1
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Mas-Carrió E, Churski M, Kuijper D, Fumagalli L. Niche overlap across landscape variability in summer between two large herbivores using eDNA metabarcoding. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0279672. [PMID: 38349911 PMCID: PMC10863879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the relationship between a species feeding strategy and its environment (trophic ecology) is critical to assess environmental requirements and improve management policies. However, measuring trophic interactions remains challenging. Among the available methods, quantifying the plant composition of a species' diet indicates how species use their environment and their associated niche overlap. Nevertheless, most studies focusing on herbivore trophic ecology ignore the influence that landscape variability may have. Here, we explored how landscape variability influences diet composition through niche overlap. We used eDNA metabarcoding to quantify the diet composition of two large herbivores of the Bialowieza Forest, red deer (Cervus elaphus) and European bison (Bison bonasus) to investigate how increasing habitat quality (i.e. higher abundance of deciduous forage species) and predation risk (i.e. density of wolf in the area) influence their diet composition and niche partitioning. Our findings indicate diet composition is non-homogeneous across the landscape, both within and between species. Red deer showed greater diet variability and lower niche overlap within species compared to bison. We detected a reduction of niche overlap for red deer with increasing predation risk, leading to more dissimilar diets, suggesting their feeding behaviour is affected by wolf presence. This correlation was not found for bison, which are rarely predated by wolf. Higher habitat quality was associated with higher niche overlap only within bison, probably due to their suboptimal feeding strategy as browsers. These results show the importance of integrating environment-induced diet variation in studies aimed at determining the landscape usage or niche overlap of a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Mas-Carrió
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marcin Churski
- Mammal Research institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Dries Kuijper
- Mammal Research institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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2
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Teng SN, Svenning JC, Xu C. Large mammals and trees in eastern monsoonal China: anthropogenic losses since the Late Pleistocene and restoration prospects in the Anthropocene. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1607-1632. [PMID: 37102332 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Massive human-induced declines of large-sized animals and trees (megabiota) from the Late Pleistocene to the Anthropocene have resulted in downsized ecosystems across the globe, in which components and functions have been greatly simplified. In response, active restoration projects of extant large-sized species or functional substitutes are needed at large scales to promote ecological processes that are important for ecosystem self-regulation and biodiversity maintenance. Despite the desired global scope of such projects, they have received little attention in East Asia. Here, we synthesise the biogeographical and ecological knowledge of megabiota in ancient and modern China, with relevant data mostly located in eastern monsoonal China (EMC), aiming to assess its potential for restoring functionally intact ecosystems modulated by megabiota. We found that during the Late Pleistocene, 12 mammalian megafaunal (carnivores ≥15 kg and herbivores ≥500 kg) species disappeared from EMC: one carnivore Crocuta ultima (East Asian spotted hyena) and 11 herbivores including six megaherbivores (≥1000 kg). The relative importance of climate change and humans in driving these losses remains debated, despite accumulating evidence in favour of the latter. Later massive depletion of megafauna and large-sized (45-500 kg) herbivores has been closely associated with agricultural expansion and societal development, especially during the late Holocene. While forests rich in large timber trees (33 taxa in written records) were common in the region 2000-3000 years ago, millennial-long logging has resulted in considerable range contractions and at least 39 threatened species. The wide distribution of C. ultima, which likely favoured open or semi-open habitats (like extant spotted hyenas), suggests the existence of mosaic open and closed vegetation in the Late Pleistocene across EMC, in line with a few pollen-based vegetation reconstructions and potentially, or at least partially, reflecting herbivory by herbivorous megafauna. The widespread loss of megaherbivores may have strongly compromised seed dispersal for both megafruit (fleshy fruits with widths ≥40 mm) and non-megafruit plant species in EMC, especially in terms of extra-long-distance (>10 km) dispersal, which is critical for plant species that rely on effective biotic agents to track rapid climate change. The former occurrence of large mammals and trees have translated into rich material and non-material heritages passed down across generations. Several reintroduction projects have been implemented or are under consideration, with the case of Elaphurus davidianus a notable success in recovering wild populations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, although trophic interactions with native carnivorous megafauna have not yet been restored. Lessons of dealing with human-wildlife conflicts are key to public support for maintaining landscapes shared with megafauna and large herbivores in the human-dominated Anthropocene. Meanwhile, potential human-wildlife conflicts, e.g. public health risks, need to be scientifically informed and effectively reduced. The Chinese government's strong commitment to improved policies of ecological protection and restoration (e.g. ecological redlines and national parks) provides a solid foundation for a scaling-up contribution to the global scope needed for solving the crisis of biotic downsizing and ecosystem degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqing N Teng
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Chi Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Key Laboratory of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in northwestern China of Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
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3
