Wild boar impact on forest regeneration in the northern Apennines (Italy)

摘要: Abstract The foraging activities of wild boar ( Sus scrofa L.) have been suggested to impact biodiversity and ecological processes in a wide array ecosystems. Data indicate that affects forest vegetation by feeding on above- belowground plant parts, as well soil disturbance causing mortality influencing seedling recruitment. In this paper, we investigated impacts regeneration within three different types mixed deciduous woodlands, respectively dominated chestnut Castanea sativa ), Turkey oak Quercus cerris ) beech Fagus sylvatica occurring the northern Apennines (Italy), mountain area where numbers increased rapidly recent decades. goal our study was present robust procedure targeted towards estimating fruits predation survival tree species. We evaluated comparing excluding plots with completely access free ones. Differently from majority other experiments, used replicated exclosure (by means an electro-welded iron grid) boars without all large ungulates such deer native small vertebrates. This method, tested camera trapping surveys, effective reducing time spent experimental comparison animals. Nevertheless, number fruit similar plots. Our demonstrated, however, feeds preferentially bigger fruits are visually more attractive higher energetic potentialities too. proportion seedlings survived at end period studied significantly compared those free. Moreover, dominant species were not equally influenced markedly affected respect oak. Finally, subordinate species, one plants, reduced activity woodlands studied. could lead richness under negative effects plants animals these