Dr. Logan Berner outside Juneau, Alaska
Highlight: “It feels important to be doing research that is not only scientifically important but also societally important. With the mounting impacts of climate change, it becomes increasingly important to go past the science and come up with ways that communities can mitigate the impacts of climate change” – Dr. Logan Berner
Born and raised in southern Alaska, Dr. Berner spent much of his time outdoors and began to notice the impacts of climate change at a young age as he watched glaciers recede summer after summer. This early exposure sparked an interest in outdoor exploration and a passion for Arctic research. Now his research involves forest ecology, climate change, carbon cycling, satellite remote sensing, and geospatial modeling. Current projects focus on observing how plant biomass has responded to Arctic warming throughout the last few decades.
Dr. Kathleen Orndahl (Post-doc @ Northern Arizona University & dataset co-author) measuring plant biomass in northern Finland (2022). Photo provided by Dr. Logan Berner.
How is Arctic vegetation adapting to a changing environment?
As part of this research effort, Dr. Berner collaborated with colleagues around the globe on a new dataset hosted in the Arctic Data Center (ADC)- The Arctic Plant Aboveground Biomass Synthesis Dataset, Pan-Arctic, 1998-2022 – which includes field measurements and satellite observations of aboveground plant biomass on 2327 sample plots in seven countries.
Dr. Berner explained that previous studies have shown an expansion of deciduous shrubs across low Arctic landscapes. Plant canopies seem to be getting taller, leafier, more productive, and oftentimes shrubier, as seen in field observations, photographs, and satellite observations over the past 3-4 decades. As expected, this expansion tracks with a rise in summer air temperatures.
Working in the high latitudes
He also noted that the Arctic can be an incredibly complicated environment for conducting field work due to its large size, the expense of transporting equipment to remote locations, and inaccessibility outside of summertime conditions and due to geopolitical turmoil, both of which restrict the ability to make measurements in certain regions.
When asked about the most rewarding aspect of his career so far, Dr. Berner shared that with the Arctic as a major focus of a rapidly changing climate, it feels important to be doing research that is not only scientifically important but also societally important. With the mounting impacts of climate change, it becomes increasingly important to go past the science and come up with ways that communities can mitigate the impacts of climate change. He also expressed great appreciation for the opportunity to meet and collaborate with an amazing group of Arctic researchers, many of which are listed below.
Dr. Elizabeth Webb (Post-doc @ University of Oregon & dataset co-author) measuring plant biomass in northern Russia (2013). Photo provided by Dr. Logan Berner.
A scientist’s take on the Arctic Data Center
Dr. Berner described the ADC as an excellent venue in helping share the products of research. He stated that the support staff have been incredibly responsive and helpful and that the online platform provides an excellent tool that allows people to easily find an access Arctic datasets from their home computers, without requiring a user account.
Dataset Citation: Logan T Berner, Kathleen M Orndahl, Melissa Rose, Mikkel Tamstorf, Marie F Arndal, Heather D Alexander, Dedi Yang, Elyn R Humphreys, Michael M Loranty, Sarah M Ludwig, Johanna Nyman, Sari Juutinen, Mika Aurela, Konsta Happonen, Juha Mikola, Michelle C Mack, Mathew R Vankoughnett, Colleen M Iversen, Verity G Salmon, Jitendra Kumar, Paul Grogan, Ryan K Danby, Neal A Scott, Johan Olofsson, Matthias B Siewert, Lucas Deschamps, Esther Lévesque, Vincent Maire, Amélie Morneault, Gilles Gauthier, Charles Gignac, Stéphane Boudreau, Anna Gaspard, Alexander Kholodov, M Syndonia Bret-Harte, Heather E Greaves, Donald Walker, Fiona M Gregory, Anders Michelsen, Timo Kumpula, Miguel Villoslada, Henni Ylänne, Miska Luoto, Tarmo Virtanen, Bruce C Forbes, Norbert Hölzel, Howard Epstein, Ramona J Heim, Andrew Bunn, Robert M Holmes, Jacqueline K Y Hung, Susan M Natali, Anna-Maria Virkkala, & Scott J Goetz. (2024). The Arctic Plant Aboveground Biomass Synthesis Dataset, Pan-Arctic, 1998-2022. Arctic Data Center. doi:10.18739/A2RR1PP3N.
Written by Nicole Greco
Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator, Arctic Data Center