Aurora Patchett

UniversityUniversity of Gothenburg
DepartmentEarth sciences
DivisionAlpine and Polar Ecology
PhD student
Keywordsbrowning, extreme winter weather events, biological soil crust, gas flux, brunfärgning, extrema vinterväder, biologisk jordskorpa, växthusgasflöde

Website University of Gothenburg, in Swedish www.gu.se/geovetenskaper
Website University of Gothenburg, in English www.gu.se/en/research/ape
Networks/thematic areasGothenburg Air and Climate Network (GAC)
SDG:s15. Life on land
RegionsNone
CountrySweden, Sverige

Reasearch / work
My research explores the effects of browning and mechanisms of browning like extreme winter weather events on small photosynthesizing species (lichen, mosses, cyanobacteria) and their associated belowground soil organisms (biological soil crusts (BSCs)), as BSCs play an important role in various ecosystem functions. We used a combination of experimental and observational studies at the Latnjajaure Research Station (Sweden), such as remote sensing (i.e. satellite and drone data), on-site vegetation surveys, gas fluxes, and molecular sequencing of microbial communities and functional genes involved in nutrient cycling. Our findings will help us to understand the resilience of BSCs in the face of climatic change and can inform us of the potential ecosystem responses of cold regions to extreme events.