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Hanberry BB, Faison EK. Re-framing deer herbivory as a natural disturbance regime with ecological and socioeconomic outcomes in the eastern United States. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161669. [PMID: 36681343 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Natural disturbances are critical ecosystem processes, with both ecological and socioeconomic benefits and disadvantages. Large herbivores are natural disturbances that have removed plant biomass for millions of years, although herbivore influence likely has declined during the past thousands of years corresponding with extinctions and declines in distributions and abundances of most animal species. Nonetheless, the conventional view, particularly in eastern North America, is that herbivory by large wild herbivores is at unprecedented levels, resulting in unnatural damage to forests. Here, we propose consideration of large herbivores as a natural disturbance that also imparts many crucial ecological advantages, using white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), the only wild large herbivore remaining throughout the eastern U.S., as our focal species. We examined evidence of detrimental effects of browsing on trees and forbs. We then considered that deer contribute to both fuel reduction and ecological restoration of herbaceous plants and historical open forests of savannas and woodlands by controlling tree and shrub densities, mimicking the consumer role of fire. Similarly to other disturbances, deer disturbance 'regimes' are uneven in severity across different ecosystems and landscapes, resulting in heterogeneity and diversity. In addition to biodiversity support and fuel reduction, socioeconomic benefits include >$20 billion dollars per year by 10 million hunters that support jobs and wildlife agencies, non-consumptive enjoyment of nature by 80 million people, cultural importance, and deer as ecological ambassadors, whereas costs include about $5 billion and up to 450 human deaths per year for motor vehicle accidents, along with crop damage and disease transmission. From a perspective of historical ecology rather than current baselines, deer impart a fundamental disturbance process with many ecological benefits and a range of socioeconomic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice B Hanberry
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Rapid City, SD 57702, United States of America.
| | - Edward K Faison
- Highstead, PO Box 1097, Redding, CT 06875, United States of America
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4
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Adie H, Lawes MJ. Solutions to fire and shade: resprouting, growing tall and the origin of Eurasian temperate broadleaved forest. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:643-661. [PMID: 36444419 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Tree species of Eurasian broadleaved forest possess two divergent trait syndromes with contrasting patterns of resource allocation adapted to different selection environments: short-stature basal resprouters that divert resources to a bud bank adapted to frequent and severe disturbances such as fire and herbivory, and tall trees that delay reproduction by investing in rapid height growth to escape shading. Drawing on theory developed in savanna ecosystems, we propose a conceptual framework showing that the possession of contrasting trait syndromes is essential for the persistence of broadleaved trees in an open ecosystem that burns. Consistent with this hypothesis, trees of modern Eurasian broadleaved forest bear a suite of traits that are adaptive to surface and crown-fire regimes. We contend that limited opportunities in grassland restricts recruitment to disturbance-free refugia, and en masse establishment creates a wooded environment where shade limits the growth of light-demanding savanna plants. Rapid height growth, which involves investment in structural support and the switch from a multi-stemmed to a monopodial growth form, is adaptive in this shaded environment. Although clustering reduces surface fuel loads, these establishment nuclei are vulnerable to high-intensity crown fires. The lethal effects of canopy fire are avoided by seasonal leaf shedding, and aerial resprouting enhances rapid post-fire recovery of photosynthetic capacity. While these woody formations satisfy the structural definition of forest, their constituents are clearly derived from savanna. Contrasting trait syndromes thus represent the shift from consumer to resource regulation in savanna ecosystems. Consistent with global trends, the diversification of most contemporary broadleaved taxa coincided with the spread of grasslands, a surge in fire activity and a decline in wooded ecosystems in the late Miocene-Pliocene. Recognition that Eurasian broadleaved forest has savanna origins and persists as an alternative state with adjacent grassy ecosystems has far-reaching management implications in accordance with functional rather than structural criteria. Shade is a severe constraint to the regeneration and growth of both woody and herbaceous growth forms in consumer-regulated ecosystems. However, these ecosystems are highly resilient to disturbance, an essential process that maintains diversity especially among the species-rich herbaceous component that is vulnerable to shading when consumer behaviour is altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hylton Adie
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | - Michael J Lawes
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation (IBEC), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
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5
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Assessing Browsing Impact in Beech Forests: The Importance of Tree Responses after Browsing. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Browsing by ungulates can affect the development of a forest stand due to selective browsing and shifts in the growth ranking between tree species. Assessing browsing impact in an objective way is difficult in patchily distributed beech forests. In systematically arranged plots near Kirchberg, Switzerland, the height increment of the two saplings nearest to the plot center (k-tree method) was measured for each height class and tree species, and the within-tree browsing intensity and damage frequency were assessed. In total, 21 tree species were found. Browsing was particularly frequent in climate-adapted species. Winter browsing was more frequent than summer browsing, which was also true for deciduous species, and it significantly reduced height growth. Former damage along the main stem further reduced upgrowth. Browsing shifted the height increment ratio in favor of Fagus sylvatica. Many winter-browsed saplings of Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fraxinus excelsior and Prunus avium had no new leader shoot by the end of the next growing season, i.e., browsing had a long-lasting impact. For estimating browsing impact, it is thus important to assess delays in the response after browsing. Foresters could easily apply the k-tree method in autumn for effective assessments of browsing impact.
