Winners and losers in a warming world: a long term study of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)

Abstract ID: 3.12982
|Review Result Accepted as Talk
|Abstract not registered Abstract not registered
| TBA
|Presentation Location TBA
Gya, R. (1)
Bjorkman, A. (2); and Björnsdottir, K. (2)
(1) University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53A, 5006 Bergen, NO
(2) Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 7 B, 41390 Göteborg
How to cite: Gya, R.; Bjorkman, A.; and Björnsdottir, K.: Winners and losers in a warming world: a long term study of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX), International Mountain Conference 2025, Innsbruck, Sep 14 - 18 2025, #IMC25-3.12982, 2025.
Categories: Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems
Keywords: Functional traits, Climate change, Field experiment, Plant ecology, Tundra
Categories: Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems
Keywords: Functional traits, Climate change, Field experiment, Plant ecology, Tundra
Abstract

Alpine and Arctic ecosystems are threatened by global warming. Some plant species are decreasing in abundance, while others are increasing, in response to warming. In this study we use the long-term, globally distributed, International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) with open top chambers (OTC) to simulate warming. Using data from the whole ITEX database, including data from 1990 till now, and all continents except Antarctica, we identify the winners and the losers of alpine and Arctic plants with warming from OTCs over time. Once these species are identified we look for commonality between these species using functional traits. By identifying the functional traits that are linked to responses to warming we may be able to help predict winners and losers beyond the species in our dataset, hopefully adding more knowledge to nature management, and restoration work. Here we present the preliminary results from this meta-analysis type study and discuss the consequences of these findings.