Field in the frame: an aerial view of greening Svalbard

The twentieth century saw a rapid expansion in Arctic tundra vegetation. Dr Ingrosso and colleagues examined these changes over time by using plant-derived biomarkers (biopolymers from plant leaves and cell walls) from a sediment core in Svalbard. They found that Svalbard’s greening was driven by a decline of summer sea ice and glacier retreat, and that the expansion was associated with vascular plant species that are adapted to warmer conditions. These interactions could shape the future Arctic environment in the face of ongoing climate change.