Domestic cattle have been changing California's Santa Lucia coastal range for over 200 years. By keeping areas in the native oak and scrub vegetation open through grazing, they have allowed non native grasses--mostly introduced through their summer supplemental feeding--to flourish. In addition, the trails created while grazing have, over time, sculpted a distinct terracing effect that influences the manner in which rain drains from and erodes the land. As species vanish from the system, to be replaced by others, one might well expect future adaptive radiation as the newbies exploit the new niches.
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keywords (defined):
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keywords (additional): |
cattle, grazing, invasive species, habitat degradation |
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