Moose, microbes, and the boreal forests
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Authors: J. Pastor
Date: 1988
Journal: BioScience
Volume: 38
Number: 11
Pages: 770-777
Summary of Methods: Browsing by moose (Alces alces) influences both the plant species present in the forest and the properties of the soil. Interactions between moose and the forest provide an example of how herbivores influence ecosystem properties over different trophic and spatial scales, and how complex feedback loops in these interactions can produce interesting effects. Soil processes affect moose by controlling the supply of browse and the rate at which plants recover from browsing. Herbivore's excrement carries organic matter and nutrients in to the soil and thereby affects microbial processes. Moose also alter the composition of the plant community through voracious and selective foraging. Early successional species like aspen grow quickly and are the forage of choice for moose. They are succeeded by conifers such as spruce and balsam fir, which grow slower and have lower nitrogen requirements. A shift in community structure caused by selective browsing may be a negative feedback exerted by moose and other herbivores on the nutrient cycle.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: moose, alces alces, soil microbes, boreal forest, browsing, herbivory
Annotation: Grazing intensity is not specified. Season of use is not specified.
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