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Jepsen JU, Arneberg P, Ims RA, Siwertsson A, Yoccoz NG, Fauchald P, Pedersen ÅØ, van der Meeren GI, von Quillfeldt CH. Panel-based assessment of ecosystem condition as a platform for adaptive and knowledge driven management. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 74:1020-1036. [PMID: 39271533 PMCID: PMC11438735 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-02042-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Ecosystems are subjected to increasing exposure to multiple anthropogenic drivers. This has led to the development of national and international accounting systems describing the condition of ecosystems, often based on few, highly aggregated indicators. Such accounting systems would benefit from a stronger theoretical and empirical underpinning of ecosystem dynamics. Operational tools for ecosystem management require understanding of natural ecosystem dynamics, consideration of uncertainty at all levels, means for quantifying driver-response relationships behind observed and anticipated future trajectories of change, and an efficient and transparent synthesis to inform knowledge-driven decision processes. There is hence a gap between highly aggregated indicator-based accounting tools and the need for explicit understanding and assessment of the links between multiple drivers and ecosystem condition as a foundation for informed and adaptive ecosystem management. We describe here an approach termed PAEC (Panel-based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition) for combining quantitative and qualitative elements of evidence and uncertainties into an integrated assessment of ecosystem condition at spatial scales relevant to management and monitoring. The PAEC protocol is founded on explicit predictions, termed phenomena, of how components of ecosystem structure and functions are changing as a result of acting drivers. The protocol tests these predictions with observations and combines these tests to assess the change in the condition of the ecosystem as a whole. PAEC includes explicit, quantitative or qualitative, assessments of uncertainty at different levels and integrates these in the final assessment. As proofs-of-concept we summarize the application of the PAEC protocol to a marine and a terrestrial ecosystem in Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane U Jepsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Department of Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Per Arneberg
- Institute of Marine Research, Department of Ecosystem Processes, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Rolf A Ims
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anna Siwertsson
- Institute of Marine Research, Department of Ecosystem Processes, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Nigel G Yoccoz
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Per Fauchald
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Department of Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Gro I van der Meeren
- Institute of Marine Research, Department of Ecosystem Processes, 5392, Storebø, Norway
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Ma Q, Li Y, Li X, Liu J, Keyimu M, Zeng F, Liu Y. Modeling future changes in potential habitats of five alpine vegetation types on the Tibetan Plateau by incorporating snow depth and snow phenology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170399. [PMID: 38296095 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Although snow cover is a major factor affecting vegetation in alpine regions, it is rarely introduced into ecological niche models in alpine regions. Snow phenology over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) was estimated using a daily passive microwave snow depth dataset, and future datasets of snow depth and snow phenology were projected based on their sensitivity to temperature and precipitation. Furthermore, the potential habitats of five alpine vegetation types on the TP were predicted under two future climate scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) by using a model with incorporated snow variables, and the driving factors of habitat change were analyzed. The results showed that the inclusion of snow variables improved the prediction accuracy of MaxEnt model, particularly in alpine meadow habitats. By the end of the 21st century, the potential habitats of steppes, meadows, shrubs, deserts, and coniferous forests on the TP will migrate to higher latitudes and altitudes, in which the potential habitats of alpine desert will recede (replaced by alpine steppe), and the potential habitats of other four vegetation types will expand. The random forest importance analysis showed that the recession of potential habitat was mainly driven by the increase in average annual temperature, and the expansion of potential habitat was mainly driven by the increase in precipitation. With the gradual increase in temperature and precipitation in the future, the snow depth and snow cover duration days will decrease, which may further lead to the transition of vegetation types from cold-adapted to warm-adapted on the TP. Our study highlights both that the prediction accuracy of alpine vegetation was improved by incorporating snow variables into the species distribution model, and that a changing climate will likely have a powerful influence on the distribution of alpine vegetation across the TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural and Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
| | - Xiangyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ji Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Maierdang Keyimu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yalan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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3