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6
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Bogdziewicz M, Kuijper D, Zwolak R, Churski M, Jędrzejewska B, Wysocka-Fijorek E, Gazda A, Miścicki S, Podgórski T. Emerging infectious disease triggered a trophic cascade and enhanced recruitment of a masting tree. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212636. [PMID: 35232238 PMCID: PMC8889186 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There are several mechanisms that allow plants to temporarily escape from top-down control. One of them is trophic cascades triggered by top predators or pathogens. Another is satiation of consumers by mast seeding. These two mechanisms have traditionally been studied in separation. However, their combined action may have a greater effect on plant release than either process alone. In 2015, an outbreak of a disease (African swine fever, ASF) caused a crash in wild boar (Sus scrofa) abundance in Białowieża Primeval Forest. Wild boar are important consumers of acorns and are difficult to satiate relative to less mobile granivores. We hypothesized that the joint action of the ASF outbreak and masting would enhance regeneration of oaks (Quercus robur). Data from ungulate exclosures demonstrated that ASF led to reduction in acorn predation. Tree seedling data indicated that oak recruitment increased twofold relative to pre-epidemic period. Our results showed that perturbations caused by wildlife disease travel through food webs and influence forest dynamics. The outbreak of ASF acted synergistically with masting and removed herbivore top-down control of oaks by mobile consumers. This illustrates that the ASF epidemic that currently occurs across Europe can have broad effects on forest dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Ulica Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznań 61-614, Poland.,INRAE, LESSEM, University Grenoble Alpes, 2 rue de la Papeterie, BP 76, Saint-Martin-d'Hères 38400, France
| | - Dries Kuijper
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ul. Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland
| | - Rafał Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Ulica Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznań 61-614, Poland
| | - Marcin Churski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ul. Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland
| | - Bogumiła Jędrzejewska
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ul. Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland
| | - Emilia Wysocka-Fijorek
- Department of Forest Resources Management, Forest Research Institute-Sękocin Stary, ul. Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
| | - Anna Gazda
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Stanisław Miścicki
- Department of Forest Management Planning, Dendrometry and Forest Economics, Institute of Forests Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Nowoursynowska Str. 159, Warszawa 02-776, Poland
| | - Tomasz Podgórski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ul. Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland.,Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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7
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Mols B, Lambers E, Cromsigt JPGM, Kuijper DPJ, Smit C. Recreation and hunting differentially affect deer behaviour and sapling performance. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bjorn Mols
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Evert Lambers
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Joris P. G. M. Cromsigt
- Dept of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Dept of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Univ. Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | | | - Christian Smit
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
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8
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van Beeck Calkoen STS, Kreikenbohm R, Kuijper DPJ, Heurich M. Olfactory cues of large carnivores modify red deer behavior and browsing intensity. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:982-992. [PMID: 34690549 PMCID: PMC8528536 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the effect of perceived predation risk imposed by lynx (Lynx lynx) and wolf (Canis lupus) on red deer (Cervus elaphus) foraging behavior under experimental conditions. We hypothesized that in response to large carnivore scent red deer would increase their vigilance, although reducing the frequency and duration of visits to foraging sites. Consequently, browsing intensity on tree saplings was expected to decrease, whereas a higher proportion of more preferred species was expected to be browsed to compensate for higher foraging costs. We expected stronger responses towards the ambush predator lynx, compared with the cursorial predator wolf. These hypotheses were tested in a cafeteria experiment conducted within three red deer enclosures, each containing four experimental plots with olfactory cues of wolf, lynx, cow, and water as control. On each plot, a camera trap was placed and browsing intensity was measured for one consecutive week, repeated three times. Red deer reduced their visitation duration and browsing intensity on plots with large carnivore scent. Despite red deer showing a clear preference for certain tree species, the presence of large carnivore scent did not change selectivity towards different tree species. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found more pronounced effects of wolf (cursorial) compared with lynx (ambush). This study is the first to experimentally assess the perceived risk effects on the red deer foraging behavior of large carnivores differing in hunting modes. Our findings provide insights into the role of olfactory cues in predator-prey interactions and how they can modify fine-scale herbivore-plant interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne T S van Beeck Calkoen
