Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland

It is still largely unknown what effect does wolf risk have on the lower trophic levels in Europe. In the last European lowland forest these interactions were explored with a main browser species – red deer (Cervus elaphus), and other four less common ungulate species, one of which is European bison...

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Autor principal: Lescinskaite, Jone
Formato: Second cycle, A2E
Lenguaje:sueco
Inglés
Publicado: 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/13848/
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author Lescinskaite, Jone
author_browse Lescinskaite, Jone
author_facet Lescinskaite, Jone
author_sort Lescinskaite, Jone
collection Epsilon Archive for Student Projects
description It is still largely unknown what effect does wolf risk have on the lower trophic levels in Europe. In the last European lowland forest these interactions were explored with a main browser species – red deer (Cervus elaphus), and other four less common ungulate species, one of which is European bison (Bison bonasus). To explore the effect of risk I use community-averaged and species-specific plant traits as indicators in regenerating tree communities. Browsing intensity and several functional plant traits were related to relative wolf (Canis lupus) encounter risk, red deer and other ungulate biomasses, and horizontal visibility factors. Browsing intensity did not decrease even in the areas where wolf encounter rate is high and red deer biomass is low. Evidence points out that bison could be as important browser in a deciduous mixed forest as red deer is. The full height of saplings and the height of the first branch mainly depended on red deer biomass. The height of the fork and branching index related more to other ungulate biomass and horizontal visibility. While coexisting in the same forest but on the opposite ends of wolf predation risk, the two browsers may be important top-down drivers within the system.
format Second cycle, A2E
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institution Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
language Swedish
Inglés
publishDate 2018
publishDateSort 2018
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spelling RepoSLU138482019-02-28T08:15:26Z https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/13848/ Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland Lescinskaite, Jone Nature conservation and land resources It is still largely unknown what effect does wolf risk have on the lower trophic levels in Europe. In the last European lowland forest these interactions were explored with a main browser species – red deer (Cervus elaphus), and other four less common ungulate species, one of which is European bison (Bison bonasus). To explore the effect of risk I use community-averaged and species-specific plant traits as indicators in regenerating tree communities. Browsing intensity and several functional plant traits were related to relative wolf (Canis lupus) encounter risk, red deer and other ungulate biomasses, and horizontal visibility factors. Browsing intensity did not decrease even in the areas where wolf encounter rate is high and red deer biomass is low. Evidence points out that bison could be as important browser in a deciduous mixed forest as red deer is. The full height of saplings and the height of the first branch mainly depended on red deer biomass. The height of the fork and branching index related more to other ungulate biomass and horizontal visibility. While coexisting in the same forest but on the opposite ends of wolf predation risk, the two browsers may be important top-down drivers within the system. 2018-10-10 Second cycle, A2E NonPeerReviewed application/pdf sv https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/13848/1/lescinskaite_j_181010.pdf Lescinskaite, Jone, 2018. Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland. Second cycle, A2E. Umeå: (S) > Dept. of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies <https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/view/divisions/OID-251.html> urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-s-9871 eng
spellingShingle Nature conservation and land resources
Lescinskaite, Jone
Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
title Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
title_full Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
title_fullStr Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
title_full_unstemmed Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
title_short Effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland
title_sort effects of wolf predation risk on community weighted mean plant traits in białowieża primeval forest, poland
topic Nature conservation and land resources
url https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/13848/
https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/13848/