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Different effects of alpine woody plant expansion on domestic and wild ungulates.

Authors :
Espunyes, Johan
Serrano, Emmanuel
Gálvez‐Cerón, Arturo
Claramunt-López, Bernat
Lurgi, Miguel
Büntgen, Ulf
Bartolomé, Jordi
Calleja, Juan Antonio
Peñuelas, Josep
Source :
Global Change Biology; May2019, Vol. 25 Issue 5, p1808-1819, 12p, 1 Color Photograph, 1 Diagram, 2 Charts, 1 Graph
Publication Year :
2019

Abstract

Changes in land‐use and climate affect the distribution and diversity of plant and animal species at different spatiotemporal scales. The extent to which species‐specific phenotypic plasticity and biotic interactions mediate organismal adaptation to changing environments, however, remains poorly understood. Woody plant expansion is threatening the extent of alpine grasslands worldwide, and evaluating and predicting its effects on herbivores is of crucial importance. Here, we explore the impact of shrubification on the feeding efficiency of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica), as well as on the three most abundant coexisting domestic ungulate species: cattle, sheep and horses. We use observational diet composition from May to October and model different scenarios of vegetation availability where shrubland and woodland proliferate at the expense of grassland. We then predicted if the four ungulate species could efficiently utilize their food landscapes with their current dietary specificities measuring their niche breath in each scenario. We observed that the wild counterpart, due to a higher trophic plasticity, is less disturbed by shrubification compared to livestock, which rely primarily on herbaceous plants and will be affected 3.6 times more. Our results suggest that mixed feeders, such as chamois, could benefit from fallow landscapes, and that mountain farmers are at a growing economic risk worldwide due to changing land‐use practices and climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
13541013
Volume :
25
Issue :
5
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Global Change Biology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
135896220
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14587