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Grazing animals enjoy an ambiguous reputation in the field of nature conservation. Livestock are often treated as a scourge, yet native large herbivores form the prime attraction of many a reserve. This book gives the first comprehensive overview of the use of grazing as a tool in conservation management. Considering in turn the ecological and historical background, the impact of grazing on community structure, management applications and future prospects, this book examines issues such as the role of herbivores as keystone species, the assessment of habitat quality and the function of scientific models in advancing grazing management. Large herbivores are shown to be potentially powerful allies in the management of nature reserves, particularly in the maintenance, enhancement or restoration of biodiversity.
Grazing and Conservation Management will appeal to conservation biologists and rangeland managers, providing them with a clearer understanding of grazing and conservation management.
List of contents
1 Large herbivores as key factors for nature conservation.- One Historical and Ecological Background.- 2 Grazing for conservation management in historical perspective.- 3 Origins and development of grassland communities in northwestern Europe.- 4 Effects of human interference on the landscape with special reference to the role of grazing livestock.- Two Impact of Grazing on Community Structure.- 5 The impact of grazing on plant communities.- 6 Effects of large herbivores upon the animal community.- Three Management Applications.- 7 Hydrological conditions and herbivory as key operators for ecosystem development in Dutch artificial wetlands.- 8 The practical use of grazing in nature reserves in The Netherlands.- Four Perspectives and Limitations.- 9 Habitat quality and the performance of large herbivores.- 10 The role of scientific models.- 11 Grazing for conservation in the twenty-first century.
