Forage intake and nitrogen metabolism of beef cattle grazing palisadegrass-calopo mixed pasture managed using canopy light interception

To define the best grazing management strategy, it is important to assess animals' responses to variations in the structure and composition of tropical forages. This 2-year study evaluated animal response to Marandu palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha)-calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides) mixed pastures managed under rotational grazing. Treatments consisted of three defoliation frequencies defined by rest periods interrupted at 90% (90LI), 95% (95LI) and 100% (100LI) of photosynthetically active radiation interception (LI). The stubble post-grazing height target was 15 cm. Statistical difference was declared at p < .10. The 100LI had lowest crude protein (CP) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDDM) for the Marandu palisadegrass (p = <.001 both) and calopo (p = .003 and p = .067, respectively). Also, the OM digestibility decreased 7.0% in the 100LI condition than 90LI and 95LI treatment (p = .005). There was no difference in forage, grass, and legume intakes between the treatments (p > .10). The 100LI treatment decreased CP intake from grass in 33.3% (p = <.001) compared to other treatments. Greatest production of microbial N (p = .093) occurred with the 90LI treatment. The CP/digestible organic matter (DOM) ratio, urinary N excretion and retained N were lowest in the 100LI treatment (p = <.001, p = .007 and p = .014, respectively). The recommendation for grazing between 90 and 95% of LI is recommended because of greater CP intake and N utilization for the animals and improved the nutritive value of Marandu palisadegrass and calopo mixed pastures.     

Seedling recruitment dynamics of forage and weed species under continuous and rotational sheep grazing in a temperate New Zealand pasture

Understanding the grazing conditions under which plant populations are limited by seed availability (seed limitation) is important for devising management schemes that aim to manipulate the establishment of weed and forage species. Seeds of three weed species (Cirsium arvense, C. vulgare and Rumex obtusifolius) and five forage species (Lolium perenne, Lotus uliginosus syn. L. pedunculatus, Paspalum dilatatum, Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium repens) were broadcast sown into L. perenne–T. repens pastures in Manawatu, New Zealand and five sheep‐grazing and two slug‐grazing (with and without molluscicide) treatments were imposed in a split‐plot design. Of the five sheep‐grazing treatments, four compared continuous grazing with rotational grazing at intervals of 12, 24 and 36 d in spring, with all four grazed under a common rotation for the remainder of the year. The fifth treatment was continuous grazing all year. Seed sowing increased seedling emergence of C. vulgare, L. perenne, P. lanceolata, R. obtusifolius and T. repens under all sheep‐ and slug‐grazing treatments, with differences in seedling densities persisting for at least 21 months. Seed sowing did not increase seedling densities of C. arvense, L. uliginosus or P. dilatatum. The effects of sheep‐grazing management on seedling emergence and survival were uncoupled. For the five seed‐limited species, seedling emergence was greater on pastures that were rotationally grazed during spring compared with those that were continuously grazed. However, seedling survival was lower in pastures grazed rotationally during summer, autumn and winter, so that after 21 months seedling numbers were greater on plots that were continuously grazed all year. Exclusion of slugs increased seedling recruitment of T. repens but had no impact on the other species. As weed and forage species responded in a similar way to sheep‐grazing management (increased under continuous, decreased under rotational), it is unlikely that the goals of reducing weed invasions and enhancing forage species establishment could be carried out concurrently in established pastures with the same management.     

Herbage potassium levels in a permanent pasture under grazing

Herbage potassium levels were measured in 1986 in a permanent pasture under continuous grazing with cattle and receiving 200 kg N ha⁻¹. In April, before grazing started, K concentration in the herbage was relatively uniform across the pasture, with a value of 1·9 ± 0·038% K in the herbage dry matter. In July, a significantly lower concentration of herbage K was found in the grazed areas of the pasture (1·8 ± 0·10%) compared with the level (2·4 ± 0·088%) found in the rejected areas of the sward. The difference between the grazed and rejected areas was similar in September, with 1·6 ± 0·087% and 2·2 ± 0·172% K, respectively, in the herbage dry matter. This result suggests that herbage growth in the grazed areas might have been limited by K supply and highlights the need for more information on the K requirements of grazed grassland.     

