Effects of vertebrate herbivores on soil processes, plant biomass, litter accumulation and soil elevation changes in a coastal marsh
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Authors: M. A. Ford, and J. B. Grace
Date: 1998
Journal: Journal of Ecology
Volume: 86
Number: 6
Pages: 974-982
Summary of Methods: How vertebrate herbivores, especially nutria and wild boar, alter soil and plant characteristics over time was investigated during three summers in the Pearl River basin in southern Louisiana along the Gulf of Mexico (30° 11' N, 89° 35' W). Both nutria and wild boar graze year-round in these marshes, but typically stay in an area until most of the vegetation is utilized. Paired plots (fenced and unfenced) were established on ten grazed patches in May. Above-ground biomass was measured, non-destructively every month. Soil accretion, elevation relative to a fixed point, and bulk density were measured every three months. Root biomass and zone thickness were measured every other months. Both bulk density and root growth were measured by taking soil cores and then replacing the cores with potting soil or sand, respectively. Species richness and light levels were also calculated before, during and after grazing. Sampling occurred from for two years.
Article Summary / Main Points: Grazing decreased aboveground biomass by over half that of the ungrazed plots, but grazing did increase species richness. Grazing also increased soil accretion, but it did not affect bulk density. Soil elevation, root biomass and zone thickness were lower on grazed plots than ungrazed. Based on these results, herbivores dramatically alter the plant and soil characteristics in these coastal marshes.
Vegetation Types: Riparian and Wetlands
MLRA Ecoregions: 151 Gulf Coast Marsh
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Grazing Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: nutria, myocastor coypus, wild boar, sus scrofa, coastal wetlands, habitat destruction, herbivory, soil development, wetland loss
Annotation: This type of salt marsh is unique to the region; therefore, the findings of this study are probably applicable only to the Gulf Coast. Fencing effects that can inflate annual primary production in more arid environments were most likely negligible as the plots were established in marshes with ample soil moisture both inside and outside the fence.
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