The influence of soil depth on plant species response to grazing within a semi-arid savanna
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Authors: S. D. Fuhlendorf, and F. E. Smeins
Date: 1998
Journal: Plant Ecology
Volume: 138
Number: 1
Pages: 89-96
Summary of Methods: Fuhlendorf and Smeins compared the influences of soil depth on plant community composition at sites that were exposed to no grazing or long-term heavy grazing. Species composition varied between grazed and ungrazed pastures. Grazed pastures were generally dominated by grazing tolerant shortgrasses while ungrazed pastures were dominated by mid to late-seral species. Species composition also varied among soil depths in both the grazed and ungrazed pastures. Rooting dynamics and competition for resources (ex. soil moisture) determined which species were present at each soil depth. These results indicate that soil depth affected plant community composition in grazed and ungrazed Texas arid grasslands, however, the authors suggest that plant community response will vary by the scale of soil depth variations and sampling area size within the study site.
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: functional groups, diversity, heterogeneity, patch dynamics, pattern, plant-animal interactions, rangelands, redundancy, scale disturbance, shifting mosaic, succession
Annotation: This study examined two grazing treatments, established in 1948. The heavily grazed treatment was represented by two 32-ha replicates that had a year-long stocking rate of 5.4 ha/AUY in 1948. One of these units was stocked with cattle, sheep, and goats from 1949-present; the other unit was stocked only with sheep from 1949-1969. In 1970, the grazing intensity of both units was increased to 4.8 ha/AUY with cattle, sheep, and goats. The stocking rates of both heavily grazed treatment units were reduced in 1983 to a moderate level that was variable around 8.1 ha/AUY until it was reduced to 10.4 ha/AUY in 1986.,The ungrazed treatment consists of two 12 ha replicates that have not been grazed by livestock since 1948. One replicate of this treatment also excluded large, free-roaming wildlife.
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