title: Ecological dynamics across the Arctic associated with recent climate change.
abstract: At the close of the Fourth International Polar Year, we take stock of the ecological consequences of recent climate change in the Arctic, focusing on effects at population, community, and ecosystem scales. Despite the buffering effect of landscape heterogeneity, Arctic ecosystems and the trophic relationships that structure them have been severely perturbed. These rapid changes may be a bellwether of changes to come at lower latitudes and have the potential to affect ecosystem services related to natural resources, food production, climate regulation, and cultural integrity. We highlight areas of ecological research that deserve priority as the Arctic continues to warm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Penn State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA. esp10@psu.edu
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: Mads C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Forchhammer
authors.forename: M Syndonia
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bret-Harte
authors.forename: Terry V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Callaghan
authors.forename: Torben R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elberling
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gilg
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hik
authors.forename: Toke T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Høye
authors.forename: Rolf A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ims
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jeppesen
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: A David
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rysgaard
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stirling
authors.forename: Mikkel P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tamstorf
authors.forename: Nicholas J C
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van der Wal
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Welker
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wookey
authors.forename: Niels Martin
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aastrup
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D055907:Climatic Processes; D003081:Cold Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D046448:Ice Cover; D063245:Plant Development; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012106:Research