Photo: Lemmings keeping things warm?

The Arctic’s humble lemming plays big a role in keeping the tundra green — and warming things up, because vegetation absorbs heat, says a new study from “Environmental Research Letters.” In their study which looked at brown lemmings near Barrow, Alaska, the researchers found that vegetation suffered in areas where lemmings were penned out. “Lemmings may have partially contributed to the recent greening of Arctic landscapes,” the study concludes. (FILE PHOTO)