compared spatial variations of carbon fluxes in different types of alpine ecosystems, finding that alpine meadow ecosystems are controlled by soil temperature, while alpine grasslands are controlled by soil moisture.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eric Post, Sean M. P. Cahoon, Jeffrey T. Kerby, Christian Pedersen, Patrick F. Sullivan
Summary: A major challenge in predicting species' distributional responses to climate change involves understanding interactions between abiotic and biotic factors in structuring ecological communities. Recent theory proposes a resolution to the dichotomy of potentially competing species covarying positively at large scales but negatively at local scales, but empirical tests have been behind such developments. This study provides empirical support for theoretical solutions to this ecological puzzle, demonstrating the roles of both abiotic and biotic factors in the covariation of species at different scales.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andrew S. Medeiros, Durad Milosevic, Donna R. Francis, Eleanor Maddison, Sarah Woodroffe, Antony Long, Ian R. Walker, Ladislav Hamerlik, Roberto Quinlan, Peter Langdon, Klaus P. Brodersen, Yarrow Axford
Summary: This study evaluated the distribution of chironomids in the Arctic region and found that environmental controls play a major role in influencing chironomid assemblages within each region, while spatial controls are significant only when crossing between regions. Environmental gradients, especially temperature, define species distributions within each region, with spatial processes combining with environmental gradients in determining the mix of species characterizing each broad and unique island region.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meredith Richardson Martin, Praveen Kumar, Oliver Sonnentag, Philip Marsh
Summary: This study explores the thermodynamic basis behind the treeline and suggests that it is a result of ecosystems self-organizing towards thermodynamic feasibility.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mads Reinholdt Jensen, Signe Hogslund, Steen Wilhelm Knudsen, Julius Nielsen, Peter Rask Moller, Soren Rysgaard, Philip Francis Thomsen
Summary: The study aims to investigate the transition in fish and marine mammal communities from South to Northeast Greenland using environmental DNA (eDNA). The results demonstrate a clear shift in biological communities from south to northeast, with different fish and mammal species dominating each region. The study highlights the potential of eDNA sampling in detecting latitudinal changes in marine biological communities and its feasibility in remote areas as climate change progresses.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Florent Domine, Kevin Fourteau, Philippe Choler
Summary: In the high Arctic, thermal bridging through frozen shrub branches has been shown to cool the ground and impact snow metamorphism and soil carbon and nutrients. However, the importance of thermal bridging in alpine conditions with lower thermal conductivity contrast between shrub branches and snow remains uncertain.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mengke Zhu, Bocong Huang, Zongyang Liu, Yue Wang, Jiao Teng, Xiaosu Tian, Xiaoyan Ai, Meihua Sheng, Yingwei Ai
Summary: This study investigates the phosphorus content and fractions in soil aggregates along an altitude gradient in the sub-alpine region of Southwest China. The results show that TP and AP contents are highest at 3980 m and 3347 m. The key fraction of AP supply is NaOH-Pi. The study provides insights into the storage capacity and biological effectiveness of phosphorus fractions in high-altitude soil aggregates.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Mycology
Kessy Abarenkov, Erik Kristiansson, Martin Ryberg, Sandra Nogal-Prata, Daniela Gomez-Martinez, Katrin Stueer-Patowsky, Tobias Jansson, Sergei Polme, Masoomeh Ghobad-Nejhad, Natalia Corcoll, Ruud Scharn, Marisol Sanchez-Garcia, Maryia Khomich, Christian Wurzbacher, R. Henrik Nilsson
Summary: The international DNA sequence databases contain many fungal sequences that are only annotated at the kingdom level, resulting in low-resolution mycological results and more poorly annotated entries. This study analyzes a dataset of 767,918 public full-length sequences to identify truly unidentifiable fungal taxa and determine the proportion of them that could have been easily identified at a higher taxonomic level. The findings suggest that over 70% of these sequences could have been identified at least to the order/family level at the time of sequence deposition, indicating that factors other than the availability of reference sequences contribute to the use of low-resolution names. The study also highlights the importance of addressing this problem, as a significant proportion of poorly annotated sequences are deposited by mycologists.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christoph Keuschnig, Catherine Larose, Mario Rudner, Argus Pesqueda, Stephane Doleac, Bo Elberling, Robert G. Bjork, Leif Klemedtsson, Mats P. Bjorkman
Summary: Thawing permafrost soils in Arctic regions are predicted to release 50 to 250 billion tons of carbon by 2100. Most of this carbon comes from carbon-rich wetlands, but 71% is stored in faster-thawing mineral soils, making ecosystems near the outer boundaries of permafrost regions particularly vulnerable. This study examines the long-term changes following thaw and drainage, showing a significant decrease in CH4 emissions and comparable CO2 emissions. The findings highlight the importance of considering hydrological, vegetation, and microbial factors in studying the long-term effects of climate change on CH4 emissions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Mycology
Jean Evans Codjia, Pan Meng Wang, Martin Ryberg, Nourou S. Yorou, Zhu L. Yang
Summary: This study investigates the phylogenetic relationships among species in the Amanita sect. Phalloideae, with a focus on their lethal and non-lethal characteristics. The results show that lethal species form one clade while non-lethal species are divided into two clades. Additionally, two new non-lethal species from tropical Africa are described. LC-HRMS analysis confirms the absence of toxins in these non-lethal species. The study also provides a key to identify West African species in the Amanita sect. Phalloideae.
