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1.
Changes in soil nutrients, vegetation structure and herbaceous biomass in response to grazing in a semi-arid savanna of Ethiopia 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
The effect of grazing was studied on vegetation structure, herbaceous biomass, basal and bare ground covers, together with soil nutrient concentrations in two locations in an Ethiopian semi-arid savanna. The lightly grazed sites had significantly higher herbaceous diversity, total abundance, basal cover and aboveground biomass, and a lower percentage of bare ground compared with the heavy grazed sites. Grazing pressure had no effect on the density and number of woody species as well as on the proportion of encroaching woody species. The light grazing sites had higher organic carbon, phosphorus and exchangeable bases, and therefore a higher pH and higher electrical conductance, indicating an improved soil nutrient status compared with heavy grazing sites, mainly attributed to the higher basal cover and standing biomass at light grazed sites, and the export of nutrients through grazing and dung collection from the heavily grazed sites. There were significantly higher soil nutrients, species diversity, aboveground biomass and basal cover in the light grazing sites compared with heavy grazing sites. We concluded that changes in herbaceous vegetation, standing biomass and soil compositions are caused by interactions between grazing, soil and vegetation, and these interactions determine the transitions of semi-arid savannas. 相似文献
2.
M.I. Rosi S. Puig M.I. Cona F. Videla E. Méndez V.G. Roig 《Journal of Arid Environments》2009,73(3):273-279
Overgrazing by livestock has caused desertification in the Monte, where ctenomyids and livestock share grasses as main food items. The diet of Ctenomys eremophilus, above-ground food availability and changes related to cattle grazing are analyzed in the arid plain of Mendoza, Argentina. The most available categories were grasses, followed by low shrubs and tall shrubs. Tuco-tucos showed dietary generalism, ate mainly above-ground plant parts, preferred grasses and avoided shrubs at both grazed and ungrazed sites. Plant cover, grass diversity and availability decreased under livestock grazing, which was reflected in the diet by a lower percentage of grasses, a shift toward low shrubs and higher number of frequently used resources. Tuco-tucos in the grazed paddock compensated for lower consumption of vegetative plant parts by increasing the use of Prosopis flexuosa pods stored inside burrows. Moreover, greater dietary variation among individuals suggests foraging restricted to the items closest to burrow holes. These feeding tactics would allow them to reduce above-ground foraging as a response to high raptor predation risk due to increased bare soil. The plant recovery detected during the rest period, favoured by moderate stocking rate and rotational grazing system, would allow coexistence of tuco-tucos and cattle. 相似文献
3.
Above-ground biomass and productivity in the Montado: From herbaceous to shrub dominated communities
Our study was focused on the effect of abandonment on above-ground biomass and net primary productivity (ANPP) in a Montado in Southern Portugal. The Montado has a long history of human management and control of invasion by shrubs is achieved by clearing, ploughing and grazing. When these cease, it is invaded by Mediterranean matorral species. We hypothesized that the change in life form dominance would affect both biomass and productivity, but while the total biomass was expected to increase, the effects on ANPP were less clear. We tested our hypothesis by determining above-ground biomass and ANPP along a gradient of decreasing land use intensity, ranging from extensive grazing to 20 years of abandonment.Above-ground biomass increased with abandonment, which was related with the increase in shrub cover. In addition, we found a decrease in herbaceous ANPP that was more than compensated by an increase in shrub ANPP in plots abandoned for longer time, resulting in a significant increase in total ANPP. This increase was strongly related with the increase in the cover of Cistus ladanifer, a pioneer species that colonises degraded areas and forms one of the first stages of succession of woody communities. 相似文献
4.
