A group of researchers at Finland’s University of Oulu discovered how grazing reindeer can help stabilize the natural environment despite our changing climate.
As Earth.com reported, the researchers conducted multiyear studies in two boreal forest sites. The team manipulated the winter snow pack to observe how the forests later released carbon in the summer.
They found that reindeer grazing patterns can impact carbon release and improve biodiversity in northern forests. The reindeer’s grazing helps trim lichens and alters the soil composition. How and where reindeer graze influences tree growth and photosynthesis.
Ultimately, they observed that reindeer grazing helped reduce the amount of carbon released into the air in the summer, even after varying winter conditions. The university researchers published their findings in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
“Our results show that reindeer grazing can buffer ecosystem functions, such as carbon exchange, under changing climate conditions,” said Maria Väisänen, a senior author of the study, per Earth.com.
“The lichen-mediated impacts of grazing on the understory carbon exchange of winter pastures can be significant,” added co-author Jeffrey Welker.
Their discovery helps us understand the connections between the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the impact of plants and animals on it. This knowledge can help governments and property owners better manage grazing lands and reduce harmful carbon pollution.
These are essential pieces of information to consider as global temperatures continue to rise and snow durations and depths shift. As Earth.com pointed out, northern forests, like the ones in focus for this study, hold approximately one-third of our planet’s forest carbon.
Meanwhile, other scientists have been using technology to track northern wildlife species and studying the impacts of grazing herbivores on air pollution.
You can help further these efforts and take local action by learning more about climate-related topics like this and discussing them with family and friends.
According to the University of Oulu researchers, “Among the many important roles of grazers on ecosystem functions, our results emphasize their significance in maintaining ecosystem stability under changing winter climate.”
“This is particularly important as regional variations in snowfall (both decreases and increases) are expected across the grazing ranges of reindeer and caribou, with potential consequences for CO2 exchange depending on grazing intensity,” they concluded.
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