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Speed JDM, Chimal-Ballesteros JA, Martin MD, Barrio IC, Vuorinen KEM, Soininen EM. Will borealization of Arctic tundra herbivore communities be driven by climate warming or vegetation change? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:6568-6577. [PMID: 34592044 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Poleward shifts in species distributions are expected and frequently observed with a warming climate. In Arctic ecosystems, the strong warming trends are associated with increasing greenness and shrubification. Vertebrate herbivores have the potential to limit greening and shrub advance and expansion on the tundra, posing the question of whether changes in herbivore communities could partly mediate the impacts of climate warming on Arctic tundra. Therefore, future changes in the herbivore community in the Arctic tundra will depend on whether the community tracks the changing climates directly (i.e. occurs in response to temperature) or indirectly, in response to vegetation changes (which can be modified by trophic interactions). In this study, we used biogeographic and remotely sensed data to quantify spatial variation in vertebrate herbivore communities across the boreal forest and Arctic tundra biomes. We then tested whether present-day herbivore community structure is determined primarily by temperature or vegetation. We demonstrate that vertebrate herbivore communities are significantly more diverse in the boreal forest than in the Arctic tundra in terms of species richness, phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity. A clear shift in community structure was observed at the biome boundary, with stronger northward declines in diversity in the Arctic tundra. Interestingly, important functional traits characterizing the role of herbivores in limiting tundra vegetation change, such as body mass and woody plant feeding, did not show threshold changes across the biome boundary. Temperature was a more important determinant of herbivore community structure across these biomes than vegetation productivity or woody plant cover. Thus, our study does not support the premise that herbivore-driven limitation of Arctic tundra shrubification or greening would limit herbivore community change in the tundra. Instead, borealization of tundra herbivore communities is likely to result from the direct effect of climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D M Speed
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - J Adrian Chimal-Ballesteros
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael D Martin
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Isabel C Barrio
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Katariina E M Vuorinen
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eeva M Soininen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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Ravolainen V, Soininen EM, Jónsdóttir IS, Eischeid I, Forchhammer M, van der Wal R, Pedersen ÅØ. High Arctic ecosystem states: Conceptual models of vegetation change to guide long-term monitoring and research. AMBIO 2020; 49:666-677. [PMID: 31955396 PMCID: PMC6989444 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01310-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Vegetation change has consequences for terrestrial ecosystem structure and functioning and may involve climate feedbacks. Hence, when monitoring ecosystem states and changes thereof, the vegetation is often a primary monitoring target. Here, we summarize current understanding of vegetation change in the High Arctic-the World's most rapidly warming region-in the context of ecosystem monitoring. To foster development of deployable monitoring strategies, we categorize different kinds of drivers (disturbances or stresses) of vegetation change either as pulse (i.e. drivers that occur as sudden and short events, though their effects may be long lasting) or press (i.e. drivers where change in conditions remains in place for a prolonged period, or slowly increases in pressure). To account for the great heterogeneity in vegetation responses to climate change and other drivers, we stress the need for increased use of ecosystem-specific conceptual models to guide monitoring and ecological studies in the Arctic. We discuss a conceptual model with three hypothesized alternative vegetation states characterized by mosses, herbaceous plants, and bare ground patches, respectively. We use moss-graminoid tundra of Svalbard as a case study to discuss the documented and potential impacts of different drivers on the possible transitions between those states. Our current understanding points to likely additive effects of herbivores and a warming climate, driving this ecosystem from a moss-dominated state with cool soils, shallow active layer and slow nutrient cycling to an ecosystem with warmer soil, deeper permafrost thaw, and faster nutrient cycling. Herbaceous-dominated vegetation and (patchy) bare ground would present two states in response to those drivers. Conceptual models are an operational tool to focus monitoring efforts towards management needs and identify the most pressing scientific questions. We promote greater use of conceptual models in conjunction with a state-and-transition framework in monitoring to ensure fit for purpose approaches. Defined expectations of the focal systems' responses to different drivers also facilitate linking local and regional monitoring efforts to international initiatives, such as the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virve Ravolainen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway.
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9062, Tromsø, Norway.
| | | | - Ingibjörg Svala Jónsdóttir
- University of Iceland, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland
- The University Centre in Svalbard, 9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Isabell Eischeid
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
- UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mads Forchhammer
- The University Centre in Svalbard, 9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
- The Centre for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC) and Greenland Perspective (GP), Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - René van der Wal
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Ulls väg 16, 75651, Uppsala, Sweden
- University of Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Åshild Ø Pedersen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9062, Tromsø, Norway
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Gordon IJ, Prins HHT, Mallon J, Puk LD, Miranda EBP, Starling-Manne C, van der Wal R, Moore B, Foley W, Lush L, Maestri R, Matsuda I, Clauss M. The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing in Other Vertebrate Taxa. THE ECOLOGY OF BROWSING AND GRAZING II 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-25865-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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Madsen J, Williams JH, Johnson FA, Tombre IM, Dereliev S, Kuijken E. Implementation of the first adaptive management plan for a European migratory waterbird population: The case of the Svalbard pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus. AMBIO 2017; 46:275-289. [PMID: 28215011 PMCID: PMC5316328 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-016-0888-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
An International Species Management Plan for the Svalbard population of the pink-footed goose was adopted under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds in 2012, the first case of adaptive management of a migratory waterbird population in Europe. An international working group (including statutory agencies, NGO representatives and experts) agreed on objectives and actions to maintain the population in favourable conservation status, while accounting for biodiversity, economic and recreational interests. Agreements include setting a population target to reduce agricultural conflicts and avoid tundra degradation, and using hunting in some range states to maintain stable population size. As part of the adaptive management procedures, adjustment to harvest is made annually subject to population status. This has required streamlining of monitoring and assessment activities. Three years after implementation, indicators suggest the attainment of management results. Dialogue, consensus-building and engagement among stakeholders represent the major process achievements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Madsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - James Henty Williams
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Fred A. Johnson
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 7920 NW 71 Street, Gainsville, FL 32653 USA
| | - Ingunn M. Tombre
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Arctic Ecology Department, The Fram Centre, P.O. Box 6606, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sergey Dereliev
- UNEP/AEWA Secretariat, African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement, UN Campus, Platz Der Vereinten Nationen 1, 53113 Bonn, Germany
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