Table 1 Ecological context variables extracted from the studies included in the systematic map database during data coding

Geographic space

Elevation^b

Elevation (meters above sea level)

P, D [91]

Distance_to_treeline

Distance (km) to the southern border of Arctic subzone E. Negative numbers correspond to locations to the south of this border

D [92]

Distance_from_coast

Distance from the coast (km)

D [coastline used to create 92]

Bioclimatic_zone

Bioclimatic zone A to E, or outside the Arctic, as defined by the bioclimatic zonation

D [92]

Soil_type^b

Soil type class, according to the Digital Soil Map of the World

D [39]

Permafrost

Presence and type of permafrost: continuous, discontinuous, sporadic, isolated patches

D [38]

Disturbance

Disturbance that occurs in the study system and could impact the results and is discussed by the authors, e.g., fire, flooding, ice/winter damage, pollution

C

Climate space

Mean_annual_temperature^c

BIO1 extracted from WorldClim

P, D [93]

Max_temperature_of_warmest_month^c

BIO5 extracted from WorldClim

D [93]

Temperature_annual_range^c

BIO7 extracted from WorldClim

D [93]

Temperature_seasonality^c

BIO4 extracted from WorldClim

D [93]

Mean_annual_precipitation^c

BIO12 extracted from WorldClim

P, D [93]

Growing_season_length

Duration of growing season (days, mean during 1982–2014)

D [94]

Vegetation_greenness

Cumulative daily growing season NDVI, mean during 1982–2014

D [94]

Climate change space

Extent_of_recent_warming

Change in mean temperature from period 1951–1980 to period 2000–2020 (°C)

D [95, 96]

Extent_of_recent_greening

Extent of last decades (1982–2014) change in cumulative daily growing season NDVI (% per decade)

D [94]

Extent_of_recent_growing_season_change

Extent of last decades (1982–2014) change in growing season length (days per decade)

D [94]

Food web space

Herbivore_species_richness

Species richness of vertebrate herbivores

D [37]

Herbivore_functional_diversity

Functional diversity of vertebrate herbivores

D [37]

Herbivore_phylogenetic_diversity^a

Phylogenetic diversity of vertebrate herbivores

D [37]

Food_web_context_other_herbivores

Is the presence of other herbivores in the study area described?

C

Food_web_context_predators

Is the presence of predators in the study area described?

C

Human space

Human_density^a

Human population density (per km², in 2015)

D [40]

Human_footprint^a

Cumulative human pressure on the environment in 2009, (per km²). Combines measures of built-up environments, population density, electric power infrastructure, crop lands, pasture lands, roads, railways, and navigable waterways

D [41, 42]

Management_study_area

Management status of the study area, e.g., historical, current

C

Conservation_study_area

Conservation status of the study area, e.g., protected area, common habitat

C

Conservation_focus

Is the study framed within a conservation context (i.e., conservation aims are mentioned or not)?

C