Grazing in arid Mediterranean ecosystems brings about changes in species diversity, but the best way to measure such changes is unclear. In this study we compared various methods in order to identify indicators that might be useful for the management and conservation of grazed arid Mediterranean ecosystems.Changes in community structure and composition were compared along a previously studied grazing gradient in Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park. Plant diversity was measured by calculating diversity (Shannon information index), evenness (Pielou index) and richness (species number). Rarefaction curves were used to measure plant species richness and the results were compared with traditional richness values. Community structure was measured as the percentage of bare ground and the coverage of overall perennial grasses, Stipa tenacissima L., perennial shrubs and annual plants. Our results showed that the proportion of bare ground, the cover of perennial shrubs and the relative abundance of S. tenacissima are good indicators of grazing effects on vegetation. Overall plant community structure was more sensitive to the grazing gradient than were the diversity indices. Finally, the adequacy of standardized methods for comparing species richness (i.e. rarefaction curves) along a grazing gradient are discussed. 相似文献
5.
Arthropods living in the canopies of two woody shrub species (a sub-shrub (Gutierrezia sarothrae) and a large shrub (Prosopis glandulosa)) and perennial grasses plus associated herbaceous species, were sampled on 18, 0.5 hectare plots in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland for five consecutive years. Mesquite shrubs were removed from nine plots, six plots were grazed by yearling cattle in August and six plots were grazed in February for the last 3 years of the 5 year study. Arthropod species richness ranged between 154 and 353 on grasses, from 120 to 266 on G. sarothrae, and from 69 to 116 on P. glandulosa. There was a significant relationship between the number of families of insects on grass and G. sarothrae and growing season rainfall but species richness was not a function of growing season rainfall on any of the plants. Several of the arthropod families that were the most species rich in this grassland were found on all of the plants sampled, i.e. Salticid spiders, Bruchid and Curculionid beetles, Cicadellid and Psyllid homopterans, and ants (Formicidae). There were more species rich families that were shared by grasses and the sub-shrub G. sarothrae than with mesquite. The absence of a relationship between growing season rainfall and species richness was attributed to variation in life history characteristics of arthropods and to the non-linear responses of annual and perennial desert grassland plants to rainfall.There were no significant differences in insect family or species richness on any of the plant types as a result of removal of mesquite (P. glandulosa) from selected plots. Intense, short duration (24 h) grazing by livestock during in late summer resulted in reduced species richness in the grass-herb vegetation layer but had no effect on insect species richness on snakeweed or mesquite shrubs. Livestock grazing in winter had no effect on insect species richness on any of the vegetation sampled. 相似文献
6.
Responses of herbaceous and suffrutescent species to fire, grazing, and presence of Prosopis glandulosa were examined in a Chihuahuan desert grassland in south-central New Mexico. Treatments were assigned randomly to eight 12×8 m plots within each of two blocks. Following fires in June 1995, unfenced plots were exposed to livestock grazing over 4 years. Plots were established that either included or excluded P. glandulosa. Perennial grass cover, primarilyBouteloua eriopoda , decreased by 13% in burned plots but increased 5% in unburned areas. Conversely, perennial forb cover was 4% greater after fire. Perennial grass frequency decreased 30% more and perennial forb frequency increased 10% more following burning. Further, increases in evenness after fire resulted in a 225% increase in species diversity. Grazing also resulted in a decrease in perennial grass cover while frequency decreased 22% more in grazed than ungrazed plots. Only frequency and not cover of perennial forbs and annual grasses increased more following grazing. Presence of P. glandulosa had no differential effect on responses of non-shrub species. Fires were conducted during near drought conditions while grazing occurred during years of precipitation equivalent to the long-term average. Precipitation immediately following fire may be critical for recovery of B. eriopoda -dominated desert grasslands; relationships between fire and post-fire precipitation patterns require future investigation. 相似文献
7.
