The Past Impact of Livestock Husbandry on Dispersal of Plant Seeds in the Landscape of Denmark

Bibliographic Data

ID10888458
AuthorsHans Henrik Bruun (0000-0003-0674-2577, Stockholm University, corresponding author), Bo Fritzbøger (0000-0003-3557-7718, Stockholm University, corresponding author)
Year2002
Volume31
Issue5
Pages425
Publication date2002-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAMBIO (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0044-7447 • E-ISSN: 1654-7209
PublisherAmerican Bryological and Lichenological Society (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1639/0044-7447(2002)031[0425:tpiolh]2.0.co;2
OpenAlexW4248977524
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited23

The recent decline in species richness in (semi)-natural habitats in northern Europe has largely been attributable to habitat destruction, and to subsequent limitation in seed dispersal among fragments. However, some habitat types were probably split up already in the historical landscape, but the segregated parts were probably not isolated to the present degree. This paper seeks evidence for livestock as vectors for propagules at 3 spatial scales in the past cultural landscape. Three main scales at which livestock acted as seed dispersers are important: free movement in the landscape (1–10 km), driving animals to mast feeding or to manors (10–50 km), and the export of living animals (hundreds of km). The emerging picture is for most plant species a dramatically decreased chance of dispersal in the modern landscape. The consequence is probably decreasing species richness in (semi)-natural plant communities, such as pasture, meadow, and heathland.

Agriculture · Agroforestry · Animal husbandry · Archaeology · Biological dispersal · Biology · Geography · Habitat · Livestock · Natural (archaeology) · Population · Propagule · Seed dispersal · Species richness · Botany and Plant Ecology Studies · Ecology · Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies · Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies

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