Herbivory is a key process structuring vegetation in savannas, especially in Africa where
large mammal herbivore communities remain intact. Exclusion experiments consistently …

This book explores the geography, ecology, and antiquity of'open ecosystems', which
include grasslands, savannas, and shrublands. They occur in climates that can support …

The extirpation of native wildlife species and widespread establishment of livestock farming
has dramatically distorted large mammal herbivore communities across the globe …

Although the demography of woody plants in savannas has long been shown to be due to
many factors, there still is no consensus as to the relative importance of the top-down …

Plant functional traits provide a valuable tool to improve our understanding of ecological
processes at a range of scales. Previous handbooks on plant functional traits have …

Despite the importance of fire and herbivory in structuring savanna systems, few replicated
experiments have examined the interactive effects of herbivory and fire on plant dynamics. In …

Savanna vegetation is variable, and predicting how water, nutrients, and chronic
disturbances interact to determine vegetation structure in savannas represents a challenge …

Savannas are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic forces that are causing broad-scale
directional shifts in woody vegetation that homogenizes their structure. Yet, whether animal …

Elephants occupy a dietary niche distinct from that of smaller browsers by consuming fibrous
bark and root tissues along with leaves. They have the capacity to directly induce plant …

Elephant and fire are considered to be among the most important agents that can modify the
African savanna ecosystem. Although the synergistic relationship between these two key …