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Wei B, Zhang D, Wang G, Liu Y, Li Q, Zheng Z, Yang G, Peng Y, Niu K, Yang Y. Experimental warming altered plant functional traits and their coordination in a permafrost ecosystem. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1802-1816. [PMID: 37434301 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about changes in plant functional traits is valuable for the mechanistic understanding of warming effects on ecosystem functions. However, observations have tended to focus on aboveground plant traits, and there is little information about changes in belowground plant traits or the coordination of above- and belowground traits under climate warming, particularly in permafrost ecosystems. Based on a 7-yr field warming experiment, we measured 26 above- and belowground plant traits of four dominant species, and explored community functional composition and trait networks in response to experimental warming in a permafrost ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau. Experimental warming shifted community-level functional traits toward more acquisitive values, with earlier green-up, greater plant height, larger leaves, higher photosynthetic resource-use efficiency, thinner roots, and greater specific root length and root nutrient concentrations. However, warming had a negligible effect in terms of functional diversity. In addition, warming shifted hub traits which have the highest centrality in the network from specific root area to leaf area. These results demonstrate that above- and belowground traits exhibit consistent adaptive strategies, with more acquisitive traits in warmer environments. Such changes could provide an adaptive advantage for plants in response to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dianye Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Guanqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Qinlu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhihu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guibiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yunfeng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Kechang Niu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuanhe Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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4
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Morgan J, Walker Z. Early-melting snowpatch plant communities are transitioning into novel states. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16520. [PMID: 37783739 PMCID: PMC10545709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42808-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Snowpatch plant community distribution and composition are strongly tied to the duration of long-lasting snow cover in alpine areas; they are vulnerable to global climatic changes that result in warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons. We used a revisitation study to quantify early-melting snowpatch floristic and functional diversity change in southern Australia, and document shrub size-class distributions over time to detect evidence for their encroachment into snowpatches, a key prediction with climatic change. Early-melting snowpatch vegetation has declined in areal extent, changed in species composition, and shrub and tussock grass cover has increased, but changes in functional trait diversity were less clear. Species gains, particularly by non-clonal species, accounted for most of the floristic change observed. Shrub recruitment was ongoing by most shrub species. Biotic differentiation is occurring; many early-melting snowpatches are transitioning to a novel state with changed composition and taller vegetation structure, but there is little evidence for species loss having occurred. Given enough time, however, the long-term loss of species is likely (i.e. biotic homogenisation) if taller shrubs outcompete short-statured snowpatch species. Our results provide evidence that this alpine ecosystem is forming a novel community with an uncertain future.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Morgan
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.
- Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.
| | - Zac Walker
- Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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5
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Marta S, Zimmer A, Caccianiga M, Gobbi M, Ambrosini R, Azzoni RS, Gili F, Pittino F, Thuiller W, Provenzale A, Ficetola GF. Heterogeneous changes of soil microclimate in high mountains and glacier forelands. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5306. [PMID: 37652908 PMCID: PMC10471727 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41063-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Landscapes nearby glaciers are disproportionally affected by climate change, but we lack detailed information on microclimate variations that can modulate the impacts of global warming on proglacial ecosystems and their biodiversity. Here, we use near-subsurface soil temperatures in 175 stations from polar, equatorial and alpine glacier forelands to generate high-resolution temperature reconstructions, assess spatial variability in microclimate change from 2001 to 2020, and estimate whether microclimate heterogeneity might buffer the severity of warming trends. Temporal changes in microclimate are tightly linked to broad-scale conditions, but the rate of local warming shows great spatial heterogeneity, with faster warming nearby glaciers and during the warm season, and an extension of the snow-free season. Still, most of the fine-scale spatial variability of microclimate is one-to-ten times larger than the temporal change experienced during the past 20 years, indicating the potential for microclimate to buffer climate change, possibly allowing organisms to withstand, at least temporarily, the effects of warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Marta
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy.
