The effects of livestock grazing on ground flora in broadleaf woodlands in Northern Ireland

McEvoy, Peter; Flexen, M.; McAdam, J.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2005.12.026

Cited by 51 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The decline in R. fruticosus in various unfenced stand types at Brigsteer Wood, Cumbria, including a yew-dominated stand, was attributed to the increase in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) abundance by Barkham (1992). In Northern Ireland, McEvoy et al (2006) found cover of R. fruticosus was greater in ungrazed woodlands; they also found L. periclymenum and H. helix to be indicators for ungrazed woodland.…”

Section: Vegetation Changesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…L. sylvatica is also reported as being sensitive to grazing (e.g. Cooper and McCann, 2011;McEvoy et al, 2006). Barkham (1978) reported that there was considerable regrowth of this species in the exclosure in Wistman's Wood, Dartmoor, established in 1965, whilst at the grazed site of Black Tor Copse, also on Dartmoor, it was restricted to areas of steeply sloping, unstable clitter, which were inaccessible to animals.…”

Section: Vegetation Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-term deer exclusion in yew-wood and oakwood habitats in southwest Ireland: Changes in ground flora and species diversity

Perrin

Mitchell

Kelly

2011

Forest Ecology and Management

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Section: Vegetation Changesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Vegetation Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term deer exclusion in yew-wood and oakwood habitats in southwest Ireland: Changes in ground flora and species diversity

Perrin

Mitchell

Kelly

2011

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…Seminatural broadleaf woodlands in cultural landscapes are more usually restricted to isolated patches. In Ireland, upland woods are often unenclosed and grazed by sheep, but lowland woods on farms are generally enclosed in a hedged landscape and are often grazed by cattle (Cooper et al 1997;McEvoy et al 2006). Corney et al (2004) showed that at a landscapescale, British broadleaf deciduous woodland is structured primarily by geographic, climatic and soil variables (in particular rainfall, soil pH and accumulated temperature) and secondarily by the biotic variables of sheep grazing and leaf area index (an indicator of shading).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Ireland, with its oceanic climate and generally wet soils, studies into the effects of grazing on lowland woods have been few (McEvoy et al 2006;Perrin et al 2006Perrin et al , 2008. We assess the effects of cattle exclosure on the ground flora and the tree regeneration of an ancient western Irish wet oakwood National Nature Reserve.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cattle exclosure and vegetation dynamics in an ancient, Irish wet oakwood

Cooper

McCann

2010

Plant Ecol

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The effects of a 10-year period of cattle exclosure on the ground flora and tree regeneration of an Irish ancient lowland wet oakwood (Corylo-Fraxinetum deschampsietosum) community are assessed. The approach was to record changes in a quadrat sample located in a National Nature Reserve and to model change by multivariate statistical analysis using Principal Components Analysis and Redundancy Analysis ordination. Exclosure gave significant increases in the abundance of regenerating ash Fraxinus excelsior and holly Ilex aquifolium. Non-native tree species establishment also occurred. In the ground flora, there were significant decreases in the abundance of ruderal species and grasses and significant increases in graze-resistant and graze-sensitive species usually restricted to broadleaf woodland habitats. Changes were similar under low and high canopy sites, but greater under a high canopy. In Irish lowland wet oakwood, managed historically to favour oak and currently grazed by cattle, exclosure promotes the succession of ash to the canopy and holly to the understorey. With time, this is likely to lead to a shift from oak dominance. In a conservation context this, together with an increased risk of non-native tree species establishment, can be ecologically damaging, particularly in small sites without natural dynamics, as is the case in the hedged agricultural landscapes of western Europe. We conclude that site-based conservation objectives should be prioritised when implementing generic, landscape-scale management strategies, such as rotational exclosure.

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“…Several studies have examined the impacts of deer overabundance on a variety of plant species and regions (Gill and Beardall 2001;Côté et al 2004;McEvoy et al 2006). For example, Wiegmann and Waller (2006) studied changes in the forest understory over 50 years and hypothesized that changes in deer populations were the key causes of observed vegetation shifts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting the population dynamics of three understory broad-leaved evergreen species under the influence of Sika deer in primary and secondary forests of mid-western Japan

Kisanuki

Nakasu

Nakai

et al. 2008

Journal of Forest Research

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We examined the population dynamics of three broad-leaved tree species with different susceptibilities to deer predation. Simulation analysis was conducted using a size-structured matrix model for a primary forest plot (PP) and a secondary forest plot (SP) with 56% and 12% evergreen conifer composition in the canopy, respectively. In both plots, populations of Neolitsea sericea, a species that is susceptible to deer predation, initially declined significantly but eventually leveled off. The number of small stems decreased, while that of larger stems increased, indicating that the population dynamics of N. sericea are strongly affected by browsing pressure and that the number of large trees is important for population maintenance. When we examined two deer-resistant species, Pieris japonica and Illicium anisatum, the population of P. japonica increased in the SP and decreased in the PP, whereas that of I. anisatum increased in both plots, likely because mortality tends to increase in persistently dark environments. No significant difference was observed between the present and predicted size distributions of resistant species in the PP. Competition for resources is expected to intensify in the SP as a result of the predicted increase in large stems of the resistant species I. anisatum. Therefore, a specific conservation and management strategy for tree species should be considered for each forest type under the influence of Sika deer.

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The effects of livestock grazing on ground flora in broadleaf woodlands in Northern Ireland

Cited by 51 publications

References 20 publications

Long-term deer exclusion in yew-wood and oakwood habitats in southwest Ireland: Changes in ground flora and species diversity

Long-term deer exclusion in yew-wood and oakwood habitats in southwest Ireland: Changes in ground flora and species diversity

Cattle exclosure and vegetation dynamics in an ancient, Irish wet oakwood

Predicting the population dynamics of three understory broad-leaved evergreen species under the influence of Sika deer in primary and secondary forests of mid-western Japan

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