Empetrum-tundra: Ecological Relationships of a changing Arctic (EmpERA)

The Arctic tundra is undergoing large changes in climate and vegetation. Project EmpERA focuses on tundra ecosystem responses to both warming and cooling climate by 2100, with a specific focus on black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum spp.). Due to its high concentrations of leaf chemicals that inhibit growth of other plants and microbes, Empetrum can dominate community composition and reduce biodiversity and ecosystem process rates unlike other species. In landscapes where Empetrum is or can become dominant, it is likely to strongly mediate the effects of climate changes on ecosystem functioning. In EmpERA, we apply state-of-the-art empirical, remote-sensing and modeling approaches and knowledge co-production to establish the ecological processes behind, and ecosystem consequences of Empetrum proliferation in sub-Arctic tundra. EmpERA’s results will be highly relevant for anticipating ecosystem-level responses and resilience of Arctic tundra to climate changes.