Objective The proposed research programme will increase understanding of ecosystem dynamics at the forest-tundra ecotone in northern Europe. In particular, it will quantify the dynamics of the response of this ecotone to changes in climate and in land use. In order to achieve this overall objective, the following more specific objectives will be addressed:- To establish the principal environmental determinant(s) of the position of the forest-tundra ecotone in northern Europe;- To evaluate the long-term stability of the position of this ecotone;- To test the extent to which stabilising feedback controls determine the sensitivity of the ecotone to environmental changes;- To investigate the extent to which potential dynamic responses of the ecotone to environmental changes are modulated by other limiting factors, including propagule dispersal, seedling establishment, disturbance régime and herbivore impacts;- To evaluate the impacts of a transformation from tundra to birch woodland upon carbon sequestration, trace-gas fluxes, soil organic matter mineralisation rates and catchment hydrology;- To construct a landscape-scale model of ecosystem dynamics able to simulate the response of the ecotone to a variety of scenarios of environmental change;-To simulate the impacts of alternative environmental change scenarios upon the ecotone.These objectives will be addressed through a combination of field measurements, experiments and modelling at 6 study sites in Fennoscandia. Palaeoecological data will be used to provide a longer time perspective where appropriate, whilst the programmes of measurement and field manipulations will establish bases for longer-term monitoring of the ecotone. The study sites will be arranged along two complementary transects within environmental space. Northern Europe exhibits a strong oceanic-continental climate gradient along which the first transect will extend. The topographic diversity of Fennoscandia leads to recurrence of the forest-tundra ecotone across a wide latitudinal range and thus under diverse conditions of insolation and photoperiod; the second transect will extend along this gradient. The contemporary climate, trace-gas fluxes and soil organic matter mineralisation rates will be monitored; tree seedling establishment and growth and propagule flow, will be measured; the role of outlying trees in ecotone response will be assessed; the past position of the ecotone and the palaeoclimate will be investigated; time-series of snow-cover data will be obtained from satellite data; experiments will investigate the influences of temperature, snow-cover, the presence of a canopy, herbivory and disturbance upon tree seedling establishment; and models will be developed of landscape-scale hydrology and ecosystem dynamics. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologyengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 01020203 - Biodiversity and environmental change Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator University of Durham EU contribution No data Address South Road DH1 3LE Durham United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF DENMARK AND GREENLAND Denmark EU contribution No data Address 8,Oester Voldgade 10 2400 KOEPENHAGEN See on map Total cost No data NORWEGIAN INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESEARCH Norway EU contribution No data Address 19,Brekkeveien 19 0411 Oslo See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Norway EU contribution No data Address Realfagbygget 7491 TRONDHEIM See on map Total cost No data POTSDAM INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE IMPACT RESEARCH Germany EU contribution No data Address Telegrafenberg C4 1441 POTSDAM See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI Finland EU contribution No data Address 20 A,Siltavuorenpenger 20 A 00014 HELSINKI See on map Total cost No data Umeå Universitet Sweden EU contribution No data Address Universitetsomradet, Hus L 901 87 Umeå See on map Total cost No data University of Göteborg Sweden EU contribution No data Address 22B,Carl Skottsbergs Gata 413 19 Göteborg See on map Total cost No data Uppsala University Sweden EU contribution No data Address 18B,Norbyvägen 752 36 Uppsala See on map Total cost No data
