Increasing vole numbers cause more lethal damage to saplings in tree monocultures than in mixed stands

: Gilbert S, Martel J, Klemola T, Norrdahl K

Publisher: ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG

: 2013

: Basic and Applied Ecology

: BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY

: BASIC APPL ECOL

: 1

: 14

: 1

: 12

: 19

: 8

: 1439-1791

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2012.11.005

The effect of stand diversity tended to depend on vole abundance. Vole damage of tree saplings did not differ between monocultures and mixed stands, but at higher vole abundances attacks had a stronger effect on sapling survival in the monocultures. Sapling survival showed a significant drop in the monocultures at peak abundance of approximately 300 voles ha(-1). In monocultures herbivores do not have alternatives and therefore are forced to become deadlier consumers.

Ecology, evolutionary biology