Summer Air Temperature and Number of Vascular Species in Arctic Canada

Rannie, W. F.

doi:10.14430/arctic2060

Cited by 59 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…These categories correspond to Marsh and Tundra habitat types, respectively, in the present work, and suggest a broad equivalence, for instance, between habitats variously described as marsh, sedge meadows, wet coastal plain tundra, grassy tundra, and sedge tundra at various localities across the Arctic (Table 10). While climate and regional geology influence the diversity of plants and categories of habitat present (e.g., Rannie, 1986;Edlund and Alt, 1989), the broad similarity or equivalence in habitat types across the Arctic may result from the widespread distribution and wide ecological tolerance of many vascular plant species.…”

Section: Densities Of Shorebirds On Prince Charles Island and At Othementioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Remote Sensing to Evaluate Shorebird Habitats and Populations on Prince Charles Island, Foxe Basin, Canada

Morrison¹

1997

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper imagery was used to produce a 17-habitat classification of Prince Charles Island, Foxe Basin, Northwest Territories, through a combination of supervised and unsupervised approaches. Breeding shorebirds and habitats were surveyed at 35 study plots in July 1989. Habitat-specific breeding densities calculated from these observations were used to estimate total populations of breeding shorebirds on the island based on areas of habitat derived from the classified image. Breeding densities were further modelled in two ways: first, to adjust for distance from the coast, where regression analyses found a significant relationship between distance and density, and second, to include only those pixels of areas considered suitable for breeding, using results of a proximity analysis to determine habitat associations between known breeding locations (pixels) and other habitats. Six species of shorebirds were found breeding on Prince Charles Island, with a combined population (after modelling) estimated at 294 000 pairs. Comparison of breeding densities and estimated populations of shorebirds with those recorded at other arctic locations indicated that Prince Charles Island supports highly significant numbers of shorebirds, especially white-rumped sandpipers and red phalaropes. Comparison of reference areas of known habitat with those on the classified image indicated classification accuracy averaged over 90%. Remote sensing appears to offer a reliable method for assessing habitats and regional breeding populations of birds in at least some areas, providing that classification methods are carried out in a carefully controlled manner. Use of the method over broad areas of the Arctic would require considerable work to recalibrate imagery for different geographic regions.

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Section: Densities Of Shorebirds On Prince Charles Island and At Othementioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Remote Sensing to Evaluate Shorebird Habitats and Populations on Prince Charles Island, Foxe Basin, Canada

Morrison¹

1997

ARCTIC

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“…Freeze-thaw events are commonplace. These harsh conditions impose strong selection pressures on plants inhabiting such regions, leading to prostrate, cushion-forming life forms with aerodynamically smooth canopies, fewer woody species and reduced species richness at higher latitudes, both in Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems (Rannie 1986;Peat et al 2007). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycorrhizas and dark septate root endophytes in polar regions

2009

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We review the distributions and functions of mycorrhizas and dark septate root endophytes in polar regions. Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are present in the Arctic and Antarctic to 82 ºN and 63 ºS, respectively, with fine endophyte being the dominant form of AM in roots at higher latitudes. Ecto-(ECM) and ericoid (ERM) mycorrhizas both occur in the Arctic to 79 ºN, owing to the presence of species of Salix, Dryas, Vaccinium and Cassiope to this latitude.ECM and ERM are not present in Antarctic ecosystems, owing to an absence of suitable hosts. Arbutoid and orchid mycorrhizas are infrequent in the Arctic, whilst the latter is present at one location in the sub-Antarctic. Data from studies of AM, ECM and ERM colonisation along a latitudinal transect through the Arctic indicate that the frequency of plant species not colonised by mycorrhizas increases at higher latitudes, largely owing to an increase in nonmycorrhizal and a decrease in obligately mycorrhizal plant families at more northerly locations. A separate group of root-and rhizoid-associated fungi, the dark septate root endophytes (DSE), are widespread to 82 ºN and 77 ºS, and are apparently more frequent than mycorrhizal fungi in polar regions. The functions of DSE are largely unclear, but studies suggest beneficial effects on plant growth under defined conditions. We advocate further research into the effects of DSE on their host plants in polar regions.

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“…Mean July temperatures (MJT) range from 12˚C near the tree line to below 3˚C in the High Arctic and are strongly correlated with species richness. A predictable loss of about 25 species occurs with every 1˚C drop in MJT (Rannie, 1986). In this way, climate acts as the primary filter on potential vegetation patterns in the Arctic (Walker, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining Research and Education: Bioclimatic Zonation along a Canadian Arctic Transect

Gould¹,

Walker

Biesboer

2003

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. Scientists and students from five countries combined research and education in an investigation of bioclimatic zonation along a Canadian Arctic transect, from Amund Ringnes Island and Ellesmere Island in the north to the Daring Lake research camp at the southern edge of the tundra in Nunavut. We addressed three important needs in Arctic science: 1) to integrate education and research, 2) to provide field experiences for undergraduates, and 3) to foster international collaboration. We describe five subzones within the Arctic tundra zone. Subzones are defined by the vegetation typical of mesic environments at low elevations and the dominant growth forms of vegetation in these environments. Subzonal boundaries coincide with the northern limits of several species of woody plants with distinct upright or prostrate growth forms, and ultimately with the northern limit of woody plant species. The five subzones, A-E, from north to south, are characterized by dominant growth form: (A) cushion forb, (B) prostrate dwarf shrub, (C) hemiprostrate dwarf shrub, (D) erect dwarf shrub, and (E) low shrub.

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Summer Air Temperature and Number of Vascular Species in Arctic Canada

Cited by 59 publications

References 15 publications

The Use of Remote Sensing to Evaluate Shorebird Habitats and Populations on Prince Charles Island, Foxe Basin, Canada

The Use of Remote Sensing to Evaluate Shorebird Habitats and Populations on Prince Charles Island, Foxe Basin, Canada

Mycorrhizas and dark septate root endophytes in polar regions

Combining Research and Education: Bioclimatic Zonation along a Canadian Arctic Transect

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