Large Herbivores Keep Invasive Plants at Bay--Heavy Herbivores like Elephants and Buffaloes Are Effective against Invasive Plants
Published:12 Oct.2023 Source:Aarhus University
Large herbivores can protect local nature by eating and trampling on biodiversity-threatening invasive plant species. This is the conclusion of a new study from Aarhus University and the Wildlife Institute of India. The study shows great potential for using large herbivores as a natural weapon to prevent invasive plants from out-competing native species. The study is based on what the researchers call mega-herbivores, i.e. animals weighing more than one tonne. In India, these are elephants, rhinos, wild water buffalo and Indian bison (the largest and heaviest bovine in the world).
The study demonstrates a positive correlation between the number of mega-herbivores and the balance between native and invasive plant species: Where there are many mega-herbivores, there are also many native plants and fewer invasive plants. Because their large size means that they have to eat a lot. And they are used to eating many different plant species, even species with less nutritional value, because they simple cannot afford to be picky. Therefore, they are more likely to include unfamiliar plants in their diet.
And so we return to how we can apply the study in countries without elephants, rhinos, etc. You don't need mega-herbivores to keep invasive plant species at bay--slightly less large and medium-sized species can have similar effects. You can easily use a mixture of large, medium and small herbivores. Deer, buffalo, cattle and horses work well together in rewilding projects, and together they can also target different invasive plant species. This also makes efforts more flexible and resilient.