干旱半干旱区草原灌丛化的原因及影响-争议与进展 总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3
灌丛化作为全球干旱半干旱区草原普遍发生的现象,其定义为草原生态系统中灌木/木本的生物量、密度、盖度的增加以及草本的生物量、密度、盖度的减少。草原灌丛化是气候变化和人类活动多种因素综合作用的结果。过度放牧被认为是引发草原灌丛化的主要原因之一。最新的研究结果表明过度放牧并不能导致草原灌丛化,但过度放牧后实施休牧却改变了草本与灌木的种间作用,有可能导致灌木的扩张。灌木入侵草原长期以来被认为是草原的退化,结论来源于干旱区土壤沙化的情形,在沙化的灌木林中,土壤碳库被局限于灌木株丛及其周边,使草原的碳截留和储存降低。但最近的全球性集成研究表明草原中灌木覆盖率盖度增加对生态系统可以产生积极作用,灌木可以增加土壤水分的下渗,有利于生态系统的水分储存和和养分的转化(如加强氮的矿化过程)。草原灌丛化对生态系统结构和功能影响存在景观尺度和斑块尺度上的差异。进一步研究适应灌丛化过程的管理机制,综合不断变化的气候条件因素和地域因素,采取合理的草原管理策略,对于全球草原区生产具有极其重要的意义。 相似文献
8.
放牧强度对科尔沁沙地沙质草地植被的影响 总被引：5，自引：3，他引：2
为了研究科尔沁沙地沙质草地在不同放牧强度下植被特征的变化规律,比较了围封、中度放牧、重度放牧3种条件下的植被盖度、群落组成、物种多样性、地上/地下生物量和凋落物量等植被特征的变化特征。结果表明:(1)围封、中度放牧和重度放牧沙质草地的优势植物均为一年生植物,但围封和中度放牧中多年生禾本科植物优势度高于重度放牧,重度放牧沙质草地一年生植物所占优势度最大;(2)放牧强度对沙质草地植被盖度、地上生物量及凋落物量有显著影响。随着放牧强度的增加,植被盖度、地上生物量和凋落物量均降低;(3)围封、中度放牧和重度放牧沙质草地物种丰富度及多样性差异均不显著;(4)放牧强度和土壤深度及其交互作用均能影响地下生物量。随着放牧强度的增加,总的地下根系生物量减小。而重度放牧草地中, 3个土壤深度间地下根系生物量差异不显著。放牧改变了沙质草地植物群落的组成、极大降低了植被盖度和生产力;尤其是重度放牧急剧增加了一年生植物的优势、且对浅层根分布的减少影响最大。 相似文献
9.
Plant communities on semi-arid floodplains are ecologically important and support a diverse local and regional fauna and often pastoral economies. Water resource development may affect these communities and economies by decreasing water supply; determining the nature of these relationships is not straightforward because of the complex nature of plant responses to wetting and possible interactions with other drivers. We investigate the effects of reduced wetting on vegetation by examining spatial patterns in plant communities and above-ground herbaceous plant biomass across a flood frequency gradient, geomorphic settings and grazing exclosures. Community and biomass changes were also examined over time in relation to wetting events. The results demonstrate the importance of wetting on plant communities across timescales. At longer timescales, flood frequency influences community composition; at shorter timescales, wetting increase plant biomass and has a secondary influence on community composition. Plant biomass is also influenced in the short-term by grazing, but there is little influence of grazing on community composition. Soil nutrients do not vary systematically across the floodplain and have little influence on species distributions. We conclude that reduced water availability due to water resource development will result in reduced productivity in the short-term and community composition changes in the long-term. 相似文献
10.
The study was conducted to assess the status and trends of soil erosion and relate the perceptions of farmers on cattle productivity and botanical indicators to measured ecological conditions of rangelands in three altitude regions of southwest Ethiopia. A total of 342 farmers were interviewed. In addition, the ecological condition of rangelands was assessed. Severe soil erosion, ranked as the primary restriction to free-ranging livestock, occurred predominantly in the lower altitude region (LAR) (P < 0.05). More farmers in LAR witnessed an inadequacy of palatable plant biomass, grazable pasture as well as increased gully formation and expansion, which are strong indicators of soil erosion (P < 0.001). In addition to a decrease in grass cover and productivity of cattle, botanical composition, species richness and grazing capacity of herbaceous plants, less fodder trees and shrubs were observed (P < 0.05). There was a corresponding increase in the percentage of bare ground and soil erosion status along the degradation gradients (P < 0.05). The reported shift in botanical composition, and especially encroachment of invading plant species, can be attributed to soil erosion (P < 0.001). The results suggest that erosion is associated with reduced availability of feed resources and is related to altitude variation. 相似文献
11.
