Climate Change: Impacts on Plants and Ecosystems in the Arctic

Ulf Molau is a Professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg. He is also a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and one of the researchers behind the IPCC's latest report. His research documents the effects of the rapid changes happening in the Arctic and the alpine parts of Northern Swedish Lapland on the plants and fragile ecosystems, and the global implications of this. The key driver is the ongoing warming, causing a vanishing "cryosphere" detected as permafrost thawing and reduced snow cover duration, with cascading effects on hydrology and ecosystem services. Much of this is recently published in the Arctic Resilience Report, an assessment ordered by the Arctic Council (the report can be downloaded here). We are extremely lucky to have an international speaker of such high calibre to kick-start our 2014 presentations. At the Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street, behind the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open.

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