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, Grafenau, Germany
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Rebekka Kreikenbohm
- Department of wildlife sciences, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Georg-August University Göttingen, Buesgenweg 3, Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, Georg-August University Göttingen, Goldschmidtstr. 3, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dries P J Kuijper
- Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17–230, Białowieza, Poland
| | - Marco Heurich
- Department of Visitor Management and National Park Monitoring, Bavarian Forest National Park, Freyunger Straβe 2, Grafenau, Germany
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straβe 4, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
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9
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Vuorinen KEM, Kolstad AL, De Vriendt L, Austrheim G, Tremblay JP, Solberg EJ, Speed JDM. Cool as a moose: How can browsing counteract climate warming effects across boreal forest ecosystems? Ecology 2021; 101:e03159. [PMID: 33448367 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Herbivory has potential to modify vegetation responses to climatic changes. However, climate and herbivory also affect each other, and rarely work in isolation from other ecological factors, such as plant-plant competition. Thus, it is challenging to predict the extent to which herbivory can counteract, amplify, or interact with climate impacts on ecosystems. Here, we investigate how moose modify climatic responses of boreal trees by using experimental exclosures on two continents and modeling complex causal pathways including several climatic factors, multiple tree species, competition, tree height, time, food availability, and herbivore presence, density, and browsing intensity. We show that moose can counteract, that is, "cool down" positive temperature responses of trees, but that this effect varies between species depending on moose foraging preferences. Growth of preferred deciduous trees was strongly affected by moose, whereas growth of less preferred conifers was mostly driven by climate and tree height. In addition, moose changed temperature responses of rowan in Norway and balsam fir in Canada, by making fir more responsive to temperature but decreasing the strength of the temperature response of rowan. Snow protected trees from browsing, and therefore moose "cooling power" might increase should a warming climate result in decreased snow cover. Furthermore, we found evidence of indirect effects of moose via plant-plant competition: By constraining growth of competing trees, moose can contribute positively to the growth of other trees. Our study shows that in boreal forests, herbivory cooling power is highly context dependent, and in order to understand its potential to prevent changes induced by warming climate, species differences, snow, competition, and climate effects on browsing need to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katariina E M Vuorinen
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skakkes gate 47 A, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Anders L Kolstad
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skakkes gate 47 A, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Laurent De Vriendt
- Department of Biology, Laval University, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.,Center for Forest Research (CEF), Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405 Rue de la Terrasse, Sainte-Foy, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.,Center for Northern Studies (CEN), Laval University, Abitibi-Price building, 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Gunnar Austrheim
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skakkes gate 47 A, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Jean-Pierre Tremblay
- Department of Biology, Laval University, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.,Center for Forest Research (CEF), Pavillon Abitibi-Price, 2405 Rue de la Terrasse, Sainte-Foy, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.,Center for Northern Studies (CEN), Laval University, Abitibi-Price building, 2405 rue de la Terrasse, Québec City, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Erling J Solberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, P.O. Box 5685, Trondheim, NO-7485, Norway
| | - James D M Speed
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skakkes gate 47 A, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
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10
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Scogings PF, De Fortier A. Severe simulated herbivory constrains
Sclerocarya birrea
saplings regardless of resource availability. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter F. Scogings
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Private Bag X01 Scottsville3209South Africa
| | - An De Fortier
- Department of Zoology University of Zululand Kwadlangezwa South Africa
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11
