Degradation And Vulnerability To Climate Change In High Andean Rangelands,
2023
Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru
Degradation And Vulnerability To Climate Change In High Andean Rangelands, Samuel Pizarro, Javier Ñaupari
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Rangeland degradation is a process associated with loss of ecosystem equilibrium. Therefore, this work seeks to identify the most important factors that cause the degradation process of rangelands, assess the degree of degradation and vulnerability to current climate change of these ecosystems; and determine if there is a relationship between the degree of rangeland degradation and vulnerability to climate change in high Andean rangelands. The study was located in the central highlands of Peru (Ancash, Junín, Pasco, Huancavelica and Lima) and involved the design of a framework to assess rangeland degradation based on field information and Landsat satellite products that …
Grass Diversity And Pasture Quality Baseline Assessement In Central Madagascar,
2023
Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Madagascar
Grass Diversity And Pasture Quality Baseline Assessement In Central Madagascar, O. P. Nanjarisoa, L. Randriamanalina, Wayne F. Truter, M. T. Rajaonah, C. E. R. Lehmann, C. Birkinshaw, L. Rakotonirina, D. Miarinjanahary, N. L. Raharinirina, M. S. Vorontsova
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Poaceae family contributes to Madagascar’s biodiversity hotspot with 217 of 541 grass species endemic to the island, although their forage value is unknown, at least in the scientific literature. Our research aims 1) to describe the diversity of native and endemic grasses thereby recognising the role of grass species diversity in forage and ecosystem management and 2) to provide new knowledge about pasture management based on the relationship between grazing capacity and productivity within experimental pastureland plots under different fire and grazing treatments. Our study seeks to provide information to inform improvements in livestock nutrition via grazing management of natural …
Effects Of Proximity To Roads On Tissue Surface Ph, Conductivity And Heavy Metal Contents Of A Grazing Grass Species,
2023
North-West University, South Africa
Effects Of Proximity To Roads On Tissue Surface Ph, Conductivity And Heavy Metal Contents Of A Grazing Grass Species, C. Munyati, M. S. Mathole
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Globally, road networks are expanding in the countryside. Though beneficial to society, the roads potentially have detrimental effects on grazing quality. The effects are seldom quantified. In this study Eragrostis lehmanniana, a common native grazing grass in parts of the world, was examined for indicative data on the impacts of roads on grasses. Aboveground tissue samples were collected monthly on three occasions during the growing season, at the same respective locations near three high traffic highways. Non-senescent specimens were sampled along transects of up to 400 m perpendicular to the highways, starting from the road edge and then at …
Screening Annual Ryegrass For Increased Tolerance To Blast (Pyricularia Oryzae),
2023
Mississippi State University
Screening Annual Ryegrass For Increased Tolerance To Blast (Pyricularia Oryzae), C. M. Adams, B. S. Baldwin, J. L. Morrison
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Annual ryegrass [Lolium perenne L. spp. multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot] is a high-quality forage utilized heavily in the Southeast for pasture and grazing. Gray Leaf Spot (Pyricularia oryzae) is a fungal pathogen that infects gramineous species and is a common problem in perennial and annual ryegrass stands. This study was designed to screen for resistance to P. oryzae in the annual ryegrass cultivar Vertyl (PI 619473, FRA) and a heat-tolerant germplasm (HTARG5) derived from Marshall (PI 600770, USA) with intent to use recurrent phenotypic selection to crossbreed the two accessions. Marshall was also included as a susceptible reference …
Tiller Demography Within Synthetic Grass Populations,
2023
Iowa State University
Tiller Demography Within Synthetic Grass Populations, K. J. Moore, C. Córdova
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Like other populations of biological organisms, the collective aging structure of a population of grass tillers has meaning and consequences far beyond the development of an individual within it. Using various methods, it is possible to assign numerical indices to tiller development so that it can be described numerically. By sampling a population of tillers and assigning a numerical index to each, the average stage of tillers within a population can be calculated and a repeatable assessment of its development determined. The average or mean stage count (MSC) of tiller development is commonly calculated and used to compare the development …
Soil Seed Banks Along A Woody Plant Removal Gradient In A Semi-Arid Savanna Of South Africa: Implications For Restoration,
2023
UNISA, South Africa
