The missing pieces for better future predictions in subarctic ecosystems: a Torneträsk case study

Arctic and subarctic ecosystems are experiencing substantial changes in hydrology, vegetation, permafrost conditions, and carbon cycling, in response to climatic change and other anthropogenic drivers, and these changes are likely to continue over this century. The total magnitude of these changes results from multiple interactions among these drivers. Field measurements can address the overall responses to different changing drivers, but are less capable of quantifying the interactions among them. Currently, a comprehensive assessment of the drivers of ecosystem changes, and the magnitude of their direct and indirect impacts on subarctic ecosystems, is missing. The Torneträsk area, in the Swedish subarctic, has an unrivalled history of environmental observation over 100 years, and is one of the most studied sites in the Arctic. In this study, we summarize and rank the drivers of ecosystem change in the Torneträsk area, and propose research priorities identified, by expert assessment, to improve predictions of ecosystem changes. The research priorities identified include understanding impacts on ecosystems brought on by altered frequency and intensity of winter warming events, evapotranspiration rates, rainfall, duration of snow cover and lake-ice, changed soil moisture, and droughts. This case study can help us understand the ongoing ecosystem changes occurring in the Torneträsk area, and contribute to improve predictions of future ecosystem changes at a larger scale. This understanding will provide the basis for the future mitigation and adaptation plans needed in a changing climate

Problems in geoecological approach to high-mountain environment (based on studies of relief : vegetation relationships)

The paper discusses the issues associated with the geoecological rendition of high mountains, taking as a basis the authors’ studies of interrelations between relief and vegetation. The fundamental prerequisites for these studies are presented, with emphasis on the fact that the relation between the two elements is indirect and takes place via the intermediary of the habitat. With respect to the scales, both spatial and temporal, applied in the study of landscape, it is established that the majority of relations between vegetation and relief is analysed on the micro-scale, and much less frequently on the meso-scale. Application of areal methods in respective studies provides the possibility of determining the measure of relation between the elements considered. The linear methods (like, e.g., the catena method) allow for grasping the gradient differentiation of the spatial patterns on high mountain slopes. It was established that the main source of problems with landscape representation of high mountains is the mosaic character of the landscape structure. Due to this, even though the interrelations between the elements of the environment – including relief and vegetation – are distinctly visible, they have not been made precise enough with the mathematically defined dependencies, which make development of models of structure and functioning of high mountain slopes more difficult

Field trip in the Kerala : report

This report contains short information about the geomorphological field trip in Kerala State. The field trip was largely focused on various geomorphological and geoecological aspects of laterites and backwaters which dominate in landscape of Kerala. One of the main highlights of the field trip was to the examination of type locality of laterite. Nearly 60% of the Kerala is covered by laterite or laterite-derived materials, and lateritisation process dominates the landform development from the coast to foothills. The second main highlights of the field trip was to the examination of backwaters which are a network of five big lakes (lagoons and estuaries) and rivers linked by natural and man-made canals