We use a simple model of coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles in terrestrial ecosystems to examine how explicitly representing grazers versus having grazer effects implicitly aggregated in with other biogeochemical processes in the model alters predicted responses to elevated carbon dioxide and warming. The aggregated approach can affect model predictions because grazer-mediated processes can respond differently to changes in climate from the processes with which they are typically aggregated.
Data Set Results
We use a simple model of coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles in terrestrial ecosystems to examine how explicitly representing grazers versus having grazer effects implicitly aggregated in with other biogeochemical processes in the model alters predicted responses to elevated carbon dioxide and warming. The aggregated approach can affect model predictions because grazer-mediated processes can respond differently to changes in climate from the processes with which they are typically aggregated.
This dataset consists of tussock density, mortality rates and causes, and an assesment of rodent-herbivore activity levels in previously burned (2007 Anaktuvuk River fire) and unburned tussock tundra. Eriophourm vaginatum tussocks were counted every meter within a 1 square meter quadrat along three transects. Cause of tussock mortality, as well as level of rodent herbivory was assessed for each tussock, and rodent herbivore activity was assessed for each quadrat.