Does the development of bramble (Rubus fruticosus L. agg.) facilitate the growth and establishment of tree seedlings in woodlands by reducing deer browsing damage?

Bramble is a prickly shrub that may facilitate the establishment of tree seedlings at sites where grazing animals are present, but its role in forest regeneration is less clear. This study took place in a beech woodland over the 5-year period immediately after a heavy thinning to leave a basal area of 6.5 m(2) ha(-1). Development of the ground flora and the growth and browsing of birch and willow seedlings were observed annually at the end of the summer. The ground flora became dominated by a dense thicket of bramble c. 60 cm tall. The tree species differed in their susceptibility to browsing with a greater percentage of willow being browsed than birch. Similarly, willow seedling mortality was greater. Over the 5-year period, the average height of birch reached c. 2 m compared with c. 0.6 m for willow. For both species, there were significant positive relationships between seedling height and diameter and bramble cover and heights indicating that bramble facilitates the establishment of both willow and birch. Bramble reduced the incidence of browsing, an effect which appeared to be due to its relationship with seedling size. The potential role of bramble in the facilitation of naturally regenerating tree seedlings within woodlands is discussed.