Journal
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
Volume 153, Issue -, Pages 50-56Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2012.03.003
Keywords
Boolean process; Cattle; Patch stability; Productivity; Stocking density; Temperate pasture
Funding
- INRA-ECOGER
- Syndicat mixte du Parc Interregional du Marais Poitevin
- PREVOIR
- Auvergne region
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The stability of grazing-induced spatial patterns of vegetation was analyzed at two spatial scales (25 m x 20 m areas and 1.6 m x 0.8 m grids) in pastures of contrasting productivity (maximum standing biomass: 130-800 gDM/m(2)). At both scales, the mosaic of grazed and ungrazed patches was modeled as a Boolean process, calculating cross-variograms to quantify the temporal stability of grazing patterns and its links with local floristic composition were tested. The scale at which stability of vegetation patterns took place in two successive years depended on pasture productivity. Inter-annual stability of large-scale patterns mainly occurred in extensively used fertile pastures grazed by cattle, and in pastures grazed by horses. Less-fertile grasslands were mainly characterized by a fine-scale stability of grazing patterns. Stable fine-scale patterns were often related to the local abundance of legumes and forbs. Stable large-scale patterns of grazing within lightly grazed productive grasslands could result in divergent local vegetation dynamics, which can be seen as an opportunity for restoring biodiversity in fertile grasslands. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available