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, IGG-CNR, Italian National Research Council, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Anaïs Zimmer
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Texas at Austin, 78712, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Marco Caccianiga
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via G. Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Gobbi
- Research & Museum Collections Office, Climate and Ecology Unit, MUSE-Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122, Trento, Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Sergio Azzoni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Department of Earth Sciences "Ardito Desio", University of Milan, Via L. Mangiagalli 34, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Gili
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Pittino
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT) - University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Wilfried Thuiller
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, F38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Antonello Provenzale
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, IGG-CNR, Italian National Research Council, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, F38000, Grenoble, France
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6
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García Criado M, Myers-Smith IH, Bjorkman AD, Normand S, Blach-Overgaard A, Thomas HJD, Eskelinen A, Happonen K, Alatalo JM, Anadon-Rosell A, Aubin I, Te Beest M, Betway-May KR, Blok D, Buras A, Cerabolini BEL, Christie K, Cornelissen JHC, Forbes BC, Frei ER, Grogan P, Hermanutz L, Hollister RD, Hudson J, Iturrate-Garcia M, Kaarlejärvi E, Kleyer M, Lamarque LJ, Lembrechts JJ, Lévesque E, Luoto M, Macek P, May JL, Prevéy JS, Schaepman-Strub G, Sheremetiev SN, Siegwart Collier L, Soudzilovskaia NA, Trant A, Venn SE, Virkkala AM. Plant traits poorly predict winner and loser shrub species in a warming tundra biome. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3837. [PMID: 37380662 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39573-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is leading to species redistributions. In the tundra biome, shrubs are generally expanding, but not all tundra shrub species will benefit from warming. Winner and loser species, and the characteristics that may determine success or failure, have not yet been fully identified. Here, we investigate whether past abundance changes, current range sizes and projected range shifts derived from species distribution models are related to plant trait values and intraspecific trait variation. We combined 17,921 trait records with observed past and modelled future distributions from 62 tundra shrub species across three continents. We found that species with greater variation in seed mass and specific leaf area had larger projected range shifts, and projected winner species had greater seed mass values. However, trait values and variation were not consistently related to current and projected ranges, nor to past abundance change. Overall, our findings indicate that abundance change and range shifts will not lead to directional modifications in shrub trait composition, since winner and loser species share relatively similar trait spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne D Bjorkman
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Signe Normand
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Haydn J D Thomas
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Anu Eskelinen
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Konsta Happonen
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Juha M Alatalo
- Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Alba Anadon-Rosell
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Isabelle Aubin
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste Marie, ON, Canada
| | - Mariska Te Beest
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | | | - Daan Blok
- Dutch Research Council (NWO), The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Allan Buras
- Land Surface-Atmosphere Interactions, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany
| | - Bruno E L Cerabolini
- Department of Biotechnologies and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Katherine Christie
- Threatened, Endangered, and Diversity Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Anchorage, USA
| | - J Hans C Cornelissen
- Section Systems Ecology, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bruce C Forbes
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Esther R Frei
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Climate Change and Extremes in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Paul Grogan
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, ON, Canada
| | - Luise Hermanutz
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | | | - James Hudson
- Government of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maitane Iturrate-Garcia