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Nopp-Mayr U, Reimoser S, Reimoser F, Sachser F, Obermair L, Gratzer G. Analyzing long-term impacts of ungulate herbivory on forest-recruitment dynamics at community and species level contrasting tree densities versus maximum heights. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20274. [PMID: 33219306 PMCID: PMC7679395 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76843-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Herbivores are constitutive elements of most terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding effects of herbivory on ecosystem dynamics is thus a major, albeit challenging task in community ecology. Effects of mammals on plant communities are typically explored by comparing plant densities or diversity in exclosure experiments. This might over-estimate long-term herbivore effects at community levels as early life stage mortality is driven by a multitude of factors. Addressing these challenges, we established a set of 100 pairs of ungulate exclosures and unfenced control plots (25 m2) in mixed montane forests in the Alps in 1989 covering a forest area of 90 km2. Investigations ran until 2013. Analogous to the gap-maker–gap-filler approach, dynamically recording the height of the largest trees per tree species in paired plots with and without exclosures might allow for assessing herbivore impacts on those individuals with a high probability of attaining reproductive stages. We thus tested if recording maximum heights of regenerating trees would better reflect effects of ungulate herbivory on long-term dynamics of tree regeneration than recording of stem density, and if species dominance patterns would shift over time. For quantifying the effects of ungulate herbivory simultaneously at community and species level we used principle response curves (PRC). PRCs yielded traceable results both at community and species level. Trajectories of maximum heights yielded significant results contrary to trajectories of total stem density. Response patterns of tree species were not uniform over time: e.g., both Norway spruce and European larch switched in their response to fencing. Fencing explained about 3% of the variance of maximum tree heights after nine years but increased to about 10% after 24 years thus confirming the importance of long-term surveys. Maximum height dynamics of tree species, addressed in our study, can thus reflect local dominance of tree species via asymmetric plant competition. Such effects, both within and among forest patches, can accrue over time shaping forest structure and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Nopp-Mayr
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Susanne Reimoser
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friedrich Reimoser
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frederik Sachser
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leopold Obermair
- Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria.,Hunting Association of Lower Austria, Wickenburggasse 3, 1080, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Gratzer
- Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Ecology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Peter Jordan-Straße 82, 1190, Vienna, Austria
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12
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Effects of Twenty Years of Ungulate Browsing on Forest Regeneration at Paneveggio Reserve, Italy. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11060612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Forest ecosystems are threatened by different natural disturbances. Among them, the irruption of large herbivores represents one of the most alarming issues. Several local-scale studies have been carried out to clarify the mechanisms governing ungulate–forest interactions, to understand the effect of wild ungulates overabundance, and to apply conservation plans. However, information at large scales, over long periods of observation and from unmanipulated conditions is still scarce. This study aims to improve our knowledge in this field by using repeated inventories to investigate: the types of damage produced by ungulate populations on young trees, the drivers that stimulate browsing activity and its consequences on the specific composition of seedlings and saplings. To reach these goals, we used data collected during a twenty-year monitoring program (1994–2014) in the forests of Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Nature Park (Italy). We applied descriptive statistics to summarize the data, GLMs to identify the drivers of browsing activity and Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS) ordinations to investigate the changes in specific composition of young trees across 20 years. We detected increasing browsing activity from 1994 to 2008 and a decline in 2014. Ungulates browsed preferentially in mature stands, and fed mostly on seedlings and saplings under 150 cm of height. The analysis of the environmental drivers of browsing pressure on the smallest size classes of plants suggests that foraging behavior is influenced by snowpack conditions, ungulate density and seasonality. Moreover, results underline the fact that ungulates feed mostly on palatable species, especially European rowan, but can also use unpalatable plants as emergency food under high competition levels. nMDS results suggest that rowan seed dispersion might be promoted by deer movements, however, saplings of this species were not able to exceed 30 cm of height because of heavy browsing. This bottleneck effect led to the dominance of unpalatable species, mostly Norway spruce, reducing diversity during forest regeneration. If prolonged, this effect could lead to a reduction of tree species richness, with cascading effects on many parts of the ecosystem, and threatening the resilience of the forest to future disturbances.