Root characteristics of temperate pasture in New South Wales after grazing at three stocking rates for 30 years

The distribution of length, diameter, surface area and volume of roots was measured in northern New South Wales, Australia, under temperate pasture that had been previously grazed at low and high stocking rates for 30 years; these root characteristics were compared with those of roots under ungrazed pasture. The ungrazed pasture was dominated by Phalaris (Phalaris Aquatica), whereas annual grasses and dicotyledons were a large component of the pasture at low and high stocking rates. A fine-meshed (0.250 mm) sieve was used for separating the roots from the soil, and the root characteristics were measured using image analysis techniques. With this sieve size, root length densities were many times higher than published data for astures where a larger mesh sieve had been used for sample preparation. The lengths of root per unit of soil volume (root length densities) were high for all stocking rates and averaged 91 cm cm^?3 near the soil surface (0 – 5 cm) declining to 4.0 cm cm^?3 at the deepest depth measured (65–75 cm). There was a greater proportion of roots near the soil surface at the higher stocking rates. A greater proportion of fine roots occurred at the higher stocking rates, which was probably due to the differences in botanical composition. Reciprocal, power and logarithmic functions best described the distribution of root length density, root surface area density and root volume density, root surface area density and root volume desnity with depth.     

Forage yield and persistency of Trifolium repens × Trifolium nigrescens hybrids under rotational sheep grazing

Introgression of reproductive traits from the annual, profuse flowering, ball clover (Trifolium nigrescens Viv.) into white clover (Trifolium repens L.) is one breeding strategy to improve seed yields of T. repens that must be achieved without sacrificing agronomic performance and persistency under grazing. The yield and persistency of hybrids between white clover and T. nigrescens were compared under rotational sheep grazing over three harvest years. The hybrids included the backcross (BC) 2 and 3 generations produced using white clover as the recurrent parent. The large‐leaved T. repens variety Olwen, medium‐leaved varieties AberDai and Menna and the small‐leaved variety S184 were sown as controls. Hybrids and control varieties were sown with a perennial ryegrass companion; between April and the end of October in each harvest year the plots were rotationally grazed with sheep with clover and perennial ryegrass (DM) yield and the proportion of clover present measured over the growing season. The clover and total DM yields of the BC2 and BC3 were generally comparable with the small‐ and medium‐leaved varieties within the experiment and significantly greater than the yields of the large‐leaved variety Olwen. Throughout the 3 years of the experiment the BC2 maintained a clover content above 0·30 and comparable with the small‐leaved varieties, while the clover content of the BC3 was comparable with the small‐ and medium‐leaved varieties in the first and third harvest years. No significant difference in perennial ryegrass production was observed when grown with the backcrosses or the control varieties. Differences in stolon and growing‐point density were observed at the end of the experiment with the density of the BC2 and BC3 less than the small‐leaved variety S184 but, in common with the medium‐leaved varieties, greater than the large‐leaved variety Olwen. The implication of these results for the use of this material in future experiments and in the white clover breeding programme is discussed.     

Heavy grazing effects on stem elongation and internode allometry: Insights from a natural pasture grass

