Responses of heather moorland and Mediterranean mouflon foraging to prescribed-burning and cutting

Published source details Cazau M., Garel M. & Maillard D. (2011) Responses of heather moorland and Mediterranean mouflon foraging to prescribed-burning and cutting. Journal of Wildlife Management, 75, 967-972.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Remove vegetation by hand/machine Action Link
	Use prescribed burning Action Link

Remove vegetation by hand/machine

A controlled study in 2004–2008 of heather moorland at a site in southern France (Cazau et al. 2011) found that cutting heather (Calluna vulgaris and Erica tetralix) resulted in greater use of it by mouflon Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp. Average density of feeding mouflon was higher on cut plots (27/ha) than on uncut plots (5/ha). Prior to the study, each 360 × 80-m plot had not been modified for >40 years. Two plots were cut in spring 2004, to an average height of 5 cm, and two were left uncut. Mouflon use of plots was determined by counting feeding animals in each plot, at 20 minute intervals, for two hours up to sunset. In total, 668 such counts were made in 2004–2008.

(Summarised by: Nick Littlewood)
Use prescribed burning

A controlled study in 2004–2008 of heather moorland at a site in southern France (Cazau et al. 2011) found that burning heather (Calluna vulgaris and Erica tetralix) resulted in greater use of the moorland by mouflon Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp. The average density of feeding mouflon (modelled to account for temperature-driven variations) was higher on burned plots (36/ha) than on unburned plots (5/ha). Before burning, each 360 × 80-m plot, had not been modified for >40 years. Two plots were burned in spring 2004 and two were left unburned. Mouflon use of plots was determined by counting feeding animals in each plot, at 20 minute intervals, for two hours up to sunset. In total, 668 such counts were made in 2004–2008.

(Summarised by: Nick Littlewood)