Differential effects of goat browsing on herbaceous plant community in a two-phase mosaic

Gabay, Ofri; Perevolotsky, Avi; Massada, Avi Bar; Carmel, Yohay; Shachak, Moshe

doi:10.1007/s11258-011-9937-8

Cited by 15 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Changes in woody vegetation affect herbaceous communities via changes in light availability and soil moisture (Gabay et al. ). Surprisingly, we found that even though grazed plots had significantly lower woody cover than control plots in three out of four sites, the dynamics of woody cover varied among sites and treatments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Grazing and temporal turnover in herbaceous communities in a Mediterranean landscape

Bar‐Massada

Hadar

2016

J Vegetation Science

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Question What are the direct and indirect effects of cattle grazing on temporal turnover in Mediterranean herbaceous communities, and are there differences between species (taxonomic) and functional turnover rates? Are turnover rates related to changes in precipitation patterns? Location The long term ecological research (LTER) station, Ramat Hanadiv Nature Park, Israel. Methods We used data from a Mediterranean LTER site to analyse temporal turnover in herbaceous communities under cattle grazing and control conditions, while accounting for the potential effects of precipitation and woody cover. We analysed two types of temporal turnover: taxonomic turnover (changes in species composition) and turnover in functional traits (changes in the relative abundance of species with different functional traits). Results We found that communities exhibited rapid taxonomic turnover between sampling years, which was mostly explained by changes in precipitation patterns. Furthermore, there was a strong and consistent directional trend in taxonomic turnover (21% per decade) throughout the study period, which was correlated with a long‐term trend of decreasing precipitation. This trend, however, was not significantly explained by grazing, woody cover change or their interaction. Grazing did have a significant effect on short‐term turnover rates, but its effects varied in both direction and magnitude among sites located in different habitats. Temporal turnover in functional traits was much slower than taxonomic turnover, and was also inconsistent among traits and sites. Grazing reduced the bi‐annual turnover rates in the composition of different life forms, and reduced the decadal turnover rate in the composition of different height groups in the community. Conclusions The results of this analysis suggest that the effect of cattle grazing on the temporal dynamics of herbaceous communities in Mediterranean ecosystems is habitat‐ and trait‐specific, and unrelated to changes in woody cover. In contrast, inter‐annual changes in precipitation patterns have a much stronger effect on turnover rates. The relationship between temporal species turnover and precipitation in these communities is therefore in line with modern co‐existence theory, by which fluctuating environmental conditions facilitate long‐term species co‐existence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In these species‐rich communities, goat grazing affects herbaceous communities indirectly by maintaining open patches as it limits the growth of woody species (Gabay et al. ), while cattle grazing mainly affects the patchiness within the herbaceous community.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing and temporal turnover in herbaceous communities in a Mediterranean landscape

Bar‐Massada

Hadar

2016

J Vegetation Science

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“…Pine canopies are sparse and open compared to the thick canopies of evergreen broadleaf trees and shrubs such as Q. calliprinos. Therefore, pines growing in the maquis create canopy "gaps" that allow more light to penetrate into and water to evaporate from the forest floor (e.g., Gabay et al 2012). Colonizing pine trees in the oak maquis can increase the temperature and reduce the water availability at the litter strata and thus limit litter decomposition in the colonized maquis (Rutigliano et al 2004).…”

Section: Species-specific Environmental Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Countervailing effects on pine and oak leaf litter decomposition in human-altered Mediterranean ecosystems

et al. 2015

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Species affect the dynamics of litter decay through the intrinsic properties of their litter, but also by influencing the environmental conditions imposed by their canopy, roots, and litter layers. We examined how human-induced changes in the relative abundances of two dominant Mediterranean trees-Pinus halepensis and Quercus calliprinos-impact leaf litter decomposition. A reciprocal transplant experiment tested decomposition of pine, oak, and mixed leaf litter in oak woodland and pine forest ecosystems with different relative abundances of pine and oak. Using likelihood methods, we tested the importance and magnitude of the environmental effects of local species abundance, litter layer composition, and soil properties on litter mass loss. Oak litter decomposition was slower than pine, and had an antagonistic effect on mixed litter decay. These results differ from other reported pine-oak associations, and are probably associated with a higher content of tannins and phenols in oak compared to pine litter in our study sites. The environmental effects of the two species were opposite to their litter decomposition dynamics. An increased proportion of pine in the oak woodlands and a higher content of pine needles in the litter layer of pine forests reduced decay rates. The presence of more oak and broadleaf litter in the litter layer accelerated decomposition in pine forests. Our results highlight the importance of considering multidimensional species effects mediated by both chemical and physical properties, and imply that man-made changes in the composition and configuration of plant communities may result in complex unpredicted consequences to ecosystem biogeochemistry.

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“…), contributes to high species diversity (Gabay et al. ), reduced wildfire risk (Dufour‐Dror ) and high scenic diversity (de La Fuente de Val et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regeneration dynamics of woody vegetation in a Mediterranean landscape under different disturbance‐based management treatments

Bashan

Bar‐Massada

2016

Applied Vegetation Science

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Question Mediterranean landscapes have been affected for millennia by agro‐pastoral disturbances such as grazing and vegetation clearing. Increased levels of fine‐scale habitat heterogeneity that resulted from these disturbances contribute to reduced wildfire risk and increased species diversity. Disturbance‐based management tools utilize disturbances in order to promote biodiversity and reduce fire risk, but are complicated to apply effectively due to the natural regeneration ability of many woody species following disturbances. Therefore, their successful application requires a better understanding of woody regeneration dynamics. Here, we asked how disturbance‐based management treatments affected the spatiotemporal dynamics of woody vegetation across 11 yrs in a Mediterranean landscape. Location Ramat HaNadiv LTER, northern Israel. Methods We analysed vegetation dynamics in a field experiment comprising five treatments: cattle grazing, goat grazing, shrub clearing, shrub clearing followed by goat grazing and undisturbed control. We used image analysis of high‐resolution aerial photographs to map woody patches in our study plots. We then quantified the spatial pattern of woody vegetation using multiple landscape indices, and conducted a comparative analysis of woody regeneration rates under different management treatments. Results Cattle grazing did not inhibit woody regeneration, as regeneration rates were similar to those found in undisturbed control plots. Shrub clearing led to rapid woody regeneration (7% yr−1), while a combination of shrub clearing and intense goat grazing halted woody regeneration completely. Finally, intense goat grazing not only prevented woody regeneration but led to significant decline in woody cover (1% yr−1). Conclusions Our results highlight the rapid regenerative response of woody vegetation to severe disturbances, and the growth rates we found can serve as guidelines for long‐term management regimes aimed at maintaining low woody cover and biomass in fuel breaks and buffer zones.

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Differential effects of goat browsing on herbaceous plant community in a two-phase mosaic

Cited by 15 publications

References 43 publications

Grazing and temporal turnover in herbaceous communities in a Mediterranean landscape

Grazing and temporal turnover in herbaceous communities in a Mediterranean landscape

Countervailing effects on pine and oak leaf litter decomposition in human-altered Mediterranean ecosystems

Regeneration dynamics of woody vegetation in a Mediterranean landscape under different disturbance‐based management treatments

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