Effects of herbivores on plants
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Authors: A. Fitter
Date: 1989
Journal: Trends in Ecology and Evolution
Volume: 4
Number: 7
Pages: 213-214
Summary of Methods: Fitter reviews Westoby's (1989) comments about the selective effects that vertebrate herbivores may have on plants, using the detailed studies by Jefferies and co-workers at La Perouse Bay on Hudson Bay as a case study. Although Fitter agrees with much of what Westoby says, there is a fundamental omission from his analysis, which concentrates exclusively on aboveground processes. Yet this is a system in which at least 90% of the standing crop is below ground and in which probably 70-80% of net annual primary production is also belowground. Fitter believes that this is just one instance of a widespread phenomenon, which one might call the 'weather forecast syndrome'. Because above-ground phenomena are visible and relatively easy to study, they not only receive the most attention experimentally, but also tend to dominate theoretical discussions. In most natural terrestrial ecosystems, below-ground production is as great if not greater than above-ground production, and community processes are generally limited by nutrients. Ecologists might therefore profit from giving greater attention to underground phenomena.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Scientific Synthesis
Keywords: herbivory, grazing, above-ground standing crop, net annual primary production, below-ground primary production, nitrogen cycling, genotypes, la perouse bay
Annotation: Grazing intensity defined as "ungrazed" and "grazed". Season of use is not specified.
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