- Department of Chemical and Biological Metrology, Federal Institute of Metrology METAS, Bern-Wabern, Switzerland
| | - Elina Kaarlejärvi
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michael Kleyer
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Laurent J Lamarque
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement et Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Jonas J Lembrechts
- Research Group Plants and Ecosystems (PLECO), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Esther Lévesque
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement et Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Miska Luoto
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petr Macek
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jeremy L May
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Marietta College, Marietta, OH, USA
| | - Janet S Prevéy
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Gabriela Schaepman-Strub
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Laura Siegwart Collier
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada
- Terra Nova National Park, Parks Canada Agency, Glovertown, NL, Canada
| | | | - Andrew Trant
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Susanna E Venn
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna-Maria Virkkala
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Woodwell Climate Research Center, Falmouth, MA, USA
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Saarela JM, Sokoloff PC, Gillespie LJ, Bull RD. Vascular plant biodiversity of Katannilik Territorial Park, Kimmirut and vicinity on Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada: an annotated checklist of an Arctic flora. PHYTOKEYS 2023; 217:1-135. [PMID: 36760228 PMCID: PMC9836459 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.217.90573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic ecozone is undergoing a rapid transformation in response to climate change. Establishing a baseline of current Arctic biodiversity is necessary to be able to track changes in species diversity and distribution over time. Here, we report a vascular plant floristic study of Katannilik Territorial Park, Kimmirut and vicinity within Circumpolar Arctic Bioclimate Subzone D on southern Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. We compiled a dataset of 1596 collections gathered in the study area throughout the last century, including 838 we made in 2012. The vascular flora comprises 35 families, 98 genera, 211 species, two nothospecies and seven infraspecific taxa. We newly recorded 51 taxa in 22 families in the study area: Erigeroneriocephalus, Taraxacumholmenianum (Asteraceae), Drabaarctica, D.fladnizensis, D.lactea (Brassicaceae), Campanularotundifolia (Campanulaceae), Arenarialongipedunculata, Honckenyapeploidessubsp.diffusa, Sabulinarossii, Sileneuralensissubsp.uralensis, Viscariaalpina (Caryophyllaceae), Carexbrunnescenssubsp.brunnescens, C.krausei, C.microglochin, C.subspathacea, C.williamsii, Eriophorumscheuchzerisubsp.arcticum (Cyperaceae), Andromedapolifolia, Orthiliasecundasubsp.obtusata (Ericaceae), Oxytropispodocarpa (Fabaceae), Luzulagroenlandica (Juncaceae), Triglochinpalustris (Juncaginaceae), Utriculariaochroleuca (Lentibulariaceae), Huperziacontinentalis (Lycopodiaceae), Montiafontana (Montiaceae), Corallorhizatrifida, Platantheraobtusatasubsp.obtusata (Orchidaceae), Hippurislanceolata, H.vulgaris, Plantagomaritima (Plantaginaceae), Calamagrostisneglectasubsp.groenlandica, C.purpurascens, Festucaproliferavar.lasiolepis, F.rubrasubsp.rubra, F.rubrasubsp.arctica, Hordeumjubatumsubsp.jubatum, Leymusmollissubsp.mollis, L.mollissubsp.villosissimus, Puccinelliavaginata (Poaceae), Primulaegaliksensis (Primulaceae), Cryptogrammastelleri (Pteridaceae), Coptidium×spitsbergense (Ranunculaceae), Potentillacrantzii, P.hyparcticasubsp.hyparctica, Rubuschamaemorus, Sibbaldiaprocumbens (Rosaceae), Salixfuscescens (Salicaceae), Micranthesfoliolosa, M.nivalis, M.tenuis (Saxifragaceae) and Woodsiaalpina (Woodsiaceae). We recorded 196 taxa in Katannilik Territorial Park (191 species, three infraspecific taxa and two nothospecies); 145 of these taxa are first records for the park. We recorded 170 taxa in Kimmirut and vicinity (166 species, three infraspecific taxa and one nothospecies) in Kimmirut and vicinity; 15 of these taxa are first records for Kimmirut and vicinity. All study area species are native, except two grasses that grew in Kimmirut: F.rubrasubsp.rubra, which may have been seeded and Hordeumjubatumsubsp.jubatum, of unknown origin. We summarize the distribution on Baffin Island for each taxon recorded in the study area, including several unpublished southern Baffin Island records.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffery M. Saarela
- Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration and Botany Section, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCanadian Museum of NatureOttawaCanada
| | - Paul C. Sokoloff
- Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration and Botany Section, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCanadian Museum of NatureOttawaCanada
| | - Lynn J. Gillespie
- Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration and Botany Section, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCanadian Museum of NatureOttawaCanada
| | - Roger D. Bull
- Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration and Botany Section, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCanadian Museum of NatureOttawaCanada
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8
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Kemppinen J, Niittynen P. Microclimate relationships of intraspecific trait variation in sub‐Arctic plants. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pekka Niittynen
- Dept of Geosciences and Geography, Univ. of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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9
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Rumpf SB, Gravey M, Brönnimann O, Luoto M, Cianfrani C, Mariethoz G, Guisan A. From white to green: Snow cover loss and increased vegetation productivity in the European Alps. Science 2022; 376:1119-1122. [PMID: 35653482 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn6697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Mountains are hotspots of biodiversity and ecosystem services, but they are warming about twice as fast as the global average. Climate change may reduce alpine snow cover and increase vegetation productivity, as in the Arctic. Here, we demonstrate that 77% of the European Alps above the tree line experienced greening (productivity gain) and <1% browning (productivity loss) over the past four decades. Snow cover declined significantly during this time, but in <10% of the area. These trends were only weakly correlated: Greening predominated in warmer areas, driven by climatic changes during summer, while snow cover recession peaked at colder temperatures, driven by precipitation changes. Greening could increase carbon sequestration, but this is unlikely to outweigh negative implications, including reduced albedo and water availability, thawing permafrost, and habitat loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine B Rumpf
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Gravey
- Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Olivier Brönnimann
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Miska Luoto
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carmen Cianfrani
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gregoire Mariethoz
- Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Guisan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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10
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Observations of Drifting Snow Using FlowCapt Sensors in the Southern Altai Mountains, Central Asia. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14060845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Drifting snow is a significant factor in snow redistribution and cascading snow incidents. However, field observations of drifting snow are relatively difficult due to limitations in observation technology, and drifting snow observation data are scarce. The FlowCapt sensor is a relatively stable sensor that has been widely used in recent years to obtain drifting snow observations. This study presents the results from two FlowCapt sensors that were employed to obtain field observations of drifting snow during the 2017–2018 snow season in the southern Altai Mountains, Central Asia, where the snow cover is widely distributed. The results demonstrate that the FlowCapt sensor can successfully acquire stable field observations of drifting snow. Drifting snow occurs mainly within the height range of 80-cm zone above the snow surface, which accounts for 97.73% of the total snow mass transport. There were three typical snowdrift events during the 2017–2018 observation period, and the total snowdrift flux caused during these key events accounted for 87.5% of the total snow mass transport. Wind speed controls the occurrence of drifting snow, and the threshold wind speed (friction velocity) for drifting snow is approximately 3.0 m/s (0.15 m/s); the potential for drifting snow increases rapidly above 3.0 m/s, with drifting snow essentially being inevitable for wind speeds above 7.0 m/s. Similarly, the snowdrift flux is also controlled by wind speed. The observed maximum snowdrift flux reaches 192.00 g/(m2·s) and the total snow transport is 584.9 kg/m during the snow season. Although drifting snow will lead to a redistribution of the snow mass, any accumulation or loss of the snow mass is also affected synergistically by other factors, such as topography and snow properties. This study provides a paradigm for establishing a field observation network for drifting snow monitoring in the southern Altai Mountains and bridges the gaps toward elucidating the mechanisms of drifting snow in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia. A broader network of drifting snow observations will provide key data for the prevention and control of drifting snow incidents, such as the design height of windbreak fences installed on both sides of highways.
