Capturing seasonal variations in faecal nutrient content from tundra herbivores using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Herbivores contribute to nutrient cycling in tundra ecosystems through their waste (e.g., faeces, urine). However, their contribution might vary among species and over time during the growing season likely due to differences in body size, digestive physiology, and variations in diet composition and quality. Capturing fine-scale variability requires intensive sampling, but traditional wet-lab methods for measuring nutrient concentration and stoichiometry in animal faeces are prohibitively expensive. To address this challenge, we developed a low-cost alternative using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS). We calibrated a general model for the main Icelandic tundra herbivores (i.e., pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrynchus, reindeer, Rangifer tarandus and sheep, Ovis aries) to assess faecal nutrient concentrations (nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon) and stoichiometry (C:N, C:P, N:P). This was achieved using a set of 191 fresh faecal samples scanned with NIRS and analysed by traditional wet-lab methods. The multispecies models explained between 76 and 91 % of variation between samples. We then applied the models to over 300 samples and assessed changes in faecal nutrient concentration, and stoichiometry of the three herbivores throughout the growing season.We found that faecal quality varied between herbivore species, with sheep and reindeer generally having more similar nutrient concentrations and stoichiometry than geese. Seasonality also affected faecal nutrient content, with a general decrease in N and P concentrations over the growing season and an increase in C:N and C:P ratios, especially in geese. Geese contributed disproportionately to the nutrient pools of Icelandic rangelands due to their high defecation rate and large population. These results provide important insights into how different herbivore species can influence the biogeochemistry of nutrient-limited tundra rangelands throughout the growing season, and a general model for faecal nutrient content of tundra herbivores.