Soil Seed Banks Along A Woody Plant Removal Gradient In A Semi-Arid Savanna Of South Africa: Implications For Restoration, Mthunzi Mndela, Mziwanda Mangwane, Nothando Ngcobo, Nchaupa Johannes Rasekgokga, Piet Monegi
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Woody plant encroachment threatens ecosystem services and functions, thereby reducing herbaceous plant population persistence and community stability. Consequently, woody plant control projects are implemented in South Africa to restore herbaceous vegetation. Because persistent seeds drive passive restoration and vegetation trajectories, management following woody plant control entails examining soil seed bank (SSB) size and composition. However, a knowledge gap exists regarding how SSB characteristics respond along a woody plant removal gradient. This study was conducted at Roodeplaat in Gauteng Province of South Africa to assess the impact of woody density reduction [hereafter woody plant removal intensity (WPRI)] on SSB density, composition, …
An Investigation On Food Habits Of Persian Gazelle In Cheshmeh Gol Reproduction Station Of Khorasan Province, Iran,
2023
Environment Dept. of Khorasan Razavi, Iran
An Investigation On Food Habits Of Persian Gazelle In Cheshmeh Gol Reproduction Station Of Khorasan Province, Iran, I. Mohammdi-Abiz, Kamal Naseri, Mansour Mesdaghi, H. Yazdandad
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Persian gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) is one of the most important wild species in Iran. This species prefers plain and low hill habitats which are dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia sieberi). However, due to extensive hunting and habitat destruction, the populations of gazelle were declined and this valuable species was recorded as threatened species in 2006. To rehabilitate the habitats of gazelle and improve their productivity, Cheshmeh-Gol captive reproduction station with an area of 50 hectares was established. To provide more reliable information on diet requirements of gazelle, direct observation and cafeteria feeding on captive animals were employed. …
Crop Yield Estimation And Carrying Capacity In Sar Ali-Abad Summer Rangelands Of Golestan Province, Iran,
2023
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
Crop Yield Estimation And Carrying Capacity In Sar Ali-Abad Summer Rangelands Of Golestan Province, Iran, Mansour Mesdaghi, Nafiseh Fakhar Izadi
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
High mountain grassland ecosystems are the best pastures of Golestan province in Iran. These grasslands are an effective means of soil conservation and offer standing green fodder for livestock. Sar Ali-abad summer rangeland with an area of 780 ha is a representative of mountain ecosystems of Golestan province. Estimating forage production to avoid overgrazing is a necessity to ensure the long-term sustainability of these natural ecosystems. To estimate rangeland productivity and carrying capacity was the major objective while, comparing three methods of clipping and weighing (CW), double sampling (DS), and comparative yield (CY) by using 1-m2 plots was the …
Soil C Stocks And Soil Quality In Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry In Brazil,
2023
EMBRAPA Rice and Beans, Brazil
Soil C Stocks And Soil Quality In Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry In Brazil, B. E. Madari, M. T. M. Carvalho, P. S. Matos, J. M. Oliveira, P. L. O. A. Machado
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry systems (ICLF) are potential carbon sinks. Here we present soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in an ICLF system at 3 and 11 years after implementation. The ICLF was implemented in 2008/2009 at Boa Vereda farm, in Cachoeira Dourada, Goiás state, Central-West region of Brazil, on a clay Ferralsol. SOC stocks were determined within and between rows of trees, hereby called alley, in three soil layers (0.0-0.3, 0.3-1.0 and 0.0-1.0 m) in 2012 and 2020. A non-cultivated pasture was used as reference. Results show a trend for increased soil C stocks at 0.0-1.0 m under ICLF system from 3 …
Natural Regeneration Of Severely Degraded Terrestrial Arid Ecosystems Needs More Than Just Removing The Cause Of The Degradation,
2023
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Tunisia
Natural Regeneration Of Severely Degraded Terrestrial Arid Ecosystems Needs More Than Just Removing The Cause Of The Degradation, M. Louhaichi, M. Gamoun, N. Al Hashash, F. Al-Ameer, D. Alrashedi, A. Redha, F. Alkandari, A. Niane
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Rangelands cover over 75% of Kuwait’s total land area. Most of these rangelands are severely degraded because of overgrazing, poor anthropic utilization, and mismanagement. Restoring natural rangelands is a way to increase forage productivity, enhance biodiversity, and achieve sustainable development. When degradation has not reached the point of irreversibility, natural restoration through resting is one of the best low-cost restoration techniques. This study evaluated the effect of natural restoration on vegetation cover and species richness in the desert rangelands of Kuwait. The studied rangeland was a completely fenced area of 1 km2. The percent of vegetation was measured using the …
