Functional traits—not nativeness—shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities

Erick J. Lundgren; Juraj Bergman; Jonas Trepel; Elizabeth le Roux; Sophie Monsarrat; Jeppe Aagaard Kristensen; Rasmus Østergaard Pedersen; Patricio Pereyra; Melanie Tietje; Jens Christian Svenning

doi:10.1126/science.adh2616

Functional traits—not nativeness—shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities

Erick J. Lundgren^*, Juraj Bergman, Jonas Trepel, Elizabeth le Roux, Sophie Monsarrat, Jeppe Aagaard Kristensen, Rasmus Østergaard Pedersen, Patricio Pereyra, Melanie Tietje, Jens Christian Svenning

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Large mammalian herbivores (megafauna) have experienced extinctions and declines since prehistory. Introduced megafauna have partly counteracted these losses yet are thought to have unusually negative effects on plants compared with native megafauna. Using a meta-analysis of 3995 plot-scale plant abundance and diversity responses from 221 studies, we found no evidence that megafauna impacts were shaped by nativeness, “invasiveness,” “feralness,” coevolutionary history, or functional and phylogenetic novelty. Nor was there evidence that introduced megafauna facilitate introduced plants more than native megafauna. Instead, we found strong evidence that functional traits shaped megafauna impacts, with larger-bodied and bulk-feeding megafauna promoting plant diversity. Our work suggests that trait-based ecology provides better insight into interactions between megafauna and plants than do concepts of nativeness.

Original language	English
Journal	Science
Volume	383
Issue	6682
Pages (from-to)	531-537
Number of pages	7
ISSN	0036-8075
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh2616
Publication status	Published - 20 Feb 2024

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title = "Functional traits—not nativeness—shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities",

abstract = "Large mammalian herbivores (megafauna) have experienced extinctions and declines since prehistory. Introduced megafauna have partly counteracted these losses yet are thought to have unusually negative effects on plants compared with native megafauna. Using a meta-analysis of 3995 plot-scale plant abundance and diversity responses from 221 studies, we found no evidence that megafauna impacts were shaped by nativeness, “invasiveness,” “feralness,” coevolutionary history, or functional and phylogenetic novelty. Nor was there evidence that introduced megafauna facilitate introduced plants more than native megafauna. Instead, we found strong evidence that functional traits shaped megafauna impacts, with larger-bodied and bulk-feeding megafauna promoting plant diversity. Our work suggests that trait-based ecology provides better insight into interactions between megafauna and plants than do concepts of nativeness.",

author = "Lundgren, {Erick J.} and Juraj Bergman and Jonas Trepel and Roux, {Elizabeth le} and Sophie Monsarrat and Kristensen, {Jeppe Aagaard} and Pedersen, {Rasmus {\O}stergaard} and Patricio Pereyra and Melanie Tietje and Svenning, {Jens Christian}",

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Functional traits—not nativeness—shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities. / Lundgren, Erick J.; Bergman, Juraj ; Trepel, Jonas et al.
In: Science, Vol. 383, No. 6682, 20.02.2024, p. 531-537.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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AU - Lundgren, Erick J.

AU - Bergman, Juraj

AU - Trepel, Jonas

AU - Roux, Elizabeth le

AU - Monsarrat, Sophie

AU - Kristensen, Jeppe Aagaard

AU - Pedersen, Rasmus Østergaard

AU - Pereyra, Patricio

AU - Tietje, Melanie

AU - Svenning, Jens Christian

PY - 2024/2/20

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N2 - Large mammalian herbivores (megafauna) have experienced extinctions and declines since prehistory. Introduced megafauna have partly counteracted these losses yet are thought to have unusually negative effects on plants compared with native megafauna. Using a meta-analysis of 3995 plot-scale plant abundance and diversity responses from 221 studies, we found no evidence that megafauna impacts were shaped by nativeness, “invasiveness,” “feralness,” coevolutionary history, or functional and phylogenetic novelty. Nor was there evidence that introduced megafauna facilitate introduced plants more than native megafauna. Instead, we found strong evidence that functional traits shaped megafauna impacts, with larger-bodied and bulk-feeding megafauna promoting plant diversity. Our work suggests that trait-based ecology provides better insight into interactions between megafauna and plants than do concepts of nativeness.

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Functional traits—not nativeness—shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities

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