Bulletin of Forestry Science / Volume 2 / Issue 1 / Pages 163-172
previous article | next article

Long term effects of browsing of seedlings as examined in pole stage

András Náhlik, László Dremmel, Gyula Sándor & Tamás Tari

Correspondence

Correspondence: Náhlik András

Postal address: H-9400 Sopron, Ady Endre u. 5.

e-mail: nahlik[at]emk.nyme.hu

Abstract

According to our hypothesis browsing of seedlings and saplings by large herbivores causes long term negative changes in quantity and quality of forest stands, trees and timber.
Data were collected in the Bükk mountains, North Hungary. Sample territory was marked out in sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl., 1784) pole stand previously having been browsed on seedling’s stage by large herbivores. Similarly to the sample area control territory was marked out in an unbrowsed forest stand. The number of sample and control territory in oak stands was 10-10, with a 10x10 m size. We recorded the number of trees, measured the diameter at breast height (1.3 m) of the stems, the height of the trees and the malformations of the stems which occurred lower than 2 m, such as tortuosity and fork growth. The data were evaluated by Student’s t-test and Mann-Whitney U test.
1. Browsing caused slight but significant, 50 cm decrease in the height of trees and a high ratio of fork growth.
2. We concluded that despite of heavy browsing activity which lasted several years, timber quality at harvesting will not decrease.
4. At the same time a slight decrease in timber output will occur.
5. Browsing will raise costs of regeneration due to the expenses of increased number of weeding.

