A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships
A small group of fruticous lichen species, viz. Cetraria nivalis, Cladonia mitis, C. stellaris, and Stereocaulon paschale forms extensive mats in the most winter habitats of Rangifer tarandus populations in Norway. The plant communities accessible for grazing are often found on easily drained, morai...
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Language: | English |
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Septentrio Academic Publishing
1997
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Online Access: | https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377 https://doi.org/10.7557/2.17.1.377 |
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ftunitroemsoe:oai:ojs.henry.ub.uit.no:article/377 2023-05-15T18:03:54+02:00 A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships Gaare, Eldar 1997-04-01 application/pdf https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377 https://doi.org/10.7557/2.17.1.377 eng eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377/366 https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377 doi:10.7557/2.17.1.377 Copyright (c) 2015 Eldar Gaare http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ CC-BY Rangifer; Årg 17 Nr 1 (1997); 3-7 Rangifer; Vol 17 No 1 (1997); 3-7 1890-6729 Rangifer reindeer caribou lichen lichen-grazing dynamics grazing secondary succession info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 1997 ftunitroemsoe https://doi.org/10.7557/2.17.1.377 2021-08-16T14:21:56Z A small group of fruticous lichen species, viz. Cetraria nivalis, Cladonia mitis, C. stellaris, and Stereocaulon paschale forms extensive mats in the most winter habitats of Rangifer tarandus populations in Norway. The plant communities accessible for grazing are often found on easily drained, moraine ridges. These lichen species are perennial, lying on the ground while growing slowly at the top. As they decompose they add humus to the top of the soil profile. The lichen mats catch all water from small showers, thus preventing vascular plants from obtaining a more regular water supply. Grazing removs whole plants and gradually makes larger and larger holes in the lichen mats. Wind and water erode the humus, with only coarse gravel remaining. This diminishes the soil water storage capacity. Without grazing, lichens will gradually build a humus layer, which would improve the soil water storage capacity. In time vascular plants then would take the place of the lichens. I propose the hypothesis that by (over-)grazing Rangifer improve their winter pastures by making conditions more favourable for lichens than for vascular plants.The fact that lichens are more scarce on habitats with more and regular precipitation, 1) in more oceanic climates, 2) on soils with more silt, and 3) on bird perches with thick peat due to regular fertilising, support this hypothesis. Article in Journal/Newspaper Rangifer Rangifer tarandus University of Tromsø: Septentrio Academic Publishing Norway Rangifer 17 1 3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Septentrio Academic Publishing |
op_collection_id |
ftunitroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
Rangifer reindeer caribou lichen lichen-grazing dynamics grazing secondary succession |
spellingShingle |
Rangifer reindeer caribou lichen lichen-grazing dynamics grazing secondary succession Gaare, Eldar A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships |
topic_facet |
Rangifer reindeer caribou lichen lichen-grazing dynamics grazing secondary succession |
description |
A small group of fruticous lichen species, viz. Cetraria nivalis, Cladonia mitis, C. stellaris, and Stereocaulon paschale forms extensive mats in the most winter habitats of Rangifer tarandus populations in Norway. The plant communities accessible for grazing are often found on easily drained, moraine ridges. These lichen species are perennial, lying on the ground while growing slowly at the top. As they decompose they add humus to the top of the soil profile. The lichen mats catch all water from small showers, thus preventing vascular plants from obtaining a more regular water supply. Grazing removs whole plants and gradually makes larger and larger holes in the lichen mats. Wind and water erode the humus, with only coarse gravel remaining. This diminishes the soil water storage capacity. Without grazing, lichens will gradually build a humus layer, which would improve the soil water storage capacity. In time vascular plants then would take the place of the lichens. I propose the hypothesis that by (over-)grazing Rangifer improve their winter pastures by making conditions more favourable for lichens than for vascular plants.The fact that lichens are more scarce on habitats with more and regular precipitation, 1) in more oceanic climates, 2) on soils with more silt, and 3) on bird perches with thick peat due to regular fertilising, support this hypothesis. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gaare, Eldar |
author_facet |
Gaare, Eldar |
author_sort |
Gaare, Eldar |
title |
A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships |
title_short |
A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships |
title_full |
A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships |
title_fullStr |
A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships |
title_full_unstemmed |
A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships |
title_sort |
hypothesis to explain lichen-rangifer dynamic relationships |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
1997 |
url |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377 https://doi.org/10.7557/2.17.1.377 |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Rangifer; Årg 17 Nr 1 (1997); 3-7 Rangifer; Vol 17 No 1 (1997); 3-7 1890-6729 |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377/366 https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/377 doi:10.7557/2.17.1.377 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2015 Eldar Gaare http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.17.1.377 |
container_title |
Rangifer |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
3 |
_version_ |
1766174973325475840 |