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11
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Remotely Sensed Winter Habitat Indices Improve the Explanation of Broad-Scale Patterns of Mammal and Bird Species Richness in China. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14030794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is transforming winter environmental conditions rapidly. Shifts in snow regimes and freeze/thaw cycles that are unique to the harsh winter season can strongly influence ecological processes and biodiversity patterns of mammals and birds. However, the role of the winter environment in structuring a species richness pattern is generally downplayed, especially in temperate regions. Here we developed a suite of winter habitat indices at 500 m spatial resolution by fusing MODIS snow products and NASA MEaSUREs daily freeze/thaw records from passive microwave sensors and tested how these indices could improve the explanation of species richness patterns across China. We found that the winter habitat indices provided unique and mutually complementary environmental information compared to the commonly used Dynamic Habitat Indices (DHIs). Winter habitat indices significantly increased the explanatory power for species richness of all mammal and bird groups. Particularly, winter habitat indices contributed more to the explanation of bird species than mammals. Regarding the independent contribution, winter season length made the largest contributions to the explained variance of winter birds (30%), resident birds (27%), and mammals (18%), while the frequency of snow-free frozen ground contributed the most to the explanation of species richness for summer birds (23%). Our research provides new insights into the interpretation of broad-scale species diversity, which has great implications for biodiversity assessment and conservation.
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12
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Biophysical Determinants of Shifting Tundra Vegetation Productivity in the Beaufort Delta Region of Canada. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00725-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTemperature increases across the circumpolar north have driven rapid increases in vegetation productivity, often described as ‘greening’. These changes have been widespread, but spatial variation in their pattern and magnitude suggests that biophysical factors also influence the response of tundra vegetation to climate warming. In this study, we used field sampling of soils and vegetation and random forests modeling to identify the determinants of trends in Landsat-derived Enhanced Vegetation Index, a surrogate for productivity, in the Beaufort Delta region of Canada between 1984 and 2016. This region has experienced notable change, with over 71% of the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands and over 66% of the Yukon North Slope exhibiting statistically significant greening. Using both classification and regression random forests analyses, we show that increases in productivity have been more widespread and rapid at low-to-moderate elevations and in areas dominated by till blanket and glaciofluvial deposits, suggesting that nutrient and moisture availability mediate the impact of climate warming on tundra vegetation. Rapid greening in shrub-dominated vegetation types and observed increases in the cover of low and tall shrub cover (4.8% and 6.0%) also indicate that regional changes have been driven by shifts in the abundance of these functional groups. Our findings demonstrate the utility of random forests models for identifying regional drivers of tundra vegetation change. To obtain additional fine-grained insights on drivers of increased tundra productivity, we recommend future research combine spatially comprehensive time series satellite data (as used herein) with samples of high spatial resolution imagery and integrated field investigations.
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13
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Lubbe FC, Klimešová J, Henry HAL. Winter belowground: Changing winters and the perennating organs of herbaceous plants. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jitka Klimešová
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences Třeboň Czech Republic
- Department of Botany Faculty of Science Charles University Praha 2 Czech Republic
| | - Hugh A. L. Henry
- Department of Biology University of Western Ontario London ON Canada
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14
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Huxley JD, Spasojevic MJ. Area Not Geographic Isolation Mediates Biodiversity Responses of Alpine Refugia to Climate Change. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.633697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate refugia, where local populations of species can persist through periods of unfavorable regional climate, play a key role in the maintenance of regional biodiversity during times of environmental change. However, the ability of refugia to buffer biodiversity change may be mediated by the landscape context of refugial habitats. Here, we examined how plant communities restricted to refugial sky islands of alpine tundra in the Colorado Rockies are changing in response to rapid climate change in the region (increased temperature, declining snowpack, and earlier snow melt-out) and if these biodiversity changes are mediated by the area or geographic isolation of the sky island. We resampled plant communities in 153 plots at seven sky islands distributed across the Colorado Rockies at two time points separated by 12 years (2007/2008–2019/2020) and found changes in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity over time. Specifically, we found an increase in species richness, a trend toward increased phylogenetic diversity, a shift toward leaf traits associated with the stress-tolerant end of leaf economics spectrum (e.g., lower specific leaf area, higher leaf dry matter content), and a decrease in the functional dispersion of specific leaf area. Importantly, these changes were partially mediated by refugial area but not by geographic isolation, suggesting that dispersal from nearby areas of tundra does not play a strong role in mediating these changes, while site characteristics associated with a larger area (e.g., environmental heterogeneity, larger community size) may be relatively more important. Taken together, these results suggest that considering the landscape context (area and geographic isolation) of refugia may be critical for prioritizing the conservation of specific refugial sites that provide the most conservation value.