Keywords: red deer, muflon, roe deer, pole stage forest, browsing, sessile oak

References37

  • Béky A. 1981: Mag eredetű kocsánytalan tölgyesek fatermése. Erdészeti Kutatások, 74: 309-320.
  • Béky A. (szerk.) 1989: A tölgy termesztése és hasznosítása. Mezőgazdasági Kiadó, Budapest
  • Bergstrom, R.; Skarpe, C. and Danell, K. 2000: Plant responses and herbivory following simulated browsing and stem cutting of Combretum apiculatum. Journal of Vegetation Science, 11: 409-414. DOI: 10.2307/3236633
  • Canham, C.D.; McAninch, J.B. and Wood, D.W. 1994. Effects of the frequency, timing, and intensity of simulated browsing on growth and mortality of the tree seedlings. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 24(4): 817-825. DOI: 10.1139/x94-107
  • Čermák, P.; Horsák, P.; Špirík, M. and Mrkva, R. 2009: Relationship between browsing damage and woody species dominance. Journal of Forest Science, 55(1): 23-31.
  • Coté, S.D.; Rooney, T.P.; Tremblay, J-P.; Dussault, C. and Waller, D.M. 2004: Ecological impacts of deer overabundance. Annual Review of Ecology. Evolution and Systematics, 35: 113-147. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.35.021103.105725
  • Danell, K.; Niemel,Ä . P.; Varvikko, T. and Vuorisalo, T. 1991: Moose browsing on scots pine along a gradient of plant productivity. Ecology, 72(5): 1624-1633. DOI: 10.2307/1940962
  • Didion, M.; Kupferschmid, A.D. and Bugmann, H. 2009: Long-term effects of ungulate browsing on forest composition and structure. Forest Ecology and Management, 258: s44-s55. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2009.06.006
  • Eiberle, K. 1975: Ergebnisse einer Simulation des Wildverbisses durch den Triebschnitt. Schweiz. Z. Forstwesen, 126(11):821-839.
  • Fekete Z. 1951: Erdőbecsléstan a faállományszerkezet-tan és a faterméstan vázlatával, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest
  • Gill, R.M.A. 1992: A review of damage by mammals in North Temperate forests: 3. Impact on trees and forests. Forestry, 74(3): 209-218. DOI: 10.1093/forestry/65.4.363-a
  • Gill, R.M.A. and Beardall, V. 2001: The impact of deer on woodlands: the effects of browsing and seed dispersal on vegetation structure and composition. Forestry, 74: 209-218. DOI: 10.1093/forestry/74.3.209
  • Hammer, R. 2001: The effect of plant competition and simulated summer browsing by deer on tree regeneration. Journal of Applied Ecology, 38: 1094-1103. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2664.2001.00664.x
  • Hjältén, J. 1999: Willow response onto pruning: the effect of plant growth, survival and susceptibility to leaf gallers. Ecoscience, 6: 62-67. DOI: 10.1080/11956860.1999.11952198
  • Hjältén, J. and Price, P.V. 1996: The effect of pruning on willow growth and sawfly population densities. Oikos, 77: 549-555. DOI: 10.2307/3545944
  • Hobbs, N.T. 1996: Modifications of ecosystems by ungulates. Journal of Wildlife Management, 60(4): 695-713. DOI: 10.2307/3802368
  • Hoogester, J. and Karlsson, P.S. 1992: Effects of defoliation on radial stem growth and photosynthesis in the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa). Functional Ecology, 6: 317-323. DOI: 10.2307/2389523
  • Horsley, S.B.; Stout, S.L. and deCalesta, D.S. 2003: White-tailed deer impact on the vegetation dynamics of a northern hardwood forest. Journal of Applied Ecology, 13: 98-118. DOI: 10.1890/1051-0761(2003)013[0098:wtdiot]2.0.co;2
  • Jones, B.E.; Lile, D.F. and Tate, K.W. 2009: Effect of simulated browsing on aspen regeneration: implications for restoration. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 62: 557-563 DOI: 10.2111/.1/rem-d-09-00082.1
  • Kinnaird, J.W. 1974: Effect of site conditions on the regeneration of birch (Betula pendula Roth and B. pubescens Ehrh.). Journal of Ecology, 62: 467-472. DOI: 10.2307/2258992
  • Kullberg, Y. and Welander, N.T. 2003. Effects of simulated winter browsing and drought on growth of Quercus robur L. seedlings during establishment. Forest Ecology and Management, 173: 125-133. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1127(02)00017-8
  • Kumar, S.; Takeda, A. and Shibata, E. 2006: Effects of 13-year fencing on browsing by sika deer on seedlings on Mt. Ohdaigahara, central Japan. Journal of Forest Research, 11: 337-342. DOI: 10.1007/s10310-006-0216-9
  • Murányi J. 1988: Az erdőművelés és az eredményszámítás néhány kapcsolata. Erdészeti Lapok, 123(1): 3-8. full text
  • Náhlik A. 2012: Nagyvadgazdálkodásunk helyzete és gondjai napjainkban. In: Faragó S. és Fáczányi Ö. (szerk): Régi dicsőségünk – a Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Erdészeti Bizottságának és az Országos Magyar Vadászkamara Kulturális Bizottságának tudományos konferenciája a Vadászati Világkiállítás 40. évfordulóján. Országos Magyar Vadászkamara, Budapest. 59-74.
  • Náhlik A.; Tari T. és Sándor Gy. 2007: Az erdei vadkár keletkezésének okai és következményei. A vadgazdálkodás időszerű kérdései 7.: Vadkár. 12-40.
  • Náhlik, A. und Walter-Illés, W. 1998: Die Einwirkung des Wildverbisses auf die Mortalität und das Höhenwachstum der Pflanzen verschiedener Baumarten – ein simuliertes Experiment. Beiträge zur Jagd- und Wildforschung, Halle/Saale, Deutschland, 23: 95-105
  • Olofsson, J. and Strengbom, J. 2000: Responses of galling invertebrates on Salix lanata to reindeer herbivory. Oikos, 91: 493-498. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0706.2000.910310.x
  • Peinetti, H. R. and Menezes, R. S. C.. 2001. Changes induced by elk browsing in the aboveground biomass production and distribution of willow (Salix monticola Bebb.): Their relationships with plant water, carbon, and nitrogen dynamics. Oecologia, 127: 334-342. DOI: 10.1007/s004420000593
  • Pepin, D.; Renaud, P-C.; Boscardin, Y.; Goulard, M.; Mallet, C.; Anglard, F. and Ballon, P. 2006. Relative impact of browsing by red deer on mixed coniferous and broad-leaved seedlings – An enclosure-based experiment. Forest Ecology and Management, 222: 302-313. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2005.10.034
  • Pollanschütz, J. 1988: Ergebnisse aus Untersuchungen über die Auswirkungen simulierten Verbisses an Fichte. Zeitschrift des Tiroler Jagdverband, 40: 13-17.
  • Putman, R.J. 1996: Ungulates in temperate forest ecosystems: perspectives and recomendations for future research. Forest Ecology and Management, 88(1-2): 205-214. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1127(96)03878-9
  • Reimoser, F.; Odermatt, O.; Roth, R. und Suchant, R. 1997: Die Beurteilung von Wildverbiß durch SOLLIST- Vergleich. Allgemeine Forst- und Jagdzeitung, 168(11-12): 214-227.
  • Reimoser, F; Armstrong, A. and Suchant, R. 1999. Measuring forest damage of ungulates: what should be considered. Forest Ecology and Management, 120: 47-58. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1127(98)00542-8
  • Sali E. (szerk.) 1975: Az egyes termőhelytípusokon alkalmazható célállományok és azok várható növekedése. Kézirat. Mezőgazdasági és Élelmezésügyi Minisztérium Erdőrendezési Főosztály, Budapest
  • Sopp L. 1974: Fatömegszámítási táblázatok – fatermési táblázatokkal. Mezőgazdasági Kiadó, Budapest
  • Van Hees, F.M.; Kuiters, L.A.T. and Slim, P.A. 1996: Growth and development of silver birch, pedunculate oak and beech as affected by deer browsing. Forest Ecology and Management, 88: 55-63. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1127(96)03809-1
  • Veperdi G. 2002: Faterméstan. Oktatási segédanyag, Sopron

    • Open Acces

    For non-commercial purposes, let others distribute and copy the article, and include in a collective work, as long as they cite the author(s) and the journal, and provided they do not alter or modify the article.

    Cite this article as:

    Náhlik, A., Dremmel, L., Sándor, Gy. & Tari, T. (2012): Long term effects of browsing of seedlings as examined in pole stage. Bulletin of Forestry Science, 2(1): 163-172. (in Hungarian)

    Volume 2, Issue 1
    Pages: 163-172

    First published:
    3 September 2012

    Related content

    2

    More articles
    by this authors

    1

    Related content in the Bulletin of Forestry Science*

    More articles by this authors in the Bulletin of Forestry Science

    * Automatically generated recommendations based on the occurrence of keywords given by authors in the titles and abstracts of other articles. For more detailed search please use the manual search.