Herbivory mediates direct and indirect interactions in long‐unburned chaparral

Community interaction webs describe both direct and indirect interactions among species. Changes in often become noticeable soon after a perturbation, but time lags the responses of many species may delay appearance effects lead to temporal or spatial variation webs. Accurately identifying these shifts field requires time-specific, spatially differentiated We explore how browsing affects long-unburned chaparral shrubland near central California coast. Most prior work focused on rapid changes for <5 years wildfire that were assumed determine community patterns until next fire. Here, we report results first 15 an ongoing experiment monitoring (at least 100 postfire) respond experimental by deer rabbits dominant shrubs (Arctostaphylos pumila, Ceanothus cuneatus var. rigidus, Ericameria ericoides). hypothesized would directly affect foodplants, indirectly modify growth survival other shrubs, impact habitat needed herbaceous plants. found dynamic web plant–herbivore plant–plant responded rapidly followed continued developing over several years, affecting open space, plants, small mammals. Experimental intensity led produced three different With deer, complex, having numerous interactions. Removing simplified web, changed outcomes interactions, reduced space plant densities. Finally, morphology without allowed woodrats browse with negative impacts survival. General observations also showed all alternative occurred naturally at our fieldsite, varying across time. Long-unburned communities browsed maintain high biological diversity, maintenance this diversity involves key biotic