Snowier winters extend autumn availability of high‐quality forage for caribou in Arctic Alaska

Richert, J.; Leffler, A. Joshua; Spalinger, Donald E.; Welker, Jeffrey M.

doi:10.1002/ecs2.3617

Cited by 11 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 101 publications

(162 reference statements)

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“…Moreover, higher tannin or phenolic concentration does not necessarily increase PPC during digestion since some ungulate species produce tannin‐binding salivary proteins to disrupt the anti‐herbivory action of these compounds (Hagerman & Robbins, 1993). The PPC observed here and elsewhere, however, is high enough to limit available nitrogen such that small increases in PPC may make these common forage species not useful for building animal proteins by mid‐summer (Richert et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Although shrub biomass is clearly increasing, the impact of warming on the forage quality of shrubs is less well understood. Shrub leaf N concentration generally increases with warmer soils from deeper snow during winter (Leffler et al, 2016; Leffler & Welker, 2013; Richert et al, 2021; Sullivan & Welker, 2007; Welker et al, 2005). Warm summers may decrease leaf N concentration by accelerating the synthesis of structural carbohydrates that dilute N and other key nutrients in leaves.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The cumulative heat effect of warming should drive immediate‐ to short‐term responses in forage quality. For example, we anticipate that a warmed plant will have lower leaf N concentration and lower digestibility if sampled on the same day as an ambient temperature plant because the warmed plant matures more rapidly (Dumont et al, 2015) and because leaf N concentration and digestibility decline during the growing season (Barboza et al, 2018; Richert et al, 2021). Additionally, warming can influence processes that operate on longer timescales such as those mediated by soil resources (Geml et al, 2016; Schaeffer et al, 2013; Semenova et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, warming can influence processes that operate on longer timescales such as those mediated by soil resources (Geml et al, 2016; Schaeffer et al, 2013; Semenova et al, 2015). For example, warmer soils in winter through additional snow insulation previously increased N availability and leaf N concentration in multiple high‐latitude settings (Leffler et al, 2016; Leffler & Welker, 2013; Richert et al, 2021; Schimel et al, 2004; Sullivan & Welker, 2007; Welker et al, 2005). Moreover, the cumulative effect of multiple years of warming is greater biomass, suggesting total canopy N may increase even though leaf N concentration declines or is not affected (DeMarco et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…is typically lower in secondary compound concentration than Betula spp. (Christie et al, 2015;Graglia et al, 2001;Richert et al, 2021). Consequently, caribou benefit from a mixed diet of shrubs, graminoids, and forbs to limit exposure to these anti-herbivory compounds (Turunen et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Short‐term effects of summer warming on caribou forage quality are mitigated by long‐term warming

et al. 2022

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Rapid Arctic climate change is leading to woody plant-dominated ecosystems with potential consequences for caribou foraging and nutritional ecology.While warming has been clearly linked to shrub expansion, the influence of higher temperatures on variables linked to the leaf-level quality of caribou forage is equivocal. Moreover, warming results in a complex set of ecosystem changes that operate on different timescales such as not only rapidly accelerating phenology, but also slowly increasing thaw depth and plant access to soil resources. Here, we compare changes in leaf nitrogen (N) concentration, digestibility, and protein-precipitating capacity (PPC) in short-term (i.e., <1-2 summers) and long-term (approximately 25 years) experimental warming plots with ambient temperature plots for three species commonly included in caribou summer diets: Salix pulchra (diamond-leaf willow), Betula nana (dwarf birch), and Eriophorum vaginatum (cottongrass). Short-term warming modestly decreased leaf N concentration in B. nana. Long-term and short-term warming slightly increased the digestibility of S. pulchra, but only short-term warming increased digestibility in B. nana. Greater dry matter digestibility in both shrubs occurred through reductions in the lignin and cutin quantity in plant cells. Long-term warming had no impact on PPC and equivocal impact on digestible protein of B. nana. Overall, we found short-term warming to be more impactful on forage quality than long-term warming at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Apart from a long-term warming reduction of approximately 13% in acid detergent lignin in S. pulchra and B. nana, other differences were only observed in the short-term warming plots. Hence, our results indicate acclimation of plants to long-term warming or possible negative feedback in the system to reduce warming effects. We suggest that warming summers may have a lesser effect on caribou forage than changes in winter precipitation or the influence of climate change on the abundance of critical species in the caribou diet.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Short‐term effects of summer warming on caribou forage quality are mitigated by long‐term warming

et al. 2022

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Snow and vegetation seasonality influence seasonal trends of leaf nitrogen and biomass in Arctic tundra

et al. 2023

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Climate change, including both increasing temperatures and changing snow regimes, is progressing rapidly in the Arctic, leading to changes in plant phenology and in the seasonal patterns of plant properties, such as tissue nitrogen (N) content and community aboveground biomass. However, significant knowledge gaps remain over how these seasonal patterns vary among Arctic plant functional groups (i.e., shrubs, grasses, and forbs) and across large geographical areas. We used three years of in situ field vegetation sampling from an 80,000‐km2 area in Arctic Alaska, remotely sensed vegetation data (daily normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]), and modeled output of snow‐free date to determine and model the seasonal trends and primary controls on leaf percent nitrogen and biomass (in grams per square meter) among Arctic vegetation functional groups. We determined relative vegetation phenology stage at a 500‐m spatial scale resolution, defined as the number of days between the date of the seasonal maximum NDVI and the vegetation field sampling date, and relative snow phenology stage (90‐m spatial scale) was determined as the number of days between the date of snow‐free ground and the sampling date. Models including relative phenology stage were particularly important for explaining seasonal variability of %N in shrubs, graminoids, and forbs. Similarly, vegetation and snow phenology stages were also important for modeling seasonal biomass of shrubs and graminoids; however, for all functional groups, the models explained only a small amount of seasonal variability in biomass. Relative phenology stage was a stronger predictor of %N and biomass than geographic position, indicating that localized controls on phenology, acting at spatial scales of 500 m and smaller, are critical to understanding %N and biomass.

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Climate change, cultural continuity and ecological grief: Insights from the Sámi Homeland

Markkula,

Turunen,

Rikkonen

et al. 2024

Ambio

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Arctic regions are warming significantly faster than other parts of the globe, leading to changes in snow, ice and weather conditions, ecosystems and local cultures. These changes have brought worry and concern and triggered feelings of loss among Arctic Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Recently, research has started to address emotional and social dimensions of climate change, framed through the concept of ecological grief. In this study, we examine sociocultural impacts of climate change and expressions of ecological grief among members of reindeer herding communities in the Sámi Homeland in Finland. Results indicate that ecological grief is felt in connection to major environmental concerns in the area: changes in winter weather and extreme weather events, Atlantic salmon decline and land use changes, which all have cultural and social consequences. Our results indicate that ecological grief is strongly associated with ecological losses, but also with political decisions regarding natural resource governance.

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Snowier winters extend autumn availability of high‐quality forage for caribou in Arctic Alaska

Abstract: Snowier winters extend autumn availability of high-quality forage for caribou in Arctic Alaska.

Cited by 11 publications

References 101 publications

Short‐term effects of summer warming on caribou forage quality are mitigated by long‐term warming

Short‐term effects of summer warming on caribou forage quality are mitigated by long‐term warming

Snow and vegetation seasonality influence seasonal trends of leaf nitrogen and biomass in Arctic tundra

Climate change, cultural continuity and ecological grief: Insights from the Sámi Homeland

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