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A thicket is a very dense stand of trees or tall shrubs, often dominated by only one or a few species, to the exclusion of all others. They may be formed by species that shed large numbers of highly viable seeds that are able to germinate in the shelter of the maternal plants.

In some conditions, the formation or spread of thickets may be assisted by human disturbance of an area. Human disturbance and activity within thickets varies based on culture and location.

Where a thicket is formed of briar (also spelled brier), which is a common name for any of a number of unrelated thorny plants, it may be called a briar patch. Plants termed briar include species in the genera Rosa (Rose), Rubus, and Smilax.

Characteristics

Thickets are characterized by dense plant life, a low closed canopy, deep shale-derived soil, and high levels of soil carbon and nitrogen. Plants present within a thicket generally reach a maximum of 4 to 6 meters in height. 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, 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.

Significance and use

Ecological significance

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, cheetahs and lions in Africa, and frogs and alligators in North America. 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.

Societal significance

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. 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. 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.

References

1. "Definition of THICKET". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
2. Hoare, David; Mucina, Ladislav; Rutherford, Michael; Vlok, Jan; Euston-Brown, Doug; Palmer, Anthony; Powrie, Leslie; Lechmere-Oertel, Richard; Proches, Serban; Dold, Anthony; Ward, Robert (2006). "Albany thicket biome". The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia. 19: 541–567.
3. "Definition of BRIAR". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
4. ^ Cowling, R. M.; Potts, A. J. (2015-11-01). "Climatic, edaphic and fire regime determinants of biome boundaries in the eastern Cape Floristic Region". South African Journal of Botany. Biome Boundaries in South Africa. 101: 73–81. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.03.182. ISSN 0254-6299.
5. ^ Charles-Dominique, T.; Staver, A. C.; Midgley, G. F.; Bond, W. J. (2015-11-01). "Functional differentiation of biomes in an African savanna/forest mosaic". South African Journal of Botany. Biome Boundaries in South Africa. 101: 82–90. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2015.05.005. ISSN 0254-6299.
6. Archer, Steve; Scifres, Charles; Bassham, C. R.; Maggio, Robert (1988). "Autogenic Succession in a Subtropical Savanna: Conversion of Grassland to Thorn Woodland". Ecological Monographs. 58 (2): 111–127. doi:10.2307/1942463. hdl:1969.1/182277. ISSN 0012-9615. JSTOR 1942463.
7. Ehrich, Dorothée; Henden, John-André; Ims, Rolf Anker; Doronina, Lilyia O.; Killengren, Siw Turid; Lecomte, Nicolas; Pokrovsky, Ivan G.; Skogstad, Gunnhild; Sokolov, Alexander A.; Sokolov, Vasily A.; Yoccoz, Nigel Gilles (2012-01-01). "The importance of willow thickets for ptarmigan and hares in shrub tundra: the more the better?". Oecologia. 168 (1): 141–151. doi:10.1007/s00442-011-2059-0. ISSN 1432-1939. PMID 21833646.
8. Bissett, C.; Bernard, R. T. F. (2007). "Habitat selection and feeding ecology of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in thicket vegetation: is the cheetah a savanna specialist?". Journal of Zoology. 271 (3): 310–317. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00217.x. ISSN 0952-8369.
9. ^ Davies, Andrew B.; Tambling, Craig J.; Kerley, Graham I. H.; Asner, Gregory P. (2016-02-24). "Effects of Vegetation Structure on the Location of Lion Kill Sites in African Thicket". PLOS ONE. 11 (2): e0149098. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149098. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4766088. PMID 26910832.
10. Archer, Steve; Scifres, Charles; Bassham, C. R.; Maggio, Robert (1988). "Autogenic Succession in a Subtropical Savanna: Conversion of Grassland to Thorn Woodland". Ecological Monographs. 58 (2): 111–127. doi:10.2307/1942463. hdl:1969.1/182277. ISSN 0012-9615. JSTOR 1942463.
11. ^ Smith, N; Wilson, S.L. (2002). "Changing land use trends in the thicket biome: pastoralism to game farming". Terrestrial Ecology Research Unit Report. 38: 23.
12. Palmer, Anthony; Kakembo, Vincent; Lloyd, Wendy; Ainslie, Andrew (2006). "Degradation Patterns and Trends in the Succulent Thicket". Proceedings of the 2004 Thicket Forum.

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