Effects of Cattle Stocking Rates on Nematode Communities in South Florida

Ranch management practices aimed at cattle and pasture vegetation have the potential to impact other animals as well, including nontarget organisms. Soil-inhabiting nematodes are often used as bioindicators of nontarget effects because of their widespread occurrence and their diverse trophic habits and lifestyles. The effect of cattle stocking rates on nematode communities present in the soil was examined at the MacArthur Agro-Ecology Research Center in south-central Florida. Nematode abundance and richness (genera per sample) were not affected (P > 0.10) by cattle grazing in 2 different pasture types (tame grass and native) over three seasons. In general, populations of most nematodes showed strong seasonal responses, varying in numbers from year to year, possibly related to soil moisture levels. In comparison, the cattle stocking rates typically used in south-central Florida had little effect on soil nematodes, which were abundant nontarget organisms in this system.     

Soil Morphologic Properties and Cattle Stocking Rate Affect Dynamic Soil Properties

Soil properties that influence the capacity for infiltration and moisture retention are important determinants of rangeland productivity. Monitoring effects of grazing on dynamic soil properties can assist managers with stocking rate decisions, particularly if monitoring takes into account environmental variability associated with inherent soil morphological properties. On a Pacific Northwest Bunchgrass Prairie in northeast Oregon, we applied three cattle stocking rates (0.52, 1.04, and 1.56 animal unit months · ha^?1) and an ungrazed control in a randomized complete block design for two 42-d grazing seasons and measured the change in four dynamic soil properties: soil penetration resistance, soil aggregate stability, bare ground, and herbaceous litter cover. To address apparent environmental heterogeneity within experimental units, we also utilized a categorical soil factor (termed Edaphic Habitat Types or EHT), determined by characterizing soil depth, texture, and rock fragment content at sample sites. Stocking rate did not affect extent of bare ground or soil aggregate stability. Stocking rate had a significant effect on penetration resistance, which was greatest at the high stocking rate (1.6 J · cm^?1 ± 0.1 SE) and lowest in the control (1.1 J · cm^?1 ± 0.1 SE). For litter cover, the effects of stocking rate and EHT interacted. In two rocky EHTs, litter cover was highest in the controls (60% ± 6 SE; 50% ± 3 SE) and ranged from 27% ± 3 SE to 33% ± 6 SE in the stocking rate treatments. Measures of penetration resistance, aggregate stability, and bare ground were different across EHTs regardless of stocking rate, but did not interact with stocking rate. Our study demonstrates that response of dynamic soil properties to stocking rates should be considered as a useful and accessible approach for monitoring effects of livestock management decisions on rangeland conditions.     

不同放牧率对冷蒿小禾草草原土壤微生物数量和生物量的影响

以围栏轮牧方式研究不同放牧率对退化草原土壤微生物的影响。结果表明,围栏及适度放牧四年后使土壤微生物的数量显著提高,有利于退化草原的逐步恢复。与对照区比较,放牧区微生物各类群的数量均呈减少趋势,并与土壤有机磷变化密切相关。九年后,在４羊／ｈａ区的微生物量－Ｃ高于对照区,而在１．３３和６．６７只羊／ｈａ-区则有所降低。     

Stocking Rate and Fuels Reduction Effects on Beef Cattle Diet Composition and Quality

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of forest fuels reduction on diet quality, botanical composition, relative preference, and foraging efficiency of beef cattle grazing at different stocking rates. A split plot factorial design was used, with whole plots (3 ha) being fuel reduced or no treatment (control), and split plots (1 ha) within whole plots were grazed to three levels of forage utilization; (low) 3 heifers · ha^?1, (moderate) 6 heifers · ha^?1, (high) 9 heifers · ha^?1, with a 48-h grazing duration. Grazing treatments were applied in August of 2005 and 2006. Cattle diet composition and masticate samples were collected during 20-min grazing bouts using six ruminally cannulated cows in each experimental unit. Relative preference indices indicated a strong preference for grass regardless of treatment and stocking rate. Grass consumption was lower in control pastures (P < 0.05) and tended (P < 0.095) to decrease with increased stocking rates. Shrub use was higher in control pastures displaying a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) due to stocking, whereas shrub use increased with stocking rate across all treatments. Cattle grazing control pastures consumed diets higher in crude protein compared to cattle grazing treated pastures (P < 0.05). In vitro dry matter digestibility values were lower (P < 0.05) in control sites and tended (P = 0.10) to decrease with increased stocking rates. In both control and treated pastures, bites per minute and grams consumed per minute declined (P = 0.003) with increased stocking, indicating foraging efficiency of cattle decreases with increased stocking rates. Our data indicated cattle grazing late season grand fir habitat types have a strong preference for grasses regardless of treatment or stocking rate. However, as stocking rate increased in both control and treated pastures, grass consumption decreased, shrub consumption increased, and foraging efficiency decreased.     

