Thicket

Thickets are characterized by dense plant life, a low closed canopy, deep shale-derived soil, and high levels of soil carbon and nitrogen.{{Cite journal |last1=Cowling |first1=R. M. |last2=Potts |first2=A. J. |date=2015-11-01 |title=Climatic, edaphic and fire regime determinants of biome boundaries in the eastern Cape Floristic Region |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S025462991500229X |journal=South African Journal of Botany |series=Biome Boundaries in South Africa |volume=101 |pages=73–81 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.182 |issn=0254-6299|doi-access=free }} Plants present within a thicket generally reach a maximum of 4 to 6 meters in height.{{Cite journal |last1=Charles-Dominique |first1=T. |last2=Staver |first2=A. C. |last3=Midgley |first3=G. F. |last4=Bond |first4=W. J. |date=2015-11-01 |title=Functional differentiation of biomes in an African savanna/forest mosaic |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0254629915002768 |journal=South African Journal of Botany |series=Biome Boundaries in South Africa |volume=101 |pages=82–90 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2015.05.005 |issn=0254-6299|doi-access=free }} The boundaries between a thicket and its nearby forest are defined by a lack of precipitation and overall dry environment within the thicket area, while forests receive higher levels of precipitation. Forests also do not experience as much herbivory and browsing in comparison to thickets.

The thicket biome has been identified in Africa, Madagascar, Australia, North America,{{Cite journal |last1=Archer |first1=Steve |last2=Scifres |first2=Charles |last3=Bassham |first3=C. R. |last4=Maggio |first4=Robert |date=1988 |title=Autogenic Succession in a Subtropical Savanna: Conversion of Grassland to Thorn Woodland |url=https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2307/1942463 |journal=Ecological Monographs |language=en |volume=58 |issue=2 |pages=111–127 |doi=10.2307/1942463 |jstor=1942463 |hdl=1969.1/182277 |issn=0012-9615|hdl-access=free }} and South America. One of the most studied and well-recognized thickets is the Albany thicket biome, located in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Due to their overlapping ranges and similarity of plant species, thicket biomes may be misidentified as being portions of savannas. However, these areas can be differentiated through a thicket's lack of C4 grasses and relatively low fire exposure.

While thickets tend to have a small number of plant species present, as they are often dominated by one species of tree or shrub, the biome provides ecological resources to a large group of species. Thickets frequently make up sections of the home ranges of native species, including ptarmigan and hares in the tundra,{{Cite journal |last1=Ehrich |first1=Dorothée |last2=Henden |first2=John-André |last3=Ims |first3=Rolf Anker |last4=Doronina |first4=Lilyia O. |last5=Killengren |first5=Siw Turid |last6=Lecomte |first6=Nicolas |last7=Pokrovsky |first7=Ivan G. |last8=Skogstad |first8=Gunnhild |last9=Sokolov |first9=Alexander A. |last10=Sokolov |first10=Vasily A. |last11=Yoccoz |first11=Nigel Gilles |date=2012-01-01 |title=The importance of willow thickets for ptarmigan and hares in shrub tundra: the more the better? |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-011-2059-0 |journal=Oecologia |language=en |volume=168 |issue=1 |pages=141–151 |doi=10.1007/s00442-011-2059-0 |pmid=21833646 |issn=1432-1939|hdl=10037/3883 |hdl-access=free }} cheetahs{{Cite journal |last1=Bissett |first1=C. |last2=Bernard |first2=R. T. F. |date=2007 |title=Habitat selection and feeding ecology of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in thicket vegetation: is the cheetah a savanna specialist? |url=https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00217.x |journal=Journal of Zoology |language=en |volume=271 |issue=3 |pages=310–317 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00217.x |issn=0952-8369}} and lions{{Cite journal |last1=Davies |first1=Andrew B. |last2=Tambling |first2=Craig J. |last3=Kerley |first3=Graham I. H. |last4=Asner |first4=Gregory P. |date=2016-02-24 |title=Effects of Vegetation Structure on the Location of Lion Kill Sites in African Thicket |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=e0149098 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0149098 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=4766088 |pmid=26910832}} in Africa, and frogs and alligators in North America.{{Cite journal |last1=Archer |first1=Steve |last2=Scifres |first2=Charles |last3=Bassham |first3=C. R. |last4=Maggio |first4=Robert |date=1988 |title=Autogenic Succession in a Subtropical Savanna: Conversion of Grassland to Thorn Woodland |url=https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2307/1942463 |journal=Ecological Monographs |language=en |volume=58 |issue=2 |pages=111–127 |doi=10.2307/1942463 |jstor=1942463 |hdl=1969.1/182277 |issn=0012-9615|hdl-access=free }} In particular, a thicket's high plant density and resulting low visibility allows for predator species to succeed in tracking, stalking, and capturing their prey.

Especially within the Albany thicket biome, thickets have traditionally been used for raising domestic livestock, although the popularity of doing so is declining over time.{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=N |last2=Wilson |first2=S.L. |date=2002 |title=Changing land use trends in the thicket biome: pastoralism to game farming |journal=Terrestrial Ecology Research Unit Report |volume=38 |pages=23}} Recently, the primary human activity taking place in thickets is game hunting, both for recreational purposes and for ecotourism. The increase in game hunting within thickets has also led to the rise of manmade game farms, which has prompted discussion regarding the impact of game farms on the biome and its health. Conservationists and biologists pose concern about the decrease in biodiversity that game farms may create, especially when coupled with other anthropogenic threats to thickets such as land clearing and urbanization.{{Cite journal |last=Palmer |first=Anthony |last2=Kakembo |first2=Vincent |last3=Lloyd |first3=Wendy |last4=Ainslie |first4=Andrew |date=2006 |title=Degradation Patterns and Trends in the Succulent Thicket |journal=Proceedings of the 2004 Thicket Forum}} Alternatively, farmers and many locals suggest that the formation of game farms is an effective manner in which to preserve land area and minimize human impact on a thicket.

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Category:Habitats

Category:Habitat

Category:Shrubs

Category:Plant common names

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