Moose herbivory, browse quality, and nutrient cycling in an Alaskan treeline community

Abstract

Moose (Alces alces) browsing on diamondleaf willow (Salix planifolia pulchra) caused significant increases in subsequent growth of stems and leaves in treeline plant communities in central Alaska, USA. Willows growing in the shade were significantly more palatable for moose than those growing in the sun. Moose density had strong effects on rates of nutrient cycling, ostensibly through effects of browsing and inputs from fecal and urinary nitrogen. Moose are a keystone herbivore that likely mediate rates of nutrient cycling in northern ecosystems.

Insect Herbivory in Tropical Forests

“…By consuming plant material, herbivores influence decomposition and nutrient cycling in communities (Pitelka 1964;Schultz 1964;Kitchell et al 1979;Swank et al 1981; Pastor and Cohen 1997). Experimental studies havc confirmed the role of vertchrate herbivores as mcdiators of decomposition processes in terrestrial systems iMc1n11cs et al 1992; Molvar et al 1993;Pastor et al 1993;Ritchic ct al. 1998).…”

Habitat use and selection by male and female moose (Alces alces) in a boreal landscape.

“…Moose are a keystone species of northern boreal forests, playing important roles in predator-prey dynamics and forest succession (Molvar et al 1993, Danell et al 1998. The large geographic range of moose is a reflection of their ability to utilize a wide variety of habitats.…”

“…Moose {Alces alces) are typically the largest mammal found in boreal forests (except where wood bison {Bison bison athabascae) occur) and are a keystone species, playing important roles in predator-prey dynamics, nutrient cycling, and forest succession (Molvar et al 1993, Danell et al 1998. They are also an important focal species in many northern communities, offering subsistence, cultural, economic, and recreational values.…”

Vegetation diversity influences endozoochoric seed dispersal by moose (Alces alces L.)

“…Knowledge on the moose's endozoochoric dispersal capability allows for a better understanding of its role in the shaping of the vegetation of wetland and forest ecosystems. The moose is not just a factor altering the succession of woody plants [53], generating spatial patterns in boreal forests [29], or mediating the rates of nutrient cycling in its habitats [28,54]; it is also an efficient endozoochoric seed vector dispersing a considerable number of plant species, especially grasses typical for grasslands and wetlands. In our opinion, moose help to maintain the herbaceous plant diversity of the wetland mosaic landscapes, where species-rich mineral soil islands are isolated by surrounding fens, limiting plant dispersal [55].…”