Application of the ecosystem services framework to a sheep grazing experiment in the treeline ecotone

Transkript

1 Application of the ecosystem services framework to a sheep grazing experiment in the treeline ecotone Gunnar Austrheim, University Museum Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway,

2 Number of live sheep; average from Sheep are abundant globally Often free-ranging, on uncultivated unenclosed land and often in mountains

3 Number of live sheep from FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

4 Det viktigste store beitedyret i Norge 4 Austrheim et al Wildl. Biol., 17, 1-13

5 Fordeling av sauens metabolsk biomasse på utmarksbeite i norske kommuner i 1999 Økning i fjellet, nedgang på kysten fra 1949 til % av all sauebeiting skjer i fjellet Sum av TOTBEITE coast inlandlow mountain ALTREG AAR

6 Både økning og nedgang i totalt beitetrykk I norske fjellkommuner fra 1949 til 1999

7 The wider implications of grazing: important driver for changing biodiversity and ecosystem services in mountains Foto: Kari Anne Bråthen 7

8 Herbivores are affecting tree-line and tree-line dynamics In Norway <30% of the land area lies above the current climatic forest line 45% is estimated to be alpine

9 Landskap i endring på grunn av endringer i beitebruk: Men hva er bærekraftig beitebruk? Alt landareal i fjellet brukes, men hvilken beitebruk er optimal for bevaring av biomangfold og naturgoder? Mangel på omforente definisjoner av bærekraftig beitebruk: tettheter Målsetninger (1) Unngå opplagt skadelige effekter av beitebruk (2) Optimalisere naturgoder. Hvilke naturgoder og hvilket biomangfold får samfunnet ved ulik beitebruk? Hva går tapt når det beites for mye eller for lite? 9

10 MANaging ECOsystem services in low alpine cultural landscapes through livestock grazing (MANECO) NFR-Miljø2015: Knowledge gained from previous grazing projects in alpine environments WP1,2,4: Basic science WP1: Nutrient dynamics WP2: Treeline dynamics WP4: Cultural and social services WP3: Synthesis on Biodiversity and ecosystem services WP5: Stakeholder views WP3:Effects of sheep grazing on biodiversity and ecosystem services in Norwegian mountains: a review of trade-offs and synergies Management of sheep grazing WP5: Stakeholders: knowing the grazing effects on alpine cultural landscapes and the services provided by different grazing regimes, what type of grazing regime do the stakeholders want? 10

11 NATURPANELET - IPBES I april 2012 ble Naturpanelet (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sevices, IPBES) opprettet etter modell av FNs klimapanel. Hva skal naturpanelet gjøre? Gi faglig underlagsmateriale til det internasjonale miljøsamarbeidet. 11

12 Helhetlig rammerverk for økosystemtjenester Human Well-being and Poverty Reduction Basic material for a good life Health Good Social Relations Human Well-being Security Freedom of choice and action Indirect Drivers of Change Demographic Economic (globalization, trade, market and policy framework) Sociopolitical (governance and institutional Indirect framework) Science Drivers and Technology Cultural and Religious 12 Ecosystem Services Direct Drivers of Change Changes in land use Direct Drivers Species introduction or removal Technology adaptation and use External inputs (e.g., irrigation) Resource consumption Climate change Natural physical and biological drivers (e.g., volcanoes)

13 Fire hovedgrupper naturgoder Ulike typer arealbruk gir ulike effekter på ulike naturgoder En samlet vurdering av naturgoder gir mulighet for å se både synergier og trade-offs

14 A broad range of ecosystem services in mountains are affected by grazing Supporting: plant productivity, vegetation cover, nutrient cycling, nitrogen mineralisation Regulating: treeline, density of trees and shrubs, carbonstorage, water quality Provisioning: meat, trees Social and cultural services Biodiversitet Biodiversitet Biodiversitet What are the grazing effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services in a mountain environment? How could the ecosystem services framework serve to facilitate grazing management decisions across a broader range of services in mountain ecosystems?

15 Alpine rangelands; socio-ecological systems Ecological subsystem Social subsystem Climate temperature Snow Livestock density Interactions among drivers and the alpine socio-ecological system precipitation Alpine socio-ecological system Biodiversity (plants) Supporting Plant productivity Nitrogen cycling Plant cover Regulating Carbon storage Water regulation Provisioning Fuel wood Meat Wild species Berries & fungi Cultural Recreation Hunting Biodiversity and ecosystem services in an alpine socio-ecological system

16 Long term and large scale grazing experiment Baseline data 2001 Experimental grazing Late June Late Aug 0, 25 and 80 sheep km -2

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18 Nutrient dynamics Lamb weights Tree recruitment Tree annual growth Vegetation Birds Rodents Plant productivity Sheep grazing ecology Insects Insects

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22 Main conclusions: Grazing at low densities positively affects BD and ES as compared to ungrazed treatments. Especially regulating services seems to be favoured by grazing Several services decrease from low to high densities. Although the overall analysis showed no clear decrease from low to high sheep densities By identifying synergies and trade-offs among ES and biodiversity components within a common framework, our study demonstrates the negative impacts on ecosystems that can occur in mountain regions if management does not regulate herbivore densities

23 Acknowledgement: Coauthors: Atle Mysterud, James D. M. Speed, Alison Hester, Øystein Holand, Leif-Egil Loe. Vegard Martinsen, Ragnhild Mobæk, Jan Mulder, Harald Steen, Marianne Evju, Des B.A.Thompson, + field assistents Financial support: 23