Savanna tree density, herbivores, and the herbaceous community: bottom-up vs. top-down effects

Ecology
Corinna Riginos, James B Grace

Abstract

Herbivores choose their habitats both to maximize forage intake and to minimize their risk of predation. For African savanna herbivores, the available habitats range in woody cover from open areas with few trees to dense, almost-closed woodlands. This variation in woody cover or density can have a number of consequences for herbaceous species composition, cover, and productivity, as well as for ease of predator detection and avoidance. Here, we consider two alternative possibilities: first, that tree density affects the herbaceous vegetation, with concomitant "bottom-up" effects on herbivore habitat preferences; or, second, that tree density affects predator visibility, mediating "top-down" effects of predators on herbivore habitat preferences. We sampled sites spanning a 10-fold range of tree densities in an Acacia drepanolobium-dominated savanna in Laikipia, Kenya, for variation in (1) herbaceous cover, composition, and species richness; (2) wild and domestic herbivore use; and (3) degree of visibility obstruction by the tree layer. We then used structural equation modeling to consider the potential influences that tree density may have on herbivores and herbaceous community properties. Tree density was associated with substa...Continue Reading

References

Sep 19, 2003·Nature·A R E SinclairJustin S Brashares
Dec 13, 2005·Nature·Mahesh SankaranNick Zambatis
Jul 1, 1998·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·H Olff, M E Ritchie

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 28, 2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Elisabeth S BakkerJens-Christian Svenning
Nov 6, 2010·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Izak P J SmitJames Jacobson
Jul 6, 2014·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Duncan M KimuyuTruman P Young
Sep 22, 2009·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·J Grant C HopcraftA R E Sinclair
Dec 3, 2008·Ecology Letters·Robert M Pringle, Kena Fox-Dobbs
Nov 8, 2013·Ecology and Evolution·Marit L WilkersonTruman P Young
Jun 19, 2012·Molecular Ecology·E D LorenzenH R Siegismund
Jan 27, 2011·Ecology Letters·Andrew S Hoey, David R Bellwood
Sep 19, 2014·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Gareth P HempsonKaren J Vickers
Jun 20, 2014·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Corinna Riginos
Sep 4, 2015·Nature·T W CrowtherM A Bradford
Oct 13, 2010·Current Biology : CB·T Michael Anderson
Aug 17, 2016·Scientific Data·Henry B GlickThomas W Crowther
Feb 25, 2017·F1000Research·Deron E Burkepile, John D Parker
Mar 18, 2016·PloS One·Yarlagadda Chaitanya KrishnaKavita Isvaran
Dec 10, 2016·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Duncan M KimuyuTruman P Young
Jul 28, 2019·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Kari E Veblen, Lauren M Porensky
Feb 15, 2018·Science Advances·Lee HartenYossi Yovel
Feb 20, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Laura E RichardsonAndrew S Hoey
Aug 8, 2020·Molecular Ecology·Christopher C M BakerCorina E Tarnita
Aug 12, 2016·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·David J EldridgeSantiago Soliveres
Apr 10, 2019·Ecology and Evolution·Martijn J A WeteringsSipke E van Wieren
Jul 28, 2019·Ecology and Evolution·Frances Siebert, Niels Dreber
Aug 26, 2020·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Elizabeth le RouxJoris P G M Cromsigt
Feb 28, 2017·Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics·Fernando T MaestreMiguel Berdugo
Jan 30, 2018·Ecology and Evolution·Judith Sitters, Harry Olde Venterink
Mar 7, 2017·Ecology and Evolution·Cody L EnderJ Hall Cushman
May 13, 2018·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Jacob R GoheenTruman P Young
Mar 27, 2020·Ecology and Evolution·Anna Lena BurgerPaul W Dierkes
Jun 1, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Shihong JiaMatthew Scott Luskin
Jun 27, 2019·Ecology and Evolution·Luís Comissário MandlateFlávio H G Rodrigues

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.