The role of goats in the Mediterranean area

Morand-Fehr, P.; Bourbouze, A.; Houérou, Henry Noël Le; Gall, C.; Boyazoglu, J.

doi:10.1016/0301-6226(83)90050-7

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Since herbivorous mammals have a long seed residence time in guts (24 to 72 h) (Olson & Wallander, 2002;Mancilla-Leytón et al, 2011) and make long-distance routes (Cory, 1972;Klein, 1981), they can promote the rapid dispersal of plant populations. Due to the particular feeding habits and ranging behavior of browsers (Morand-Fehr et al, 1983;Devendra, 1990;Milne, 1991), herbivores such as domestic goats can be seed dispersers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endozoochorus seed dispersal by goats: recovery, germinability and emergence of five Mediterranean shrub species

Grande

Mancilla-Leytón

Pertíñez

et al. 2013

Span. j. agric. res.

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Herbivores can play an important role as seed dispersal vectors, ungulates constituting potential seed dispersal agents of Mediterranean grasses and shrubs. We evaluated the role of domestic goats as seed dispersers of five representative Mediterranean forage shrub species [Cistus albidus L., Phillyrea angustifolia L., Calicotome villosa (Poir.) Link., Rhamnus lycioides L. and Atriplex halimus L.]. Following seed ingestion by goats, total faeces were collected at 24-h intervals for five days. The total number of seeds recovered varied among species, with R. lycioides showing the minimum recovery percentage (1.3%) and C. albidus (35.8%), the maximum. Seed recovery was significantly related to seed hardness and length. In most species, the maximum amount of seeds recovered occurred 48-72 h after ingestion. The passage through the goat gut significantly depressed seed germination in C. albidus, C. villosa and A. halimus; inhibited it in R. lycioides and increased it in P. angustifolia. Seedling emergence was significantly lower in intact dung pellets than in broken-down ones, and both significantly lower than in uneaten seeds (control). The results of this study show that goats can potentially favor or inhibit seed dispersal of browsed Mediterranean shrub species. Therefore, goat grazing could be a potential management tool for expanding target shrub species populations or preventing shrub encroachment in undesired areas.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endozoochorus seed dispersal by goats: recovery, germinability and emergence of five Mediterranean shrub species

Grande

Mancilla-Leytón

Pertíñez

et al. 2013

Span. j. agric. res.

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“…Goats are well adapted to the consumption of shrubs inhabiting the Mediterranean forest understorey, probably due to their physiological adaptations (Green & Newell ; Perevolotsky & Seligman ). They are able to incorporate a greater variety of scrub species into their diet than other domestic ruminants, and have the ability to consume different plants or groups of plants according to the time of year, thereby consuming virtually all species growing within the Mediterranean forests (Morand‐Fehr et al ; Mitchell ). In this regard, goats hinder plant growth and the formation of dense and closed patches of vegetation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do goats preserve the forest? Evaluating the effects of grazing goats on combustible Mediterranean scrub

Mancilla-Leytón

Pino‐Mejías

Vicente

2012

Applied Vegetation Science

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Question: Can grazing by goats eliminate potentially combustible plant biomass and thereby change the flammability of mediterranean vegetation? Location: Doñ ana Natural Park, SW Spain.Methods: The effect of goat grazing was evaluated, over a period of 42 mo, in 100 ha of pine forest understorey with an average density of 217 trees·ha À1 . Grazing by large herbivores was halted temporarily in the study area, with wild deer excluded from 1970, and domestic goats excluded from 2002. However, following the creation of grazing exclusion plots and sampling of the vegetation within as a control, adult female Payoya goats were introduced to the area in spring 2007. Vegetation was sampled twice yearly using the point-intercept method, and data of frequency, cover and phytovolume obtained. The study was completed with an analysis of change in the flammability of the study area (determined using data on the phytovolume and flammability of species). Changes in species richness and species diversity were determined.Results: After 42 mo, the phytovolume of the ungrazed vegetation had increased significantly by 32%, while bare soil had decreased by 5%. This gave rise to a significant increase in flammability of 25%. Within the grazed area, species phytovolume decreased significantly by 34%, leading to a significant increase in bare soil of 51%, while the flammability of the area decreased by 22%. The number of species remained constant throughout the study at 20 species. Significant differences in species diversity were observed between grazed and ungrazed areas after 42 mo of grazing (species diversity index after 42 mo of exclusion = 1.59 ± 0.17, species diversity index after 42 mo of grazing = 0.95 ± 0.13).Conclusions: Monitoring of the scrub understorey has shown the positive impact of grazing goats: the resulting decrease in the quantity of total phytovolume (easily combustible vegetation) induces changes in species diversity without lowering species richness and reduces the risk of fire.

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“…However, their greater unit weight must be considered when ingested in a single mounthful. Although there are few references to the consumption of acorns by goats, acorn tannins appear to have no adverse effect on their consumption (Morand-Fehr et al, 1983).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Seasonal variation in the selective behaviour of dairy goats on the Sierra area of Spain

Sánchez-Rodríguez¹,

Gómez-Castro²,

Peinado-Lucena³

et al. 1993

J. Anim. Feed Sci.

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Seasonal variation in the preference of a herd of dairy goats when grazing grass, trees and shrubs or acorns was studied. Grass accounted for 70% (1478 mouthfuls), 76% (4221 mouthfuls) and 65% (2228 mouthfuls) of the selections made in the autumn-winter, spring and summer seasons, respectively, which showed a close relationship between palatability and degree of maturing of available grass. Ligneous species (trees and shrubs) were consumed to variable extents during the year, their consumption gradually increasing between autumn-winter, spring and summer, and accounting for 19% (395 mouthfuls), 24% (1303 mouthfuls) and 35% (1219 mouthfuls) in the three seasons, respectively. This increase was also a result of the decreasing availability of grass in the natural course of the seasons. Despite availability in autumn-winter period, holm and cork oak acorns only accounted for a small percentage in the overall ration (11%, 221 mouthfuls). The results revealed the importance of the herbaceous components within the total goat ration, goats using woody browse only when there was grass shortage.

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The role of goats in the Mediterranean area

Cited by 14 publications

References 3 publications

Endozoochorus seed dispersal by goats: recovery, germinability and emergence of five Mediterranean shrub species

Endozoochorus seed dispersal by goats: recovery, germinability and emergence of five Mediterranean shrub species

Do goats preserve the forest? Evaluating the effects of grazing goats on combustible Mediterranean scrub

Seasonal variation in the selective behaviour of dairy goats on the Sierra area of Spain

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