Summer browsing by large herbivores in short-rotation willow plantations

Bioenergy crops may represent high-quality patches for game in terms of food and cover. However, the value for deer species of such crops, and especially of willow short-rotation coppice, is virtually unknown. The aim of our study was to identify food abundance and consumption in willow plantations of different successional stages in southern Sweden. Tree height, number of browsed and unbrowsed twigs were recorded on 2600 trees in 15 willow plantations, Bite diameters and twig biomass distal to different diameters were also measured, The studied plantations produced between 36 and 1730 kg dry matter ha(-1) for large herbivores. Willow plantations 1 and 2 yr after harvest produced most browse. The food consumption varied between 6 and 124 kg dry matter ha(-1). Food availability and consumption depended on tree height. Absolute consumption increased with increasing food abundance, but the proportion of available food eaten decreased with increasing food abundance. 27% of the available food was utilised in new plantations, 16% in mature plantations and 6-7% in plantations one and two years after harvest. A willow plantation in the study area supported the equivalent of 3-8 moose days ha(-1), depending on the successional stage of the plantations. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.