Exclusion of introduced deer increases size and seed production success in an island-endemic plant species.

ABSTRACT: The presence of extra-local invaders, such as the southern California mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) on Santa Catalina Island, may contribute to more selective and insidious effects within the unique ecosystems that have evolved in their absence. Studies at the species level may detect effects not noticed in broader, community level vegetation monitoring or help tease apart differences in the level of effect among the various ecological components of an invaded system. In this initial study, we measured the impacts of herbivory by mule deer, a species native to analogous habitats on the adjacent mainland, on size and seed production success for Crocanthemum greenei (island rush-rose), a federally listed sub-shrub that is not present on mainland California. We found deer exclusion resulted

SUBMITTER: Dvorak TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4729259 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature