Green Life Beneath the White Ice: First Discovery of an Ecosystem in Arctic Soil

Dr. Kim Mincheol's research team from the Korea Polar Research Institute conducts a detailed survey of the tundra region around Sirius Passet, located 800 km from the North Pole.

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

The Arctic, once covered in white ice, is turning green. As warming caused by climate change drives the expansion of vegetation in the polar regions, it has been newly revealed that a surprisingly complex and sophisticated ecosystem of living organisms is stirring beneath the surface.

On November 12, the Korea Polar Research Institute announced that its on-site survey at Sirius Passet (82°N), the northernmost region of northern Greenland, confirmed a rapid greening phenomenon and, for the first time, provided evidence of the actual existence of a complex soil ecosystem structure.

'Arctic Anomaly' Where Vegetation Is Rapidly Expanding

Installation of the Sirius Passet Camp in northern Greenland and on-site survey activities. Provided by the Polar Research Institute

'Greening' refers to the process by which rising temperatures in the polar regions cause plants to expand and cluster, gradually turning the land green. While such changes have been observed across the Arctic, ultra-high-latitude regions above 80°N have been nearly impossible to study due to their inaccessibility.

In the summer of 2022, Dr. Kim Mincheol's research team from the Korea Polar Research Institute conducted a detailed survey of the tundra area around Sirius Passet, located about 800 km from the North Pole. This region is known as an 'Arctic anomaly,' where, exceptionally within the Arctic Circle, plants are densely distributed and vegetation is expanding at a relatively fast rate.

Above 80°N: A Living Ecosystem Even in the Harshest Land

'Oxyria digyna' and 'Salix arctica' found locally. Provided by Polar Research Institute

The research team identified seven plant species on site, including Oxyria digyna and Salix arctica, along with microbial communities living symbiotically around their roots. They also discovered a significant correlation among nematodes that feed on these microbes and mushroom-type fungi, revealing that even in the cold Arctic soil, living organisms are intricately connected in a soil food web.

While such organic networks have 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°N. In other words, scientific evidence has been presented that a 'living ecosystem' is forming even beneath the ground once considered the harshest environment in the Arctic.

Kim Mincheol, Principal Researcher at the Korea Polar Research Institute, explained, "Even in the most barren regions on Earth, soil organisms interact to form ecosystems," adding, "It appears that relatively warm summer soil temperatures and moisture supplied from melted snow and ice work together to sustain such complex ecological structures."

Plant Species and Soil Moisture Determine Root Microbial Communities

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

The research paper was published in the September 2025 issue of the international journal Environmental Microbiome. The title is "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 study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's project "Big Data-Based Research on Climate and Environmental Change Response in the Arctic: Atmosphere-Permafrost-Fjord and Coastal Zones."

This discovery is regarded as scientific evidence that changes in the Arctic go beyond the simple melting of ice and have entered a stage of structural evolution in the soil ecosystem. This new ecosystem, created by the intertwining of plants, microbes, fungi, and soil animals, is expected to significantly affect the resilience and carbon cycling of the Arctic ecosystem in the future.

Shin Hyeongcheol, Director of the Korea Polar Research Institute, stated, "Due to climate change, the Arctic can no longer be described as simply white," and added, "We will accurately interpret the essence of these changes from a scientific perspective and proactively respond to future changes in the Arctic ecosystem."