Abstract

The rapid decomposition of carbon in organic soil layers in association with climate warming has drawn a large amount of attention in years; however, the ecological and biogeochemical feedbacks surrounding this process are still relatively unknown. In the Arctic, net gains in plant biomass are compensating for net carbon losses and “greening” previously barren landscapes. This presentation will describe new insights into these interactions through the discussion of a series of greenhouse experiments paired with field observations from a collection of sites throughout the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Our results highlight the vital role that microorganisms play in the greening of the Arctic, the increased turnover of newly-accessible carbon in a warming climate and how these changes compare to other ecosystems that are undergoing rapid warming.