Title: THE PERILS OF HAVING TASTY NEIGHBORS: GRAZING IMPACTS OF LARGE HERBIVORES AT VEGETATION BOUNDARIES
Abstract: EcologyVolume 84, Issue 11 p. 2877-2890 Regular Article THE PERILS OF HAVING TASTY NEIGHBORS: GRAZING IMPACTS OF LARGE HERBIVORES AT VEGETATION BOUNDARIES Stephen C. F. Palmer, Stephen C. F. Palmer Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Hill of Brathens, Banchory, AB31 4BW, UK Present address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UKSearch for more papers by this authorAlison J. Hester, Alison J. Hester Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorDavid A. Elston, David A. Elston Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Environmental Modelling Unit, Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UKSearch for more papers by this authorIain J. Gordon, Iain J. Gordon Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UKSearch for more papers by this authorSue E. Hartley, Sue E. Hartley Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Hill of Brathens, Banchory, AB31 4BW, UKSearch for more papers by this author Stephen C. F. Palmer, Stephen C. F. Palmer Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Hill of Brathens, Banchory, AB31 4BW, UK Present address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UKSearch for more papers by this authorAlison J. Hester, Alison J. Hester Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorDavid A. Elston, David A. Elston Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Environmental Modelling Unit, Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UKSearch for more papers by this authorIain J. Gordon, Iain J. Gordon Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UKSearch for more papers by this authorSue E. Hartley, Sue E. Hartley Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Hill of Brathens, Banchory, AB31 4BW, UKSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 November 2003 https://doi.org/10.1890/02-0245Citations: 90 Corresponding Editor: J. M. Fryxell. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract The boundaries between vegetation patches are focal points for dynamic interactions between plant communities, particularly in grazed ecosystems where vegetation types may differ in their acceptability to herbivores. Here we show that key vegetation resources attract herbivores, and the surrounding vegetation receives a higher impact than if it is associated with patches of less preferred vegetation (an example of apparent competition). We studied the influence of proximity to preferred grass patches on utilization of the less preferred dwarf shrub, heather (Calluna vulgaris) by red deer (Cervus elaphus) and sheep (Ovis aries) at a range of spatial scales in the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland, UK. There was a sharp decline in heather utilization with increasing distance from the edges of grass patches. The proportion of grass in the local landscape (within 1 km) had a significant positive effect on heather utilization both at the grass–heather boundary and beyond 5 m from the grass patch. There was also a significant effect of dominant grass species on the utilization of heather within 50 cm of the grass-patch edge, with utilization around Agrostis/Festuca patches (most preferred) being greater than around Nardus-dominated patches, and lowest around patches of Molinia. The greatest contribution to variation in heather utilization was at the smallest scale, and variance components decreased as spatial scale increased, making it impossible to predict local heather utilization (i.e., at the scale of individual plants and of individual bites by foraging ungulates) from large-scale parameters alone, such as herbivore density. These findings emphasize that vegetation–herbivore interactions are localized within the landscape, and that it is these hot spots which are the key fulcrum for vegetation dynamics. Literature Cited Alonso, I., S. E. Hartley, and M. Thurlow . 2001. 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Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
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