Reindeer grazing increases summer albedo by reducing shrub abundance in Arctic tundra

• Published in: Environmental Research Letters
• Main Authors: Mariska te Beest, Judith Sitters, Cécile B Ménard, Johan Olofsson
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 2016
• Subjects: albedo; climate change; herbivory; land-atmosphere interactions; heat flux; shrub; Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering; TD1-1066; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Science; Q; Physics; QC1-999; Arctic; Jules; Betula nana; Climate change; Fennoscandia; Tundra
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa5128; https://doaj.org/article/6c3b1a9c015841c4b2d7857153bd267e

Previous studies have shown that climate warming is causing shrub cover to increase at high latitudes. Increased shrub cover generally lowers surface albedo, which results in higher energy absorption and further warming. In parts of Fennoscandia, herbivory is known to control vegetation height and a...