Biodiversity And The Ecological Role Of Grasslands Environment And Territory,
2023
Vyatka State Agrotechnological University, Russia
Biodiversity And The Ecological Role Of Grasslands Environment And Territory, Elimane Lo, Makhmutov Serguei, Badim Almazov
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Biodiversity is all the living species that inhabit the planet: plants, animals, microorganisms, but also their genetic diversity and all the ecosystems in which they live. The preservation of biodiversity is vital, because the organisms that constitute it participate in the major ecological cycles of air, soil and water It is today recognized for its intrinsic value and for the functions it provides in ecosystems. The grassland and the hedges that surround them play a key role in carbon storage, water purification, biodiversity and the typicity of landscapes. They partly provide the plants necessary for feeding herds of herbivores (cattle, …
Legacy Effects Of Herbivory Trampling On Soil Organic Carbon Via Soil Properties, Plant Biomass And Functional Traits,
2023
Lanzhou University, China
Legacy Effects Of Herbivory Trampling On Soil Organic Carbon Via Soil Properties, Plant Biomass And Functional Traits, Lan Li, Fujiang Hou
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Herbivores are important for ecosystem biogeochemistry, including soil carbon pools. Non-trophic interactions between herbivores and soil processes have recently gained attention, but remain underexplored. They include both direct and indirect effects of herbivore behaviour and physical soil disturbance by herbivores (e.g., trampling) causing compaction, and therefore probably influence historical contingency; however, little empirical data on the persistent impact or legacy effect of trampling and subsequent drivers of shifts are available. To address the knowledge gaps described above, we investigated whether the soil organic C (SOC) is driven by the legacy effect of sheep trampling intensity (0, 40, 80 and 120 …
Belowground Productivity In Patches Of Heterogeneous Grass Swards After Nearly Two Decades Of Low-Intensity Cattle Grazing,
2023
University of Göttingen, Germany
Belowground Productivity In Patches Of Heterogeneous Grass Swards After Nearly Two Decades Of Low-Intensity Cattle Grazing, M. Komainda, J. Isselstein
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
In low-input grassland, patch-grazing leads to tall and short patches that provide different growth conditions for the grass sward. Since belowground biomass and the associated turnover represent the main carbon input to soil in grassland, we investigated within-pasture variation of above- and belowground net primary production in relation to patches over one year of production in a long-term grazing experiment during the year 2022. The analysis of above- and belowground net primary production showed an effect of patch types, partly in interaction with the month, indicating a strong variation due to climatic conditions. In those few cases where differences existed …
Back To The Future: Achieving Resilient, Sustainable Grasslands Through Restoration Of Ecological Norms / Overview – The Problem, The Opportunity,
2023
University of Tennessee
Back To The Future: Achieving Resilient, Sustainable Grasslands Through Restoration Of Ecological Norms / Overview – The Problem, The Opportunity, Pat D. Keyser, C. Bitler
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Grasslands are one of the largest biomes on earth, are the largest agricultural enterprise in the U.S., serve as a major carbon pool, produce high quality dietary proteins, and host a rich biodiversity. However, grasslands, including those of the eastern U.S., have been heavily altered and degraded reducing their resiliency and negatively impacting native fauna. Recent scientific advances in grassland establishment and management, along with the opportunity to monetize the carbon benefits of native grasslands, could provide the needed social and economic support to make such restoration possible on a large scale. Where restored grassland communities align with historical, ecological …
Grass Vegetation Dynamics In Wetlands With Different Utilization,
2023
Thiagarajar College, India
Grass Vegetation Dynamics In Wetlands With Different Utilization, Dorai Pandian Kannan
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
The land-use patterns, combined with the biotic interactions, are likely to substantially affect the grass community of tropical wetlands. However, we need more information to understand the vegetation cover and, particularly, the diversity of grasses in the protected sites, where the naturally occurring interactions with extreme complexity. Hence a thorough understanding of these interactive effects on grass dynamics would help develop wildlife management guidelines to predict the grass-woody herbs and other associated vegetation. In light of this, a beta vegetation survey and diversity analysis in two varying wetland ecosystems of natural mountain streams and temporary ponds. Grass communities occurred along …
