Alternate Grassy Ecosystem States Are Determined by Palatability–Flammability Trade-Offs. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hempson, Gareth P.; Archibald, Sally; Donaldson, Jason E.; Lehmann, Caroline E.R.
• Is Part Of: Trends in ecology & evolution. Volume 34:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 286
• Page End: 290
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: grass -- grazers -- fire -- grazing lawn -- savanna -- forest; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution (Biology) -- Periodicals; 576.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.01.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0169-5347

Abstract

Abstract : Fire and mammalian grazers both consume grasses, and feedbacks between grass species, their functional traits, and consumers have profound effects on grassy ecosystem structure worldwide, such that savanna and grassland states determined by fire or grazing can be considered alternate states. These parallel savanna–forest alternate states, which likewise have myriad cascading ecosystem impacts.