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Forest Ecosystems 2020, 7(1): 11 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-020-0022-7
Research | Open Access | Issue | Published: 06 March 2020

Selective and taxon-dependent effects of semi-feral cattle grazing on tree regeneration in an old-growth Mediterranean mountain forest

Show Author's Information Xavier Fortuny1,  Christopher Carcaillet1,2,  Sandrine Chauchard3( )
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes(EPHE), PSL University, 75014 Paris, France
Laboratoire d'Écologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés(UMR5023 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENTPE), 69622 Villeurbanne, France
Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR Silva, 54000 Nancy, France
Keywords:
Experiment, Climate, Cattle, Herbivory, Forest pastoralism
Cite this article:
Fortuny X, Carcaillet C, Chauchard S. Selective and taxon-dependent effects of semi-feral cattle grazing on tree regeneration in an old-growth Mediterranean mountain forest. Forest Ecosystems, 2020, 7(1): 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-020-0022-7
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Abstract Full text About this article
Background

In Mediterranean mountain socio-ecosystems, both grazing by livestock and the dry season may influence tree regeneration. However, the relative contributions of these drivers are poorly known, even though present and future canopy composition might result from past and present variations in climate and herbivore density. This study aims to test how semi-feral cattle presence and season affect tree regeneration.

 Methods

The study was conducted using permanent plots inside and outside a cattle exclosure in an old-growth Mediterranean forest. Saplings and seedlings were counted five times per year (winter, early spring, middle spring, summer, fall) and monitored over 7 yrs.

Results

Semi-feral cattle exclusion increased Acer, Fagus, Ilex, Pinus, Prunus and Quercus sapling densities and increased Acer, Fraxinus, Ilex, Quercus and Sorbus seedling densities. Interestingly, the dry season did not exert any noticeable effects on the sapling or seedling densities of any of the studied taxa. Discussion:Semi-feral cattle presence may limit tree regeneration through taxon-dependent effects, which suggests that the current decrease in grazing livestock across the Mediterranean basin will modify recruitment processes and, likely, future forest composition.

Conclusions

Semi-feral cattle presence acts as a selective driver of tree community composition.


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About this article

Selective and taxon-dependent effects of semi-feral cattle grazing on tree regeneration in an old-growth Mediterranean mountain forest

Show Author's information Xavier Fortuny1, Christopher Carcaillet1,2, Sandrine Chauchard3( )
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes(EPHE), PSL University, 75014 Paris, France
Laboratoire d'Écologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés(UMR5023 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENTPE), 69622 Villeurbanne, France
Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, UMR Silva, 54000 Nancy, France

Abstract

Background

In Mediterranean mountain socio-ecosystems, both grazing by livestock and the dry season may influence tree regeneration. However, the relative contributions of these drivers are poorly known, even though present and future canopy composition might result from past and present variations in climate and herbivore density. This study aims to test how semi-feral cattle presence and season affect tree regeneration.

 Methods

The study was conducted using permanent plots inside and outside a cattle exclosure in an old-growth Mediterranean forest. Saplings and seedlings were counted five times per year (winter, early spring, middle spring, summer, fall) and monitored over 7 yrs.

Results

Semi-feral cattle exclusion increased Acer, Fagus, Ilex, Pinus, Prunus and Quercus sapling densities and increased Acer, Fraxinus, Ilex, Quercus and Sorbus seedling densities. Interestingly, the dry season did not exert any noticeable effects on the sapling or seedling densities of any of the studied taxa. Discussion:Semi-feral cattle presence may limit tree regeneration through taxon-dependent effects, which suggests that the current decrease in grazing livestock across the Mediterranean basin will modify recruitment processes and, likely, future forest composition.

Conclusions

Semi-feral cattle presence acts as a selective driver of tree community composition.

Keywords: Experiment, Climate, Cattle, Herbivory, Forest pastoralism

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements
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Publication history

Received: 05 February 2019
Accepted: 26 February 2020
Published: 06 March 2020
Issue date: March 2020

Copyright

© The Author(s) 2020.

Acknowledgements

We warmly thank Nigel G Yoccoz and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions. We would like to thank the non-profit nature association Les Amis de la Massane for allowing us to work in the Massane Nature Reserve (MNR). We are also grateful to Joseph Garrigue and Jean-André Magdalou, the MNR rangers, for providing valuable information about the reserve surveys and management. We thank Loic Birker, Fanny Combet, Sarah Ivorra and Fabien Roiron for their help with the fieldwork.

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