The effects of large herbivores on the landscape dynamics of a perennial herb

摘要: Background and Aims Models assessing the prospects of plant species at landscape level often focus primarily on relationship between dynamics structure. However, short-term with slow responses to changes depend factors affecting local population dynamics. In this study it is hypothesized that large herbivores may be a major factor slow-responding in European landscape, because have increased number region recent decades can strongly influence Methods The impact browsing by was simulated landscape-level dry grassland perennial polycarpic herb Scorzonera hispanica . A dynamic, spatially explicit model used incorporated information location patches suitable for S. , (matrices including herbivores), initial sizes dispersal rate species. Simulations were performed relating over next 30 years under different rates herbivory (browsing intensity) varying frequencies destruction (e.g. human activity). Key Results Although high detected most populations current approximately equilibrium. decline or increase 20 % promoted rapid expansion respectively. This effect much stronger presence destruction. Conclusions Browsing dramatic Changes density probability should into models predicting abundance distribution.