Arctic and Boreal Ecosystems Changes

Dear Colleagues,

Changes in soil and vegetation, as a rule, occur for internal reasons associated with the competition of biological species and the transformation of soil properties. However, due to global climate change and increasing anthropogenic impact, more and more ecosystems begin to change under the influence of factors external to the ecosystem. Therefore, most of the currently observed changes in ecosystems are associated with both internal causes and external in relation to the ecosystem, that is, they are of a complex nature (internal mechanisms + climate change + dynamics of human social systems). The study of ecosystem changes requires the identification of the components of the above drivers. Arctic and boreal ecosystems are most vulnerable to current climate change and increased anthropogenic impact. This makes it relevant to study their changes in order to have reliable predictions of their state in the future. The main changes in arctic and subarctic vegetation are caused by an increase in the active layer thickness and the area of landscapes affected by thermokarst, thawing of permafrost, an increase in the growing season duration of plants, and the involvement of additional amounts of nutrients in biogeochemical cycles.

The largest number of published papers considers the greening effect of the Arctic vegetation; studies are less often devoted to browning. However, the largest percentage of land (more than half of the territory) in the permafrost zone does not experience any changes during remote sensing and remains surprisingly stable. Further identification and description of the causes, mechanisms of the ongoing changes, as well as the identification of the reasons for the stable state of ecosystems will make it possible to better predict the structure of plant communities and the parameters of biogeochemical cycles in the permafrost zone.

Current changes in boreal plant communities and soils are caused by more frequent fires, deforestation, and palludification. The warmer climate is leading to more frequent outbreaks of tree pests. Oil and gas companies also play a significant role, especially in Northern Eurasia. All this leads to the transformation of biogeochemical cycles and changes in the typical successional tracks of ecosystems. In the south of the boreal ecoregion, changes are associated with the abandonment of rural landscapes. Post-agricultural vegetation successions lead to increased carbon sequestration in soils and the introduction of wild species.

This special issue welcomes articles on all aspects of changes in arctic, subarctic and boreal ecosystems, their plant communities and soils, both in the context of climate change and anthropogenic dynamics. Of particular interest are articles devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the ongoing changes both in plant communities and in soils. Studies that describe and systematize both natural, background successions of soils and plant communities, and all the changes that have appeared in nature in the last hundred years are valuable. We will be glad to see articles in which both field, experimental, and remote sensing methods are applied.

Dr. Sergey Loiko
Dr. Tatiana Raudina
Dr. Artem Lim
Guest Editors

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• soil
• vegetation
• biogeochemistry
• remote sensing
• soil organic carbon
• plant succession
• thawing permafrost
• thermokarst
• land use change
• soil physical and chemical properties
• artic ecosystems
• boreal ecosystems
• subarctic ecosystems
• paleoecology
• climate change
• anthropogenic impact