Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada)
Lichens are an important component of biodiversity in northern ecosystems and are involved in diverse ecological processes. They contribute to nutrient availability through nitrogen fixation, are a substantial part of caribou winter diet, and influence global climate by increasing land surface albed...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/article/a3d39d3e72fe4c1ab94a0d4bab840215 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:a3d39d3e72fe4c1ab94a0d4bab840215 2023-05-15T14:14:32+02:00 Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) Catherine Chagnon Stéphane Boudreau 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/article/a3d39d3e72fe4c1ab94a0d4bab840215 EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/toc/1523-0430 https://doaj.org/toc/1938-4246 1523-0430 1938-4246 doi:10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/article/a3d39d3e72fe4c1ab94a0d4bab840215 Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol 51, Iss 1, Pp 521-532 (2019) climate change lichens northern ecosystems shrub expansion Environmental sciences GE1-350 Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2019 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 2022-12-31T11:58:25Z Lichens are an important component of biodiversity in northern ecosystems and are involved in diverse ecological processes. They contribute to nutrient availability through nitrogen fixation, are a substantial part of caribou winter diet, and influence global climate by increasing land surface albedo. Over the last decades, increased primary productivity in northern ecosystems, mainly associated with the expansion of shrub species, has led to a decline of lichen-dominated areas. We evaluated the impacts of shrubs on lichens by comparing lichen communities in the open environment and underneath dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) canopy in Nunavik, Canada. Our results showed a decrease in abundance, richness and evenness and a shift in community composition between open areas and understory. These changes were mainly induced by the presence of a shrub canopy rather than by its characteristics, because shrub height and canopy closure had little effect. Richness and evenness dropped from shrub edge to shrub center, suggesting that the intensity of the decline was positively correlated to the time spent under the shrub canopy. Important changes in lichen communities are therefore expected to occur with further shrub expansion and may have substantial unfavorable implications for global climate and ecosystem functioning. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarctic and Alpine Research Arctic Dwarf birch Nunavik Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Canada Nunavik Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 51 1 521 532 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
climate change lichens northern ecosystems shrub expansion Environmental sciences GE1-350 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
climate change lichens northern ecosystems shrub expansion Environmental sciences GE1-350 Ecology QH540-549.5 Catherine Chagnon Stéphane Boudreau Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) |
topic_facet |
climate change lichens northern ecosystems shrub expansion Environmental sciences GE1-350 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Lichens are an important component of biodiversity in northern ecosystems and are involved in diverse ecological processes. They contribute to nutrient availability through nitrogen fixation, are a substantial part of caribou winter diet, and influence global climate by increasing land surface albedo. Over the last decades, increased primary productivity in northern ecosystems, mainly associated with the expansion of shrub species, has led to a decline of lichen-dominated areas. We evaluated the impacts of shrubs on lichens by comparing lichen communities in the open environment and underneath dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) canopy in Nunavik, Canada. Our results showed a decrease in abundance, richness and evenness and a shift in community composition between open areas and understory. These changes were mainly induced by the presence of a shrub canopy rather than by its characteristics, because shrub height and canopy closure had little effect. Richness and evenness dropped from shrub edge to shrub center, suggesting that the intensity of the decline was positively correlated to the time spent under the shrub canopy. Important changes in lichen communities are therefore expected to occur with further shrub expansion and may have substantial unfavorable implications for global climate and ecosystem functioning. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Catherine Chagnon Stéphane Boudreau |
author_facet |
Catherine Chagnon Stéphane Boudreau |
author_sort |
Catherine Chagnon |
title |
Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) |
title_short |
Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) |
title_full |
Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) |
title_fullStr |
Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) |
title_sort |
shrub canopy induces a decline in lichen abundance and diversity in nunavik (québec, canada) |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/article/a3d39d3e72fe4c1ab94a0d4bab840215 |
geographic |
Canada Nunavik |
geographic_facet |
Canada Nunavik |
genre |
Antarctic and Alpine Research Arctic Dwarf birch Nunavik |
genre_facet |
Antarctic and Alpine Research Arctic Dwarf birch Nunavik |
op_source |
Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol 51, Iss 1, Pp 521-532 (2019) |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/toc/1523-0430 https://doaj.org/toc/1938-4246 1523-0430 1938-4246 doi:10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 https://doaj.org/article/a3d39d3e72fe4c1ab94a0d4bab840215 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2019.1688751 |
container_title |
Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
container_volume |
51 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
521 |
op_container_end_page |
532 |
_version_ |
1766286943839059968 |