Abstract
This research aims to improve our understanding of factors affecting browsing patterns of large herbivores. The large importance of these species on the structure and function of ecosystems makes them particularly important to study from en ecological, evolutionary and economical perspective. For example, their browsing affects primary production, nutrient cycling and plant community composition and structure, all with direct impacts on basic ecosystem services and biodiversity. Currently, the large herbivore fauna in Sweden is recovering and up to four species of large herbivores are now found in some areas. Yet, we know relatively little of the interactions and feeding patterns of these mixed populations and the effects on the ecosystems they (re)-occupy. Yet, such information is critically needed to manage these populations appropriately. We have just developed a diagnostic, single tube PCR reaction that allows us to unambiguously identify the browsing species by extracting DNA from the saliva left at old browsing bites. This gives us a unique opportunity to pursue important questions that have been all but impossible to address previously. The results from this research promises to dramatically improve our understanding of factors affecting browsing and its downstream effects on population dynamics, species interactions (animal-to-animal and animal-to-plant), biodiversity and ecosystem processes; subject areas of considerable scientific and economical interest.
Sweden