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This theme addresses the ecological processes associated with wild ungulates such as trophic interactions (herbivory, predation) and their cascading effects, zoochoria and physical engineering. These processes affect the spatial and temporal dynamics of flora and the functioning of ecosystems. Both selective consumers of plants and prey for predators, wild ungulates create heterogeneity (e.g. oriented flows of nutrients and diaspores, physical-chemical changes of the soil) within their home ranges and at the population level. Their impacts are all the more important because these species have significant movement capacities, consume a wide range of plants, and are extremely flexible, with rapid adaptation capacities to their environment. While the role of ungulates in the functioning of ecosystems is largely determined by their spatial and food behaviours, the latter are themselves greatly influenced by human activities, the structure and heterogeneity of the landscape, with cascading consequences on ecological processes and on the spatial distribution of associated services and disservices. This is why we are also interested in the ecology of the movement of these large herbivores, to better understand their roles and impacts on ecosystems. Moreover, in order to better predict the spatial and temporal distribution of impacts, it is also important to take into account the individual heterogeneity observed in these patterns within ungulate populations.

For more information:
•    Garrido, P., Mårell, A., Öckinger, E., Skarin, A., Jansson, A., Thulin, C.-G. 2019. Experimental rewilding enhances grassland functional composition and pollinator habitat use. Journal of Applied Ecology 56:946-955. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13338
•    Milotić, T., Baltzinger, C., Eichberg, C., Eycott, A.E., Heurich, M., Müller, J., Noriega, J.A., Menendez, R., Stadler, J., Ádám, R., Bargmann, T., Bilger, I., Buse, J., Calatayud, J., Ciubuc, .C., Boros, G., Jay‐Robert, P., Kruus, M., Merivee, E., Miessen, G., Must, A., Ardali, E., Preda, E., Rahimi, I., Rohwedder, D., Rose, R., Slade, E.M., Somay, L., Tahmasebi, P., Ziani, S., Hoffmann, M. 2019. Functionally richer communities improve ecosystem functioning: Dung removal and secondary seed dispersal by dung beetles in the Western Palaearctic. Journal of Biogeography 46:70-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13452
•    Baltzinger, C., Karimi, S., Shukla, U. 2019. Plants on the move: hitch-hiking with ungulates distributes diaspores across landscapes    Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7:38. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00038
•    Cocquelet, A., Mårell, A., Bonthoux, S., Baltzinger, C. & Archaux, F. 2019. Direct and indirect effects of ungulates on forest birds' nesting failure? An experimental test with artificial nests. Forest Ecology and Management 437:148-155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.01.025
•    Karimi, S., Hemami, M.R., Esfahani, M.T., Baltzinger, C. 2018. Complementary endozoochorous seed dispersal by large mammals in the Golestan National Park, Iran. Seed Science Research 8:294-302. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960258518000351
•    Karimi, S., Hemami, M.R., Esfahani, M.T., Baltzinger, C. 2018. The role of Brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the plant seed dispersal of Golestan National Park. Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology 7:29-42. http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-870-en.html
•    Liehrmann, O., Jégoux, F., Guilbert, M.A., Isselin-Nondedeu, F., Saïd, S., Locatelli, Y. & Baltzinger, C. 2018. Epizoochorous dispersal by ungulates depends on fur, grooming and social interactions. Ecology and Evolution 8(3): 1582-1594. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3768
•    Milotić, T., Baltzinger, C., Eichberg, C., Eycott, A. E, Heurich, M., Müller, J., et al.     2018. Dung beetle assemblages, dung removal and secondary seed dispersal: data from a large-scale, multi-site experiment in the Western Palaearctic. Frontiers of Biogeography 10 :e37829. https://doi.org/10.21425/F5101-237289
•    Pellerin, M., Picard, M., Saïd, S., Baubet, E. & Baltzinger, C. 2016. Complementary endozoochorous long- distance seed dispersal by three native herbivorous ungulates. Basic and Applied Ecology 17(4): 321-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2016.01.005
•    Picard, M., Chevalier, R., Barrier, R., Boscardin, Y. & Baltzinger, C. 2016. Functional traits of seeds dispersed through endozoochory by native forest ungulates. Journal of Vegetation Science 27(5): 987–998. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12418
•    Albert, A., Auffret, A., Cosyns, E., Cousins, S., D'hondt, B., Eichberg, C., Eycott, A., Heinken, T., Hoffmann, M., Jaroszewicz, B., Malo, J., Mårell, A., Mouissie, M., Pakeman, R., Picard, M., Plue, J., Poschlod, P., Provoost, S., Schulze, K.A., Baltzinger, C. (2015). Seed dispersal by ungulates as an ecological filter: a trait-based meta- analysis. Oikos 124(9) : 1109-1120. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.02512
•    Albert, A., Mårell, A., Picard, M., Baltzinger, C. (2015). Using basic plant traits to predict ungulate seed dispersal potential. Ecography 38:440-449. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.00709
•    Picard, M., Papaïx, J., Gosselin, F., Picot, D., Bideau, E., Baltzinger, C. (2015). Temporal dynamics of seed excretion by wild ungulates: implications for plant dispersal. Ecology and Evolution 5(13): 2621-2632. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1512