IF 1.6 4区 环境科学与生态学 Q3 ECOLOGY
Austral Ecology Pub Date : 2024-12-17 DOI:10.1111/aec.70018
James D. Vincent, Helenna Mihailou, Melanie Massaro
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引用次数: 0

摘要

自十九世纪末以来,澳大利亚北部稀树草原的放牧压力发生了根本性转变,从本地大型食草动物转变为引进的有蹄类动物。与大型食草动物相比,有蹄类动物蹄子坚硬、体型较大,并采取大块进食的策略,因此对多年生草地覆盖率的影响更大。然而,多年生牧草对有蹄类动物放牧的反应可能因降雨量、土壤肥力、火灾以及有蹄类动物的密度和取食行为而异。放牧、干旱和火灾之间的相互作用尤其引人关注,因为据预测,气候变化将增加澳大利亚北部的降雨量变化和火灾频率。在这项研究中,我们通过为期 5 年的围栏隔离实验,在水潭周围的两个植被区测试了放牧与干旱以及火灾与放牧之间的相互作用。尽管研究期间有两年出现了干旱,但没有发现放牧与干旱之间的相互作用。这很可能是由于研究期间的有蹄类动物密度相对较低(每平方公里约 1 只)。相反,在研究地点引入火灾后,围栏地点的多年生草覆盖率明显高于未围栏地点。由于研究设计的原因,无法直接推断变化的原因。不过,如果进一步考虑潜在的驱动因素(降雨、土壤特性、火灾和有蹄类动物密度的变化),放牧和火灾之间的相互作用是最可能的原因。湿地植被对围栏的反应强于周围的热带稀树草原,这一结果很可能是由于这两个植被带之间麋鹿取食行为的差异造成的。我们的研究结果非常重要,因为火灾和有蹄类动物放牧在澳大利亚的热带稀树草原中都很普遍,而且多年生草地覆盖率的降低与猫科动物对迅速减少的小型本地哺乳动物种群的捕食增加有关。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
Post-fire grazing by feral ungulates significantly reduces perennial grass cover in north Australian mesic savannas

Since the late 1800s, north Australian savannas have experienced a fundamental shift in grazing pressure, moving from an assemblage of native macropods to introduced ungulates. In contrast to macropods, ungulates have hard hooves, are greater in size and exhibit bulk feeding strategies, resulting in a greater impact on perennial grass cover. However, the response of perennial grasses to ungulate grazing may vary depending on rainfall, soil fertility and fire, as well as ungulate density and feeding behaviour. Interactions between grazing, drought and fire are of particular interest, as climate change is predicted to increase rainfall variability and fire frequency across northern Australia. In this study, we tested for interactions between grazing and drought, as well as fire and grazing, on two vegetation zones surrounding waterholes, through a 5 years fencing exclusion experiment. Despite drought conditions occurring over 2 years of the study, no interaction between grazing and drought was detected. This is most likely due to the relatively low ungulate density present during the study (~1 ungulate/km2). In contrast, after fire was introduced to the study sites, significantly more perennial grass cover was recorded at fenced sites relative to unfenced sites. Due to the study design the cause of change cannot be directly inferred. However, when the potential drivers are considered further (rainfall, soil properties, fire and changes in ungulate density), an interaction between grazing and fire is the most probable cause. Wetland vegetation showed a stronger response to fencing than the surrounding savanna, with this result most likely due to differences in ungulate feeding behaviour between the two vegetation zones. Our findings are important, as fire and ungulate grazing are both widespread across Australia's savannas and reduced perennial grass cover has been linked to increased cat predation on rapidly declining small, native mammal populations.

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来源期刊
Austral Ecology
Austral Ecology 环境科学-生态学
CiteScore
2.90
自引率
6.70%
发文量
117
审稿时长
12-24 weeks
期刊介绍: Austral Ecology is the premier journal for basic and applied ecology in the Southern Hemisphere. As the official Journal of The Ecological Society of Australia (ESA), Austral Ecology addresses the commonality between ecosystems in Australia and many parts of southern Africa, South America, New Zealand and Oceania. For example many species in the unique biotas of these regions share common Gondwana ancestors. ESA''s aim is to publish innovative research to encourage the sharing of information and experiences that enrich the understanding of the ecology of the Southern Hemisphere. Austral Ecology involves an editorial board with representatives from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina. These representatives provide expert opinions, access to qualified reviewers and act as a focus for attracting a wide range of contributions from countries across the region. Austral Ecology publishes original papers describing experimental, observational or theoretical studies on terrestrial, marine or freshwater systems, which are considered without taxonomic bias. Special thematic issues are published regularly, including symposia on the ecology of estuaries and soft sediment habitats, freshwater systems and coral reef fish.
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