Abisko Scientific Research Station, Sweden.
Ambio. 2011 Sep;40(6):672-82. doi: 10.1007/s13280-011-0173-1.
This study was conducted in the Swedish subArctic, near Abisko, in order to assess the direction and scale of possible vegetation changes in the alpine-birch forest ecotone. We have re-surveyed shrub, tree and vegetation data at 549 plots grouped into 61 clusters. The plots were originally surveyed in 1997 and re-surveyed in 2010. Our study is unique for the area as we have quantitatively estimated a 19% increase in tree biomass mainly within the existing birch forest. We also found significant increases in the cover of two vegetation types--"birch forest-heath with mosses" and "meadow with low herbs", while the cover of snowbed vegetation decreased significantly. The vegetation changes might be caused by climate, herbivory and past human impact but irrespective of the causes, the observed transition of the vegetation will have substantial effects on the mountain ecosystems.
本研究在瑞典的亚北极地区阿比斯库附近进行，目的是评估高山-桦木林交错带中可能发生的植被变化的方向和规模。我们重新调查了 549 个样地的灌木、树木和植被数据，这些样地分为 61 个群集。这些样地最初是在 1997 年进行调查的，然后在 2010 年进行了重新调查。我们的研究在该地区是独一无二的，因为我们定量估计了树木生物量增加了 19%，主要是在现有的桦木林中。我们还发现了两种植被类型的显著增加——“桦木林-苔藓荒地”和“低草本草地”，而雪地植被的覆盖面积则显著减少。这些植被变化可能是由气候、食草动物和过去人类活动造成的，但无论原因如何，观察到的植被转变将对山地生态系统产生重大影响。
