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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Article
Consequences of Future Expansion at the Arctic Treeline in Northernmost Norway
Author(s)
Oddvar Skre1, Stein Rune Karlsen2, Jan Åge Riseth2 and Frans Emil Wielgolaski3
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DOI:10.17265/2161-6264/2018.03.006
Affiliation(s)
1. Skre Nature and Environment, Fanaflaten 4, Fana 5244, Norway
2. Norut Northern Research Institute, Tromsø 9294, Norway
3. Institute of Bioscience, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066 Blindern, Oslo 0316, Norway
ABSTRACT
Seedlings from eight seed
populations of mountain birch (Betula
pubescens var. tortuosa), were
transplanted to a site close to the town Vardø, in the Arctic part of the
Varanger area in Northernmost Norway, in order to investigate the adaptation to
climate change in different birch provenances and the implications for the
treeline ecosystem and the local population. A comparable site was established
at Kilpisjärvi (500 masl) in Northern Finland close
to treeline. Five replicates with 20 plants per replicate were established per
site. The Vardø site was partly snow-free, sheltered by a willow thicket, and
partly exposed on a ditched peat bog with thick snow cover from a nearby
snowfence. Annual measurements were carried out on survival and growth
parameters. The preliminary conclusion from this study is that local climate
may be more important than the overall climatic variation in the adaptation and
reforestation process in Northernmost Fennoscandia. In this process, the subarctic willow and shrub vegetation seems to be an important
factor influencing the microclimate and seedling establishment. Species and
provenances originating from areas with similar latitudes and climatic
conditions as the reforestation area, were most successful. The Varanger area
has always been a meeting place between different cultures, i.e., the Sami, Norwegian,
Finnish and Russian population. The study indicates that in a changed climate
the birch forest area would expand because there will be more willow growth and
consequently more safe sites for birch seedling establishment and growth, which
would also create a better local climate for the human population. In this
process local birch populations that are adapted to a more coastal climate,
would have an advantage. Since birch has been shown to be an important resource
for all these cultures, this would decrease the level of conflicts between the
different groups of stakeholders about the resources in the area.
KEYWORDS
Climate, mountain birch, Arctic treeline, socio-ecology.
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