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- Title
Spring feeding by pink-footed geese reduces carbon stocks and sink strength in tundra ecosystems.
- Authors
van der WAL, REN; SJÖGERSTEN, SOFIE; WOODIN, SARAH J.; COOPER, ELISABETH J.; JÓNSDÓTTIR, INGIBJÖRG S.; KUIJPER, DRIES; FOX, TONY A. D.; HUISKES, A. D.
- Abstract
Tundra ecosystems are widely recognized as precious areas and globally important carbon (C) sinks, yet our understanding of potential threats to these habitats and their large soil C store is limited. Land-use changes and conservation measures in temperate regions have led to a dramatic expansion of arctic-breeding geese, making them important herbivores of high-latitude systems. In field experiments conducted in high-Arctic Spitsbergen, Svalbard, we demonstrate that a brief period of early season belowground foraging by pink-footed geese is sufficient to strongly reduce C sink strength and soil C stocks of arctic tundra. Mechanisms are suggested whereby vegetation disruption due to repeated use of grubbed areas opens the soil organic layer to erosion and will thus lead to progressive C loss. Our study shows, for the first time, that increases in goose abundance through land-use change and conservation measures in temperate climes can dramatically affect the C balance of arctic tundra.
- Subjects
SPITSBERGEN Island (Norway); NORWAY; TUNDRA ecology; GOOSE behavior; CARBON in soils; CARBON dioxide sinks; CARBON sequestration; LAND use &; the environment; CONSERVATION biology
- Publication
Global Change Biology, 2007, Vol 13, Issue 2, p539
- ISSN
1354-1013
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01310.x