Herbivores and the Dynamics of Communities and Ecosystems
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, And Systematics
Volume
22
Publisher
Annual Reviews
Publication Date
11-1991
First Page
477
Last Page
503
Abstract
Herbivores are taxonomically and ecologically diverse, ranging in size from microscopic zooplankton to the largest of land vertebrates. Aquatic grazers include zooplankton (28, 182), larger invertebrates such as snails, insects, and crayfish, and vertebrates such as waterfowl, tadpoles, fish, muskrats, and moose (11, 27, 73, 115, 162, 163). Insects and mammals are the most conspicuous terrestrial herbivores (2, 49-49, 125), but nematodes (20), crustaceans (152), molluscs (78), birds, and reptiles (69) can also be significant. Marine ecosystems are grazed primarily by crustaceans (57, 79, 112, 143), molluscs (15, 126), fish (83, 84, 92), echinoderms (24, 25, 65), and a few insects (170), reptiles and mammals (123, 185).
Recommended Citation
Huntly N. 1991. Herbivores and the dynamics of communities and ecosystems. Annual Review of Ecology & Systematics 22:477-503.