Limited plant stem elongation is hypothesized to be the primary cause of decreased plant growth in response to long‐term heavy grazing (LHG). However, it remains largely unknown how LHG‐induced changes in stem elongation are mediated by internode traits. Accordingly, we experimentally investigated the effects of LHG (defined as twice the stocking rate recommended by the local government) on plant stem elongation and internode allometry in Leymus chinensis in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Plant size and internode traits, including internode length (IL), internode diameter (ID), and internode number (IN), from plant individuals were measured according to their phytomer position from base to apex. The results revealed that IN and their distributions were changed in response to LHG. Although LHG negatively affected IL and ID of each L. chinensis internode from base to apex and eventually stem length, the plasticity index of IL and ID increased initially and then decreased from the lowermost to the uppermost internode in response to LHG. These contrasting responses of internode traits were result of allometry between internode traits determined by both LHG and internode position. Ultimately, IL and IN were identified to be key traits influencing stem length reduction under LHG conditions and explaining 52.51% and 47.49% of variation in stem length, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that the limitation of L. chinensis stem elongation induced by LHG is mediated by the plasticity and allometry of internode traits. This result emphasizes the sensitivity of individual plants to LHG and is potentially valuable for optimal grassland management.     

The value of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) in ryegrass — timothy mixtures managed to simulate intensive grazing

The performance of timothy in mixtures with perennial ryegrass was assessed under a simulated intensive grazing management over two harvest years in 1974–75. Three seed rates of S23 perennial ryegrass were factorially combined with three rates of Scots timothy and compared with pure stands of each grass. All were sown with Huia white clover. When cut six times at monthly intervals and with an annual N input of 350 kg ha^?1, there were no significant differences in total DM production in either year. The 2-year mean DM yield for the nine mixtures and six pure swards was 9·77 t ha^?1 (range 9·34–10·16). Compared with the pure ryegrass swards, in both years the ryegrass-timothy mixtures produced earlier spring growth but were significantly lower yielding at the second cut. Over the first five cuts the proptortion of timothy in the three mixtures with 22·4 kg ha^?1 ryegrass seed averaged 26% in the first year and 37% in the second. Corresponding calculated mean DM yields of timothy were 2·75 and 3·00 t ha^?1. It is concluded that an early timothy variety is capable of competing with a late-heading perennial ryegrass in frequently cut swards managed to simulate intensive grazing. The strong development of timothy in the dry summer of 1975 suggests that in mixtures of late perennial ryegrass varieties, an early variety of timothy should be beneficial for its spring growth in grazed swards.     

Silicon uptake by a pasture grass experiencing simulated grazing is greatest under elevated precipitation

Background

Grasses are hyper-accumulators of silicon (Si) and often up-regulate Si following herbivory. Positive correlations exist between Si and plant water content, yet the extent to which Si uptake responses can be mediated by changes in soil water availability has rarely been studied and never, to our knowledge, under field conditions. We used field-based rain-exclusion shelters to investigate how simulated grazing (shoot clipping) and altered rainfall patterns (drought and elevated precipitation, representing 50% and 150% of ambient precipitation levels, respectively) affected initial patterns of root- and shoot-Si uptake in a native Australian grass (Microlaena stipoides) in Si-supplemented and untreated soils.

Results

Si supplementation increased soil water retention under ambient and elevated precipitation but not under drought, although this had little effect on Si uptake and growth (tiller numbers or root biomass) of M. stipoides. Changes in rainfall patterns and clipping had strong individual effects on plant growth and Si uptake and storage, whereby clipping increased Si uptake by M. stipoides under all rainfall treatments but to the greatest extent under elevated precipitation. Moreover, above-ground–below-ground Si distribution only changed following elevated precipitation by decreasing the ratio of root:shoot Si concentrations.

Conclusions

Results highlight the importance of soil water availability for Si uptake and suggest a role for both active and passive Si transport mechanisms. Such manipulative field studies may provide a more realistic insight into how grasses initially respond to herbivory in terms of Si-based defence under different environmental conditions.

