Effects of Domestic and Wild Ungulate Management on Young Oak Size and Architecture

Scattered oaks in traditional silvopastoral systems (i.e., “dehesas”) provide important ecological services. However, livestock intensification applied to these over the last century has affected architecture of young oak plants. This unsuitable rangeland management practice jeopardizes long-term system sustainability. Here we examine alterations regenerating plants Mediterranean dehesas under three representative regimes: (1) with extensive sheep grazing; (2) commercially driven cattle grazing, and (3) native deer grazing at moderate stocking rates (<0.11 units × ha−1). Plant was considerably altered cattle-grazed “dehesas”, finding a 50% reduction plant height–diameter ratios, compared sheep-grazed where higher ratios predominated. Young plants, however, showed less probability damage on shoot apex (0.20-fold difference) areas rates. In addition, those multi-stemmed individual were more stunted (lower values crown ratio) than wildlife (0.78-fold difference). Shrub presence, all schemes, helped increase height, except when shrubs located tree canopies. Conversely, without shrub protection well-developed basal diameters but short stature. Appropriate sustainable practices should include rate reduction, promotion, nurse preservation fencing individuals along pruning sprouts. Our study indicates that may have consequences dehesa regeneration via therefore