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Petersson LK, Dey DC, Felton AM, Gardiner ES, Löf M. Influence of canopy openness, ungulate exclosure, and low-intensity fire for improved oak regeneration in temperate Europe. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2626-2637. [PMID: 32185007 PMCID: PMC7069284 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Failed oak regeneration is widely reported in temperate forests and has been linked in part to changed disturbance regimes and land-use. We investigated if the North American fire-oak hypothesis could be applicable to temperate European oaks (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea) using a replicated field experiment with contrasting canopy openness, protection against ungulate browsing (fencing/no fencing), and low-intensity surface fire (burn/no burn). Survival, relative height growth (RGRH), browsing damage on naturally regenerated oaks (≤300 cm tall), and changes in competing woody vegetation were monitored over three years. Greater light availability in canopy gaps increased oak RGRH (p = .034) and tended to increase survival (p = .092). There was also a trend that protection from browsing positively affected RGRH (p = .058) and survival (p = .059). Burning reduced survival (p < .001), nonetheless, survival rates were relatively high across treatment combinations at the end of the experiment (54%-92%). Most oaks receiving fire were top-killed and survived by producing new sprouts; therefore, RGRH in burned plots became strongly negative the first year. Thereafter, RGRH was greater in burned plots (p = .002). Burning altered the patterns of ungulate browsing frequency on oaks. Overall, browsing frequency was greater during winter; however, in recently burned plots summer browsing was prominent. Burning did not change relative density of oaks, but it had a clear effect on competing woody vegetation as it reduced the number of individuals (p < .001) and their heights (p < .001). Our results suggest that young, temperate European oaks may respond similarly to fire as their North American congeners. However, disturbance from a single low-intensity fire may not be sufficient to ensure a persistent competitive advantage-multiple fires and canopy thinning to increase light availability may be needed. Further research investigating long-term fire effects on oaks of various ages, species-specific response of competitors and implications for biodiversity conservation is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda K. Petersson
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Daniel C. Dey
- Northern Research StationUSDA Forest ServiceColumbiaMOUSA
| | - Annika M. Felton
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
| | - Emile S. Gardiner
- Center for Bottomland Hardwoods ResearchUSDA Forest ServiceStonevilleMSUSA
| | - Magnus Löf
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesAlnarpSweden
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Andrus RA, Hart SJ, Veblen TT. Forest recovery following synchronous outbreaks of spruce and western balsam bark beetle is slowed by ungulate browsing. Ecology 2020; 101:e02998. [PMID: 32012254 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how severe disturbances and their interactions affect forests is key to projecting ecological change under a warming climate. Substantial increases in some biotic disturbances, such as bark beetle outbreaks, in temperate forest ecosystemsmay compromise recovery to a forest vegetation type (i.e., physiognomic recovery or resilience), especially if subsequent biotic disturbances (e.g., herbivory) alter recovery mechanisms. From 2005 to 2017, severe outbreaks (>90% mortality) of spruce bark beetles (SB, Dendroctonus rufipennis) affected Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) across 325,000 ha of spruce and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) forest in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA. Concurrently, an outbreak of western balsam bark beetle (WBBB, Dryocoetes confuses) infested subalpine fir across at least 47,000 of these hectares. We explored the capacity of 105 stands affected by one or two bark beetle outbreaks and browsing of juvenile trees by ungulates to return to a forest vegetation type in the context of pre-outbreak forest conditions and topography. Nine initial forest trajectories (i.e., at least several decades) were identified from four pre-outbreak forest types affected by three biotic disturbances that occurred at different spatial scales and severities. Most stands (86%) contained surviving nonhost adult trees in the main canopy (fir and aspen [Populus tremuloides]) and many surviving juveniles of all species, implying that they are currently on a trajectory for physiognomic recovery. Stands composed exclusively of large-diameter spruce were affected by a severe SB outbreak and were most vulnerable to a transition to a low-density forest, below regional stocking levels (<370 trees/ha). Greater pre-outbreak stand structural complexity and species diversity were key traits of stands with a higher potential for physiognomic recovery. However, all multispecies stands shifted in relative composition of the main canopy to nonhost species, suggesting low potential for compositional recovery over the next several decades. Most post-outbreak stands (86%) exceeded regional stocking levels with trees taller than the browse zone (<2 m). As such, ungulate browsing on over half of all juveniles will primarily affect the rate of infilling of the forest canopy and preferential browsing of more palatable species will influence the composition of the future forest canopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Andrus
- Department of Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
| | - Sarah J Hart
- Department Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Thomas T Veblen
- Department of Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