     

Variation in root traits associated with nutrient foraging among temperate pasture legumes and grasses

Temperate pasture legumes (e.g. Trifolium and Medicago spp.) often have a higher phosphorus (P) requirement for maximum productivity than pasture grasses. This is partly attributed to differences between legumes and grasses in their ability to acquire P from soil. We are the first to report differences in root morphology traits important for soil P acquisition in a range of novel pasture legumes being developed for use in temperate pastures of southern Australia. Up to a 3·6‐fold range in specific root length (SRL) (79–281 m root g^?1 root) and 6·1‐fold range in root hair length (RHL) (0·12–0·75 mm) was found between the pasture species. The commonly used Trifolium subterraneum and Medicago sativa had relatively low SRLs and short root hairs, while Ornithopus compressus, O. sativus and Biserrula pelecinus had RHLs and SRLs more similar to those of two grass species that were also assessed. Specific root length was highly correlated with average root diameter, and root traits were relatively stable at different plant ages. We surmise that large differences among pasture legume species in the effective volume of soil explored could translate into significant differences in their critical P requirements (i.e. soil P concentration to achieve 90% of maximum shoot yield).     

A simulation model of a dairy forage system to evaluate feeding management strategies with spring rotational grazing

Abstract To counteract a decrease in the availability of grazing for feeding dairy cows in France, a simulation model is proposed in the paper, which combines decision and agronomic submodels to study forage system management strategies compatible with spring grazing use. Nine strategies were tested with the model using a sequence of 16 climatic years. Three of these strategies come from a survey in south‐west France and six others were designed with research scientists or farm advisors. The strategies differ in the duration of maize silage feeding, the area dedicated to maize silage and the area dedicated to grass silage. Results from simulation models show that the consequence of a large and constant maize silage area is a high maize silage overstock if there is an early turnout or a high grass silage overstock if turnout is late. The consequence of a low maize area is a high grazing duration combined in some years with feeding shortages. Strategies that have no feeding shortage and a low level of maize and grass silage overstock have a high grazing duration and have no constant maize or grass silage areas. The solution proposed to avoid climatic risk, and its consequences on feeding, is based on two procedures: use of reserve areas for production and allowing the production programme to be modified to take into account fresh information, especially weather records.     

A model describing the utilization of herbage by cattle in a rotational grazing system

A model that describes the utilization of herbage by cattle in a rotational grazing system is presented. The model considers swards as being structured into two phases: a long phase associated with old dung patches, and a short phase. Both phases are treated as consisting of a series of horizontal strata corresponding in depth to a bite depth. The sward is divided into feeding stations consisting of either the long or the short phase. In each, only the surface stratum is available for grazing at each time step. At any time step, the individuals of a herd of cattle, distributed at random, encounter the entire range of strata. The rate of intake of each member of the herd depends on the intake properties of the stratum that it has encountered. The number of cattle that encounter each stratum type is variable so that the mean intake per member of the herd is the weighted mean. The core feature of the model is the simulation of the change over time in the frequency distribution of exposed stratum types and the distribution of grazing across this range of strata. The members of the herd are assumed to select a feeding station based on preference for leafiness of the encountered stata and the phase. The decision to graze or not is based on the comparison between the current vs. the previous feeding station. Model parameter values were based on published data. The proportion of leaf and bulk density of a phase or the strata were determined from an analysis of a sample of sward profiles. Using bite dimension, bite weight, biting rate, search time, feeding station area and selective behaviour, it was possible to simulate sward depletion that is very similar to the observed data from grazed paddocks in experiments in south‐east Ireland. The model of herbage utilization adequately described the changes in intake and sward structure during grazing and it was concluded that it was suitable for use as part of a simulation of a grazing system.     

