Background
Aims
Natural wetlands are declining at an alarming rate globally, with the reduction in reedbeds being a significant contributing factor. Given the crucial role of reedbeds for biodiversity and ecosystem services in wetlands, understanding the causes of such declines is key to conserving them. Previous research has noted a decreasing trend in wetland vegetation in arctic tundra regions due to geese grazing, suggesting similar impacts may occur in temperate wetlands. The present study focused on Lake Tåkern, south-central Sweden (Gr. 1).
The aim of this study was to examine, by means of an exclosure experiment, the direct effects of greylag geese grazing (Gr.2) on key components of reedbeds, Phragmites australis growth parameters, and associated aquatic plants and invertebrates biomass and diversity in Lake Tåkern. Additionally, long-term changes in reed coverage and greylag goose numbers were analysed.
