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Zackenberg in a circumpolar context

Forchhammer, Mads C. ; Christensen, Torben LU ; Hansen, Birger U. ; Tamsdorf, Mikkel P. ; Schmidt, Niels M. ; Høye, Toke T. ; Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob ; Rasch, Morten ; Meltofte, Hans and Elberling, Bo , et al. (2008) 40. p.499-544
Abstract
Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, changes in local and regional climate conditions are coupled to the recurring and persistent large-scale patterns of pressure and circulation anomalies spanning vast geographical areas, the so-called teleconnection patterns. Indeed, the atmospheric fluctuations described by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are closely associated with the last four decades of inter-annual variability in local snow and ice conditions observed in the Arctic. Since the NAO has also been connected with changes in the global climate, the behaviour of species, communities and other ecosystem elements at Zackenberg in relation to the NAO enables us to view these in circumpolar and global contexts.



... (More)
Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, changes in local and regional climate conditions are coupled to the recurring and persistent large-scale patterns of pressure and circulation anomalies spanning vast geographical areas, the so-called teleconnection patterns. Indeed, the atmospheric fluctuations described by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are closely associated with the last four decades of inter-annual variability in local snow and ice conditions observed in the Arctic. Since the NAO has also been connected with changes in the global climate, the behaviour of species, communities and other ecosystem elements at Zackenberg in relation to the NAO enables us to view these in circumpolar and global contexts.



Large-scale systems like the NAO constitute the link between the global change and local climate variability to which ecosystem components respond. Here, we place selected ecosystem elements from the monitoring programme Zackenberg Basic presented in previous chapters in a circumpolar context related to NAO-mediated climatic changes. We begin by linking the local variability in winter weather conditions at Zackenberg to fluctuations in the NAO. We then proceed by linking the observed intra- and inter-annual behaviour of selected ecosystem elements to changes in the NAO. The functional ecosystem characteristics in focus are landscape gas exchange dynamics phenological patterns at different trophic levels, consumer-resource dynamics and community stability. The influence of the NAO is presented and discussed in a broader perspective based on information obtained from other arctic localities.



The relation between the NAO and the Zackenberg winter weather, is nonlinear, reflecting differential effects of the NAO as the index moves between high and low phases. The inverse hyperbolic relationship found between the NAO and the amount of winter snow was also evident as non-linear response in organisms and systems to inter-annual changes in the NAO. Responses investigated included growth and reproduction in plants and animals, population dynamics and synchrony, inter-trophic interactions and community stability together with system feedback dynamics. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Advances in Ecological Research
editor
Meltofte, Hans ; Christensen, Torben ; Elberling, Bo ; Forchhammer, Mads and Rasch, Morten
volume
40
pages
499 - 544
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000256528000021
  • scopus:41349122856
ISSN
0065-2504
DOI
10.1016/S0065-2504(07)00021-9
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
121e7f5c-152c-4375-a44a-27f6b0e7ba4b (old id 712939)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:54:17
date last changed
2022-01-27 08:12:38
@inbook{121e7f5c-152c-4375-a44a-27f6b0e7ba4b,
  abstract     = {{Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, changes in local and regional climate conditions are coupled to the recurring and persistent large-scale patterns of pressure and circulation anomalies spanning vast geographical areas, the so-called teleconnection patterns. Indeed, the atmospheric fluctuations described by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are closely associated with the last four decades of inter-annual variability in local snow and ice conditions observed in the Arctic. Since the NAO has also been connected with changes in the global climate, the behaviour of species, communities and other ecosystem elements at Zackenberg in relation to the NAO enables us to view these in circumpolar and global contexts.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Large-scale systems like the NAO constitute the link between the global change and local climate variability to which ecosystem components respond. Here, we place selected ecosystem elements from the monitoring programme Zackenberg Basic presented in previous chapters in a circumpolar context related to NAO-mediated climatic changes. We begin by linking the local variability in winter weather conditions at Zackenberg to fluctuations in the NAO. We then proceed by linking the observed intra- and inter-annual behaviour of selected ecosystem elements to changes in the NAO. The functional ecosystem characteristics in focus are landscape gas exchange dynamics phenological patterns at different trophic levels, consumer-resource dynamics and community stability. The influence of the NAO is presented and discussed in a broader perspective based on information obtained from other arctic localities.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The relation between the NAO and the Zackenberg winter weather, is nonlinear, reflecting differential effects of the NAO as the index moves between high and low phases. The inverse hyperbolic relationship found between the NAO and the amount of winter snow was also evident as non-linear response in organisms and systems to inter-annual changes in the NAO. Responses investigated included growth and reproduction in plants and animals, population dynamics and synchrony, inter-trophic interactions and community stability together with system feedback dynamics.}},
  author       = {{Forchhammer, Mads C. and Christensen, Torben and Hansen, Birger U. and Tamsdorf, Mikkel P. and Schmidt, Niels M. and Høye, Toke T. and Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob and Rasch, Morten and Meltofte, Hans and Elberling, Bo and Post, Eric}},
  booktitle    = {{Advances in Ecological Research}},
  editor       = {{Meltofte, Hans and Christensen, Torben and Elberling, Bo and Forchhammer, Mads and Rasch, Morten}},
  issn         = {{0065-2504}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{499--544}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  title        = {{Zackenberg in a circumpolar context}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2504(07)00021-9}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0065-2504(07)00021-9}},
  volume       = {{40}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}