Trees and shrubs are growing in transitional forests and tundra regions, which is expected to continue until at least the end of the century, according to a NASA-led study. With the warming climate, the vegetation of forests in the far north is changing as more trees and shrubs appear, the study said.
Boreal forests typically grow between 50 and 60 degrees north latitude, covering vast areas of Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia. The biome is characterized by evergreens such as pine, spruce, and fir. The tundra biome, farther north, has historically been sparse in vegetation due to permafrost and a short growing season.
SHIFT IN VEGETATION PATTERNS
Previous studies have observed an increase in high-latitude plant growth and its movement northward into areas previously dominated by tundra shrubs and grasses.
The warming global climate is altering the vegetation structure of forests in the far north. This change could either absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis or release ancient carbon stored in permafrost.
The study used nearly 20 million data points from NASA’s ICESat-2 mission and Landsat missions to analyze vegetation growth patterns. Advanced computing capabilities were required to create models with large quantities of data.
FUTURE CLIMATE SCENARIOS
Scientists examined current vegetation height measurements in the far north and modelled future climate scenarios, adjusting for temperature and precipitation changes, to predict forest structure changes.
CLIMATE MODELING AND FORECASTING
The study’s findings will be used to refine climate forecasting computer models. According to NASA researcher Paul Montesano, “The results from this study advance a growing body of work that recognizes a shift in vegetation patterns within the boreal forest biome.”
