Short and long term recovery of plant communities following intensive grazing by caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in the Low Arctic of Nunavut, Canada ...

• Main Author: Griller, Natalie
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2009
• Subjects: Arctic; Nunavut; ovibos moschatus; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0090116; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0090116

Short and long term recovery of plant communities following intensive grazing by caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were examined in the Low Arctic of Nunavut, Canada. Animals stranded on small islands resulted in intensively grazed the plant communities, creating natural grazing "experiments." Field work was conducted during July and August of 1997, at four locations. Islands intensively grazed by muskoxen (in 1980, 1984, 1996 and 1997) and by caribou (in 1987) were measured for plant cover and biomass, and current grazing intensity. Regression was used to detect correlations between plant cover and biomass. For most species, cover was a poor predictor of biomass. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) clearly separated sites by latitude. Direct gradient ordination (Redundancy Analysis) of each location showed the importance of soil moisture and slope position to vascular plant cover, and current grazing pressure and previous intensive grazing to biomass. Intensive grazing affected ...