Shrub Synthesis Workshop – A workshop to compare growth ring, stem elongation, or other shrub growth data from Arctic and alpine tundra sites
Dates: 13 – 19 September (prior to the 2011 Eurodendro meeting)
Location: Davos, Switzerland
Funding: IASC
Organizers: Isla Myers-Smith and Sonja Wipf
Goals of the workshop
1) To discuss the science behind proposed data syntheses: a comparison of temperature growth correlations between sites and species
2) To compile different techniques and data sources for a shrub growth methodology paper
3) To undertake some preliminary analyses of the compiled data and begin drafting two manuscripts
4) To get to know other participants and build future collaborations!
Workshop Summary
During the Shrub Synthesis Workshop, 13 participants conducted a data synthesis of growth ring, stem elongation, and other growth data of shrubs from arctic and alpine tundra sites. We discussed research questions, methodologies, data contributions, and analyses and began to outline two manuscripts.
Recent evidence indicates widespread expansion of canopy-forming shrubs in tundra ecosystems. Remote sensing shows a ‘greening’ of the Arctic which has been partially attributed to increasing shrub cover. This increase in woody shrubs is concurrent with increasing temperatures, but the actual mechanisms, the magnitude of change in cover and feedbacks promoting expansion over time have yet to be quantified at the biome scale.
The participants compared shrub growth measurements (annual growth rings and stem increments) to temperature data from sites around the circumpolar Arctic to test the hypothesis that regional summer warming is causing the current shrub expansion. Each workshop participant contributed relevant growth measurements, growth ring chronologies, accompanying climate data and metadata, and other data about changing abundance of shrubs from their research site. Participants included 10 early career researchers and involved participants from North America and Europe who work at sites around the circumpolar Arctic and at alpine sites. Participants will continue to work on this data synthesis effort over 2011-2012. For more information on these efforts please contact Isla Myers-Smith.
Workshop Reporting
Shrub Synthesis Workshop Summary ppt
Shrub Synthesis Report 6Oct2011
