TY - JOUR
T1 - Larval outbreaks in West Greenland
T2 - instant and subsequent effects on tundra ecosystem productivity and CO2 exchange
AU - Lund, Magnus
AU - Raundrup, Katrine
AU - Westergaard-Nielsen, Andreas
AU - López-Blanco, Efrén
AU - Nymand, Josephine
AU - Aastrup, Peter
N1 - CENPERMOA[2017]
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Insect outbreaks can have important consequences for tundra ecosystems. In this study, we synthesise available information on outbreaks of larvae of the noctuid moth Eurois occulta in Greenland. Based on an extensive dataset from a monitoring programme in Kobbefjord, West Greenland, we demonstrate effects of a larval outbreak in 2011 on vegetation productivity and CO2 exchange. We estimate a decreased carbon (C) sink strength in the order of 118–143 g C m−2, corresponding to 1210–1470 tonnes C at the Kobbefjord catchment scale. The decreased C sink was, however, counteracted the following years by increased primary production, probably facilitated by the larval outbreak increasing nutrient turnover rates. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time in tundra ecosystems, the potential for using remote sensing to detect and map insect outbreak events.
AB - Insect outbreaks can have important consequences for tundra ecosystems. In this study, we synthesise available information on outbreaks of larvae of the noctuid moth Eurois occulta in Greenland. Based on an extensive dataset from a monitoring programme in Kobbefjord, West Greenland, we demonstrate effects of a larval outbreak in 2011 on vegetation productivity and CO2 exchange. We estimate a decreased carbon (C) sink strength in the order of 118–143 g C m−2, corresponding to 1210–1470 tonnes C at the Kobbefjord catchment scale. The decreased C sink was, however, counteracted the following years by increased primary production, probably facilitated by the larval outbreak increasing nutrient turnover rates. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time in tundra ecosystems, the potential for using remote sensing to detect and map insect outbreak events.
KW - Arctic
KW - Carbon
KW - Disturbance
KW - Ecosystem productivity
KW - Eurois occulta
KW - Insect outbreak
U2 - 10.1007/s13280-016-0863-9
DO - 10.1007/s13280-016-0863-9
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28116687
AN - SCOPUS:85010301120
SN - 0044-7447
VL - 46
SP - 26
EP - 38
JO - Ambio
JF - Ambio
IS - Suppl. 1
ER -