Spring feeding by pink‐footed geese reduces carbon stocks and sink strength in tundra ecosystems

• Published in: Global Change Biology
• Main Authors: Van Der WAL, RENÉ, SJÖGERSTEN, SOFIE, WOODIN, SARAH J., COOPER, ELISABETH J., JÓNSDÓTTIR, INGIBJÖRG S., KUIJPER, DRIES, FOX, TONY A. D., HUISKES, A. D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2006
• Subjects: Svalbard; Tundra; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01310.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2486.2006.01310.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01310.x

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.