Patagonia grasslands are subjected to two main disturbances, fire and grazing, but little information is available about its effects on vegetation. We studied post-fire survival and resprouting ability of two dominant grass species, Stipa speciosa and Festuca pallescens, for four years; evaluated the effect of early post-fire defoliation on both species; and tested whether competition is important in post-fire recovery in San Ramón Ranch, NW Patagonia (Argentina). To simulate grazing, a clipping treatment was applied at the beginning and end of growing seasons. Survival rates were high (>60%) and, after three years, biomass of both species in the burned area was similar to the unburned area. Competition seems to play an important role in the early post-fire recovery of both species, particularly in the case of F. pallescens that increased 87% the biomass production without competition. Fire may improve forage quality by eliminating the standing dead material, but early post-fire grazing might endanger the persistence of F. pallescens. We suggest requiring a resting period before livestock introduction and controlling grazing intensity. 相似文献
12.
退化沙质草地土壤种子库和地上植被对封育的响应机理 总被引：3，自引：3，他引：0
从植物种和植物功能类群两个水平系统探讨退化沙质草地土壤种子库和地上植被对短期封育管理响应机理的研究尚不多。以内蒙古东部的科尔沁沙地退化沙质草地为研究对象,采取随机样方法对禁牧6 a的封育区及与其相邻的自由放牧草地的土壤种子库和地上植物群落的物种密度进行了比较研究,草本植物群落被区分为一年生禾本科植物、非禾本科一年生植物和多年生植物3个主要功能类群。利用测定数据,分析研究了短期禁牧封育对土壤种子库和地上群落不同植物种和各植物功能类群的生态恢复作用机理。主要研究结果是：①短期封育显著促进了退化沙质草地植被的生态恢复,但发现土壤种子库和地上植被对禁牧的响应模式和机理存在明显差异,短期禁牧使土壤种子库中所有3个植物功能类群的密度均得到显著提高,而仅提高了地上植被一年生禾本科植物和多年生植物两个类群的密度;相反,禁牧显著提高了地上植被所有3个功能类群的物种丰富度和多样性,仅提高了土壤种子库中多年生植物类群的物种多样性。②短期禁牧显著增加了地上植物群落组成中可食和优良牧草的比例,提高了草地的经济利用价值。主要结论是：短期禁牧封育是一种经济有效的提高退化沙质草地植被多样性、生产力及对植物群落物种组成和草地品质进行优化调控和改良的重要草地管理手段。研究建议,今后应重点开展不同禁牧时间下对退化沙质草地土壤种子库和地上植被多样性、生产力及其物种组成变化影响的长期生态学控制实验研究。 相似文献
13.
In this study the spatial patterns and dynamics of vegetation patches along a grazing gradient in the steppe ofLarrea divaricataandStipaspp. in NE Patagonia (Argentina) are described. A general effect of grazing is the reduction of total plant cover resulting from the decrease in cover of perennial grasses (Stipa speciosa, Poa ligularis, Stipa tenuis) and some tall shrubs (Chuquiraga hystrix, Bougainvillea spinosa, Lycium chilense). Dwarf shrubs (Nassauvia fueguianaandJunellia seriphioides) increase their cover under medium and/or high grazing pressures. Plant species are spatially grouped into patches which alternate with areas of bare soil. Eleven types of vegetation patch differing in the dominant plant functional type or species, floristic richness and size were identified with different relative frequency along the grazing gradient. Based on these results, it is postulated that grazing forces the replacement of large patches dominated by tall shrubs with high species richness, byLarrea divaricatapatches or small dwarf shrub patches with low species richness and the extinction of grass patches. This results from: (1) disruption of local balances of species deletions and additions; (2) fragmentation of large patches; and (3) formation of new vegetation patches. These changes lead to differing plant spatial organization and heterogeneity along the grazing gradient which may be described by characteristic arrays of vegetation patches. 相似文献
14.
