How herbivory affects grazing tolerant and sensitive grasses in a central Texas grassland: Integrating plant response across hierarchical levels
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Authors: J. R. Brown, and J. W. Stuth
Date: 1993
Journal: Oikos
Volume: 67
Number: 2
Pages: 291-297
Summary of Methods: Brown and Stuth compared tiller regrowth in Schizachyrium scoparium and Paspalum plicatulum at light, moderate, heavy and extreme levels of defoliation, over 4 years in a Texas grassland. Schizachyrium scoparium was able to compensate for lost leaf tissue during the course of the grazing season, while Paspalum was not. The Schizachyrium community declined due to preferred selection by cattle under light and heavy grazing. Schizachyrium tiller recruitment declined by 50% under grazing, while Paspalum tiller recruitment remained similar, with or without grazing; suggesting that repeat herbivory depresses future tiller development. Despite the greater tolerance of grazing by Schizachyrium by individual plants, herbivore selectivity appears to control plant community composition in this grassland.
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: herbivore selectivity, defoliation intensity, schizachyrium scoparium, paspalum plicatulum, tillers, herbivory
Annotation: None
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