White clover growth patterns during the grazing season in a rotationally grazed dairy pasture in New York

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an important stoloniferous pasture legume in the Great Lakes region of the United States, but it often has limited persistence. Researchers in New Zealand and Wales have found that in spring, compared with other seasons, white clover plants have reduced branching complexity and have the fewest buds that produce leaves. They therefore suggested that in spring the plants are most vulnerable to grazing and climatic stress. Because of severe winter and cool, wet spring weather in New York State, it was hypothesized that white clover plants would also be of low branching complexity, smaller and have low axillary bud activity in spring compared with later in the grazing season. To test this, growth of white clover was monitored in an orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.)/white clover pasture in New York that was rotationally grazed with dairy cows during the 1993 and 1994 grazing seasons. Three sets of plants were sampled. The first set consisted of forty random plants sampled before each grazing event. Stolon branching order, number of each stolon branching type and area the plant occupied were determined. Approximately each month before one grazing event, a separate set of 32 random plants was measured in the field to determine the area they occupied; these plants were then removed to the laboratory for the measurement of stolon order, number of each stolon type, stolon lengths, total number of growing points, number of taproots and adventitious roots, root position and above-ground dry matter. Once a month, 12 additional plants were removed to measure axillary bud activity at each node. Leaf development from nodes tended to increase from spring to summer. However, the stolon branching order of white clover plants was not simpler in spring compared with summer or autumn. In 1994 during and after a dry and hot period, white clover plants were smaller, of lower stolon branching order and had fewer roots. Climate and associated soil organism activity appear to explain the different white clover growth patterns observed in New York and New Zealand. Severe winters in New York limit earthworm activity and stolon burial, which is important in contributing to stolon/plant breakdown in New Zealand. During the years of this study in New York, a hot and dry period had the most negative effect on the growth pattern of white clover.     

Continuous and rotational grazing of dairy cows – the interactions of grazing system with level of milk yield, sward height and concentrate level

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that for cows with high levels of milk yield, rotational grazing produces higher milk yields than continuous grazing. The comparison of grazing systems was made at two levels of milk yield (initially 20·3 and 32·5 kg d^?1), and interactions with sward height and concentrate level were also examined. The study used 48 multiparous Holstein Friesian cows over a period of 62 d. Mean milk yield, its persistency and composition, live weight, body condition score and liveweight gain were not significantly affected by grazing system at either level of milk yield. There were no significant interactions between grazing system and sward height or concentrate level for any milk production measurement. Mean estimated herbage and total dry matter (DM) intake (P < 0·01), grazing time (P < 0·05) and ruminating time (P < 0·01) were significantly greater on the continuous grazing system. The cows in the higher milk yield group and those grazed at the higher sward height had a significantly (P < 0·05) higher estimated daily herbage DM intake and rate of herbage intake on the continuous grazing system than those on the rotational grazing system. There was no evidence to support the hypothesis that rotational grazing systems support higher levels of milk production than continuous grazing for cows of high milk yield. The shorter grazing time on the rotational grazing system indicated that cows may anticipate the timing of the daily movement of the electric fence, and this reduces their time spent grazing residual herbage.     

Herbage mass and nutritive value of herbage of extensively managed temperate grasslands along a gradient of shrub encroachment

Semi-natural grasslands often serve as important reserves of biodiversity. In Europe extensive grazing by livestock is considered an appropriate management to conserve biodiversity value and to limit shrub encroachment. However, little is known about the influence of shrubs on agronomic values. A gradient analysis of shrub-invaded temperate grasslands (from shrub-free to pioneer forest) in Germany was carried out to test the hypothesis that herbage mass and variables describing nutritive value of herbage decrease with increasing shrub encroachment. The herbage mass of dry matter (DM), variables describing the nutritive value of herbage, composition of the vegetation and mean of Ellenberg's indicator values were analysed with respect to the extent of shrubs. There was a reduction of herbage mass of DM from 3570 to 210 kg ha⁻¹ with increasing shrub encroachment. Metabolizable energy concentration of herbage ranged from 8·9 to 10·2 MJ kg⁻¹ DM and crude protein concentration from 72 to 171 g kg⁻¹ DM, both measures being positively correlated with shrub occurrence. Increasing shrub occurrence was associated with a decrease in water-soluble carbohydrates concentration (from 151 to 31 g kg⁻¹) and a reduction in the indicator 'forage value'. The results indicate a potentially large agronomic value for shrub-encroached temperate grasslands.     

