These plants have defied all reason and create the foundation for a whole ecosystem in the far north. White Arctic hares, playing Arctic foxes, buzzing insects, grazing muskoxen, small snow buntings, and majestic snowy owls, are just some of the species that are dependent on the Arctic vegetation.
This whole ecosystem is in danger of change when the temperature rises. But climate changes does not only affect the temperature. The amounts of snow and rain also change and the permafrost becomes less stable. These conditions cause the water content of the soil to change.
Temperature, soil moisture, and the amount of snow are all vital for the survival of the tundra plants. Each and every one has adapted to grow under certain temperatures, snow, and water levels. When these conditions change, it could lead to species that are adapted to the Arctic climate no longer able to survive, while other Arctic species can expand their range northwards.
Hoping to find answers to this question, I took the long journey north several years in a row to one of the most deserted land areas on Earth - the northeastern part of Greenland. Deep in the middle, lies a small research station where international scientists are developing a deep understanding of all the components of an Arctic ecosystem and how they interact.
Once home, all these data were analysed and transformed into statistical models. The results showed that changing climatic conditions will mean that this area of Northeast Greenland is no longer optimal for many of the unique species that currently live here. On the other hand, there will be optimal conditions for a few species of dwarf shrubs that can easily spread and outcompete the smaller herbs and grasses.
Among the nine mainland haplotypes, the Norwegian ones were related to each other or Svalbard haplotypes, except for a sample from Hordaland in southern Norway, which was identical to a haplotype also found in mountainous areas of Italy and Spain. Otherwise, the haplotypes from Austria, Italy and Spain were relatively closely related, while the haplotype revealed for the two samples from the USA was distinct.
An increased sample size in mainland Europe, especially in Norway, could have provided a more precise insight into the relationship between Svalbard and other populations.
Recently Winkler et al. In a related species, Saxifraga paniculata , Reisch discovered that Arctic populations contained less AFLP variation and fewer chloroplast haplotypes than populations from other regions of the distribution. The present study on S. The ITS region as such is not supposed to be especially useful when studying larger-scale phylogeography of S.
Yet, the moderate variability of the ITS region detected in our study, eight haplotypes just within Svalbard and nine additional haplotypes among the small set of samples from mainland Europe, provides interesting implications for phylogeographic studies on different geographic scales. For comparison, Winkler et al. Strong winds in the open landscape, sea currents, drift ice and dispersal by vectors, such as humans and birds, may explain the present phylogeographic and population genetic patterns of S.
It has also been reported that local reindeer forage on S. Although Svalbard reindeer tend to remain in the local home range area, individual animals migrate regularly and plant dispersal may be more common than expected Hansen et al. Previously, Alsos et al. Evidently, establishment limits distribution more than dispersal. Population genetic structures detected in S. The nine polymorphic microsatellite markers used and ITS sequencing are useful tools when examining population genetics and phylogeography of S.
We thank Dr Tove Gabrielsen, who provided plant samples from mainland Norway. Google Scholar. Google Preview. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford.
It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Sign In or Create an Account. Sign In. Advanced Search. Search Menu. Article Navigation. Close mobile search navigation Article Navigation. Volume 5. Article Contents Abstract. Sources of Funding. Contributions by the Authors. Conflicts of Interest Statement. Literature Cited. Population genetics of purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia in the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.
Department of Agricultural Sciences. Oxford Academic. Select Format Select format. Permissions Icon Permissions. Abstract We investigated patterns of genetic variability in Saxifraga oppositifolia in the isolated Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Arctic , ITS sequencing , microsatellites , population genetic structure , Saxifraga oppositifolia. Table 1 Sampling sites, coordinates and numbers of samples collected from each S. Sample size.
Open in new tab. Figure 1. Open in new tab Download slide. Table 2 Within-population genetic diversity in S. BIS 2. Figure 2. Figure 3. Evolution in the Arctic: a phylogeographic analysis of the circumarctic plant, Saxifraga oppositifolia purple saxifrage. Google Scholar Crossref. Search ADS. Molecular diversity and derivations of populations of Silene acaulis and Saxifraga oppositifolia from the high Arctic and more southerly latitudes.
Growth forms and sepal hairs of the purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia : Saxifragaceae in North America related to chromosome records and DNA information. The purple saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia , in Svalbard: two taxa or one? Arlequin suite ver 3. Haplotype richness in refugial areas: phylogeographical structure of Saxifraga callosa.
Winter habitat-space use in a large arctic herbivore facing contrasting forage abundance. Genetic enrichment of the Arctic clonal plant Saxifraga cernua at its southern periphery via the alpine sexual Saxifraga sibirica. Causes of the genetic architecture of south-west European high mountain disjuncts. Ecological significance of different growth forms of purple saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia L.
Frequency of local, regional, and long-distance dispersal of diploid and tetraploid Saxifraga oppositifolia Saxifragaceae to Arctic glacier forelands. Development of microsatellite markers for the Arctic Saxifraga oppositifolia L.
Saxifragaceae using inter-simple sequence repeat ISSR primers. Google Scholar PubMed. Taproot can reach 20 inches in depth. Slightly woody branches and low growth of purple saxifrage are essential for the survival in extremely cold environment. Purple saxifrage develops tiny over-lapping grayish-green leaves shaped like scales. They are arranged in opposite rows composed of 4 leaves. Leaves are fleshy and covered with tiny, rigid hairs on the edges. Purple saxifrage produces large compared to leaves , funnel-shaped purple flowers on the short stalks.
Flowers grow solitary, above the leaves. They contain both types of reproductive organs perfect flowers. All flowers open at once and they last 10 to 14 days.
Purple saxifrage blooms from June to August. Flowers appear after melting of snow.
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