Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (642 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
An ecosystem dominated by grasses, lichens, mosses, sedges and shrubs in cold landscapes or at high elevations where a layer of the ground remains perennially frozen (permafrost).
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Tundras; Antarctic Tundra; Antarctic Tundras; Tundra, Antarctic; Tundras, Antarctic; Alpine Tundra; Alpine Tundras; Tundra, Alpine.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Ecosystem
- Narrower topics
- Permafrost
Related concepts
- Permafrost
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,051 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Tundra” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 641 of them (61.0%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 641 records.
Reviews account for 43 records (4.1%) and meta-analyses for 6. Randomized controlled trials number 0 (0.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 417 |
| 2020 onward | 641 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 43 | 4.1% |
| Meta-analyses | 6 | 0.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 0 | 0.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Tundra"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in public health and nutrition
Population and nutrition studies mostly observe what people eat, breathe or are exposed to and then look for links with health, which shows association and not proof of cause. Self-reported diet is imprecise, people who eat or live differently also differ in other ways, and effects measured across a population may not apply to one person. Check the study design, how exposure was measured, what else was accounted for and the size of the effect, not only whether it was statistically significant.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host-linked soil viral ecology along a permafrost thaw gradient | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 448 | cc by PMID 30013236 · DOI · PMC6786970 |
| Microbial ecology of the cryosphere (glacial and permafrost habitats): current knowledge | 2019 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 95 | cc by PMID 30719551 · DOI · PMC6443599 |
| Summer warming explains widespread but not uniform greening in the Arctic tundra biome | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 95 | cc by PMID 32963240 · DOI · PMC7509805 |
| Depth-resolved transcriptional activity of antibiotic resistance genes in deep permafrost of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42373864 · DOI · PMC13683339 |
Host-linked soil viral ecology along a permafrost thaw gradient [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Climate change threatens to release abundant carbon that is sequestered at high latitudes, but the constraints on microbial metabolisms that mediate the release of methane and carbon dioxide are poorly understood1-7.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings suggest that viruses may impact ecosystem function in climate-critical, terrestrial habitats and identify multiple potential viral contributions to soil carbon cycling.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (197 words)
Climate change threatens to release abundant carbon that is sequestered at high latitudes, but the constraints on microbial metabolisms that mediate the release of methane and carbon dioxide are poorly understood1-7. The role of viruses, which are known to affect microbial dynamics, metabolism and biogeochemistry in the oceans8-10, remains largely unexplored in soil. Here, we aimed to investigate how viruses influence microbial ecology and carbon metabolism in peatland soils along a permafrost thaw gradient in Sweden. We recovered 1,907 viral populations (genomes and large genome fragments) from 197 bulk soil and size-fractionated metagenomes, 58% of which were detected in metatranscriptomes and presumed to be active. In silico predictions linked 35% of the viruses to microbial host populations, highlighting likely viral predators of key carbon-cycling microorganisms, including methanogens and methanotrophs. Lineage-specific virus/host ratios varied, suggesting that viral infection dynamics may differentially impact microbial responses to a changing climate. Virus-encoded glycoside hydrolases, including an endomannanase with confirmed functional activity, indicated that viruses influence complex carbon degradation and that viral abundances were significant predictors of methane dynamics. These findings suggest that viruses may impact ecosystem function in climate-critical, terrestrial habitats and identify multiple potential viral contributions to soil carbon cycling.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30013236 · DOI · PMC6786970
Microbial ecology of the cryosphere (glacial and permafrost habitats): current knowledge [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Microorganisms in cold ecosystems play a key ecological role in their natural habitats.
- Closing excerpt
- The current knowledge of microbial ecology in glacial habitats and permafrost, the most studied habitats of the cryosphere, is reported in this review.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (97 words)
Microorganisms in cold ecosystems play a key ecological role in their natural habitats. Since these ecosystems are especially sensitive to climate changes, as indicated by the worldwide retreat of glaciers and ice sheets as well as permafrost thawing, an understanding of the role and potential of microbial life in these habitats has become crucial. Emerging technologies have added significantly to our knowledge of abundance, functional activity, and lifestyles of microbial communities in cold environments. The current knowledge of microbial ecology in glacial habitats and permafrost, the most studied habitats of the cryosphere, is reported in this review.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30719551 · DOI · PMC6443599
Summer warming explains widespread but not uniform greening in the Arctic tundra biome [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Arctic warming can influence tundra ecosystem function with consequences for climate feedbacks, wildlife and human communities.
