Browsing by moose (Alces alces) influences both the plant species present in the forest and the properties of the soil. Interactions between moose and the forest provide an example of how herbivores influence ecosystem properties over different trophic and spatial scales, and how complex feedback loops in these interactions can produce interesting effects. Soil processes affect moose by controlling the supply of browse and the rate at which plants recover from browsing. Herbivore's excrement carries organic matter and nutrients in to the soil and thereby affects microbial processes. Moose also alter the composition of the plant community through voracious and selective foraging. Early successional species like aspen grow quickly and are the forage of choice for moose. They are succeeded by conifers such as spruce and balsam fir, which grow slower and have lower nitrogen requirements. A shift in community structure caused by selective browsing may be a negative feedback exerted by moose and other herbivores on the nutrient cycle.
Citations and enhanced abstracts for journals articles and documents focused on rangeland ecology and management. RSIS is a collaboration between Montana State University, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming.