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Arctic Tundra Biodiversity: A Temporal Perspective from Late Quaternary Pollen Records

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Book cover Arctic and Alpine Biodiversity: Patterns, Causes and Ecosystem Consequences

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 113))

Abstract

During the Quaternary (the last ca. 2 milhon years), the earth’s climate has oscillated between numerous predominantly warm or cold periods, causing dramatic changes in the distribution and composition of plant communities worldwide (Bradley 1885; Bartlein 1988; Bartlein and Prentice 1989). Arctic tundra has been particularly affected because large temperature fluctuations and the growth of continental ice sheets have extensively altered vegetation at high latitudes (Climap 1981; Bradley 1985). Since future warming is predicted to be greatest at high latitudes (e.g. Schlesinger and Mitchell 1987; Hansen et al. 1988), tundra will most likely continue to undergo significant change. Understanding the effects of potential chmatic change on tundra biodiversity requires a variety of research approaches. In this effort, information on long-term responses of tundra to past climatic variations can complement results of shorter-term observations and experiments on contemporary landscapes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    L. B. Brubaker & F. S. Hu

  2. Quaternary Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    P. M. Anderson

Authors
  1. L. B. Brubaker
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  2. P. M. Anderson
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  3. F. S. Hu
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 94720-3140, Berkeley, CA, USA

    F. Stuart Chapin III

  2. Department of Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstraße 6, 4056, Basel, Switzerland

    Christian Körner

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Brubaker, L.B., Anderson, P.M., Hu, F.S. (1995). Arctic Tundra Biodiversity: A Temporal Perspective from Late Quaternary Pollen Records. In: Chapin, F.S., Körner, C. (eds) Arctic and Alpine Biodiversity: Patterns, Causes and Ecosystem Consequences. Ecological Studies, vol 113. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78966-3_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78966-3_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-78968-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-78966-3

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