A new study published in Nature Climate Change and headed by Philip Manlick, an adjunct professor in the UNM Department of Biology and a research scientist with the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, demonstrates the severe impact of climate change on high-latitude ecosystems.
The study focuses on Arctic tundra and boreal forests, critical habitats for species adapted to extreme cold, in collaboration with scientists from the University of New Mexico's Center for Stable Isotopes, the UNM Museum of Southwestern Biology, and the University of Texas at Austin.
According to the outcomes, rising temperatures are forcing permafrost to melt, allowing bacteria and fungi to break down soil that has been frozen for centuries. The process makes "green" plants grow faster and "brown" energy from microbes breaking down ice and plants. While the effects of these changes on plant and microbial resources were previously unknown, the study shows that food webs in these ecosystems have been significantly reorganized.
Small mammals in boreal woods were studied throughout three decades (1990-2021), as were wolf spiders in Arctic tundra subjected to experimental warming. Scientists were able to trace the energy flow through food webs using stable isotope analysis of museum specimens collected over time.
Surprisingly, animals ingested freshly fixed carbon rather than ancient carbon from dissolving permafrost, despite the dominance of "brown" food webs. This complication suggests that the effects of climate change on ecosystems are complex and multifaceted.
The study raises issues about exactly what is causing the increase in "brown" food webs, speculating on permafrost decay or enhanced breakdown of new plant growth.
Understanding these dynamics is crucial for expecting how sensitive high-latitude ecosystems will respond to ongoing climate change. As warming continues to change these areas, the findings offer critical insights into the interactions between carbon flux, food web structure, and nutrient cycle. The study further highlights the importance of museum specimens in understanding the consequences of climate change on delicate ecosystems, setting the framework for future research in this area.
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