Fire in shrub-dominated portions of the Great Basin, largely fueled by non-native annuals such as Bromus tectorum, has become an important structuring force altering vegetation composition and soil characteristics. The extent to which fire affects native species in drier portions of the Great Basin, termed salt desert, is poorly documented. We conducted a survey of grazed salt desert habitat in northwestern Nevada 5 years after wildfires burned 650,000 ha, with the goal of investigating community response to fire and factors correlating with post-fire recovery. We found that recruitment of a dominant shrub, Artemisia spinescens, is severely restricted following fire: it occurred in only 2 of the 24 burned sites. The co-dominant shrub, Atriplex confertifolia, occurred in most burned sites although on average its percent cover was one-third lower than adjacent unburned sites. Biotic soil crust cover was four times lower, and non-native species cover 5 times higher, in burned sites compared to unburned. Ordination analyses confirmed differences among plant communities in burned versus unburned sites, with environmental variables soil conductivity, plant litter, soil potassium (K+) and pH explaining 38% of the variance in community composition. However, we found no environmental predictors of recovery for native species in burned sites. Future recruitment is likely to be further limited, as fire frequency in the salt desert is expected to increase with invasion by non-native annual grasses and with global climate change. 相似文献
15.
山东湿地植被类型和演替规律的研究 总被引：1，自引：1，他引：1
山东湿地共分布有湿地高等维管植物70科277种、苔藓植物12科24种,在植物种类组成上以莎草科和禾本科植物等最为丰富。植被类型有灌丛、灌草丛、草甸、盐生、沙生、沼生和水生植被等7种。湿地植被的分布既受地理位置、气候、海拔等影响,又受制于水分、土壤和土壤含盐量等因素。湿地演替是植物群落的演替过程,即随着湿地的发育,特别是土壤水分和营养的变化,导致植物种类和群落发生改变的过程。湿地植物群落演替是气候、水文以及地貌、土壤等自然要素综合作用的结果,客观反映了湿地的形成、发育与演替过程。 相似文献
16.
Botanical composition of cattle seasonal diets (faecal sampling with microhistological analysis) was determined in a four-pasture, one-herd grazing system during a 3-year period. Diets were classified using cluster analysis. Three diet groups were identified: beginning of rainy season (spring), peak of rainy season (summer) and dry season (fall and winter). Contribution of grasses and woody species to these diet groups was significantly different (p< 0·001). Grasses were the most important component of cattle diets throughout the rainy season, while shrubs and trees were important in the dry season. The major shifts in diets occurred in response to changes in grass phenology. 相似文献
17.
In Mediterranean ecosystems, fire influences plant population dynamics and changes plant community structure by affecting germination and establishment of seeder shrubs. Fabiana imbricata is a long-lived seeder shrub with a broad distribution in South America. In Northwestern Patagonia grasslands there are many records of F. imbricata recruitment after fires. We hypothesized that recruitment is promoted by: 1) soil erosion that exposes deeply buried seeds; 2) direct fire effects such as heat that could break seed dormancy; 3) indirect fire effects (i.e. increase of light availability and elimination of allelopathic substances) and 4) water availability in spring. In field conditions, we tested the effects of shading and soil disturbance on F. imbricata recruitment and seed availability and distribution in the soil profile. Under controlled conditions, we investigated the influence of leaf leachate, light, heat and water on seed germination and seedling emergence. Seed germination was inhibited by leachate, and seedling emergence was inhibited by seed heated to 80 °C and 120° for 5 min. F. imbricata seedlings only emerged in germination treatments that simulated wet and very wet spring conditions. Fire and postfire wind that favor seed exposure, combined with high precipitation early in the growing season, would be necessary for successful shrub recruitment. When F. imbricata shrubland colonizes the grassland, it strongly modifies local vegetation structure, reduces species richness and increases fuel loads. F. imbricata is a key species in the ecosystem specially related to fire regime. Information on the postfire regeneration of this species would provide valuable knowledge of the changes in biomass accumulation in a fire-prone Mediterranean ecosystem. 相似文献
18.
