Afm. Vanhees et al., GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SILVER BIRCH, PEDUNCULATE OAK AND BEECH AS AFFECTED BY DEER BROWSING, Forest ecology and management, 88(1-2), 1996, pp. 55-63
Comparison of species abundance in fenced and non-fenced plots indicat
ed a lower browsing-induced mortality for beech than for pedunculate o
ak and silver birch. Comparison of saplings classified as browsed or u
nbrowsed, showed that browsing reduced sapling size and changed above-
ground biomass distribution (more branch biomass and less leaf biomass
). Generally, the effects of browsing did not differ between saplings
regenerated under a forest canopy and saplings regenerated in large ga
ps or in heathland and clearings. Differences in height and above-grou
nd biomass between browsed and unbrowsed saplings were large for beech
compared with silver birch and pedunculate oak. Differences in biomas
s distribution between browsed and unbrowsed saplings were small for p
edunculate oak compared with the other two species.