MYCOLOGICAL PROGRESS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Louise C. Andresen, Samuel Bode, Robert G. Bjork, Anders Michelsen, Rien Aerts, Pascal Boeckx, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Kari Klanderud, Richard S. P. van Logtestijn, Tobias Rutting
Summary: In cold terrestrial ecosystems, the soil nitrogen cycle is slow and organically bound nitrogen serves as an important nitrogen source for plants. Changes in plant community and local differences can alter the pool and composition of soil free amino acids, and long-term warming can enhance this effect. The type of mycorrhizal association is important in controlling soil nitrogen cycling, and expansion of shrubs with ectomycorrhiza can help retain nitrogen within the ecosystems by tightening the nitrogen cycle.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ivan Garcia-Cunchillos, Juan Carlos Zamora, Martin Ryberg, Carlos Lado
Summary: This study inferred the phylogeny of Trichiales based on three genetic regions and studied the evolutionary history of key morphological characters. The results showed that most fruiting body traits in Trichiales do not represent exclusive synapomorphies or autapomorphies for most monophyletic groups, and the evolution of these traits exhibited complex patterns.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ruud Scharn, Isabel S. Negri, Maja K. Sundqvist, Jorn O. Lokken, Christine D. Bacon, Alexandre Antonelli, Annika Hofgaard, R. Henrik Nilsson, Robert G. Bjork
Summary: Temperatures in the Arctic are increasing at a rate three times higher than the global average, resulting in changes in Arctic vegetation. This study found that the advancement of mountain birch trees into the treeline did not significantly affect plant community composition, but the tundra community structure shifted towards a novel community dissimilar from the forest community below the treeline. These findings highlight species-specific responses to climate change.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Eeva M. Soininen, Isabel C. Barrio, Ragnhild Bjorkas, Katrin Bjornsdottir, Dorothee Ehrich, Kelly Hopping, Elina Kaarlejarvi, Anders Lorentzen Kolstad, Svetlana Abdulmanova, Robert G. Bjork, C. Guillermo Bueno, Isabell Eischeid, Rebecca Finger Higgens, Jennifer Sorensen Forbey, Charles Gignac, Olivier Gilg, Michael den Herder, Hildur Sondergaard Holm, Bernice C. Hwang, Jane Uhd Jepsen, Stefaniya Kamenova, Ilona Kater, Amanda M. Koltz, Jeppe Aagaard Kristensen, Chelsea J. Little, Petr Macek, Karen Marie Mathisen, Daniel Metcalfe, Jesper Bruun Mosbacher, Martin Alfons Morsdorf, Taejin Park, Jeffrey Propster, Aradhana Roberts, Emmanuel Serrano Ferron, Marcus P. Spiegel, Mariana Tamayo, Maria W. Tuomi, Megha Verma, Katariina Elsa Maria Vuorinen, Maria Vaisanen, Rene Van der Wal, Megan Wilcots, Nigel Yoccoz, James D. M. Speed
ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Liyenne Wu Chen Hagenberg, Thomas Vanneste, Oystein H. Opedal, Hanne Torsdatter Petlund, Mats P. Bjorkman, Robert G. Bjork, Hakon Holien, Juul Limpens, Ulf Molau, Bente Jessen Graae, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: The vascular plant communities in alpine ecosystems remained relatively stable, while lichens and bryophytes significantly decreased in cover and diversity, leading to changes in community composition unrelated to vascular plant cover. This is partially due to local non-climatic drivers, such as herbivory, offsetting vegetation responses to warming.
