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

Authors: van derWAL, RENÉ¹; SJÖGERSTEN, SOFIE²; WOODIN, SARAH J.²; COOPER, ELISABETH J.³; JÓNSDÓTTIR, INGIBJÖRG S.³; KUIJPER, DRIES⁴; FOX, TONY A. D.⁵; HUISKES, A. D.⁶

Source: Global Change Biology, Volume 13, Number 2, February 2007 , pp. 539-545(7)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

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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.

Keywords: belowground herbivory; C sink; C source; ecosystem respiration; goose grubbing; high arctic; land-use change; net ecosystem exchange; Spitsbergen

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01310.x

Affiliations: 1: NERC - Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Hill of Brathens, Banchory AB31 4BW, UK, 2: Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Building, St. Machar Drive, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, UK, 3: The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), PO Box 156, N-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway, 4: Animal Ecology Group/Arctic Centre, University of Groningen, PO Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands, 5: Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, Kalø, Grenåvej 12, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark, 6: Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands

Publication date: 2007-02-01

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

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