Ungulates are leading drivers of plant communities worldwide, with impacts linked to animal density, disturbance and vegetation structure, and site productivity. Many ecosystems have more than one ungulate species; however, few studies have specifically examined the combined effects of two or more species on plant communities. We examined the extent to which two ungulate browsers (moose [Alces ...

Herbivores modify their environment by consuming plant biomass and redistributing materials across the landscape. While small mammalian herbivores, such as rodents, are typically inconspicuous, their impacts on plant community structure and chemistry can be large. We used a small mammal exclosure experiment to explore whether rodents in a southeastern old field directly altered the aboveground ...

Subalpine rangeland as a rara avis ecosystem is very important because ofecological features. Consistency and resistance of this ecosystem is so frangible and itsnatural equilibrium is instable due to the effects of biotic and abiotic factors. The landslideas one of negative consequences in upland area is seen in Masoleh watershed (north ofIran). This study has investigated the roles of biotic ...

Previous exclosure studies measuring the top-down control of arthropod abundance and herbivory combined the effects of birds and bats. We experimentally partitioned bird predation from bat predation in a lowland tropical forest in Panama and measured the direct effects (arthropod abundance) and indirect effects (herbivory). The exclusion of birds and bats each directly increased arthropod abund...

Soil salinity is one of the important factors which can influence the growth anddistribution of plant species. Saline and alkaline rangelands of Golestan Province, Iran withlow-deep underground water level are considered as a halophyte plant species growing area.Attempts have been made to determine soil salinity and its relationship with Frankenia hirsutaL. In order to determine the Electrical ...

Patterns of seed predation, germination, and seedling herbivory were investigated in Panamanian forests. We hypothesized that seed and seedling survival would vary with differences in mammal community composition. We tested this hypothesis at five sites in mainland forests adjacent to Gatun Lake, full terrestrial mammalian granivore/ herbivore communities with top predators; at five sites on Ba...

Natural regeneration is one mechanism by which native rnixedspecies forests become reestablished on abandoned pasture. This study was done to determine patterns of and requirement for natural regeneration of native species in an open woodland after removal of cattle. Ten 50by 50-m quadrats were randomly selected within a 16-ha exclosure located at 1,700-m elevation inside the Hakalau Forest Nat...