Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra
Abstract Herbivore grazing is an important determinant of plant community assemblages. Thus, it is essential to understand its impact to direct conservation efforts in regions where herbivores are managed. While the impacts of reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) grazing on plant biodiversity and communit...
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crwiley:10.1002/ece3.8131 2024-09-15T18:05:58+00:00 Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra Gibson, Kate Olofsson, Johan Mooers, Arne Ø. Monroe, Melanie J. Vetenskapsrådet Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8131 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.8131 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ece3.8131 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ecology and Evolution volume 11, issue 21, page 14598-14614 ISSN 2045-7758 2045-7758 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8131 2024-07-02T04:12:33Z Abstract Herbivore grazing is an important determinant of plant community assemblages. Thus, it is essential to understand its impact to direct conservation efforts in regions where herbivores are managed. While the impacts of reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) grazing on plant biodiversity and community composition in the Fennoscandian tundra are well studied, the impact of reindeer grazing on phylogenetic community structure is not. We used data from a multiyear quasi‐experimental study in northern Fennoscandia to analyze the effect of reindeer grazing on plant community diversity including its phylogenetic structure. Our study design used a permanent fence constructed in the 1960s and temporary fences constructed along the permanent fence to expose plant communities to three different grazing regimes: light (almost never grazed), pulse (grazed every other year), and press (chronic grazing for over 40 years). Similar to previous studies on low productivity ecosystems in this region, the species richness and evenness of plant communities with pulse and press grazing did not differ from communities with light grazing. Also consistent with previous studies in this region, we observed a transition from shrub‐dominated communities with light grazing to graminoid‐dominated communities with pulse and press grazing. Interestingly, communities with pulse, but not press, grazing were more phylogenetically dispersed than communities with light grazing. If grazing pulses can increase the phylogenetic diversity of plant communities, our result suggests changes in reindeer management allowing for pulses of grazing to increase phylogenetic diversity of plant communities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Fennoscandia Fennoscandian Rangifer tarandus Tundra Wiley Online Library Ecology and Evolution 11 21 14598 14614 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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English |
description |
Abstract Herbivore grazing is an important determinant of plant community assemblages. Thus, it is essential to understand its impact to direct conservation efforts in regions where herbivores are managed. While the impacts of reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) grazing on plant biodiversity and community composition in the Fennoscandian tundra are well studied, the impact of reindeer grazing on phylogenetic community structure is not. We used data from a multiyear quasi‐experimental study in northern Fennoscandia to analyze the effect of reindeer grazing on plant community diversity including its phylogenetic structure. Our study design used a permanent fence constructed in the 1960s and temporary fences constructed along the permanent fence to expose plant communities to three different grazing regimes: light (almost never grazed), pulse (grazed every other year), and press (chronic grazing for over 40 years). Similar to previous studies on low productivity ecosystems in this region, the species richness and evenness of plant communities with pulse and press grazing did not differ from communities with light grazing. Also consistent with previous studies in this region, we observed a transition from shrub‐dominated communities with light grazing to graminoid‐dominated communities with pulse and press grazing. Interestingly, communities with pulse, but not press, grazing were more phylogenetically dispersed than communities with light grazing. If grazing pulses can increase the phylogenetic diversity of plant communities, our result suggests changes in reindeer management allowing for pulses of grazing to increase phylogenetic diversity of plant communities. |
author2 |
Vetenskapsrådet Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gibson, Kate Olofsson, Johan Mooers, Arne Ø. Monroe, Melanie J. |
spellingShingle |
Gibson, Kate Olofsson, Johan Mooers, Arne Ø. Monroe, Melanie J. Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra |
author_facet |
Gibson, Kate Olofsson, Johan Mooers, Arne Ø. Monroe, Melanie J. |
author_sort |
Gibson, Kate |
title |
Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra |
title_short |
Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra |
title_full |
Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra |
title_fullStr |
Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra |
title_full_unstemmed |
Pulse grazing by reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra |
title_sort |
pulse grazing by reindeer ( rangifer tarandus) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the fennoscandian tundra |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8131 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.8131 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ece3.8131 |
genre |
Fennoscandia Fennoscandian Rangifer tarandus Tundra |
genre_facet |
Fennoscandia Fennoscandian Rangifer tarandus Tundra |
op_source |
Ecology and Evolution volume 11, issue 21, page 14598-14614 ISSN 2045-7758 2045-7758 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8131 |
container_title |
Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
21 |
container_start_page |
14598 |
op_container_end_page |
14614 |
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1810443478804463616 |