Understanding ecosystem functionality, expansion and retreat of species in the Scandinavian mountain tundra under multiple drivers of change
Informations
- Funding country
Norway- Acronym
- -
- URL
- -
- Start date
- 7/1/2015
- End date
- 12/31/2021
- Budget
- 2,189,205 EUR
Fundings
| Name | Role | Start | End | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian environmental research towards 2015 - call 2014 | Grant | - | - | 2,206,486 EUR |
Abstract
The Fennoscandian mountain range comprises a series of separate arctic and alpine tundra areas. This natural fragmentation is expected to be magnified following climate mediated forest advance with associated invasion of boreal species. Cumulative effects of climate change, land use changes and management practices will likely have large impacts on both structure and function of the mountain tundra ecosystem; strongly affect biodiversity and the viability of species in these habitats, and the mountain tundra ecosystem's ability to deliver ecosystem services. The proposed project has a tri-trophic ecosystem approach, testing hypotheses about how climate change, land use, and management practices drive species expansion and retreat in the mountain tundra ecosystem. The project will deliver hard data on the relationship between environmental change and functional and structural responses of individuals, populations, and communities of the mountain tundra ecosystem. We will apply an interdisciplinary approach, including observational and experimental methods at large spatial scales, GIS and spatial modelling, landscape genomics, and population viability analyses, providing the basis for a predictive model for the future structure of the mountain tundra ecosystem in Fennoscandia. Our team of dedicated researchers will analyse and synthesize many types of data sets, using new and innovative approaches, which will ensure the production of new and important scientific knowledge. The project is also highly relevant to conservation management. We aim to develop tools that could forecast cumulative impacts from different drivers, providing potential management options showing the outcome of different solutions. Indeed, such tools would be useful for planning and optimising conservation programs, restoration of landscapes, targeting management action, or controlling the spread of diseases.