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Resprouting after coppicing is negatively influenced by browsing in Terminalia sericea

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Ecological Research

Abstract

Ungulate herbivory, interacting with human activities such as tree cutting, can change vegetation structure by reducing tree growth or even increasing tree mortality. There is limited information about how browsing that occurs subsequent to coppicing affects regrowth of resprouting trees, with available data focusing on mature trees and seedlings. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the effect of browsing on the coppice response of resprouting Terminalia sericea trees in a semi-arid savanna in South Africa. The coppice response of browsed trees was compared with that of unbrowsed trees for 12 months after excluding all browsing from study trees. Shoot production was initially higher for browsed coppiced trees, but this effect diminished with time. Resprout shoot diameter and shoot length remained higher throughout the study for unbrowsed coppiced trees. Leaf stomatal conductance and leaf expansion were initially higher for browsed coppiced trees, with no significant differences observed as the wet season progressed. Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus levels were higher in browsed coppiced trees. These tree responses suggest that exposing resprouting trees to browsing initially induces a quick response in terms of shoot production, in order to recover lost biomass, but this growth declines as the growing season progresses.

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Acknowledgments

Research was funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation and the Centre for Tree Health and Biotechnology, University of Pretoria. The field assistants, Julia Reiskind, Michelle Mack, Ricardo Holdo, Sally Archibald and Ed Witkowski are greatly appreciated for the help. We thank WRF management for allowing access to the study site.

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  1. H. Moyo

    Present address: School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, WITS, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2050, South Africa

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  1. School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, WITS, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2050, South Africa

    M. C. Scholes & W. Twine

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  1. H. Moyo
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Moyo, H., Scholes, M.C. & Twine, W. Resprouting after coppicing is negatively influenced by browsing in Terminalia sericea . Ecol Res 30, 899–907 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-015-1291-1

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