Feral Horses’ Effects on Pine Trees and Grasses

Researchers found that pine trees flourished in areas feral horses roamed while some grasses struggled .
Share
Favorite
Close

No account yet? Register

ADVERTISEMENT

The results of a recent study by Argentine environmental researchers suggest that, at least in their South American study areas, pine trees thrive and multiply where feral horses roam. However, where more pine trees grow, fewer grasses survive.

"Selective grazing by feral herbivores makes grasslands less abundant and less competitive against more grazing-tolerant species like pine trees," said Ana de Villalobos, PhD, researcher for the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) at the Universidad Nacional de Sur, Argentina. Her study, which took place in the Ernesto Tornquist Provincial Park near Buenos Aires, revealed that field areas protected from wild horses had more grass, a larger variety of grass species, and fewer pine trees at the end of the experimental period as opposed to those occupied by feral equids.

While horse manure is often thought to contribute to soil fertility for grasslands, the horses’ consistent weight on the surface actually undoes any of these benefits, de Villalobos added. Trampled ground has compacted soil with reduced qualities, and fragile grass seedlings have difficulty pushing through to the surface.

"This could eventually lead to desertification with drastic consequences for horses and other animals," she said

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Share

Written by:

Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

Related Articles

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

Where do you primarily feed your horse?
287 votes · 287 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

Sign In

Don’t have an account? Register for a FREE account here.

Need to update your account?

You need to be logged in to fill out this form

Create a free account with TheHorse.com!