荒漠草原植物和土壤碳氮养分含量对不同载畜率的响应

以内蒙古短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)荒漠草原为研究对象,基于围封19年的长期放牧试验平台,设置4个载畜率水平,分别为对照(CK)0、轻度放牧(LG)0.91、中度放牧(MG)1.82、重度放牧(HG)2.71羊单位·(hm²·0.5a)^-1,测定并分析2021年8月植物生长高峰期优势植物及土壤的碳、氮养分含量。结果表明：与对照相比,载畜率的增加降低植物香农维纳指数、辛普森指数;轻度、中度和重度载畜率显著降低植物碳库氮库。随着载畜率增大,土壤铵态氮含量在中度载畜率时含量最高;与对照相比,重度载畜率显著增加土壤硝态氮含量,显著降低土壤全碳、全氮和土壤有机碳含量;中度和重度载畜率显著增加了土壤的pH值。表明在荒漠草原,高载畜率会降低植物多样性水平和碳、氮养分归还能力,增加土壤碳、氮含量的流失,进而造成了土壤全碳、全氮含量的降低,有机碳的累积转化受阻。     

不同载畜率对荒漠草原三种土壤酶活性的影响

以内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原为对象,对不同载畜率下(轻度放牧、中度放牧、重度放牧)三种土壤酶(脱氢酶、脲酶、碱性磷酸酶)活性进行分析,并探讨植物群落生物量以及土壤pH值、有机质、全氮、全磷含量等环境因子与土壤酶的相互作用。结果表明,三种土壤酶活性随载畜率增加呈降低趋势,脱氢酶活性在禁牧区(197.51μgTPF/g·h)最高,脲酶活性在轻度放牧区(40.64mgNH+4-N/g·h)和重度放牧区(40.78mgNH+4-N/g·h)最高,磷酸酶活性在轻度放牧区(53.93μgphenol/g·h)最高;脱氢酶和脲酶活性在中度和重度放牧区不同土层内有显著差异(P<0.05),0~10cm土层酶活性高于10~20cm土层;不同载畜率下磷酸酶活性0~10cm土层高于10~20cm;三种酶之间相关性较低,但三种酶皆与环境因子有着密切联系。     

荒漠草原土壤酶活性及化学计量特征对不同载畜率的响应

为探究土壤酶活性及其化学计量特征对荒漠草原不同载畜率的响应,本研究于2021年5月于内蒙古四子王旗荒漠草原长期放牧平台进行(2004年开始),设置不放牧(CK)、轻度(LG)、中度(MG)和重度放牧(HG)4个载畜率水平(分别放牧0,4,8和12只羊),分析土壤理化性质、土壤酶活性及其化学计量特征,结果表明：随载畜率增加,土壤毛管持水量(Capillary water holding capacity, CC)、土壤有机碳(Soil organic carbon, SOC)、土壤全氮(Soil nitrogen, TN)、土壤全磷(Soil phosphorus, TP)呈降低趋势,土壤容重(Soil bulk density, BD)、土壤pH值呈增加趋势(P<0.05);α-葡萄糖苷酶(αCG)、β-葡萄糖苷酶(βCG)、β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)、亮氨酸氨基肽酶(LAP)和碱性磷酸酶(ALP)5种土壤酶活性均随载畜率增加而降低(P<0.05);与碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)相关的酶化学计量比均随载畜率增加而降低;BD与CC,pH与TN呈负相关关系(P<...     

