Articles | Volume 17, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4981-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4981-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Oct 2020
Research article |
| 18 Oct 2020
| 18 Oct 2020
Plant trait response of tundra shrubs to permafrost thaw and nutrient addition
Maitane Iturrate-Garcia
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
Monique M. P. D. Heijmans
Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands
J. Hans C. Cornelissen
Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, the Netherlands
Fritz H. Schweingruber
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
deceased
Pascal A. Niklaus
Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
Gabriela Schaepman-Strub
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
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Cited
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Removal of Dominant Species Impairs Nitrogen Utilization in Co-Existing Ledum palustre and Vaccinium uliginosum Communities Subjected to Five-Year Continuous Interruptions Y. Duan et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12040932
- Deciduous Tundra Shrubs Shift Toward More Acquisitive Light Absorption Strategy Under Climate Change Treatments R. Heim et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JG007657
- Permafrost conditions influence the abundance, distribution, and leaf traits of two closely related dominant shrub species (Rhododendron subsect. Ledum) in interior Alaska G. Amada et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-024-03284-3
- Treatment effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on foliar traits in six northern hardwood tree species J. Zukswert et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-025-05664-w
- Vessels in a Rhododendron ferrugineum (L.) population do not trace temperature anymore at the alpine shrubline S. Piccinelli et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1023384
- Silicon Reduce Structural Carbon Components and Its Potential to Regulate the Physiological Traits of Plants B. Huang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14121779
- Variation in spring root exudation rates among riparian tree species in northern Finland T. Sugai et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-026-03485-y
- The projected risk of plant invasions on the peri‐Antarctic islands under climate change T. Vorstenbosch et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecog.08195
- Introducing shrubs enhances the representation of high-latitude vegetation and carbon cycling in the ORCHIDEE land surface model A. Kirchner et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6521-2026
- Rapid plant functional trait responses to warming, flooding, and herbivory in high-latitude coastal wetlands C. Chirvasa et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-026-05876-8
- Shrubification along Pipeline Corridors in Permafrost Regions X. Jin et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13071093
- Permafrost instability negates the positive impact of warming temperatures on boreal radial growth R. Alfaro-Sánchez et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2411721121
- Phosphorus addition alleviates the inhibition of nitrogen deposition on photosynthesis of Potentilla tanacetifolia J. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1099203
- Advancing shrub dendroecology: A cutting-edge machine learning method for measuring shrub-rings G. Resente et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126543
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Removal of Dominant Species Impairs Nitrogen Utilization in Co-Existing Ledum palustre and Vaccinium uliginosum Communities Subjected to Five-Year Continuous Interruptions Y. Duan et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12040932
- Deciduous Tundra Shrubs Shift Toward More Acquisitive Light Absorption Strategy Under Climate Change Treatments R. Heim et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JG007657
- Permafrost conditions influence the abundance, distribution, and leaf traits of two closely related dominant shrub species (Rhododendron subsect. Ledum) in interior Alaska G. Amada et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-024-03284-3
- Treatment effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on foliar traits in six northern hardwood tree species J. Zukswert et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-025-05664-w
- Vessels in a Rhododendron ferrugineum (L.) population do not trace temperature anymore at the alpine shrubline S. Piccinelli et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1023384
- Silicon Reduce Structural Carbon Components and Its Potential to Regulate the Physiological Traits of Plants B. Huang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14121779
- Variation in spring root exudation rates among riparian tree species in northern Finland T. Sugai et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-026-03485-y
- The projected risk of plant invasions on the peri‐Antarctic islands under climate change T. Vorstenbosch et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecog.08195
- Introducing shrubs enhances the representation of high-latitude vegetation and carbon cycling in the ORCHIDEE land surface model A. Kirchner et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6521-2026
- Rapid plant functional trait responses to warming, flooding, and herbivory in high-latitude coastal wetlands C. Chirvasa et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-026-05876-8
- Shrubification along Pipeline Corridors in Permafrost Regions X. Jin et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13071093
- Permafrost instability negates the positive impact of warming temperatures on boreal radial growth R. Alfaro-Sánchez et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2411721121
- Phosphorus addition alleviates the inhibition of nitrogen deposition on photosynthesis of Potentilla tanacetifolia J. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1099203
- Advancing shrub dendroecology: A cutting-edge machine learning method for measuring shrub-rings G. Resente et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126543
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 04 Oct 2026
Short summary
Changes on plant traits associated with climate warming might alter vegetation–climate interactions. We investigated experimentally the effects of enhanced permafrost thaw and soil nutrients on a wide set of tundra shrub traits. We found a coordinated trait response to some treatments, which suggests a shift in shrub resource, growth and defence strategies. This shift might feed back into permafrost thaw – through mechanisms associated with water demand – and into carbon and energy fluxes.
Changes on plant traits associated with climate warming might alter vegetation–climate...
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