Browsing by goats on three spatial scales in a semi-arid savanna

Skarpe, Christina; Jansson, Ingela; Seljeli, L.; Bergström, Roger

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.06.009

Cited by 29 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(50 reference statements)

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“…An accumulated browsing score (Skarpe et al, 2007) was given to each tree, to estimate cumulative effect of previous years' browsing (i.e. excluding the most recent winter).…”

Section: Field Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term effects of supplementary feeding of moose on browsing impact at a landscape scale

Mathisen¹,

Milner²,

Beest

et al. 2014

Forest Ecology and Management

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Supplementary feeding of wildlife is a common management practice, increasingly used to reduce or divert herbivore impact from sensitive habitats, forestry or agriculture. The landscape-scale spatial distribution of herbivory in relation to supplementary or diversionary feeding stations is of particular relevance to wildlife and land management, yet has never been quantified. We considered multiple hypotheses, based on central-place foraging theory, to investigate how landscape-scale browsing impact changed as a function of distance from feeding stations and thereby test the effectiveness of diversionary feeding. We assessed the landscape-scale browsing impact of moose by quantifying browsing patterns and moose density in commercially-valuable young Scots pine stands in an area of south-east Norway with a long history of winter feeding. We also used positions from GPS-collared female moose to investigate the spatial distribution of individuals across the landscape. Moose density and browsing impact at a fine spatial scale (<1km) followed an exponential decrease with distance from diversionary feeding stations. However, at a landscape scale (1-10 km), browsing impact did not show any relationship with distance to feeding stations. Leader stem browsing on Scots pine trees was high at both the local (< 1 km; 68 ± 12 %) and landscape (1-10 km; 56 ± 7 %) scales. In addition, browsing on commercially valuable Norway spruce, which is normally avoided by moose, was locally high around feeding stations. As currently practiced, long-term diversionary feeding of moose was ineffective in diverting browsing impact from young pine stands at the landscape scale. Browsing on commercially-important tree species was sufficiently high that economic consequences could be expected. To avoid further conflict, we suggest a combination of reducing the moose density and increasing the availability of natural or more attractive supplementary forage.

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“…An accumulated browsing score (Skarpe et al, 2007) was given to each tree, to estimate cumulative effect of previous years' browsing (i.e. excluding the most recent winter).…”

Section: Field Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term effects of supplementary feeding of moose on browsing impact at a landscape scale

Mathisen¹,

Milner²,

Beest

et al. 2014

Forest Ecology and Management

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show abstract

“…So far, predicting herbivore food selection from the resource content of forage plants has proven to be difficult (Owen-Smith and Novellie 1983;Skarpe et al 2007). The model presented in this article provides new testable hypotheses about food species selection in the foraging path.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…[6]). The shape of the cumulative intake over time in patches of different food species (i.e., the half-saturation constant) is readily assessed from field data (Illius et al 1999;Skarpe et al 2007). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most parameters in our model can be measured directly in experimental studies (Illius et al 1999;Skarpe et al 2007). Most difficult will be the assessment of the turnover rates for the different resources (u i ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These decisions involve choosing in which areas to search for food, which food species to include in their foraging path or diet, and how long to stay in a given patch (Schoener 1971;Owen-Smith and Novellie 1983;Pyke 1984;Senft et al 1987;Bailey et al 1989;Skarpe et al 2007). Most studies on optimal foraging focus on one of those decisions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optimal Foraging for Multiple Resources in Several Food Species

Hengeveld¹,

Langevelde²,

Groen³

et al. 2009

The American Naturalist

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The concentrations of resources in forage are not perfectly balanced to the needs of an animal, and food species differ in these concentrations. Under many circumstances, animals should thus forage on multiple food species to attain the maximum and most balanced intake of several resources. In this article we present a model to extend optimal foraging theory to incorporate concurrent foraging for multiple resources from several food species. A balancing of resources is achieved by representing the amount of a resource as the time during which it is used. Optimization is considered at two hierarchical levels: the time spent in a patch and the proportion of patches of each food species included in the foraging path. Our model results show that the balancing of resource intake can be achieved at the level of the foraging path, while the maximization of intake can be realized at the nested patch level. The choice for a food species should be dependent on the differences in intake and resource ratios between the food species. Under free choice of food species, the optimal patch residence time is subject not to differences between patches but to the local intake rate.

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Browsing Herbivore–Woody Plant Interactions in Savannas

Scogings

Gowda

2019

Savanna Woody Plants and Large Herbivores

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Browsing by goats on three spatial scales in a semi-arid savanna

Cited by 29 publications

References 41 publications

Long-term effects of supplementary feeding of moose on browsing impact at a landscape scale

Long-term effects of supplementary feeding of moose on browsing impact at a landscape scale

Optimal Foraging for Multiple Resources in Several Food Species

Browsing Herbivore–Woody Plant Interactions in Savannas

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