[Reading Science] Earth's Northernmost Region Turns Green... First Discovery of a Complex Ecosystem Beneath the Arctic Soil

Polar Research Institute Discovers 'Soil Food Web' in North Greenland Tundra
"The White Arctic Is Turning Green"

The Arctic, once covered in white ice, is turning green. As global warming driven by climate change leads to the expansion of vegetation in polar regions, new evidence has revealed that a more complex and sophisticated ecosystem of living organisms is thriving beneath the surface than previously thought.

On November 12, the Polar Research Institute announced that its field survey in Sirius Passet, northern Greenland, at latitude 82 degrees north-the northernmost region on Earth-confirmed a rapid greening phenomenon and, for the first time, provided evidence of a complex soil ecosystem structure actually existing there.

A panoramic view of Sirius Passet in northern Greenland. Provided by the Polar Research Institute

Arctic 'Greening'... Life Emerging Above the Ice

'Greening' refers to the phenomenon where rising temperatures in polar regions cause plants to expand and cluster, gradually turning the land green. Although such changes have been observed across the Arctic, research in ultra-high-latitude areas above 80 degrees north has been nearly impossible due to their inaccessibility.

In the summer of 2022, a research team led by Dr. Kim Mincheol of the Polar Research Institute conducted a detailed survey of the tundra surrounding Sirius Passet, located about 800 km from the North Pole. This area is known as an 'anomalous zone of the Arctic,' where, exceptionally, plants are densely distributed and vegetation is expanding at a relatively rapid pace, even within the Arctic Circle.

'Oxyria digyna' found locally. Provided by the Polar Research Institute

The researchers identified seven plant species at the site, including Oxyria digyna and Arctic willow, along with microbial communities symbiotically living around their roots. The study revealed significant correlations between these microbes, nematodes that feed on them, and mushroom-form fungi, demonstrating that even in the cold Arctic soil, organisms are intricately interconnected, forming a soil food web.

While such organic networks have previously been reported in the southern Arctic and alpine regions, this is the first time they have been confirmed in ultra-high-latitude areas above 80 degrees north. In other words, scientific evidence now shows that a 'living ecosystem' is forming even in the underground of the Arctic, which was once considered the harshest environment on Earth.

Kim Mincheol, principal researcher at the Polar Research Institute, explained, "Even in the most barren regions of the planet, soil organisms interact to form ecosystems," adding, "It appears that the relatively warm soil temperatures during summer, combined with moisture supplied by melting snow and ice, help sustain this complex ecological structure."

Location and Vegetation Map of Sirius Passet, Northern Greenland (NDVI map). Provided by the Polar Research Institute

The Underground Ecosystem of the Arctic Tundra: Built by Plants and Moisture

The study was published in the September 2025 issue of the international journal Environmental Microbiome. The paper is titled "Plant species and soil moisture shape rhizosphere microbiota in an unusually productive tundra ecosystem of North Greenland" (DOI: 10.1186/s40793-025-00781-8).

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea under the project "Big Data-Based Research on Climate and Environmental Change Response in the Arctic: Atmosphere, Permafrost, Fjord, and Coastal Areas."

This discovery is regarded as scientific evidence that changes in the Arctic go beyond simply melting ice, signifying a structural evolution of the soil ecosystem. This new ecosystem-created by the interwoven relationships of plants, microbes, fungi, and soil animals-is expected to have a significant impact on the resilience and carbon cycle of the Arctic ecosystem in the future.

Shin Hyungchul, Director of the Polar Research Institute, stated, "Due to climate change, the Arctic can no longer be described as simply white," adding, "As scientists, we will strive to accurately interpret the essence of these changes and proactively respond to future shifts in the Arctic ecosystem."