Stomping in silence : Conceptualizing trampling effects on soils in polar tundra
(2021) In Functional Ecology 35(2). p.306-317- Abstract
Ungulate trampling modifies soils and interlinked ecosystem functions across biomes. Until today, most research has focused on temperate ecosystems and mineral soils while trampling effects on cold and organic matter-rich tundra soils remain largely unknown. We aimed to develop a general model of trampling effects on soil structure, biota, microclimate and biogeochemical processes, with a particular focus on polar tundra soils. To reach this goal, we reviewed literature about the effects of trampling and physical disturbances on soils across biomes and used this to discuss the knowns and unknowns of trampling effects on tundra soils. We identified the following four pathways through which trampling affects soils: (a) soil compaction;... (More)
Ungulate trampling modifies soils and interlinked ecosystem functions across biomes. Until today, most research has focused on temperate ecosystems and mineral soils while trampling effects on cold and organic matter-rich tundra soils remain largely unknown. We aimed to develop a general model of trampling effects on soil structure, biota, microclimate and biogeochemical processes, with a particular focus on polar tundra soils. To reach this goal, we reviewed literature about the effects of trampling and physical disturbances on soils across biomes and used this to discuss the knowns and unknowns of trampling effects on tundra soils. We identified the following four pathways through which trampling affects soils: (a) soil compaction; (b) reductions in soil fauna and fungi; (c) rapid losses in vegetation biomass and cover; and (d) longer term shifts in vegetation community composition. We found that, in polar tundra, soil responses to trampling pathways 1 and 3 could be characterized by nonlinear dynamics and tundra-specific context dependencies that we formulated into testable hypotheses. In conclusion, trampling may affect tundra soil significantly but many direct, interacting and cascading responses remain unknown. We call for research to advance the understanding of trampling effects on soils to support informed efforts to manage and predict the functioning of tundra systems under global changes. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Arctic ecosystems, grazing, herbivore–soil interactions, herbivory, non-trophic interactions, physical disturbance, treading
- in
- Functional Ecology
- volume
- 35
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 306 - 317
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85097301915
- ISSN
- 0269-8463
- DOI
- 10.1111/1365-2435.13719
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- f2cec944-be7c-4702-99a9-10cdf7eedb1f
- date added to LUP
- 2020-12-16 14:06:07
- date last changed
- 2023-02-21 11:20:49
@article{f2cec944-be7c-4702-99a9-10cdf7eedb1f,
abstract = {{<p>Ungulate trampling modifies soils and interlinked ecosystem functions across biomes. Until today, most research has focused on temperate ecosystems and mineral soils while trampling effects on cold and organic matter-rich tundra soils remain largely unknown. We aimed to develop a general model of trampling effects on soil structure, biota, microclimate and biogeochemical processes, with a particular focus on polar tundra soils. To reach this goal, we reviewed literature about the effects of trampling and physical disturbances on soils across biomes and used this to discuss the knowns and unknowns of trampling effects on tundra soils. We identified the following four pathways through which trampling affects soils: (a) soil compaction; (b) reductions in soil fauna and fungi; (c) rapid losses in vegetation biomass and cover; and (d) longer term shifts in vegetation community composition. We found that, in polar tundra, soil responses to trampling pathways 1 and 3 could be characterized by nonlinear dynamics and tundra-specific context dependencies that we formulated into testable hypotheses. In conclusion, trampling may affect tundra soil significantly but many direct, interacting and cascading responses remain unknown. We call for research to advance the understanding of trampling effects on soils to support informed efforts to manage and predict the functioning of tundra systems under global changes. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.</p>}},
author = {{Tuomi, Maria and Väisänen, Maria and Ylänne, Henni and Brearley, Francis Q. and Barrio, Isabel C. and Anne Bråthen, Kari and Eischeid, Isabell and Forbes, Bruce C. and Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg S. and Kolstad, Anders L. and Macek, Petr and Petit Bon, Matteo and Speed, James D.M. and Stark, Sari and Svavarsdóttir, Kristin and Thórsson, Jóhann and Bueno, C. Guillermo}},
issn = {{0269-8463}},
keywords = {{Arctic ecosystems; grazing; herbivore–soil interactions; herbivory; non-trophic interactions; physical disturbance; treading}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{306--317}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Functional Ecology}},
title = {{Stomping in silence : Conceptualizing trampling effects on soils in polar tundra}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13719}},
doi = {{10.1111/1365-2435.13719}},
volume = {{35}},
year = {{2021}},
}