A team of researchers from the University of Bristol have recently shown that ecosystems created by melting glaciers in the Arctic are sensitive to climate change and human activity.

Melting ice is exposing vast landscapes that are colonised by simple forms of microbial life. These microbes in Arctic soils must cope with short cool summers and long freezing winters, as well as starvation from nutrients.

However, warming temperatures, shorter winters, and increased impacts from human activity threatens the balance of this unique and delicate ecosystem.

The researchers used new computational modelling software designed at the University of Bristol to show that future climate change in the Arctic over the next two centuries may enhance microbial growth and respiration rates, increasing CO2 emissions from soils.

Enhanced microbial activity also may increase nutrient availability and encourage plants to grow in these extreme environments.

Lead author James Bradley, from the School of Geographical Sciences and Cabot Institute at the University of Bristol (and now based at the University of Southern California), said: "It is challenging to predict the effects of future climate change with field and laboratory experiments alone.

"It takes decades to feasibly monitor long term ecological change. Recently designed modelling software allows us to manipulate and simulate experimental conditions over century timescales to enable long-term predictions of the effects of climate change on ecosystems."

In the space of two years, researchers found the field-site in Svalbard had changed dramatically.

Glaciers have melted away, retreating by tens of metres, and exposing soils to the atmosphere for the first time in thousands of years. The rate of melting is expected to increase in the coming years as Arctic temperatures increase further.

James Bradley added: "These findings show that we need to pay greater attention to the ecological consequences of climate change in Arctic soils."

The findings were published recently in the journal Frontiers in Earth Science, and the project was funded by NERC.

Tweet

Solving the mystery of the Arctic's green ice
Boston MA (SPX) Apr 02, 2017
In 2011, researchers observed something that should be impossible - a massive bloom of phytoplankton growing under Arctic sea ice in conditions that should have been far too dark for anything requiring photosynthesis to survive. So, how was this bloom possible? Using mathematical modeling, researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) found ... read more

Related Links
University of Bristol
Beyond the Ice Age

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only