A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
The tree species matrix, influence on the level of herbivore browsing in mixed forest stands in southwest Sweden
Authors: Mattila M, Kjellander P
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS
Publication year: 2017
Journal: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
Journal name in source: SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
Journal acronym: SCAND J FOREST RES
Volume: 32
Issue: 1
First page : 1
Last page: 5
Number of pages: 5
ISSN: 0282-7581
eISSN: 1651-1891
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2016.1181202
Abstract
Herbivory pressure on a forest stand and each plant individual may be affected by the spatial distribution of conspecific and allospecific plants on the site; whether the plants are standing in solitary or groupwise settings; or by the differences in the preference of plants in relation to each other. The study was conducted in southwest Sweden, where 120 plots (1508 m(2)) were visited and 1280 individual woody plants evaluated and measured. We tested the hypothesis that preferred woody plants can protect unpreferred conspecific and allospecific woody species against herbivory in a system with one dominant, generalist herbivore, the fallow deer (Dama L.), and that the effectiveness of this protection varies depending on the relative preference of the neighboring conspecific and allospecific woody species placed in conspecific groups or standing solitary. Our results support the hypothesis that preferred woody plants can protect unpreferred conspecific and allospecific woody species against herbivory in the case of Picea abies dominating stands.
Herbivory pressure on a forest stand and each plant individual may be affected by the spatial distribution of conspecific and allospecific plants on the site; whether the plants are standing in solitary or groupwise settings; or by the differences in the preference of plants in relation to each other. The study was conducted in southwest Sweden, where 120 plots (1508 m(2)) were visited and 1280 individual woody plants evaluated and measured. We tested the hypothesis that preferred woody plants can protect unpreferred conspecific and allospecific woody species against herbivory in a system with one dominant, generalist herbivore, the fallow deer (Dama L.), and that the effectiveness of this protection varies depending on the relative preference of the neighboring conspecific and allospecific woody species placed in conspecific groups or standing solitary. Our results support the hypothesis that preferred woody plants can protect unpreferred conspecific and allospecific woody species against herbivory in the case of Picea abies dominating stands.
UTU Research Portal