- Closing excerpt
- Our results support the hypothesis that summer warming stimulated plant productivity across much, but not all, of the Arctic tundra biome during recent decades.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (148 words)
Arctic warming can influence tundra ecosystem function with consequences for climate feedbacks, wildlife and human communities. Yet ecological change across the Arctic tundra biome remains poorly quantified due to field measurement limitations and reliance on coarse-resolution satellite data. Here, we assess decadal changes in Arctic tundra greenness using time series from the 30 m resolution Landsat satellites. From 1985 to 2016 tundra greenness increased (greening) at ~37.3% of sampling sites and decreased (browning) at ~4.7% of sampling sites. Greening occurred most often at warm sampling sites with increased summer air temperature, soil temperature, and soil moisture, while browning occurred most often at cold sampling sites that cooled and dried. Tundra greenness was positively correlated with graminoid, shrub, and ecosystem productivity measured at field sites. Our results support the hypothesis that summer warming stimulated plant productivity across much, but not all, of the Arctic tundra biome during recent decades.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32963240 · DOI · PMC7509805
Depth-resolved transcriptional activity of antibiotic resistance genes in deep permafrost of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau harbors permafrost ecosystems containing diverse antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), yet their transcriptional activity and depth-resolved patterns remain poorly understood.
- Closing excerpt
- Overall, this study provides evidence of ARG transcripts in permafrost layers, offering a baseline for future investigations of resistome dynamics under thaw conditions.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (200 words)
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau harbors permafrost ecosystems containing diverse antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), yet their transcriptional activity and depth-resolved patterns remain poorly understood. Here, we performed meta-transcriptomic profiling of two permafrost cores (40-m and 100-m) from the Tuotuo River Basin. Within each core, permafrost layers exhibited higher relative ARG transcript abundance and diversity than overlying active layers. β-Lactam, multidrug, and puromycin resistance transcripts were enriched in permafrost, whereas aminoglycoside resistance predominated in the active layer. Antibiotic inactivation mechanisms were more prevalent in permafrost, while target modification dominated in the active layer within the analyzed cores. Plasmid-associated ARGs were detected, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) showed stratified distributions, with integrative and conjugative elements more abundant in active layers and integrons enriched in permafrost strata. ARG transcript levels were associated with microbial community composition, MGEs, metal tolerance genes, and trace metal concentrations. Neutral community modeling suggested that ARG assemblages are largely consistent with stochastic processes, indicating long-term persistence under environmental filtering. As the analysis is limited to two cores, these observations reflect site-specific transcriptional patterns rather than generalizable regional trends. Overall, this study provides evidence of ARG transcripts in permafrost layers, offering a baseline for future investigations of resistome dynamics under thaw conditions.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42373864 · DOI · PMC13683339
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback [5]
- Research article Predicted responses of arctic and alpine ecosystems to altered seasonality under climate change [6]
- Research article The unseen iceberg: plant roots in arctic tundra [7]
- Research article Alpine soil microbial ecology in a changing world [8]
- Research article Status and trends in Arctic vegetation: Evidence from experimental warming and long-term monitoring [9]
- Research article The subzero microbiome: microbial activity in frozen and thawing soils [10]
References
- Emerson JB, Roux S, Brum JR, Bolduc B, Woodcroft BJ, Jang HB, et al.. Host-linked soil viral ecology along a permafrost thaw gradient. . 2018. PMID 30013236 · DOI · PMC6786970
- Margesin R, Collins T. Microbial ecology of the cryosphere (glacial and permafrost habitats): current knowledge. . 2019. PMID 30719551 · DOI · PMC6443599
- Berner LT, Massey R, Jantz P, Forbes BC, Macias-Fauria M, Myers-Smith I, et al.. Summer warming explains widespread but not uniform greening in the Arctic tundra biome. . 2020. PMID 32963240 · DOI · PMC7509805
- Sajjad W, Kang S, Yin X, Wu X, Deng F, Williamson C, et al.. Depth-resolved transcriptional activity of antibiotic resistance genes in deep permafrost of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. . 2026. PMID 42373864 · DOI · PMC13683339
- Schuur EA, McGuire AD, Schädel C, Grosse G, Harden JW, Hayes DJ, et al.. Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback. Nature. 2015. PMID 25855454 · DOI
- Ernakovich JG, Hopping KA, Berdanier AB, Simpson RT, Kachergis EJ, Steltzer H, et al.. Predicted responses of arctic and alpine ecosystems to altered seasonality under climate change. Glob Chang Biol. 2014. PMID 24599697 · DOI
- Iversen CM, Sloan VL, Sullivan PF, Euskirchen ES, McGuire AD, Norby RJ, et al.. The unseen iceberg: plant roots in arctic tundra. New Phytol. 2015. PMID 25209220 · DOI
- Donhauser J, Frey B. Alpine soil microbial ecology in a changing world. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2018. PMID 30032189 · DOI
- Bjorkman AD, García Criado M, Myers-Smith IH, Ravolainen V, Jónsdóttir IS, Westergaard KB, et al.. Status and trends in Arctic vegetation: Evidence from experimental warming and long-term monitoring. Ambio. 2020. PMID 30929249 · DOI · PMC6989703
- Nikrad MP, Kerkhof LJ, Häggblom MM. The subzero microbiome: microbial activity in frozen and thawing soils. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2016. PMID 27106051 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.