Spatiotemporal patterns in vegetation and reindeer dynamics: the importance of long-term and large scale climate fluctuations

My thesis aims to understand how large-scale climatic patterns control long-term fluctuations of vegetation and reindeer. The terrestrial climate, which shapes the fluctuations in both plant and animal populations, is linked to sea-ice cover as well as regional climate proxies. Understanding the underlying role of such large-scale oscillations is essential to studies of climate impact. AFG will enable me to sample necessary data for my thesis. This includes plant samples for retrospective annual growth analysis, data on reindeer presence/density, and reindeer demography for analysis of vital rates and population growth.