Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
ABSTRACT Aim Herbivory has pronounced effects on ecosystems, altering plant community composition and structure while shaping functional traits, highlighting the need for a comprehensive analysis of its impacts, alongside the effects of abiotic factors known to affect plant communities. This study aimed to assess whether red deer herbivory pressure (measured by population density and feeding time), tree cover, altitude, and northness influence plant communities and their functional traits and diversity. Location The study was conducted in the Lousã Mountain, central Portugal. Methods We evaluated the influence of herbivory and environmental variables on plant communities by analysing ten plant traits: specific leaf area, plant height, leaf length and width, leaf perimeter and roundness, fresh and dry leaf weight, chlorophyll fluorescence, and quantum yield. Results Contrary to our predictions, herbivory did not significantly affect plant functional diversity, although it influenced some plant traits. In contrast, tree cover, altitude, and north‐facing slopes strongly affected several traits, including plant height, leaf dimensions, SLA , and chlorophyll fluorescence. Conclusions These findings suggest that environmental factors predominantly shape plant trait patterns, potentially conferring resilience against intermediate levels of herbivory in Mediterranean mountain communities. This functional resistance highlights the importance of environmental filters in maintaining ecosystem stability and suggests that future changes in climate or land use may have stronger impacts on plant trait dynamics than moderate herbivore pressures.
Garcia et al. (Mon,) studied this question.