How to approach collaborative research on herbivory: an ecological interaction of key importance
Date/time: December 2, 15:00-16:30
Room: Gofoten
Session organizer: Virve Ravolainen, Norwegian Polar Institute on behalf of the Herbivory Network
Plant-herbivore interactions can be seen as a core in Arctic socio-ecological networks where all parts are, as identified in the recent Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, under the influence of climate change. Although many studies suggest that the role of herbivory depends on ecosystem-specific conditions, the causes of context-dependency are unclear partly due to diverging study approaches. This accentuates the need for harmonizing data collection efforts in the circumpolar Arctic. This session focuses on how to develop collaborative research and monitoring that will increase our understanding of how and when herbivores modulate the responses of tundra ecosystems to environmental changes.
- Ken Abraham, Trent University: The Hudson Bay Project: a 20-year collaboration to characterize goose herbivory in Hudson Bay, Canada
- Kari Anne Bråthen, University of Tromsø: Registering mammalian herbivory in plant communities
- Toke Høye, Aarhus University: Arctic insect herbivory – current knowledge and future perspectives
- Jason Taylor, U.S. National Parks Service: Herbivory and the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program
- Virve Ravolainen, Norwegian Polar Institute: The Herbivory Network
Session theme: Arctic change, resilience and adaptation