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 observed a reduction in wetland vegetation in Arctic tundra regions due to grazing by geese, raising the question of whether similar impacts might be occurring in temperate wetlands. This study focuses on Lake Tåkern, located in 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, including Phragmites australis growth parameters, and the biomass and diversity of associated aquatic plants and invertebrates in Lake Tåkern. Additionally, long-term changes in reed coverage and greylag goose numbers were analysed.
