Thematic Network on Herbivory

The UArctic Thematic Network on Herbivory is an international network of researchers interested in understanding the role of herbivores in arctic and alpine ecosystems. The Herbivory Network was established in 2014 and currently involves more than 200 scientists from more than 20 countries. One of the main goals of HN is to serve as a platform to facilitate research cooperation through the Arctic research community.

So far, the focus of the network has been mainly on research. Joint HN projects have been very successful and have resulted already in 14 scientific publications and >20 presentations at conferences and scientific meetings. For example, main projects led by HN members have included investigating circumpolar patterns of diversity of vertebrate herbivores (Barrio et al. 2016; Speed et al. 2019), or the first descriptions of levels of background invertebrate herbivory in the tundra biome (Barrio et al. 2017; Rheubottom et al. 2019).

Ongoing activities of the UArctic Thematic Network on Herbivory include the development of collaborative research projects, the organization of topic sessions and symposia at international conferences, and training of students.

The UArctic Thematic Network on Herbivory is currently involved and planning the following activities:

• developing standardized protocols for measuring herbivory in tundra ecosystems
• engaging in research projects to investigate different aspects of plant-herbivore interactions in tundra ecosystems
• sending regular updates to the network members through its mailing list and newsletters and its social media profile on Twitter (@HerbivoryN)

You can learn more about the network and its ongoing activities on their website: http://herbivory.lbhi.is

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Video interview: Isabel C. Barrio, Lead of the UArctic Thematic Network on Herbivory