Systematic maps are a tool that allows synthesizing and integrating information to assess what (and how much) has been studied where. The aim of this project was to assess the status of knowledge and current evidence on the effects of herbivores on vegetation in the Arctic. Using a systematic map we were able to identify which environmental contexts can be understood with the current evidence and for which we do not have enough information.
Systematic maps are conducted as two-stage processes: first, a transparent protocol is defined to conduct an unbiased systematic search of evidence, and then the actual systematic map is produced. The first phase of the project received funding from the FRAM Centre and resulted in the publication of the protocol in the journal Environmental Evidence. The next step used the protocol to develop the systematic map. This step was a massive coordination effort led by Eeva Soininen. A large number of collaborators have been involved in this step, which was published in the journal Environmental Evidence:
SOININEN, E.M., BARRIO, I.C., BJØRKÅS, R., BJÖRNSDÓTTIR, K., EHRICH, D., HOPPING, K.A., KAARLEJÄRVI, E., KOLSTAD, A.L., ABDULMANOVA, S., BJÖRK, R.G., BUENO, C.G., EISCHEID, I., FINGER-HIGGENS, R., FORBEY, J.S., GIGNAC, C., GILG, O., DEN HERDER, M., HOLM, H.S., HWANG, B.C., JEPSEN, J.U., KAMENOVA, S., KATER, I., KOLTZ, A.M., KRISTENSEN, J.A., LITTLE, C.J., MACEK, P., MATHISEN, K.M., METCALFE, D.B., MOSBACHER, J.B., MÖRSDORF, M., PARK, T., PROPSTER, J.R., ROBERTS, A.J., SERRANO, E., SPIEGEL, M.P., TAMAYO, M., TUOMI, M.W., VERMA, M., VUORINEN, K.E.M., VÄISÄNEN, M., VAN DER WAL, R., WILCOTS, M.E., YOCCOZ, N.G., SPEED, J. (2021) Location of studies and evidence of effects of herbivory on Arctic vegetation: a systematic map. Environmental Evidence 10:25 link to publisher
Check out also the nice lay summary here.