Arctic Plant Regeneration From Seed Under Climate Change

ongoing

The Arctic is warming at twice the global rate, and Arctic plants are predicted to experience significant range loss in the coming decades. In this context, regeneration from seed is crucial for the long-term survival of Arctic plants, as it allows species to migrate to suitable areas or adapt to new environmental conditions. However, our current understanding of how climate change will affect seed regeneration in the Arctic is very limited. The overall aim of this project is to increase our understanding of how changing climatic factors and extreme climate-related events such as frost, fire and heat waves will affect (i) seed dormancy, (ii) germination and (iii) seedling establishment of Arctic plants. By focusing on understudied life stages, overlooked environmental factors, and using seeds from over 30 species collected from over 30 Arctic sites, this project will provide new insights into Arctic seed and seedling ecology, contributing to plant conservation and evidence-based management strategies in the Arctic. To achieve this, I will receive extensive training in seed ecology, manipulative experiments and advanced statistical analysis at the University of Copenhagen. The research activities, along with associated teaching and dissemination efforts, are designed to strengthen my future career as an independent researcher in academia.