Mechanisms Of Ecosystem Carbon Exchange In Response To Grazing Rates In Two Hydrologically Contrasting Growing Seasons In A Desert Steppe,
2023
Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, China
Mechanisms Of Ecosystem Carbon Exchange In Response To Grazing Rates In Two Hydrologically Contrasting Growing Seasons In A Desert Steppe, Y. X. Jin, D. S. Tian, Q. Wu, Y. H. Wang, G. D. Han
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Chronic grazing affects grassland soil processes and plant community composition, which may create novel patterns of net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) under the mediation of precipitation. Here, we report results from a 14-year field manipulative experiment with four stocking rates in a Stipa breviflora desert steppe in northern China. Ecosystem carbon exchange as well as plant aboveground biomass and composition were measured in the two growing seasons (including a wet and dry growing season). Our results showed a significant interannual variation in CO2 fluxes, heavy grazing significantly reduced NEE regardless of precipitation. Grazing-induced changes in NEE were largely attributable …
Soil C Change Over 14 Years In Grasslands Sown Into A Highly Disturbed Soil,
2023
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Soil C Change Over 14 Years In Grasslands Sown Into A Highly Disturbed Soil, R. D. Jackson, J. Stier
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Perennial grasslands are thought to sequester C, so restoring them is touted as part of the solution for mitigating climate change. Moreover, there is growing interest among managed grassland stakeholders in selling C credits on nascent C markets. Former agricultural and municipal sites are often considered viable areas for conversion to grasslands, with types ranging from unmanaged prairies with diverse plant communities to monocultures in highly managed urban environments. We sowed five perennial plant communities into an area that had undergone massive soil disturbance five years previous during conversion from row crop agriculture to C3 turf. We found that soils …
Length Of Multi-Year Precipitation And Primary Production Relationships Vary Regionally Across Grasslands In The Central U.S.,
2023
USDA-ARS
Length Of Multi-Year Precipitation And Primary Production Relationships Vary Regionally Across Grasslands In The Central U.S., A. R. Hudson, D. P.C. Peters
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Grasslands in the central United States span large temperature and aridity gradients and regionally differ in their drivers of water availability. These differences likely determine how drought event periodicity and duration can influence grassland growth, and are important to consider as global warming changes energy and water distribution across these systems. Here, we explored frequency patterns in annual grassland plant growth (aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP)) and precipitation (PPT) relationships for over 20 years at six long-term research sites spatially distributed across the central grassland region. We identified the periods (>1 year) these relationships are strongest- and when they …
Community Asynchrony Increased Its Stability By Mediating The Relationship Of Diversity–Stability Relationships In Loess Plateau, China,
2023
Lanzhou University, China
Community Asynchrony Increased Its Stability By Mediating The Relationship Of Diversity–Stability Relationships In Loess Plateau, China, Fujiang Hou, Xiaojuan Huang, Jing Zhang
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
Extreme weather such as heavy rainfall and drought are threatening the global grassland and its potential to mitigate climate change. Therefore, understanding the drivers that promote the stability of grassland ecosystems is considered to be critical to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on grasslands. Here, we use precipitation addition (PA) + grazing experiment to explain how species richness, aboveground biomass, species asynchrony, functional group level stability, drought tolerance and grazing tolerance can maintain grassland productivity stability. The results showed that grazing counteracted the promoting effect of rainfall on vegetation to a certain extent, and weakened the sensitivity of …
Nutrient Balances Of Rewetted Fens – Groundwater Lysimeter Results,
2023
ZALF, Germany
Nutrient Balances Of Rewetted Fens – Groundwater Lysimeter Results, J. Hoysagk, M. Pesch, F. Eulenstein, A. Behrendt
IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)
With the raising of groundwater levels to protect fens and the climate, there may be a risk of nutrients, such as nitrogen or potassium, leaching into the groundwater. Great amounts of nutrients, which are accumulated largely by peat forming plants like Phragmites australis and Carex spec., are conveyed into rewetted fens through high amounts of introduced water. Nitrogen leaching into the groundwater is very low even at the beginning of flooding and there is no sudden, pronounced leaching. Only a portion of potassium is taken up by plants whereas the rest might be found in the groundwater. Increasing nutrient inputs …
