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dc.contributor.authorTuomi, Maria Wilhelmina
dc.contributor.authorStark, Sari
dc.contributor.authorHoset, Katrine Skamfer
dc.contributor.authorVäisänen, Maria
dc.contributor.authorOksanen, Lauri
dc.contributor.authorMurguzur, Francisco Javier Ancin
dc.contributor.authorTuomisto, Hanna
dc.contributor.authorDahlgren, Jonas
dc.contributor.authorBråthen, Kari Anne
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-03T07:56:09Z
dc.date.available2022-05-03T07:56:09Z
dc.date.issued2018-10-17
dc.description.abstractMammalian herbivores shape the structure and function of many nutrient-limited or low-productive terrestrial ecosystems through modification of plant communities and plant–soil feedbacks. In the tundra biome, mammalian herbivores may both accelerate and decelerate plant biomass growth, microbial activity and nutrient cycling, that is, ecosystem process rates. Selective foraging and associated declines of palatable species are known to be major drivers of plant–soil feedbacks. However, declines in dominant plants of low palatability often linked with high herbivore densities may also modify ecosystem process rates, yet have received little attention. We present data from an island experiment with a 10-year vole density manipulation, to test the hypothesis that herbivores accelerate process rates by decreasing the relative abundance of poorly palatable plants to palatable ones. We measured plant species abundances and community composition, nitrogen contents of green plant tissues and multiple soil and litter variables under high and low vole density. Corroborating our hypothesis, periodic high vole density increased ecosystem process rates in lowproductive tundra. High vole density was associated with both increasing relative abundance of palatable forbs over unpalatable evergreen dwarf shrubs and higher plant N content both at species and at community level. Changes in plant community composition, in turn, explained variation in microbial activity in litter and soil inorganic nutrient availability. We propose a new conceptual model with two distinct vole–plant–soil feedback pathways. Voles may drive local plant–soil feedbacks that either increase or decrease ecosystem process rates, in turn promoting heterogeneity in vegetation and soils across tundra landscapes.en_US
dc.identifier.citationTuomi, M., Stark, S., Hoset, K.S. et al. Herbivore Effects on Ecosystem Process Rates in a Low-Productive System. Ecosystems 22, 827–843 (2019)en_US
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 1652255
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10021-018-0307-4
dc.identifier.issn1432-9840
dc.identifier.issn1435-0629
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/24977
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherSpringeren_US
dc.relation.journalEcosystems
dc.relation.urihttps://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10021-018-0307-4.pdf
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccessen_US
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2018 The Author(s)en_US
dc.titleHerbivore Effects on Ecosystem Process Rates in a Low-Productive Systemen_US
dc.type.versionpublishedVersionen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen_US
dc.typePeer revieweden_US


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