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Research article2025Peer reviewedOpen access

Waterlogging of soil induces diverging rates of senescence in Svalbard reindeer forage plants

Andersen, Emilie K. S.; Dwinnell, Samantha P. H.; Loe, Leif Egil; Iveland, Caroline; van der Wal, Rene

Abstract

As climate change is unfolding faster in the Arctic than in any other biome, thermal and hydrological changes are predicted to reshape Arctic ecosystems. Water availability is expected to affect the end of the plant growth season, a time period essential for accretion of fat stores in Arctic herbivores, influencing their survival. We experimentally tested how different levels of soil moisture influenced timing and rate of senescence of a grass (Alopecurus ovatus), forb (Bistorta vivipara) and dwarf shrub (Salix polaris), important forage plants for a keystone herbivore, Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus). Moderately increased soil moisture slightly delayed the timing of senescence in the forb and shrub. However, waterlogging reduced the growing season of the forb and shrub but considerably extended that of the grass. In "saturated" (waterlogged) plots, 40 percent of initial grass biomass remained green until the end of the experiment (onset of snow and frost), compared to <10 percent in "elevated soil moisture" and "control" plots. These results indicate that soil moisture moderates rates of plant senescence, with some species benefiting from saturated soils. Waterlogging soils may extend the time period over which flood-resilient grasses senesce, to the nutritional benefit of Arctic herbivores such as Svalbard reindeer.

Keywords

Arctic herbivores; climate change; field experiment; forage plants; Svalbard reindeer; soil moisture manipulation; waterlogging

Published in

Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
2025, volume: 57, number: 1, article number: 2441002
Publisher: TAYLOR AND FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Climate Science
Ecology

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2024.2441002

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/140570