THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF LARGE HERBIVORES IN NATURE CONSERVATION AND EXTENSIVE LAND-USE IN EUROPE

The concept of ecosystem restoration is gaining momentum in western Eu rope. This is necessary because in most managed nature reserves one or more of the following processes, which are analogous to those that ha ve led to the dramatic loss of biological diversity in Europe, are sti ll operating: continuing nutrient output, continuing high level of dis turbance and fixing the system in some successional stage. This is par tly because most management activities have been derived from, or copy , former agricultural practices. The study of natural ecosystems has r evealed the key role large herbivores have in maintaining structural d iversity in the vegetation and so biological diversity. Because of thi s they have been used as tools in achieving a variety of conservation goals. Here, various effects large herbivores can have on plant specie s composition, structural diversity of the vegetation and fauna are br iefly reviewed. Attention is given to pasture-woodlands in southern Eu rope, which often have a relatively high biological diversity and shar e some key features with natural ecosystems: very low nutrient input, extensive prating with large herbivores and the presence of natural tr ee cover. In a number of European countries attempts are being made to restore normal functioning multi-(herbivore) species ecosystems. (C) 1995 The Linnean Society of London