What happens when voles engage in girdling on woody plants?
Answer
It removes the phloem layer needed to transport sugars to roots
Girdling involves the destruction of the phloem layer, which is the vascular tissue responsible for moving sugars produced in the leaves down to the root system. By chewing a ring of bark completely around the trunk of a tree or shrub, the vole effectively cuts off the nutrient supply to the roots. If the bark is removed in a complete circle, the root system starves, often resulting in the death of the plant.
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