Study: Deer browsing in protected areas is responsible for loss of tree species

Not in all cases where nature and biodiversity conservation is intended, species protection is the outcome. The potential contribution of forest conservation areas to avoid species losses is very low, or even negative, as long as wildlife ruminants overgraze the protected areas. This is a result of a recent study of German and Romanian researchers including iDiv scientist Prof. Nico Eisenhauer. They investigated the diversity status of tree regeneration on about 7,000 plots in deciduous forests in Thuringia and Romania. The results have just been published in the journal “Annals of Forest Research”. (Photo: Thost / pixelio.de) To the study on afrjournal.org