E. Schlecht U. Dickhoefer E. Gumpertsberger A. Buerkert 《Journal of Arid Environments》2009,73(3):355-363
In view of the repeatedly reported overstocking of the high-altitude pastures on Al Jabal al Akhdar, northern Oman, plant species abundance, cover and frequency, and herbaceous mass yield were studied in ungrazed versus heavily grazed areas of this mountain range. In addition, plant species selection by goats along a gradient of 1000–2000 m and spatial extent of pasture areas were investigated after abundant rainfall and a subsequent 6-months dry spell by means of manual observation and GPS/GIS tools.The substantially higher species diversity and herbaceous mass yield in the ungrazed area illustrate the production potential of these mountain pastures or, respectively, the biodiversity and productivity loss resulting from continuous grazing. The concentration of goats' selection on only a dozen herbaceous and ligneous species favours pasture encroachment with poisonous shrubs such as Nerium mascatense in the lower and Dodonaea viscosa in the higher altitudes. Given the spatially limited extent of pasture areas, these are exposed to high stocking rates. Therefore, grazing and feeding schemes need to be developed which reduce livestock pressure on the pastures, taking into account local property rights, herding skills and the recovery potential of the vegetation, which heavily depends on unpredictable rainfall events. 相似文献
19.
This study explored the impacts of sustained heavy grazing in six vegetation types across an altitudinal and rainfall gradient in the Kamiesberg mountain range in Namaqualand. The study was carried out across the fence separating the Leliefontein communal area and surrounding privately owned farms. The communal area has been stocked over decades at approximately twice the government recommended stocking rate, while adjacent privately owned farms have generally adhered to recommended rates. Plant community data were collected from 66, 0.1 ha modified Whittaker plots and analysed for diversity and compositional changes. Consideration of community-wide responses through NMDS ordination showed that heavy grazing did not result in the dominance of a few wide-spread, weedy species in communal areas. Species richness at the 0.1 ha scale was also not affected by different land use practices. However, there was a significant compositional shift away from large woody and succulent shrubs, and an associated increase in dwarf shrubs and herbaceous perennial plants on the communal areas. This shift was only evident on the sandy lowland habitats, while a reduction in perennial grass was recorded in the rocky upland habitats on the communal areas. Compositional shifts towards smaller and more ephemeral species in the communal area are indicative of a system more closely dependent on rainfall. This has implications for people's livelihoods in the region, particularly in light of predicted climate change. 相似文献
20.
Grass growth has been encouraged in arid communities globally to improve grazing. Often exotic species are planted, subsequently spreading beyond their plantings to drastically alter cover and negatively impact native species. We evaluated the effects of the invasive, perennial grass Cenchrus ciliaris on the native woody species Cercidium microphyllum over two growing seasons: 2002 and 2003. To determine if C. ciliaris alters seasonal responses of C. microphyllum, we measured predawn water potential, photosynthesis, and branch sacrifice on C. microphyllum growing with either native cover or C. ciliaris. In 2003 a removal treatment of C. ciliaris was applied to assess responses in C. microphyllum during the summer. In both years, C. microphyllum water potentials closely tracked seasonal rainfall, suggesting dependence on shallow soil water. In 2002, we observed few negative impacts when C. microphyllum grew with C. ciliaris. However, the trees growing with C. ciliaris exhibited greater branch sacrifice, a typical response to drought, which likely complicated interpretation of the treatment effects. Removal of C. ciliaris resulted in increased water potentials and photosynthesis. This study suggests that exotic grasses, such as C. ciliaris, can reduce both water potential and photosynthetic rates in mature woody shrubs, like C. microphyllum, in aridland systems. 相似文献