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Armani M, Charles-Dominique T, Barton KE, Tomlinson KW. Developmental constraints and resource environment shape early emergence and investment in spines in saplings. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 124:1133-1142. [PMID: 31560757 PMCID: PMC6943690 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Herbivory by large mammals imposes a critical recruitment bottleneck on plants in many systems. Spines defend plants against large herbivores, and how early they emerge in saplings may be one of the strongest predictors of sapling survival in herbivore-rich environments. Yet little effort has been directed at understanding the variability in spine emergence across saplings. METHODS We present a multispecies study examining whether and how sapling size, spine type and species' environmental niche (light and precipitation environment) influence early emergence and biomass investment in spines. A phylogenetically diverse pool of 45 species possessing different spine types (spines, prickles and thorns; that are derived from distinct plant organs: leaf, epidermis or cortex, and branch, respectively), were grown under common-garden conditions, and patterns of spine emergence and biomass allocation to spines at 5 and 15 weeks after transplanting were characterized. KEY RESULTS Spine type and species' resource niche were the main factors driving early emergence and investment patterns. Spines emerged earliest in leaf spine-bearing species, and latest in thorn-bearing species. The probability of early spine emergence increased with decreasing precipitation, and was greater in species from open than from closed habitats. Sapling investment in spines changed with plant mass but was contingent on spine type and habitat type. CONCLUSIONS Different spine types have strikingly different timing of expression, suggesting that developmental origins of spines play a critical role in sapling defences. Furthermore, species from different precipitation and light environments (open vs. closed habitats) showed contrasting patterns of early spine expression, suggesting that resource limitation in their native range may have driven divergent evolution of early defence expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Armani
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Tristan Charles-Dominique
- CNRS UMR7618; Sorbonne University, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Paris, Paris, France
| | - Kasey E Barton
- Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Kyle W Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, China
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Spînu AP, Niklasson M, Zin E. Mesophication in temperate Europe: A dendrochronological reconstruction of tree succession and fires in a mixed deciduous stand in Białowieża Forest. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1029-1041. [PMID: 32015862 PMCID: PMC6988544 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The shift from shade-intolerant species to shade-tolerant mesophytic species in deciduous and mixed forests of the temperate zone is well described in studies from North America. This process has been termed mesophication and it has been linked to changes in fire regime. Fire suppression results in the cessation of establishment of heliophytic, fire-dependent tree species such as oak (Quercus) and pine (Pinus). Due to the scarcity of old-growth forests in Europe, data on long-term compositional changes in mixed forests are very limited, as is the number of studies exploring whether fire played a role in shaping the dynamics.The aim of this study was to reconstruct tree succession in a 43-ha natural mixed deciduous forest stand in Białowieża Forest (BF), Poland using dendrochronological methods. In addition, the presence of aboveground fire legacies (charred and fire-scarred deadwood) enabled the fire history reconstruction.Dendrochronological data revealed tree establishment (Quercus) back to the end of the 1500s and fires back to 1659. Under a regime of frequent fires until the end of the 18th century, only oak and pine regenerated, sporadically. A shift in the fire regime in the first half of the 19th century triggered oak and pine cohort regeneration, then gradually spruce (Picea) encroached. Under an increasingly dense canopy and less flammable conditions, regeneration of shade-tolerant Carpinus, Tilia, and Acer began simultaneously with the cessation of oak and pine recruitment. Synthesis. The study reports the first evidence of mesophication in temperate Europe and proves that fire was involved in shaping the long-term dynamics of mixed deciduous forest ecosystems. Our data suggest that fire exclusion promoted a gradual recruitment of fire-sensitive, shade-tolerant species that inhibited the regeneration of oak and pine in BF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea P. Spînu
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)AlnarpSweden
- Chair of SilvicultureUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Mats Niklasson
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)AlnarpSweden
- Nordens Ark FoundationHunnebostrandSweden
| | - Ewa Zin
- Southern Swedish Forest Research CentreSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)AlnarpSweden
- Department of Natural ForestsForest Research Institute (IBL)BiałowieżaPoland
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Bubnicki JW, Churski M, Schmidt K, Diserens TA, Kuijper DPJ. Linking spatial patterns of terrestrial herbivore community structure to trophic interactions. eLife 2019; 8:e44937. [PMID: 31577225 PMCID: PMC6805123 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Large herbivores influence ecosystem functioning via their effects on vegetation at different spatial scales. It is often overlooked that the spatial distribution of large herbivores results from their responses to interacting top-down and bottom-up ecological gradients that create landscape-scale variation in the structure of the entire community. We studied the complexity of these cascading interactions using high-resolution camera trapping and remote sensing data in the best-preserved European lowland forest, Białowieża Forest, Poland. We showed that the variation in spatial distribution of an entire community of large herbivores is explained by species-specific responses to both environmental bottom-up and biotic top-down factors in combination with human-induced (cascading) effects. We decomposed the spatial variation in herbivore community structure and identified functionally distinct landscape-scale herbivory regimes ('herbiscapes'), which are predicted to occur in a variety of ecosystems and could be an important mechanism creating spatial variation in herbivory maintaining vegetation heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcin Churski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Krzysztof Schmidt