不同放牧率对内蒙古典型草原牧草地上现存量和净初级生产力及品质的影响

通过不同放牧率（１．３３,２．６７,４．００,５．３３和６．６７羊／ｈｍ＾２）对内蒙古典型草原牧草地上现存量和净初级生产力及牧草品质的影响研究,结果表明,牧草地下现存量随放牧率的增大而线性下降,但地上净初级生产力并非线性下降,因而存在补偿生长的现象,牧草中粗蛋白含量在放牧的中后期随放牧率增大而增加,而较轻放牧率下粗蛋白含量随放牧季节的后称明显下降;粗纤维和粗灰分含量则表现出较强的规律性,随放牧时期     

短花针茅荒漠草原不同载畜率的土壤呼吸与植物地下生物量的关系

本文运用开路式土壤碳通量测量系统-LI-8100在短花针茅(Stipa breviflora Griseb)荒漠草原测定4组不同载畜率的土壤呼吸速率动态,并用土钻法测定了植物地下累积生物量,埋根袋法测定了根系净生长量。目的是比较不同载畜率对土壤呼吸、植物地下累积生物量和根系净生长量的影响,并探讨生长季土壤呼吸、8月份土壤呼吸对植物地下累积生物量、根系净生长量的响应。结果表明:随着载畜率增加,植物地下累积生物量减少,根系生长减缓,但对土壤呼吸无显著影响;生长季土壤呼吸与植物地下累积生物量呈线性正相关,8月份土壤呼吸值随根系净生长量增大而增大。土壤呼吸受植物地下生物量影响显著,生长季初期,新根刚开始生长,土壤呼吸大部分来自老根,到了生长旺季,新根生物量增多,土壤呼吸速率加快,新根主导了土壤呼吸。     

不同放牧率对草原植物与土壤C、N、P含量的影响

本文研究不同放牧率对草原植物土灌系统中C、N、P含量的影响。结果表明,对照区地上生物量和0～60m土层的总根量显著大于各放牧处理(P＜0.01),而放牧处理间差异不显著(P＞0.05)。对照区和1.33只羊/hm²处理植物的C含量显著大于4只羊/hm²和6.67只羊/hm²,而后两个处理的N、P含量较高。4只羊/hm²处理的C/N和C/P最小。6.67只羊/hm²处理已使根系和根系中的N素明显向表层聚集。对照区0～10cm土层土壤有机C含量显著大于各放牧处理,而各放牧处理间差异则不显著。土壤有机C,N含量与报系生物量成显著正相关。0～10cm土层中无机N在4只羊/hm²处理中最大。土壤微生物量C、P含量在6.67只羊/hm²处理中显著降低,其它处理间差异不显著。其中4只羊和6.67只羊/hm²处理的微生物N含量较高。     

热带亚热带BMY牛的繁殖性状研究

为了探索BMY的繁殖性能，通过在全日制放牧管理和季节性配种条件下，把2001年至2005年的BMY牛繁殖率进行了统计分析，在扩繁点年平均繁殖成活率为68．46％，小哨点为78．72％，表现出良好的繁殖性能。     

人工牧草地的氮磷环境及其流出特性的研究

在农场试验地的调查实验结果表明,牧草地土壤全氮和全磷含量主要存在于土表,分别为2160mg/kg和1230mg/kg.溶出实验结果发现,酸性条件、温度以及时间对土壤中氮、磷的溶出有明显的促进作用.调查同时表明,土壤空隙水中氮、磷对地下水水质不会造成显著影响;而降雨时地表流出水中全氮的浓度超出环境标准,全磷超出环境标准的8～11倍,是地表水的潜在污染源之一.     

Cattle Grazing Distribution and Efficacy of Strategic Mineral Mix Placement in Tropical Brazilian Pastures

A study was conducted in Brazil to identify factors affecting grazing distribution of yearling Nelore cross heifers and to evaluate the efficacy of placement of a salt–mineral mix away from water to improve uniformity of grazing. Two pastures (25 ha and 42 ha) were evaluated for four 15-d sessions. Mineral mix was placed 590 m to 780 m from water during two sessions and at water for two sessions. Stubble heights were measured at the beginning and end of each session in 1-ha subunits of each pasture. Cattle locations were recorded on day 13 and 14 of each session by horseback observers. Heifers avoided areas with a preponderance of forbs and taller grass (P < 0.001). For the first 15 days of the study cattle avoided subunits farther from water. Thereafter, horizontal distance from water had no affect on grazing use (P > 0.10). Stubble height reduction was more uniform (P < 0.05) when the mineral mix was at water compared to away from water. In contrast, heifers spent less time farther from water when mineral mix was placed at water (P = 0.02) based on visual observations. Strategic placement of a salt–mineral mix away from water does not appear to be a reliable tool to improve cattle grazing distribution in humid tropical pastures from 25 ha to 45 ha in size.     