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Greg H. R. Henry, Robert D. Hollister, Kari Klanderud, Robert G. Björk, Anne D. Bjorkman, Cassandra Elphinstone, Ingibjorg Svala Jonsdottir, Ulf Molau, Alessandro Petraglia, Steven F. Oberbauer, Christian Rixen, Philip A. Wookey
Summary: The International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) is a network of scientists studying the responses of tundra ecosystems to climate change. This article summarizes over 30 years of research, highlighting the importance of snow regimes, bryophytes, and herbivory, and proposing new studies and protocols. The results show that extreme climate events have strong effects on plant reproduction, and an increase in vegetation height is a consistent response to climate change at different sites.
Review
Ecology
Robert D. Hollister, Cassandra Elphinstone, Greg H. R. Henry, Anne D. Bjorkman, Kari Klanderud, Robert G. Bjoerk, Mats P. Bjoerkman, Stef Bokhorst, Michele Carbognani, Elisabeth J. Cooper, Ellen Dorrepaal, Sarah C. Elmendorf, Ned Fetcher, Elise C. Gallois, Jon Guomundsson, Nathan C. Healey, Ingibjorg Svala Jonsdottir, Ingeborg J. Klarenberg, Steven F. Oberbauer, Petr Macek, Jeremy L. May, Alessandro Mereghetti, Ulf Molau, Alessandro Petraglia, Riikka Rinnan, Christian Rixen, Philip A. Wookey
Summary: This article reviews the impacts of Open top chambers (OTCs) on the physical environment and evaluates the appropriateness of using OTCs to characterize the response of biota to warming. The study finds that OTC is a useful experimental tool, but the characteristics and magnitude of warming vary greatly in different environments, so it is necessary to document chamber performance for a better interpretation of biotic response.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jean Evans Codjia, Santiago Sanchez-Ramirez, Sydney T. Ndolo Ebika, Gang Wu, Simona Margaritescu, Dirce Leimi Komura, Jadson J. S. Oliveira, Martin Ryberg, Rodham E. Tulloss, Nourou S. Yorou, Jean-Marc Moncalvo, Zhu L. Yang
Summary: Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) play a crucial role in nutrient recycling in terrestrial ecosystems, but little is known about the major biogeographical events that shaped their present-day diversity and distribution patterns. This study focuses on Amanita sect. Vaginatae and reveals an African origin for this group, followed by multiple dispersal events to Southeast Asia, Madagascar, and the Amazonian basin. The study also finds that these fungi have a higher dispersal ability and adaptability to new environments compared to their sister clade, sect. Caesareae. Overall, the wide distribution of A. sect. Vaginatae from tropical to arctic regions provides insight into niche conservatism in a species-rich clade of ECM fungi.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Cole G. Brachmann, Tage Vowles, Riikka Rinnan, Mats P. Bjorkman, Anna Ekberg, Robert G. Bjork
Summary: Arctic ecosystems are warming at a rate four times faster than the global average, leading to changes in plant communities and biogeochemical processes. The presence of herbivores significantly affects ecosystem respiration and BVOC emissions in different locations. The differences in graminoid cover also have an impact on ecosystem respiration.
Article
Mycology
M. Ryberg, Kalsoom Khan, M. Sanchez-Garcia
Summary: Ectomycorrhiza is a crucial symbiosis between plants and fungi, impacting tree growth and carbon cycling in ecosystems. The evolution of ectomycorrhiza in fungi has occurred multiple times in different clades, with varying rates but no distinct time period of importance. Genomic studies show little commonality in ectomycorrhiza evolution, suggesting potential variability in the functions it provides to plants over time.
Article
Mycology
R. D. Houdanon, B. Furneaux, N. S. Yorou, M. Ryberg
Summary: This study investigates the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in the Oueme Superieur reserve forest in Benin, West Africa. Phylogenetic methods were used to examine the relationship between these fungi and species from other regions. The results suggest that these fungal communities have relatively high phylogenetic diversity and wide distribution. The communities of Amanitaceae, Inocybaceae, and Russulaceae were found to be more closely related to the general Afrotropic community, while other families did not show significant patterns. Overall, the phylogenetic patterns of the Afrotropic ectomycorrhizal fungal community varied among families, indicating each family has its own biogeographic history.
Article
Mycology
Sylvestre A. Badou, Brendan Furneaux, Andre De Kesel, Faheema Kalsoom Khan, Roel D. Houdanon, Martin Ryberg, Nourou S. Yorou
Summary: This study presents a new lamellate bolete genus, Paxilloboletus, represented by two tropical African species. Although closely resembling Paxillus, these new taxa form a separate generic clade within the Boletaceae phylogeny and can only be differentiated by their spore morphology.
MYCOLOGICAL PROGRESS
(2022)
