THE IMPACT OF GRAZING ON PLANT FRACTAL ARCHITECTURE AND FITNESS OF A MEDITERRANEAN SHRUB ANTHYLLIS CYTISOIDES L

1. We examined natural grazing by Livestock (sheep and goats) on Albai da Anthyllis cytisoides L. with the aim of determining whether variati on in the allometric relationships between plant parts provides a sens itive indicator of the impact of grazing, 2. The intra-individual vari ation in translatory symmetry with scale and increased complexity of f ractal structures reflect environmental disturbance under heavy grazin g pressure and lack of grazing. 3. Fitness consequences of grazing wer e also investigated. Grazing promotes growth and adult survival, and a drop in seed production as a consequence of consumption. In spite of that, total inclusive fitness (population rate of change) tends to inc rease with grazing. 4. Moderate grazing, while promoting growth, also enhances stability of vegetative structures. The favourable effect of moderate levels of herbivory on A. cytisoides is reflected in the home ostatic maintenance of its translatory symmetry and in the increased c omplexity of its fractal structures.