Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure
In Alaskan alpine tundra, grizzly bears excavate deep holes in search of ground squirrels, but few studies have tested the importance of grizzlies, or other large mammals, in maintaining plant community structure. We examined 43 bear digs, asking how they affect plant species richness and diversity,...
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ftcdlib:qt6772g822 2023-05-15T14:14:37+02:00 Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure Doak, D F Loso, Michael G 421 - 428 2003-11-01 application/pdf http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6772g822 english eng eScholarship, University of California qt6772g822 http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6772g822 public Doak, D F; & Loso, Michael G. (2003). Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure. Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research, 35(4), 421 - 428. UC Santa Cruz: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6772g822 bioturbation alpine ecology Alaska grizzly bears community ecology plant diversity article 2003 ftcdlib 2016-04-02T18:29:13Z In Alaskan alpine tundra, grizzly bears excavate deep holes in search of ground squirrels, but few studies have tested the importance of grizzlies, or other large mammals, in maintaining plant community structure. We examined 43 bear digs, asking how they affect plant species richness and diversity, recolonization patterns, and plants with different clonal growth strategies. Bears remove most vegetation from digs, and recovering digs had lower species richness than adjacent mature tundra. Mature tundra alone, however, had significantly fewer species than mature tundra and bear digs combined, suggesting that bear digs contribute to the overall richness of tundra communities. Digs develop the highest plant richness and diversity at intermediate ages, but even in new digs the overall species composition is similar to adjacent tundra. Plants of different clonal growth forms reacted differently to bear digs. The two species significantly more common in digs than elsewhere have a nonspreading (phalanx) clonal habit, whereas five of six plant species significantly more common in mature tundra are capable of rapid, diffuse (guerrilla) clonal growth. Overall, bear digs cause less pronounced effects on community composition than mammalian diggings in some other systems, possibly because subarctic alpine tundra is already characterized by high levels of abiotic disturbance. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarctic and Alpine Research Arctic Subarctic Tundra Alaska University of California: eScholarship |
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Open Polar |
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University of California: eScholarship |
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language |
English |
topic |
bioturbation alpine ecology Alaska grizzly bears community ecology plant diversity |
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bioturbation alpine ecology Alaska grizzly bears community ecology plant diversity Doak, D F Loso, Michael G Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
topic_facet |
bioturbation alpine ecology Alaska grizzly bears community ecology plant diversity |
description |
In Alaskan alpine tundra, grizzly bears excavate deep holes in search of ground squirrels, but few studies have tested the importance of grizzlies, or other large mammals, in maintaining plant community structure. We examined 43 bear digs, asking how they affect plant species richness and diversity, recolonization patterns, and plants with different clonal growth strategies. Bears remove most vegetation from digs, and recovering digs had lower species richness than adjacent mature tundra. Mature tundra alone, however, had significantly fewer species than mature tundra and bear digs combined, suggesting that bear digs contribute to the overall richness of tundra communities. Digs develop the highest plant richness and diversity at intermediate ages, but even in new digs the overall species composition is similar to adjacent tundra. Plants of different clonal growth forms reacted differently to bear digs. The two species significantly more common in digs than elsewhere have a nonspreading (phalanx) clonal habit, whereas five of six plant species significantly more common in mature tundra are capable of rapid, diffuse (guerrilla) clonal growth. Overall, bear digs cause less pronounced effects on community composition than mammalian diggings in some other systems, possibly because subarctic alpine tundra is already characterized by high levels of abiotic disturbance. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Doak, D F Loso, Michael G |
author_facet |
Doak, D F Loso, Michael G |
author_sort |
Doak, D F |
title |
Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
title_short |
Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
title_full |
Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
title_fullStr |
Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
title_sort |
effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6772g822 |
op_coverage |
421 - 428 |
genre |
Antarctic and Alpine Research Arctic Subarctic Tundra Alaska |
genre_facet |
Antarctic and Alpine Research Arctic Subarctic Tundra Alaska |
op_source |
Doak, D F; & Loso, Michael G. (2003). Effects of grizzly bear digging on alpine plant community structure. Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research, 35(4), 421 - 428. UC Santa Cruz: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6772g822 |
op_relation |
qt6772g822 http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6772g822 |
op_rights |
public |
_version_ |
1766286982680412160 |