Interactions between climate, vegetation and active layer in Maritime and continental Antarctica for climate change monitoring

Within RiSCC project both in Maritime and in northern Victoria Land the system permafrost and vegetation has been monitored during the summers 2000/2001 and 2001/2002.The results demonstrate that vegetation exerts a buffering effect on the ground thermal regime and that its role in the energy balance of the surface ground varies in respect with the different types of vegetation cover and their canopy structure. Moreover there is a direct correlation between GST, the active layerthickness and the increasing vegetation coverage and the complexity of its structure. Comparing our data with those collected in the early 1960's at Signy Island, the active layer thickening (30-50 cm) seen over the last 40 years can be coupled over the same period with an increase in distribution of the Deschampsia-Colombathus association. Such evidence demonstrates that the integrated system "permafrost and vegetation" is suitable for the monitoring of climate change effects in Antarctica.