Dry-matter yield and herbage quality of a perennial ryegrass/white clover sward in a rotational grazing and cutting system

The expected reduction in the use of fertilizer nitrogen (N) on grassland in the Netherlands has led to renewed interest in white clover. Therefore, the performance of a newly sown perennial ryegrass/white clover sward on clay soil was assessed during 4 consecutive years. The experiment consisted of all combinations of two defoliation systems, i.e. one or two silage cuts per year (S1, S2), spring N application rate, i.e. 0 or 50 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (N₀, N₅₀), and the management system, i.e. rotational grazing and cutting, or cutting only (RGC, CO). The overall mean white clover cover was 30%. All treatments affected white clover cover, which was 8% higher with S2 than with S1, 6% higher with N₀ than with N₅₀ and 12% higher with CO than with RGC. The overall mean annual dry-matter (DM) yield (13·1 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) was significantly affected only by the management system: in two relatively wetter years, the annual DM yield was 1·19 t ha⁻¹ higher with RGC than with CO, whereas there was no difference in two relatively drier years. Nitrogen application increased the DM yield in the first cut by 7·0 kg kg⁻¹ N applied, but had no significant effect on the annual DM yield. Herbage quality was not affected by the experimental treatments. The average in vitro organic matter digestibility was 0.801, and the average crude protein content was 193 g kg⁻¹ DM. With the expected reduction in the use of fertilizer N, perennial ryegrass/white clover swards should be seriously considered as an alternative option to perennial ryegrass swards on these clay soils.     

Effect of structure of a tropical pasture on ingestive behaviour, digestibility of diet and daily intake by grazing cattle

The effect of the structure of a tropical pasture, based on Dichanthium spp., on the ingestive behaviour, in vivo digestibility of the diet and herbage intake by eight Creole tethered heifers was studied. Two levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0 and 50 kg ha^?1) were applied to plots after each grazing cycle and there were 28 d between each of the three grazing cycles. Four heifers grazed individual subplots daily on each plot for 14 d in each of the successive grazing cycles. Simultaneous measurements of bite depth, bite mass, biting rate, short‐term intake rate and daily grazing time were made in two 4‐d periods at the end of each 14‐d period. The in vivo organic matter digestibility (OMD) and daily herbage organic matter intake (OMI, expressed on a kg LW^0·75 basis) were also measured at the same times. Relationships among pasture characteristics and ingestive behaviour were similar to those reported in other short‐term studies: pasture height was highly correlated with bite depth, bite mass and biting rate (r = 0·91, r =0·79 and r = ?0·68, respectively, P < 0·001). Pasture variables had lower correlations with grazing time and short‐term intake rate than with bite depth, bite mass and biting rate. Pasture structure was more highly correlated with OMD than OMI: leaf mass and length and also the extended tiller length were highly correlated with OMD (r = 0·77, r = 0·76 and r = 0·72, respectively, P < 0·001) whereas the crude protein concentration of the herbage was correlated with OMI and digestible OMI (r = 0·50 and r = 0·69, respectively, P < 0·001). Ingestive behaviour variables, as well as OMD, were correlated more with pasture characteristics than was OMI.     

GrazeIn: a model of herbage intake and milk production for grazing dairy cows. 2. Prediction of intake under rotational and continuously stocked grazing management

Decision support tools to help dairy farmers gain confidence in grazing management need to be able to predict performance of grazing animals with easy‐to‐obtain variables on farm. This paper, the second of a series of three, describes the GrazeIn model predicting herbage intake for grazing dairy cows. The model of voluntary intake described in the first paper is adapted to grazing situations taking account of sward characteristics and grazing management, which can potentially affect intake compared to indoor feeding. Rotational and continuously stocked grazing systems are considered separately. Specific effects of grazing management on intake were quantified from an extensive literature review, including the effect of daily herbage allowance and pre‐grazing herbage mass in rotational grazing systems, sward surface height in continuously stocked grazing systems, and daily time at pasture in both grazing systems. The model, based on iterative procedures, estimates many interactions between cows, supplements, sward characteristics and grazing management. The sensitivity of the prediction of herbage intake to sward and management characteristics, as well as the robustness of the simulations and an external validation of the GrazeIn model with an independent data set, is presented in a third paper.     

