In radure creatisi in seguito a schianti causati dalla tempesta Vivian nell'arco alpino svizzero è stata analizzata l'influenza della brucatura di ungulati sullo sviluppo della vegetazione e sulla rinnovazione. Lo studio è stato realizzato comparando le osservazioni sulla vegetazione rilevate in 50 aree recintate escluse dal pascolo di ungulati per un periodo di tre anni e in 50 aree di confronto.

We studied their impact on developing vegetation in windthrow clearings on the northern side of the Swiss Alps. Fifty pairs of exclosure and control plots were established seven years after the windthrow and the composition and percentage ot vegetation cover recorded. At that time, vegetation cover, including regeneration of woody species, did not differ on the two types of plots. Three years later, total cover had increased by about 40% in both types ot plots. Although ungulates are able to modify forest ecosystems and may significantly reduce vegetation on forest floors, in the windthrow areas the rapidly increasing plant biomass seemed to exceed their consumption needs and browsing capacity. The ungulates had access to more than ample food and could select the best. Therefore, our results provide no evi­dence that browsing ungulates threaten the natural regeneration of forest stands in windthrow gaps.