Can an entire Arctic ecosystem evolve to adapt to the climate crisis?
Scientists in Alaska are studying how Arctic ecosystems, specifically tundra and stream life, adapt to the climate crisis through species interaction. The research focuses on how 'shrubification' and changing water cycles affect the food chain for migratory birds like white-crowned sparrows.
Why it matters
Understanding ecosystem resilience is critical for predicting the long-term impacts of climate change on biodiversity in rapidly warming regions.
In the first project of its kind, scientists are trying to answer if the future of Alaska’s streams and tundra may depend not on survival of the fittest but on how species adapt together
About this content Wed 9 Sep 2026 07.00 EDT Last modified on Wed 9 Sep 2026 07.02 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google O n Alaska’s North Slope, scientists tread carefully across clumps of tussock grasses toward a fast-flowing stream draining the imposing Brooks Range of ice and snow. Near Galbraith Creek, they string out a mist net for white-crowned sparrows. The birds have recently arrived from southerly latitudes, intent on feasting on the insects that will soon descend on the tundra like storm clouds.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in