Herbaceous Community Structure and Function in the Kluane Region

Turkington, Roy; McLaren, Jennie R.; Dale, Mark R. T.

doi:10.14430/arctic4351

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…2a+b). The decrease in richness and diversity was in accordance with these studies of forest fertilisation (Thomas et al 1999;Turkington et al 2002Turkington et al , 2014Strengbom and Nordin 2008;Hedwall et al 2010;and others), whereas an opposite response was reported by Kellner and Marshagen (1991) and variable results for VanderSchaaf et al (2000). These latter two studies, however, were conducted in forests that were initially relatively species-poor and unproductive.…”

Section: Species Richness-diversity Of Understory Vascular Plantssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…declined. Continuation of fertilization up to 20 years in the Yukon indicated an overall increase in the amount and nutrient content of herbaceous vegetation (Turkington et al 2014).…”

Section: Vascular Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reduced species diversity (evenness) may be directly related to a few dominant species on a site, thereby reducing the biomass of neighbouring species. Twenty years of fertilization of understory herbs in the Yukon resulted in species richness declining from 29 to 16, a loss of 56% (Turkington et al 2014). The potential influence of these compositional changes in understory vegetation need to be considered in light of changes in functional diversity and other trophic levels within the forest ecosystem (Hedwall et al 2011(Hedwall et al , 2013b).…”

Section: Species Richness-diversity Of Understory Vascular Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of nitrogen fertilization on abundance and diversity of plants and animals in temperate and boreal forests

Sullivan

Sullivan²

2018

Environ. Rev.

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Aerial and land-based applications of nitrogen-based fertilizers to enhance forest growth makes nutrients potentially available to all trees, plants, and wildlife in a given ecosystem and, therefore, may have direct and indirect effects on wildlife and biodiversity. A scientific review of these potential effects was conducted with 106 published studies covering vascular and nonvascular plants, amphibians, birds, mammals, terrestrial invertebrates, and soil animals associated with fertilization in temperate and boreal forests, primarily in North America and Scandinavia. In terms of direct effects, amphibians and domestic mammals appear to be the most sensitive to urea used in fertilization programs. The avoidance behaviour and (or) mortality of amphibians in laboratory studies was species dependent. Ruminant animals, including wild ungulates, rapidly convert urea to ammonia and are susceptible to toxicity following ingestion of large amounts of urea. Feeding on urea pellets by small mammals or gallinaceous birds appears to be minimal as granules are unpalatable. In terms of indirect effects, the majority of responses of understory herbs to nitrogen fertilization showed an increase in abundance. Some shrubs in repeatedly fertilized stands eventually increased in abundance in long-term studies, whereas dwarf shrubs and abundance of bryophytes (mosses and terrestrial lichens) declined. In general, species richness and diversity of understory herbs and shrubs declined, or were unaffected, in fertilized stands. Response in abundance and species richness-diversity of vascular plants to a single application of nitrogen showed either an increase or no change. Repeated applications (2–5 and >5) usually resulted in declines in these responses. Relative abundance of mule deer (Odocoileus Rafinesque spp.), moose (Alces alces L.), and hares (Lepus L. spp.), and forage quantity and quality were usually increased by fertilization. Small mammal species generally showed increases or no change in abundance; decreases may be related to fertilizer-induced changes in food sources. Forest fertilization may provide winter feeding habitat for coniferous foliage-gleaning insectivorous birds in some cases. Six species of forest grouse showed no response to fertilizer treatments. Responses of soil animals to nitrogen fertilization appeared to be species- and dose-specific and are ameliorated by surrounding micro- and macro-habitat characteristics.

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Section: Species Richness-diversity Of Understory Vascular Plantssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…declined. Continuation of fertilization up to 20 years in the Yukon indicated an overall increase in the amount and nutrient content of herbaceous vegetation (Turkington et al 2014).…”

Section: Vascular Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Species Richness-diversity Of Understory Vascular Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of nitrogen fertilization on abundance and diversity of plants and animals in temperate and boreal forests

Sullivan

Sullivan²

2018

Environ. Rev.

