Studies on browse and browsing impact on woody plants in African savannas show that browse can be a significant part of the total food for large herbivores. Utilization of browse is little studied and patterns are therefore difficult to examine. The quality of browse has been described mainly in terms of nutrients, fibre and digestibility. Studies on chemical and physical defences of plants against herbivory can add considerably to the understanding of the browse-browser system. The various ways woody plants respond to browsing are little known. Interactions between browsers and woody plants are dynamic, since responses of woody plants to browsing result in changes in feeding behaviour of the browsing animal, both in savannas and in temperate ecosystems.