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Between the Fjords

Upland grasslands in the SeedClim grid

Upland grasslands located along broad-scale temperature and precipitation gradients are used an outdoors lab

A plot of grassland with coloured sticks to mark the areas of the plot
Photo:
Vigdis Vandvik

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The SeedClim Grid is a set of 12 calcareous grassland sites set up as a ‘climate grid’ reflecting the major bioclimatic variation in Norway, with three temperature levels (alpine, sub-alpine, boreal; separated by ca 2C in mean growing season temperature) replicated within each of four levels of precipitation (separated by ca 700 mm in mean annual precipitation). The climate data used to select these sites are interpolated at 100-m resolution from the normal period 1961-1990 (www.met.no). Other factors such as grazing regime and history, bedrock, vegetation type and structure, slope and exposure were kept as constant as possible among the selected sites. Geographical distance between sites averages 15 km and ranges from 650 m 70 175 km. 

Within the 12 sites constituting this climate grid we have conducted a  number of replicated experiments to study the direct and indirect effects of  temperature change on plant populations and communities (SeedClim), the role of the plant functional groups graminoids, forbs, and bryophytes in regulating ecosystem functioning and biodiversity (FunCaB), and the role of interactions from novel competitors and warming in affecting alpine species populations and biodiversity (INCLINE).  The experiments and data are documented in our data documentation files. Please ask if you are interested in learning more!