Thorns as induced defenses: experimental evidence
We report evidence from controlled experiments that long straight thorns deter herbivory by browsers. Cut branches of three woody species that had their thorns removed suffered significantly greater herbivory by a tethered goat than did paired intact branches. Branches on living Acacia seyal plants that had their thorns removed suffered significantly greater herbivory by a […]
Sex differences in giraffe feeding ecology: Energetic and social constraints
Sex ratios of giraffe groups differ in different habitats, with open vegetation having female‐biased groups, and tall, thick vegetation having male‐biased groups. On a ranch in south‐central Kenya, we quantified habitat differences of male and female giraffe groups and showed that the preference for open habitats by female groups was limited to groups with young. […]