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“…Common boreal forest trees like black spruce (Picea mariana) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) are absent in the Kluane Lake area but present in surrounding regions. The ground vegetation in the forested area is comprised of an array of perennial plants of low diversity (Turkington et al 2014). An extensive alpine zone exists above the forested valleys.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of climate change on the small mammal community of the Yukon boreal forest

Boonstra

Gilbert

Kenney

et al. 2019

Integrative Zoology

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Long‐term monitoring is critical to determine the stability and sustainability of wildlife populations, and if change has occurred, why. We have followed population density changes in the small mammal community in the boreal forest of the southern Yukon for 46 years with density estimates by live trapping on 3–5 unmanipulated grids in spring and autumn. This community consists of 10 species and was responsible for 9% of the energy flow in the herbivore component of this ecosystem from 1986 to 1996, but this increased to 38% from 2003 to 2014. Small mammals, although small in size, are large in the transfer of energy from plants to predators and decomposers. Four species form the bulk of the biomass. There was a shift in the dominant species from the 1970s to the 2000s, with Myodes rutilus increasing in relative abundance by 22% and Peromyscus maniculatus decreasing by 22%. From 2007 to 2018, Myodes comprised 63% of the catch, Peromyscus 20%, and Microtus species 17%. Possible causes of these changes involve climate change, which is increasing primary production in this boreal forest, and an associated increase in the abundance of 3 rodent predators, marten (Martes americana), ermine (Mustela ermine) and coyotes (Canis latrans). Following and understanding these and potential future changes will require long‐term monitoring studies on a large scale to measure metapopulation dynamics. The small mammal community in northern Canada is being affected by climate change and cannot remain stable. Changes will be critically dependent on food–web interactions that are species‐specific.

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“…Black spruce (Picea mariana) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) are absent in the Kluane area. The ground vegetation comprises an array of perennial plants of low diversity (Turkington et al 2014). The herbivorous trophic level is dominated by snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777), which fluctuate in a 9-10-year cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of rewilding, species introductions and climate change on the structure and function of the Yukon boreal forest ecosystem

Boonstra

Boutin

Jung

et al. 2018

Integrative Zoology

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Community and ecosystem changes are happening in the pristine boreal forest ecosystem of the Yukon for 2 reasons. First, climate change is affecting the abiotic environment (temperature, rainfall and growing season) and driving changes in plant productivity and predator–prey interactions. Second, simultaneously change is occurring because of mammal species reintroductions and rewilding. The key ecological question is the impact these faunal changes will have on trophic dynamics. Primary productivity in the boreal forest is increasing because of climatic warming, but plant species composition is unlikely to change significantly during the next 50–100 years. The 9–10‐year population cycle of snowshoe hares will persist but could be reduced in amplitude if winter weather increases predator hunting efficiency. Small rodents have increased in abundance because of increased vegetation growth. Arctic ground squirrels have disappeared from the forest because of increased predator hunting efficiency associated with shrub growth. Reintroductions have occurred for 2 reasons: human reintroductions of large ungulates and natural recolonization of mammals and birds extending their geographic ranges. The deliberate rewilding of wood bison (Bison bison) and elk (Cervus canadensis) has changed the trophic structure of this boreal ecosystem very little. The natural range expansion of mountain lions (Puma concolor), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and American marten (Martes americana) should have few ecosystem effects. Understanding potential changes will require long‐term monitoring studies and experiments on a scale we rarely deem possible. Ecosystems affected by climate change, species reintroductions and human alteration of habitats cannot remain stable and changes will be critically dependent on food web interactions.

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Herbaceous Community Structure and Function in the Kluane Region

Cited by 7 publications

References 46 publications

Influence of nitrogen fertilization on abundance and diversity of plants and animals in temperate and boreal forests

Influence of nitrogen fertilization on abundance and diversity of plants and animals in temperate and boreal forests

Impact of climate change on the small mammal community of the Yukon boreal forest

Impact of rewilding, species introductions and climate change on the structure and function of the Yukon boreal forest ecosystem

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