Grazing intensity effects on litter decomposition and soil nitrogen mineralization
-
-
Authors: A. R. Shariff, M. E. Biondini, and C. E. Grygiel
Date: 1994
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 47
Number: 6
Pages: 444 - 449
Summary of Methods: In this two year study in south central North Dakota, authors determined the responses of litter and root decomposition and nitrogen release, and soil N mineralization to grazing intensity (ungrazed, moderate, and heavy). Litter and root decomposition were consistently higher under moderate grazing than heavy or ungrazed, and occurred mostly during the growing season. The pattern of N release from litter and roots was lowest in the moderate treatment and the amount of nitrogen released from roots was 50% lower than from litter decomposition. Soil N was mineralized under moderate grazing and immobilized under heavy or no grazing, but this was not the result of a decrease in root to shoot ratio of moderate grazing, since in this study moderate grazing actually resulted in higher annual below ground net primary production. Results from this study seem to indicate that the standard grazing rule of "take half leave half" may have a significant impact in N conservation and the supply of mineral N for plant growth.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: decomposition, soil n mineralization, soil n immobilization, grazing
Annotation: The study was initiated a year after a severe drought, thus drying and wetting cycles may contribute to decomposition rates and microbial activity observed. There are some year x monthly pattern interaction in the results for net soil N mineralization. The experiment was organized as a completely randomized design with 3 treatments: ungrazed control, moderate grazing, and high grazing. The moderate and high grazing treatments were grazed from mid-May through September with the goal of removing 50% or 100% of the annual above-ground growth. The actual levels achieved during the study were 45% for the moderate and 77% for the high.
-
Get article
Cite article with DOI
-