Effect of different grazing management systems on the herbage mass and pasture height of a <i>Nardus stricta</i> grassland in western Scotland, United Kingdom

Holland, J.; Waterhouse, A.; Robertson, D. G.; Pollock, M. L.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.2007.00613.x

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Where individual studies reported multiple comparisons at the same herbivore densities and over the same time period, we used the mean of these values in our calculations. We also included additional studies that quantified the response of vegetation to the manipulation of herbivore densities rather than the complete removal of herbivores (Cao et al , 2004; Allard et al , 2007; Dumont et al , 2007; Holland et al , 2008; Jauregui et al , 2008). For each of the 57 studies, we calculated the biomass of herbivores per unit land area by multiplying herbivore densities estimated in each study by estimates of mean herbivore body mass.…”

Section: Synthesizing the Annual Effects Of Herbivory On Carbon Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems: do browsing and grazing herbivores matter?

2011

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Large mammalian herbivores manifest a strong top-down control on ecosystems that can transform entire landscapes, but their impacts have not been reviewed in the context of terrestrial carbon storage. Here, we evaluate the effects of plant biomass consumption by large mammalian herbivores (>10 kg adult biomass), and the responses of ecosystems to these herbivores, on carbon stocks in temperate and tropical regions, and the Arctic. We calculate the difference in carbon stocks resulting from herbivore exclusion using the results of 108 studies from 52 vegetation types. Our estimates suggest that herbivores can reduce terrestrial above- and below-ground carbon stocks across vegetation types but reductions in carbon stocks may approach zero given sufficient periods of time for systems to respond to herbivory (i.e. decades). We estimate that if all large herbivores were removed from the vegetation types sampled in our review, increases in terrestrial carbon stocks would be up to three orders of magnitude less than many of the natural and human-influenced sources of carbon emissions. However, we lack estimates for the effects of herbivores on below-ground biomass and soil carbon levels in many regions, including those with high herbivore densities, and upwards revisions of our estimates may be necessary. Our results provide a starting point for a discussion on the magnitude of the effects of herbivory on the global carbon cycle, particularly given that large herbivores are common in many ecosystems. We suggest that herbivore removal might represent an important strategy towards increasing terrestrial carbon stocks at local and regional scales within specific vegetation types, since humans influence populations of most large mammals.

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Section: Synthesizing the Annual Effects Of Herbivory On Carbon Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems: do browsing and grazing herbivores matter?

2011

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“…Alternatively, only live biomass increments can be considered (e.g. Holland et al ., ), although in this case productivity might be underestimated. In order to alleviate these effects, we used an adaptation of the method proposed by Sala et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Productivity, grazing utilization, forage quality and primary production controls of species‐rich alpine grasslands with Nardus stricta in northern Spain

Bedia

Busqué

2012

Grass and Forage Science

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Species‐rich alpine grasslands with Nardus stricta are important communities for both animal production and environmental conservation in Europe. We selected two contrasting types of Nardus grasslands (mesic and wet) within a rangeland of northern Spain and measured annual above‐ground net primary productivity (ANPP), botanical components, forage utilization and their respective seasonal patterns, during a 5‐year period. We analysed their chemical properties and recorded soil moisture and temperature in order to construct models able to explain grassland productivity. Mean annual ANPP of mesic Nardus grassland was about half (216 g DM m−2 year−1; ±29·8 s.e.) that of the wet grassland (406 g DM m−2 year−1; ±54·3 s.e.), with significant intra‐ and interannual variability. Mesic grassland, with a more important contribution of forbs and legumes over graminoids in its botanical composition, was the preferred forage source of grazing livestock and showed better chemical properties in spring and early summer. In summer and autumn, wet grassland had a higher utilization owing to its ability to maintain high biomass production. This was partially explained by soil moisture, a limiting factor of mesic grassland productivity. Our results provide new and relevant information on key aspects of species‐rich alpine Nardus grasslands, potentially useful for the definition of management options for these habitats of priority conservation.

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“…Holland et al (2008) reported that grazing management had an effect on pasture height and herbage mass. However, when pre-and post-grazing pasture samples are both clipped to ground level in similar types of pasture and calibrations are based on PH, then residual forage mass often fits closely within the same regression line as the initial forage mass, with little or no effect on the accuracy of the plate meter as a predictor of pasture mass (Ed Rayburn, personal communication).…”

Section: Calibration Studymentioning

confidence: 98%

Calibration and use of plate meter regressions for pasture mass estimation in an Appalachian silvopasture

Dougherty

Burger

Feldhake

et al. 2013

Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science

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A plate meter for measuring pasture mass was calibrated at Agroforestry Research Site in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA, using six ungrazed plots of established tall fescue overseeded with orchardgrass. Each plot was interplanted with bare root honey locust and black walnut seedlings spaced along a gradient ranging from 1.8 to 11.0 m. Plate height (PH) of forage between trees was measured by placing a 46-mm 6 46-mm 6 5.6-mm-thick acrylic plastic plate meter on pasture canopy at six locations four times a season. PH was measured between ground and plate as it rested on pasture canopy. To calibrate the plate meter against a known dry matter yield, 50 6 50-cm clip plots followed each PH measurement. The resulting regression slope was 421 kg ha 71 cm 71 , with an r 2 value of 0.86. Unique research investigating the response of forage mass to site elevation is presented using the developed equation. The field-calibrated regression slope of ruler height (RH) to PH was 1.71 cm cm 71 , with an r 2 value of 0.87, showing good correlation between RH and PH. A comparable regional regression equation was found to adequately predict independent calibration clip plot data reported at this site. The results support the application of regression equations for estimating pasture mass in areas having similar climates and pasture composition.

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Effect of different grazing management systems on the herbage mass and pasture height of a Nardus stricta grassland in western Scotland, United Kingdom

Cited by 15 publications

References 33 publications

Carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems: do browsing and grazing herbivores matter?

Carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems: do browsing and grazing herbivores matter?

Productivity, grazing utilization, forage quality and primary production controls of species‐rich alpine grasslands with Nardus stricta in northern Spain

Calibration and use of plate meter regressions for pasture mass estimation in an Appalachian silvopasture

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