Norwegian scientists share ideas on climate studies

A team of scientists from Norway visited Glacier National Park recently to explain new ways to monitor plant communities in the Park.

Glacier is part of the GLORIA project, which monitors plant changes in alpine environments across the globe. GLORIA stands for Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments. The project started in Europe at the turn of the century and continues today.

Norwegian scientists Sverre Lundemo, of Uppsala University in Sweden, and Jarle Inge Holten, of Terrestrial Ecology Research, have expanded the scope of the monitoring effort in their country.

The two noted that Norway, like Glacier Park, is grappling with the impacts of climate change. Norway lies as far north as Alaska and suffers from melting glaciers and melting permafrost.

Like Glacier Park, vegetation in some regions is growing at a rapid pace. Some places in Norway that once had low bushes now have brush that’s 10 feet tall. The mountainous country has extremes in temperature and precipitation as well.

On the west coast, Norway receives as much as 160 inches of precipitation a year, while regions to the east see as little as 15 inches annually.

The terrain in Norway is rugged and diverse, Lundemo noted. The highest peak in Norway is Galdhopiggen at 8,100 feet. It’s a land of rivers and waterfalls, with 5,000-foot peaks just a few kilometers from sea floor, which makes them appear even more imposing.

“Glacier looks a little bit like our western coast,” Lundemo said, but Glacier Park has far fewer rivers and waterfalls.

The Norwegian effort to monitor plants is less than five years old, so there isn’t any data to share, but like Glacier Park, they have historic photos to compare to current conditions. Things are definitely greening up in some regions.

There are some key differences. Norway has large herds of domestic sheep that play a role in plant communities. It’s also home to reindeer and musk oxen. The reindeer are primarily wild, Lundemo said.

Norway and Glacier Park have some common creatures — wolverine, lynx and grizzly bears, Lundemo noted, although grizzlies are not common in Norway. Most of the Scandinavian grizzly population is found across the border in Sweden, he said.

The two men were also planning a trip to Butte to meet with scientists there. In Glacier Park, they shared ideas with U.S. Geological Survey scientist Dan Fagre.

“Perhaps we can share some information that helps them and information that helps us,” Lundemo said.