Plant Responses to Pine Management and Deferred-Rotation Grazing in North Florida

Abstract

Responses of herbaceous and woody plants to combinations of 4 pine management and 4 grazing management systems were tested on a wet-flatwoods site in the pintwiregrass vegetation type of north Florida. Frequency of occurrence of herbaceous species and foiii cover of woody species were determined in natural stands of SO-year-old slash and iongleaf pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. and P. pahstris Mill.) and compared to similar forest sites that were harvested and site prepared by double-chopping and not replanted with slash pine, or replanted to 1,112 trees/ha in single-and double-row configurations. In addition, these sites were ungrazed or grazed using 3 deferred-rotation systems. Prescribed burning in the natural stands increased occurrence of most herbs'and sthnuiated new species to occur, but had little effect on woody plant composition. However, harvesting of pines and double-chopping resulted in the occurrence of many new herbaceous species and increased occurrence of most initially present. Pineiand threeawn (histido strictu Michx.), the major herb, initially deereased in occurrence with intensive site disturbance. Six years after disturbance, most herbaceous species were declining in occurrence. Grazing or growth of replanted pines had little infiuence on occurrence of herbaceous species. Both burning and mechanical disturbances initially reduced foiiar ground cover of most woody speck, however, few species were eliminated from the community. Most woody species were recovering within 6 yr from treatment, but succession was somewhat slower on mechanicaiiy treated areas. Survival and growth of planted pines were not affected by grazing, nor did planting configuration affect pine growth.

Quantitative Effects of Grazing on Vegetation and Soils Over a Global Range of Environments

“…Pennines 27 Titlyanova et al 1988, Sweden: C)Jand limestone grassland/Ve-17.1 18.9 A. Titlyanova, person-ronica-A venula a/ communication NORTH AMERICA 28 Lewis et al 1988 USA: Florida flatwoods/ Pinus-Aristida 28 5.0 32.0 29 Launchbaugh 1955 USA: Texas coastal prairie/Andropo-10.5 28.8 gon-Stipa 30 Brady et al 1989 USA: Arizona Semidesert grassland/ Bou--1.7 32.4 teloua-Eragrostis 30 t Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) or peak standing crop (peak standing crop was most often reported). ANPP of grazed treatments usually based upon harvest within temporary cages that exclude herbivory only during the year of study (see Methods: Response variables for details).…”

Species Diversity and Diversity Profiles: Concept, Measurement, and Application to Timber and Range Management

“…Twenty-eight l-ha test pastures were selected for treatments (Lewis et al 1988). The remaining area was divided into 3 holding units for cattle when they were not grazing the test pastures.…”

“…Using frequency of occurrence as a measure of the abundance of each herbaceous species, we computed species count, Shannon's index, and Simpson's index as 3 commonly employed measures of average species rarity. There were no significant differences due to the deferred-rotation treatments (Lewis et al 1988) so these data were combined. To illustrate the overall results, data from the chopped-only treatment for frequency of occurrence of herbaceous species were used to compare diversity (Fig.…”

Management of Longleaf Pine Woodlands for Threatened and Endangered Species

“…Increased grass production, decreased herb production, and altered composition were documented in dry flatwood sites under grazing pressure (Duvall and Linnartz 1967). However, Lewis Tanner, and Terry (1988) found that grazing had little effect on occurrence of herbaceous species in pine-wiregrass communities. Intermediate grazing may prevent highly competitive species from excluding others, thus enhancing species richness (reviewed in Walker and Peet 1983).…”