Herbivores and Biodiversoty Link

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/in-a-warming-world-look-to-the-herbivores/?ref=earth

            It is common to believe that a warming climate is reducing biodiversity of species. A study conducted in northern Greenland by Penn State biologist for the past 10 years is now complete. The study measures biodiversity in warming chambers, controlled areas with increased temperature. These chambers allowed herbivores, particularly ox and caribou to graze normally with an average rise in temperature of 1.5 to 3 degrees Celsius, the expected increase over the next 100 years. In chambers without grazing herbivores, it was found that willow and birch trees thrived with the temperatures, outcompeting smaller shrubs. When the herbivores were present, the diversity remained constant despite the warming temperatures. The idea of using herbivores to control a decrease in biodiversity is believed to be applicable to other areas as well. A major problem is that some herbivore populations are declining, for example, moose in northern Minnesota. A decrease in the moose population is greatly affecting the food web. Many biologists now believe the future of plant biodiversity is in the hands of herbivores. This means protecting herbivores is now even

more important as our climate is rapidly changing.

 

NOS Themes

·         Science is based on evidence – There is evidence pointing to a correlation of plant biodiversity and the herbivore population.

·         Science is collaborative – A team of biologists from Penn State worked on this project.

·         Science is subject to debate and tentative – This idea to stabilize biodiversity is an idea, not accepted by everyone.

·         Importance of repeatability – This experiment has been tested and proved in numerous environments.

-Rachel Nelson, Gabel, Hour 1