Junipers enable heavily browsed rowan saplings to escape ungulates in boreal forest

• Abundance of rowan saplings increased excessively in old growth boreal forest when excluding ungulates or when herbivore density decreased. • Rowan growth was clearly limited by ungulate browsing, and saplings were not able to escape the “browse trap” by growing beyond ca. half a meter. • Rowan sa...
Ausführliche Beschreibung

• Abundance of rowan saplings increased excessively in old growth boreal forest when excluding ungulates or when herbivore density decreased. • Rowan growth was clearly limited by ungulate browsing, and saplings were not able to escape the “browse trap” by growing beyond ca. half a meter. • Rowan saplings established in juniper nurse plants were protected against browsing and showed reduced mortality and increased growth. • Our study showed that nurse plants enabled saplings to escape from feeding ungulates in boreal forest. Ausführliche Beschreibung