HIGHLIGHTS
- Gopher tortoise exclusion over a single growing season led to a 35%
increase in total plant cover, 45% increase in plant height, 15%
reduction in plant species richness, 6% reduction in plant evenness
and 12% reduction in plant diversity.
- We observed a significant shift in plant community composition
following gopher tortoise exclusion in an ecosystem with high
background habitat heterogeneity.
- Gopher tortoise herbivory may provide a chronic, intermediate
disturbance to the understory plant assemblages in a longleaf pine
forest and help maintain biodiversity.
Key Words : longleaf pine, gopher tortoise, herbivory, exclusion
plots, species diversity