Study design

Backround: Reindeer browsing appear to reduce the area extent of willow thickets Objective: To assess how the structure and functioning of the food web change according to willow habitat size and fragmentation.

Study design: Observational study approach focusing on willow thicket size/fragmentation as the key design variable. We have selected a number of willow thicket areas with naturally varying degrees of fragmentation/size. All thicket areas fulfil the criterion that they are situated on mineral soils on riparian sediment plains and the willow are imbedded in lush meadow vegetation. Extensive dwarf-shrub heaths surround the willow habitat areas.

 

An example of a willow thicket section subject to studies in Komagdalen on Varanger peninsula White quadrates denotes the position of study plots

What is measured within the study plots: