Moisture conditions affect different species groups, such as vascular plants, mosses and lichens, both at the individual and community levels. This highlights the importance of soil moisture in the vulnerable Arctic ecosystem.
Soil moisture and its spatial distribution are controlled by soil and topographic factors, but also woody plants influence soil moisture. Shrubs and dwarf shrubs are expanding in the tundra, which will affect the climate through the cycles of water, energy and carbon.
– Water is vital for life, also for vegetation. Water affects the growth, survival and spatial distribution of plants, which is why I am interested in moisture conditions, says Julia Kemppinen.
Kemppinen collected data for her thesis across the Arctic. Field work took her from the Fennoscandian mountains to western Greenland and Svalbard.
In her thesis, Kemppinen modelled the spatial and temporal variation of soil moisture, analysed the impact of soil moisture on tundra vegetation and also used dwarf shrubs to model soil moisture.
The conclusion of the thesis is that water really is an important driver of tundra vegetation, as it affects plants in multifaceted ways. Kemppinen will continue her soil moisture investigations in her postdoctoral research: she wants to know what will happen to the northern environments if water conditions will change in a warmer future.
Kemppinen carried out her doctoral dissertation at the BioGeoClimate Modelling Lab led by professor Miska Luoto at the Department of Geosciences and Geography.
Professori Signe Normand, Aarhus University, will serve as the opponent, and Professor Miska Luoto as the custos. The dissertation will be published in the series Department of Geosciences and Geography.
The dissertation is also available in electronic form through the E-thesis service: Soil moisture and its importance for tundra plants
Contact information:
Julia Kemppinen, BioGeoClimate Modelling Lab, University of Helsinki
julia.kemppinen@helsinki.fi
Twitter: @juliakemppinen