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Tom A Diserens
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
| | - Dries PJ Kuijper
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
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Buitenwerf R, Sandel B, Normand S, Mimet A, Svenning JC. Land surface greening suggests vigorous woody regrowth throughout European semi-natural vegetation. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:5789-5801. [PMID: 30238566 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The satellite record has revealed substantial land surface "greening" in the northern hemisphere over recent decades. Process-based Earth system models (ESMs) attribute enhanced vegetation productivity (greening) to CO2 fertilisation. However, the models poorly reproduce observed spatial patterns of greening, suggesting that they ignore crucial processes. Here, we explore whether fine-scale land cover dynamics, as modified by ecological and land-use processes, can explain the discrepancy between models and satellite-based estimates of greening. We used 500 m satellite-derived Leaf Area Index (LAI) to quantify greening. We focus on semi-natural vegetation in Europe, and distinguish between conservation areas and unprotected land. Within these ecological and land-use categories, we then explored the relationships between vegetation change and major climatic gradients. Despite the relatively short time-series (15 years), we found a strong overall increase in LAI (i.e., greening) across all European semi-natural vegetation types. The spatial pattern of vegetation change identifies land-use change, particularly land abandonment, as a major initiator of vegetation change both in- and outside of protected areas. The strongest LAI increases were observed in mild climates, consistent with more vigorous woody regrowth after cessation of intensive management in these environments. Surprisingly, rates of vegetation change within protected areas did not differ significantly from unprotected semi-natural vegetation. Overall, the detected LAI increases are consistent with previous, coarser-scale, studies. The evidence indicates that woody regrowth following land abandonment is an important driver of land surface greening throughout Europe. The results offer an explanation for the large discrepancies between ESM-derived and satellite-derived greening estimates and thus generate new avenues for improving the ESMs on which we rely for crucial climate forecasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Buitenwerf
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Brody Sandel
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California
| | - Signe Normand
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Anne Mimet
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Biodiversity Conservation Group, German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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Patton SR, Russell MB, Windmuller-Campione MA, Frelich LE. Quantifying impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman) browse using forest inventory and socio-environmental datasets. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201334. [PMID: 30138322 PMCID: PMC6107117 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated population levels of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman) can drastically alter forest ecosystems and negatively impact society through human interactions such as deer vehicle collisions. It is currently difficult to estimate deer populations at multiple scales ranging from stand, county, state, and regional levels. This presents a challenge as natural resource managers develop silvicultural prescriptions and forest management practices aimed at successfully regenerating tree species in the face of deer browsing. This study utilized measurements of deer browse impact from the new tree regeneration indicator developed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. Seedling and sapling abundance and other plot-level characteristics were analyzed across three states (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) in the Great Lakes Region of the United States. Socio-environmental datasets (Lyme disease cases, deer vehicle collisions, and deer density estimates) were used in conjunction with FIA data to determine their predictive power in estimating deer browse impacts by county. Predictions from random forests models indicate that using Lyme disease case reports, the number of deer-vehicle collisions, deer density estimates, and forest inventory information correctly predicted deer browse impact 70-90% of the time. Deer-vehicle collisions per county ranked highly important in the random forests for predicting deer browse impacts in all three states. Lyme disease cases ranked high in importance for the Lake States combined and for Minnesota and Wisconsin, separately. Results show the effectiveness of predicting deer browse impacts using a suite of freely available forest inventory and other socio-environmental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie R. Patton
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Russell
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | | | - Lee E. Frelich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
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Wolves and Tree Logs: Landscape-Scale and Fine-Scale Risk Factors Interactively Influence Tree Regeneration. Ecosystems 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-018-0263-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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