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Olsson, E. Gunilla A.; Austrheim, Gunnar; Grenne, Synnøve

doi:10.1023/a:1008173628016

Cited by 188 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Long-term fire exclusion would, after >50 years, likely lead to succession into Erica forest and thus an ascent of the tree line (Jacob et al, 2015) and a reduction in open habitat for alpine and heathland plant species, and their associated fauna, including the endangered Simien Wolf and Mountain Nyala (Stephens, D'Sa, Sillero-Zubiri, & Leader-Williams, 2001). There is a classic trade-off between different ecosystem services, where maximizing carbon storage, or timber production, in traditional silvopastoral systems often threatens biodiversity, as reported from the Chaco grasslands in Argentina (Grau et al, 2015), African savannas (Parr, Lehmann, Bond, Hoffmann, & Andersen, 2014), and European heathlands (Cordingley, Newton, Rose, Clarke, & Bullock, 2016;Olsson, Austrheim, & Grenne, 2000). However, in Bale Mountains, the initial consequence (in <10 years) of grazing restriction and fire exclusion would be the loss of the nonflammable young stands (Johansson & Granstr€ om, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance from traditional fire management in subalpine heathlands increases Afro‐alpine plant resilience to climate change

Johansson

Frisk

Nemomissa

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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Species are often controlled by biotic factors such as competition at the warm edge of their distribution range. Disturbances at the treeline, disrupting competitive dominance, may thus enable alpine species to utilize lower altitudes. We searched for evidence for range expansion in grazed, fire-managed Ethiopian subalpine Erica heathlands across a 25-year chronosequence. We examined vascular plant composition in 48 plots (5 × 5 m) across an altitudinal range of 3,465-3,711 m.a.s.l. and analyzed how community composition changed in relation to increasing competition over time (using a Shade index based on Erica shrub height and cover) and altitude. Species' habitats and altitudinal ranges were derived from literature. Time since fire explained more variation (r = .41) in species composition than altitude did (r = .32) in an NMDS analysis. Community-weighted altitudinal optima for species in a plot decreased strongly with increasing shade (GLM, Standardized Regression Coefficient SRC = -.41, p = .003), but increased only weakly with altitude (SRC = .26, p = .054). In other words, young stands were dominated by species with higher altitudinal optima than old stands. Forest species richness increased with Log Shade index (SRC = .12, p = .008), but was unaffected by altitude (SRC = -.07, p = .13). However, richness of alpine and heathland species was not highest in plots with lowest Shade index, but displayed a unimodal pattern with an initial increase, followed by a decrease when shading increased (altitude was not significant). Our results indicate that disturbance from the traditional patch burning increases the available habitat for less competitive high-altitude plants and prevents tree line ascent. Therefore, maintaining, but regulating, the traditional land use increases the Afro-alpine flora's resilience to global warming. However, this system is threatened by a new REDD+ program attempting to increase carbon storage via fire suppression. This study highlights the importance of understanding traditional management regimes for biodiversity conservation in cultural landscapes in an era of global change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance from traditional fire management in subalpine heathlands increases Afro‐alpine plant resilience to climate change

Johansson

Frisk

Nemomissa

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

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“…Patterns of expansion of woody plants into grasslands have been stud- Falcucci, Maiorano, & Boitani, 2007;Olsson, Austrheim, & Grenne, 2000). This plant succession can proceed at different speeds and with different numbers of stages depending on land-use patterns, initial state, altitude or topography (Tasser & Tappeiner, 2002;Vacquié et al, 2016).…”

Section: Simulation Of Woody Plant Expansionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Different effects of alpine woody plant expansion on domestic and wild ungulates

Espunyes

Lurgi

Büntgen

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

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Changes in land-use and climate affect the distribution and diversity of plant and animal species at different spatiotemporal scales. The extent to which species-specific phenotypic plasticity and biotic interactions mediate organismal adaptation to changing environments, however, remains poorly understood. Woody plant expansion is threatening the extent of alpine grasslands worldwide, and evaluating and predicting its effects on herbivores is of crucial importance. Here, we explore the impact of shrubification on the feeding efficiency of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica), as well as on the three most abundant coexisting domestic ungulate species: cattle, sheep and horses. We use observational diet composition from May to October and model different scenarios of vegetation availability where shrubland and woodland proliferate at the expense of grassland. We then predicted if the four ungulate species could efficiently utilize their food landscapes with their current dietary specificities measuring their niche breath in each scenario. We observed that the wild counterpart, due to a higher trophic plasticity, is less disturbed by shrubification compared to livestock, which rely primarily on herbaceous plants and will be affected 3.6 times more. Our results suggest that mixed feeders, such as chamois, could benefit from fallow landscapes, and that mountain farmers are at a growing economic risk worldwide due to changing land-use practices and climate conditions.

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“…Traditional cultural landscapes, such as pastures, rangelands, and streams used for timber floating have been abandoned, and the associated ecosystems are changing because of various successional and recovery processes (Olsson et al 2000, Nilsson et al 2005. Land use pressures related to construction, road building, energy development, tourism, and the mining industry are increasing and cause stress on natural environments on small and large scales (Nilsson et al 2010).…”

Section: Geography and Land Use Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological and Social Dimensions of Ecosystem Restoration in the Nordic Countries

Hagen¹,

Svavarsdóttir²,

Tolvanen³

et al. 2013

E&S

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ABSTRACT. An international overview of the extent and type of ecological restoration can offer new perspectives for understanding, planning, and implementation. The Nordic countries, with a great range of natural conditions but historically similar social and political structures, provide an opportunity to compare restoration approaches and efforts across borders. The aim of this study was to explore variation in ecological restoration using the Nordic countries as an example. We used recent national assessments and expert evaluations of ecological restoration. Restoration efforts differed among countries: forest and peatland restoration was most common in Finland, freshwater restoration was most common in Sweden, restoration of natural heathlands and grasslands was most common in Iceland, restoration of natural and semi-cultural heathlands was most common in Norway, and restoration of cultural ecosystems, mainly abandoned agricultural land, was most common in Denmark. Ecological restoration currently does not occur on the Faroe Islands. Economic incentives influence ecological restoration and depend on laws and policies in each country. Our analyses suggest that habitat types determine the methods of ecological restoration, whereas socio-economic drivers are more important for the decisions concerning the timing and location of restoration. To improve the understanding, planning, and implementation of ecological restoration, we advocate increased cooperation and knowledge sharing across disciplines and among countries, both in the Nordic countries and internationally. An obvious advantage of such cooperation is that a wider range of experiences from different habitats and different socio-economic conditions becomes available and thus provides a more solid basis for developing practical solutions for restoration methods and policies.

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Cited by 188 publications

References 23 publications

Disturbance from traditional fire management in subalpine heathlands increases Afro‐alpine plant resilience to climate change

Disturbance from traditional fire management in subalpine heathlands increases Afro‐alpine plant resilience to climate change

Different effects of alpine woody plant expansion on domestic and wild ungulates

Ecological and Social Dimensions of Ecosystem Restoration in the Nordic Countries

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