Animal and forage responses on lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) pastures under contrasting grazing managements in a temperate climate

This study determined the impact of a change in grazing system on beef production from lucerne pastures in Argentina. One system (T500) used the traditional recommendation to commence grazing in spring when lucerne was near to 10% flowering. The grazing interval was ~ 500 growing degree-days (GDD; above a base temperature for growth of 5°C) from mid-spring to mid-autumn. In contrast, the T350 system commenced grazing 11–15 days earlier at ~ 1,000 kg DM/ha and the grazing interval was ~ 350 GDD from mid-spring to mid-summer, and from mid-summer to mid-autumn, it was ~ 500 GDD. Total live-weight production was ~ 30% or 185 and 115 kg/ha higher in T350 than T500 in Years 1 and 2 respectively. This was due to a higher live-weight production per head and a higher stocking rate, because T350 produced 1,600 kg DM ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ more forage. Plant population (~70 plants/m²) and perennial biomass (root plus crown) at the end of the second year did not differ between treatments. This suggests that lucerne persistence was not affected by the more intensive spring grazing of T350, because an adequate period of autumn recovery was allowed. This work quantified the live-weight gain (+30%, +150 kg/ha) when the grazing management of lucerne during the spring–summer period was based on crop growth status (i.e. standing biomass, canopy height) rather than on crop phenology.     

套种牧草果园土壤浸提液对萝卜种子发芽和幼苗生长的化感效应

采用生物检测方法,探讨果园套种牧草,其土壤浸提液对萝卜种子发芽和幼苗生长的化感效应。结果表明:果园分别全园套种宽叶雀稗、百喜草、平托花生、圆叶决明4种牧草,其土壤浸提液均对受体萝卜种子萌发有抑制作用,而对受体萝卜根的生长有不同程度的促进作用;全园套种百喜草处理对受体萝卜根干重起抑制作用;全园套种百喜草、平托花生、圆叶决明处理对受体萝卜的幼苗生长和干重均起显著的促进作用,而全园套种宽叶雀稗处理则反之;全园套种百喜草、平托花生、圆叶决明3种牧草处理对受体萝卜的化感综合效应指数均大于套种宽叶雀稗处理,且前者起促进作用,而后者起抑制作用;用不同牧草区土壤浸提液进行砂培法培养的萝卜幼苗根系活力受到极显著抑制,对照处理的萝卜根系活力最强,为156.3μg·g-1·h-1,而宽叶雀稗处理区的根系活力最小,为64.3μg·g-1·h-1。     

Grassland responses to grazing disturbance: plant diversity changes with grazing intensity in a desert steppe

This study quantifies the impact of four different grazing regimes (heavy, moderate, light and ungrazed) on the vegetation dynamics of rangeland ecosystems along the southern boundary area of the Mu Us Desert, China. As the grazing intensities decreased, the soil quality, canopy cover, height, density, above‐ and below‐ground biomass, litter, root/shoot ratio and native plant (Aneurolepidium dasystachys) and grass abundances significantly increased; the above‐ground biomass of grasses increased, but the above‐ground biomass of forbs decreased. Ungrazed grassland has significantly improved from grasslands experiencing three other levels of grazing pressure, especially in the grassland biomass. Species richness increased as the grazing intensity decreased in the grazing grasslands, but peak species richness appeared under moderate and light grazing against lower productivity. Grazing exclusion causes desirable transitions in plant communities of desert steppe rangelands. Therefore, appropriate and efficient grazing exclusion is an available way to counteract local grassland degradation and promote rangeland sustainability.