Mariana Verdonen

Postdoctoral research project funded by the Maj and Tor Nessling foundation.

This research advances sustainability transformation by adding knowledge about permafrost and its connections to climate change. The project uses a unique combination of multi-sensor remote sensing and field data to study palsa mire dynamics. Due to climate change, these subarctic carbon stores and biodiversity hotspots are among the most threatened habitats in Europe. Their degradation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, hydrological and ecological shifts, and reduced ecosystem services. A better understanding of how palsa mires in different environments respond to climate forcing is crucial for their effective protection. By developing a monitoring framework and identifying both vulnerable and resilient palsa mire areas, the project generates actionable knowledge to support early detection of permafrost degradation and to inform conservation and climate strategies. Strong emphasis is placed on long-term monitoring, international collaboration, and diverse communication.

Pilot study funded by the Landsvirkjun Energy Research Fund

Palsa mires (rústamýrar) are among the most threatened habitats in Iceland due to climate change. However, little is known about the current state of palsa mires in Iceland, their biota, rate of change and its relation to local climate, or the implications of permafrost thaw on the surrounding ecosystem and watershed. While general patterns of palsa degradation are documented in other regions, there is a lack of detailed, long-term studies specifically focusing on the extent and rate of permafrost degradation in Icelandic palsa mires, which are affected by volcanic soils and aeolian dust deposition. Although the degradation of these landforms is evident, it remains unclear how responsive different palsa mires are. To address the lack of knowledge about the current state of Icelandic palsa mires and to promote long-term monitoring, our interdisciplinary project has brought together experts in physical geography, remote sensing, soil science, and terrestrial and freshwater ecology.

https://lbhi.is/en/research/research-projects/projects/multi-instrumental-investigation-of-icelandic-palsa-mires 

My PhD research, in which I investigated permafrost-landscape changes in Yamal Peninsula, Northern Russia, and in Finnish Lapland.

A short summary of the key findings and methods used is provided in the dissertation news release: The new insights into periglacial landscape dynamics

PhD Thesis: Periglacial landscape dynamics: coupled analysis of a changing Arctic using remote sensing and field observations

The biome boundary between the boreal forest and tundra is rapidly shifting due to ongoing climate warming and changes in land use. As a result, many species typical of the forest are expanding into the tundra, a process known as borealization. These shifts in the forest-tundra biome boundary will have important consequences for the functioning of terrestrial Nordic ecosystems and ultimately, for their ability to provide valuable ecosystem services.

The Nordic Borealization Network (NordBorN) is a five-year project funded by NordForsk that has established a collaboration platform across the Nordic countries to understand the implications of borealization in Nordic terrestrial ecosystems. The aim of NordBorN is two-fold: 1) to create a venue for research excellence in terrestrial ecology to understand the processes, drivers and consequences of borealization of Nordic ecosystems, and 2) to establish a training hub for the next generation of Nordic researchers.

To achieve this goal, NordBorN brings together six Nordic universities and three associated partners, including 27 participants in different career stages and with complementary expertise, who collaborate on research projects, jointly develop research funding applications and create opportunities for mobility and co-supervision of graduate students across Nordic universities.

https://nordborn.lbhi.is/

Publications:

Verdonen, M., Barrio, I. C., Barbero-Palacios, L., López-Blanco, E., Speed, J. D. M., Defourneaux, M., García Criado, M., Moullec, M. le, Mellard, J. P., Salazar, A., Bakke Westergaard, K., Guðmundsson, J., Schmidt, N. M., Sigurdsson, B. D., Austrheim, G., Bjorkman, A. D., Björnsdóttir, K., Jepsen, J. U., Pagneux, E. P., Trascau, B.M., Williamson, D.R., Aradóttir, Á.L., Barry, A., Bernard, T., Koivisto, E., Kumpula, T., Villoslada, M. & Myers-Smith, I. H. (2026) Borealization of tundra ecosystems with climate and land-use change. Environmental Research Letters, 21(1):013002, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae2e18