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Horse grazing systems: understory biomass and plant biodiversity of a Pinus radiata stand
- Source :
- Scientia Agricola, Volume: 69, Issue: 1, Pages: 38-46, Published: FEB 2012, Scientia Agricola v.69 n.1 2012, Scientia Agrícola, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), instacron:USP, Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, instname, Scientia Agricola, Vol 69, Iss 1, Pp 38-46 (2012)
- Publication Year :
- 2012
- Publisher :
- São Paulo - Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", 2012.
-
Abstract
- Horse grazing systems may affect productivity and biodiversity of understory developed under Pinus radiata D. Don silvopastoral systems, while acting as a tool to reduce the risk of fire. This study compared continuous and rotational grazing systems effect upon biomass, fractions of stem, sprouts, leaves and woody parts of Ulex europaeus L. and alpha (Species Richness, Shannon-Wiener) and beta (Jaccard and Magurran) biodiversity for a period of four years in a P. radiata silvopastoral system. The experiment consisted of a randomized block design of two treatments (continuous and rotational grazing). Biomass, and species abundances were measured - biodiversity metrics were calculated based on these results for a two years of grazing and two years of post-grazing periods. Both continuous and rotational grazing systems were useful tools for reducing biomass and, therefore, fire risk. The rotational grazing system caused damage to the U. europaeus shrub, limiting its recovery once grazing was stopped. However, the more intensive grazing of U. europaeus plants under rotational had a positive effect on both alpha and beta biodiversity indexes due to the low capacity of food selection in the whole plot rather than continuous grazing systems. Biomass was not affected by the grazing system; however the rotational grazing system is more appropriate to reduce U. europaeus biomass and therefore forest fire risk at a long term and to enhance pasture biodiversity than the continuous grazing system This research was funded by the CICYT and by the Rural Development Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia) SI
- Subjects :
- ved/biology.organism_classification_rank.species
Biodiversity
silvopastoral
Shrub
Pasture
Grazing
lcsh:Agriculture (General)
species richness
Conservation grazing
livestock management
geography
Biomass (ecology)
geography.geographical_feature_category
biology
Agroforestry
ved/biology
Pinus radiata
fires
shrub biomass control
Understory
biology.organism_classification
lcsh:S1-972
Agronomy
Environmental science
Animal Science and Zoology
Agronomy and Crop Science
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Scientia Agricola, Volume: 69, Issue: 1, Pages: 38-46, Published: FEB 2012, Scientia Agricola v.69 n.1 2012, Scientia Agrícola, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), instacron:USP, Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, instname, Scientia Agricola, Vol 69, Iss 1, Pp 38-46 (2012)
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....48efce796e07eda93b1eceedd71fbcc4