Arctic ecosystem health and productivity is a key contributor to living subsistence of local communities and is impacted by permafrost degradation.
Objectives
The aim of WP2 is to understand impacts of permafrost degradation as a bottom-up control on flora and fauna by assessing impacts on vegetation health and tracing cascading effects on herbivores and harvesting of local communities. The objectives of WP2 are to:
O2.1: Identify local community impacts of permafrost degradation on flora and fauna
O2.2: Map and project the impact of permafrost degradation on plant productivity, herbivore activity and harvesting potential through remote sensing
O2.3: Identify potential health risks from permafrost thaw on plants and animals
O2.4: Link patterns of observed vegetation changes and cascading effects across scales through satellite imagery and long-term time-series available at a circum-Arctic level
WP2 Coordination
Ass. Prof. Matthias Siewert
Climate Impacts Research Centre
Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University
other researchers in WP2
Dr. Johanna Scheer
Postdoctoral fellow at Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University