The Exploitation of Wetland Ecosystems by Herbivores on Bylot Island

作者：Gilles Gauthier, Line Rochefort, Austin Reed · 发表于：Geoscience Canada · 年份：1996 · 被引用次数：65 · 研究领域：Rangeland and Wildlife Management、Climate change and permafrost、Indigenous Studies and Ecology

We examine the interactions between herbivores, plants and climatic factors in arctic wetlands using, as a case study, results of our research on grazing by snow geese on Bylot Island. During the summer, geese are the most important herbivore on the island and consume a high proportion of the annual graminoid production (grasses and sedges). Herbivores can sometimes enhance plant production by increasing the turnover rate of nitrogen, a nutrient which commonly limits growth of arctic plants. However, we found no evidence of positive feedback of grazing on plant growth and, on the contrary, chronic goose grazing tended to decrease production of these ecosystems in the long term. Geese need large quantities of high-quality plants to breed successfully, and negative effects on goose reproduction as a result of lack of food were detected. Herbivore populations are also influenced by climatic factors, either directly or indirectly through effects on plant growth. It is likely that tundra plant-herbivore systems will be strongly affected by future climatic changes. Resume Nous examinons les interactions entre les herbivores, les plantes et les facteurs climatiques dans les terres humides arctiques en utilisant nos recherches sur le broutement par les oies des neiges a l'ile Bylot comme etude de cas. Durant l'ete, les oies sont les herbivores les plus importants de l'ile et elles consomment une forte proportion de la production annuelle de graminoides. Les herbivore...