The relationship between moose browsing, habitat structure and predation pressure on insect herbivores

Grazing and browsing by large ungulates can have a strong effect on habitat composition structure. Associated effects be reduction in the abundance of palatable tree species alter understory properties, thereby affecting complexity. Changes structure complexity turn affect arthropod predation pressure, as predators are strongly influenced characteristics. This may increasingly important production forests, such systems often more vulnerable to disturbances pest insects. However, studies exploring this indirect link between rate sparse. We explore through comparison fenced plots excluding (for four years) with associated control replicated 16 forest stands covering geographical area. measured vegetation characteristics assess exclusion used plasticine models compare rates pine trees. In addition, we sampled herbivorous insects potential relationship herbivore abundance. could only demonstrate weak browser structure, suggesting that time was too short cause response. terms predation, found positively affected cover, but not related Understory properties biomass has been demonstrated other studies. Therefore, propose ungulate – despite our study via changes understory, which potentially populations. Our is one first attempts connect mammalian