What is a consequence of the boar's reliance on digging for food during lean times?
Answer
It creates significant ecological disturbance by altering the physical structure of the soil
The intensive rooting behavior, especially when boars must rely on digging for energy reserves during periods when mast crops are exhausted and new growth has not yet appeared, causes pronounced ecological disturbance. This excavation physically turns over the soil layers. This alteration of the physical structure of the soil has knock-on effects, including changes to nutrient cycling within the ecosystem and potentially creating open areas where invasive plant species can more easily establish themselves.
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