Plant responses to pine management and deferred-rotation grazing in north Florida

- Authors: C. E. Lewis, G. W. Tanner, and W. S. Terry
  
  Date: 1988
  
  Journal: Journal of Range Management
  
  Volume: 41
  
  Number: 6
  
  Pages: 460-465
  
  Summary of Methods: Lewis et al. measured the effects of three rotational grazing systems on understory species composition and growth of longleaf pine (Pinus elliottii) trees in areas that were burned, planted, or allowed to naturally revegetate in order to produce timber. Prescribed burning in the natural stands increased occurrence of most herbs and stimulated new species to occur, but had little effect on woody plant composition. Both mechanical and burning disturbances initially reduced foliar ground cover of most woody species; however, few species were eliminated from the community. Most woody species were recovering within 6 years from treatment, but succession was somewhat slower on mechanically treated areas. Grazing altered understory species composition slightly in all timber management treatments but did not affect woody vegetation. Longleaf pine was able to naturally regenerate and planted pines were not damaged significantly by cattle under the three tested grazing systems. Therefore, the authors concluded that cattle grazing and timber production were compatible uses in longleaf pine stands under the timber management and rotational grazing treatments used in this study.
  
  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: pine-wiregrass vegetation, mechanical site disturbance, prescribed burning, grazing management, multiple-use management, longleaf pine, pinus elliottii
  
  Annotation: The study was a factorial experiment of 4 timber treatments and 4 grazing treatments. Rest-rotation grazing treatments were used year round from May 1979 to December 1983, the treatments were: No grazing; Graze for 45 days then rest for 3 months; and Graze for 30 days then rest for 4 months; and Graze for 30 days then rest for 6 months. Target forage utilization was 50%.,Timber treatments were: (1) natural stands of 50-year-old pines; (2) clearcut, chop, no planting of pines (open); (3) clearcut, chop, plant slash pine; and (4) clearcut, chop, plant slash pine in a double-row configuration.

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