Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna
Abstract Irruptions in plant and animal populations are not uncommon, but the factors underlying irruptions are rarely explored quantitatively. In addition, it has been suggested that these irruptions may be reduced by predators or herbivores, but there is a paucity of controlled experimental eviden...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70239 |
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| _version_ | 1850139897668567040 |
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| author | Harry B. M. Wells Duncan M. Kimuyu Kari E. Veblen Truman P. Young |
| author_facet | Harry B. M. Wells Duncan M. Kimuyu Kari E. Veblen Truman P. Young |
| author_sort | Harry B. M. Wells |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Irruptions in plant and animal populations are not uncommon, but the factors underlying irruptions are rarely explored quantitatively. In addition, it has been suggested that these irruptions may be reduced by predators or herbivores, but there is a paucity of controlled experimental evidence. Using data from the Kenya Long‐term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE), we show that populations of perennial Hibiscus spp. (primarily Hibiscus flavifolius) show multiple short‐term irruptions a year after rainy periods, increasing in abundance in some cases by more than an order of magnitude before declining in ensuing months and years. We demonstrate that these irruptions are largely limited to experimental plots from which large mammalian herbivores have been excluded, particularly megaherbivores (elephants, mostly). This represents a rare controlled, replicated experimental demonstration of top‐down regulation of irruptions. African elephants and giraffes are often at greater risk of local extirpation than other large mammals, and their absence appears to destabilize this African savanna ecosystem. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-48e4774dbbc84b5eb1c50345a5305e5d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-48e4774dbbc84b5eb1c50345a5305e5d2025-08-20T02:30:04ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252025-05-01165n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.70239Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savannaHarry B. M. Wells0Duncan M. Kimuyu1Kari E. Veblen2Truman P. Young3Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey USADepartment of Natural Resources Karatina University Karatina KenyaDepartment of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USAMpala Research Centre Nanyuki KenyaAbstract Irruptions in plant and animal populations are not uncommon, but the factors underlying irruptions are rarely explored quantitatively. In addition, it has been suggested that these irruptions may be reduced by predators or herbivores, but there is a paucity of controlled experimental evidence. Using data from the Kenya Long‐term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE), we show that populations of perennial Hibiscus spp. (primarily Hibiscus flavifolius) show multiple short‐term irruptions a year after rainy periods, increasing in abundance in some cases by more than an order of magnitude before declining in ensuing months and years. We demonstrate that these irruptions are largely limited to experimental plots from which large mammalian herbivores have been excluded, particularly megaherbivores (elephants, mostly). This represents a rare controlled, replicated experimental demonstration of top‐down regulation of irruptions. African elephants and giraffes are often at greater risk of local extirpation than other large mammals, and their absence appears to destabilize this African savanna ecosystem.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70239elephantsgiraffesHibiscusKenyaKLEELaikipia |
| spellingShingle | Harry B. M. Wells Duncan M. Kimuyu Kari E. Veblen Truman P. Young Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna Ecosphere elephants giraffes Hibiscus Kenya KLEE Laikipia |
| title | Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna |
| title_full | Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna |
| title_fullStr | Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna |
| title_full_unstemmed | Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna |
| title_short | Megaherbivores suppress precipitation‐driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna |
| title_sort | megaherbivores suppress precipitation driven plant irruptions in a tropical savanna |
| topic | elephants giraffes Hibiscus Kenya KLEE Laikipia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70239 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT harrybmwells megaherbivoressuppressprecipitationdrivenplantirruptionsinatropicalsavanna AT duncanmkimuyu megaherbivoressuppressprecipitationdrivenplantirruptionsinatropicalsavanna AT karieveblen megaherbivoressuppressprecipitationdrivenplantirruptionsinatropicalsavanna AT trumanpyoung megaherbivoressuppressprecipitationdrivenplantirruptionsinatropicalsavanna |