载畜率对荒漠草原小叶锦鸡儿邻近土壤速效养分含量的影响

放牧是人类利用草原最主要的方式,可影响土壤的理化性质。小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)作为豆科灌木,其邻近土壤养分的变化对会对草地生态系统的结构和功能产生重要的影响。为研究载畜率对荒漠草原小叶锦鸡儿邻近土壤速效养分含量的影响,在内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原进行放牧实验,共4个载畜率处理(对照CK(0羊单位·hm^-2·a^-1、轻度放牧LG(0.93羊单位·hm^-2·a^-1)、中度放牧MG(1.82羊单位·hm^-2·a^-1)和重度放牧HG(2.71羊单位·hm^-2·a^-1),在每个小区中选定大小相近的小叶锦鸡儿植株,分为东南西北4个方向,测定植株邻近土壤碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾含量,分析这些参数之间的变化。结果表明：随载畜率增大,土壤碱解氮含量先升高后降低,速效磷先下降后上升,速效钾含量呈下降趋势。小叶锦鸡儿邻近土壤碱解氮和速效钾含量的平衡点对应的速效磷在LG区呈最小值,土壤速效磷和速效钾含量的平衡点对...     

荒漠草原地区冷蒿构件及其动态规律对载畜率的响应

采用随机区组试验方法,研究了内蒙占高原荒漠草原地区不同载畜率对冷蒿构件数量特征的影响,结果表明:冷蒿生长时期和载畜率是影响冷蒿构件数量的关键因素,相同载畜率水平下,冷蒿的营养枝密度、不定根密度和匍匐茎长度为生长末期>生长盛期>生长初期,生殖枝8月最多,冷蒿生长盛期和末期,轻牧区的营养枝密度、不定根密度和匍匐茎长度显著增加(P<0.05);同一生长季节生殖枝随载畜率的增大显著下降(P<0.05),极度干旱的2005年没有形成生殖枝,说明干旱也是限制冷蒿生殖生长的关键性因子.荒漠草原地区冷蒿的繁殖格局以营养繁殖为主,占到80%以上,随载畜率的增加.冷蒿的营养枝分化率逐渐增加.     

黄牛血乳酸,全血钾等浓度检测

用常规法测定了青海省湟中县３５头成年黄牛的血乳酸，全血钾、血清钠、血糖、血清无机磷浓度。测定结果分别为２．３３±１．４８ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ，１２．７３±６．１７ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ，４．０６±１．０４ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ，１２９．３２±１４．１８ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ，２．６４±０．５８ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ。     

放牧强度对高寒草甸草场地上生物量和牦牛生长的影响

讨论了放牧强度对高寒草甸草场地上生物量和牦牛生长的影响，结果表明：放牧强度对地上生物量和牦牛生长有显著的影响。随着放牧强度的减轻，优良牧草（禾草＋莎草）比例提高，杂草（可食杂草＋毒杂草）比例降低。在2年的试验期内，三个处理牦牛的平均总增重有显著的差异（F＝5．03＞F0．05＝3．68），进一步做新复极差测验，30％和50％之间差异不显著，但它们和70％之间的差异均显著。     

Grazing Protection Influences Soil Mesofauna in Ungrazed and Grazed Riparian and Upland Pastures

The influence of grazing protection caused by streambank fencing on soil mesofauna density is unknown. Our objective was to determine if grazing protection (ungrazed vs. grazed), location (upland vs. riparian pasture), and seasonal (spring vs. fall) treatment effects associated with streambank fencing had a significant influence on soil mesofauna distribution and density. We collected five intact soil cores (0–5 cm depth) in June and October of 2012 from within four treatments consisting of ungrazed and grazed riparian and upland pastures associated with streambank fencing along an 800-m reach of the Lower Little Bow River in southern Alberta, Canada. Soil mesofauna were extracted and densities of Acari (mites) taxa, Collembola (springtails) taxa, and other mesofauna were determined. Grazing protection resulted in a significant (P ≤ 0.05) negative response of Astigmata mite densities for the upland pasture, and a positive response for Oribatida mites and total Collembola, and Hypogastruridae and Onychiuridae springtails for both pastures. Location and season had a significant influence on Acari and Collembola taxa, but the effects were dependent on interaction effects. We conclude that grazing protection influenced certain soil mesofauna in pastures associated with streambank fencing, and this may influence decomposition of soil organic matter, nutrient cycling, and soil structure in associated pastures.