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15
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Kelsey KC, Pedersen SH, Leffler AJ, Sexton JO, Feng M, Welker JM. Winter snow and spring temperature have differential effects on vegetation phenology and productivity across Arctic plant communities. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:1572-1586. [PMID: 33372357 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Tundra dominates two-thirds of the unglaciated, terrestrial Arctic. Although this region has experienced rapid and widespread changes in vegetation phenology and productivity over the last several decades, the specific climatic drivers responsible for this change remain poorly understood. Here we quantified the effect of winter snowpack and early spring temperature conditions on growing season vegetation phenology (timing of the start, peak, and end of the growing season) and productivity of the dominant tundra vegetation communities of Arctic Alaska. We used daily remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and daily snowpack and temperature variables produced by SnowModel and MicroMet, coupled physically based snow and meteorological modeling tools, to (1) determine the most important snowpack and thermal controls on tundra vegetation phenology and productivity and (2) describe the direction of these relationships within each vegetation community. Our results show that soil temperature under the snowpack, snowmelt timing, and air temperature following snowmelt are the most important drivers of growing season timing and productivity among Arctic vegetation communities. Air temperature after snowmelt was the most important control on timing of season start and end, with warmer conditions contributing to earlier phenology in all vegetation communities. In contrast, the controls on the timing of peak season and productivity also included snowmelt timing and soil temperature under the snowpack, dictated in part by the snow insulating capacity. The results of this novel analysis suggest that while future warming effects on phenology may be consistent across communities of the tundra biome, warming may result in divergent, community-specific productivity responses if coupled with reduced snow insulating capacity lowers winter soil temperature and potential nutrient cycling in the soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine C Kelsey
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Stine Højlund Pedersen
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - A Joshua Leffler
- Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
| | | | - Min Feng
- terraPulse, Inc, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Welker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- University of the Arctic-UArctic, Rovaniemi, Finland
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16
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Niittynen P, Heikkinen RK, Luoto M. Decreasing snow cover alters functional composition and diversity of Arctic tundra. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:21480-21487. [PMID: 32778575 PMCID: PMC7474597 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001254117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Arctic is one of the least human-impacted parts of the world, but, in turn, tundra biome is facing the most rapid climate change on Earth. These perturbations may cause major reshuffling of Arctic species compositions and functional trait profiles and diversity, thereby affecting ecosystem processes of the whole tundra region. Earlier research has detected important drivers of the change in plant functional traits under warming climate, but studies on one key factor, snow cover, are almost totally lacking. Here we integrate plot-scale vegetation data with detailed climate and snow information using machine learning methods to model the responsiveness of tundra communities to different scenarios of warming and snow cover duration. Our results show that decreasing snow cover, together with warming temperatures, can substantially modify biotic communities and their trait compositions, with future plant communities projected to be occupied by taller plants with larger leaves and faster resource acquisition strategies. As another finding, we show that, while the local functional diversity may increase, simultaneous biotic homogenization across tundra communities is likely to occur. The manifestation of climate warming on tundra vegetation is highly dependent on the evolution of snow conditions. Given this, realistic assessments of future ecosystem functioning require acknowledging the role of snow in tundra vegetation models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pekka Niittynen
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Risto K Heikkinen
- Biodiversity Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, FIN-00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Miska Luoto
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland
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