Short-term influence of moose upon woody plants of an early seral wintering site in Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec

Abstract

Two 0.1-ha moose (Alcesalcesamericana Cl.) exclosures and two unfenced control blocks were established in an 8-year postlogging site used for winter foraging by moose. During the 5-year experiment, moose visited the two unfenced blocks each winter removing between 22 and 58 kg (dry weight) per hectare of browse. The shrub layer comprised little other than mountain maple (Acerspicatum Lam.), beaked hazelnut (Coryluscornuta Marsh.), and balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.). Stem density remained relatively constant in the exclosures while increasing markedly in the unfenced blocks with hazel stems increasing from 37 to 56% of all stems. Seedlings or sprouts of mountain maple decreased slightly in the exclosures while increasing rapidly in the unfenced blocks. Plant heights and diameters at ground level increased significantly in the exclosures. Available forage from maple and hazel increased more rapidly in the controls than in the ex-closures.We conclude that moose, even at relatively low wintering density, can exert a major role upon the physiognomy and the composition of seral shrub communities.