A large herbivore triggers alternative successional trajectories in the boreal forest

A 15-year study on Anticosti Island, Quebec, reveals that deer herbivory can trigger alternative successional trajectories (AST) in boreal forests. The research found that while palatable species like paper birch and certain herbs recovered after logging, woody regeneration was dominated by white spruce, and grasses became abundant in the field layer. This suggests that even limited browsing during early succession may lead to distinct climax states, with late-successional broadleaf species and balsam fir remaining rare. The study compared exclosures built immediately after logging with those constructed eight years later, demonstrating lasting legacies of herbivory on plant composition.

Hidding, B., Tremblay, J.-P., & Côté, S. D. (2013). A large herbivore triggers alternative successional trajectories in the boreal forest. Ecology, 94(12), 2852–2860. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1890/12-2015.1