绵羊放牧绢蒿荒漠草地植物群落多样性及其环境解释

对天山北坡放牧条件下的绢蒿草地进行野外调查,以探讨植物群落物种组成、多样性特征及其与环境因子之间的关系。结果表明:1)绵羊放牧过程中形成了明显的放牧强度梯度,草地利用率适中。通过除趋势对应分析 (DCA)将放牧区内的植物群落划分为8个类型,各类型植物群落的物种多样性有显著差异,且群落间存在异质性;2)采用除趋势对应典范分析法(DCCA)中的前项选择,对所获取的9个环境因子进行筛选,最终土壤有机质含量、粪便量、放牧强度、凋落物生物量、海拔、坡向等6个环境因子成为决定物种分布和群落结构组成的主导因素。DCCA排序结果反映出了实际的生态意义,有机质、放牧强度、粪便量在第一排序轴有明显的梯度变化,而坡向和凋落物则在第2轴上呈现出明显梯度变化,物种和群落也沿着上述环境要素的梯度变化而依次分布,很好地解释了放牧条件下绢蒿荒漠草地物种、群落与环境条件之间的关系。     

不同类型藏羊消化率与采食量的比较研究

采食量是放牧家畜生产性能的重要影响因素,在草地生态系统中起重要作用。夏季在甘南夏河分别选取不同生理类群(羔羊、1岁母羊、2岁母羊、3岁母羊、4岁母羊、羯羊和种公羊)的欧拉型、甘加型和乔科型藏羊各4只进行试验。采用二氧化钛指示剂法与粪氮指数法分别测定藏羊排粪量和牧草有机物质消化率,从而计算放牧采食量,并对特征间的相关性进行研究。结果表明:欧拉型、乔科型和甘加型藏羊的平均放牧采食量分别为1031.93、834.59和956.15 g·d^-1,乔科型藏羊放牧采食量显著(P<0.05)小于欧拉型和甘加型藏羊。3个类型藏羊的每kg代谢体重采食量和干物质采食量占体重比差异均不显著(P>0.05)。欧拉型、乔科型和甘加型藏羊对夏河天然草地牧草的平均有机物质消化率分别为50.79%、47.22%和55.58%。欧拉型、乔科型和甘加型藏羊的平均排粪量分别为561.26、484.06和466.74 g·d^-1,其中欧拉型藏羊的排粪量显著高于其他两个类型。试验在高寒地区天然草地研究不同类型藏羊的排粪量、有机物质消化率和放牧采食量,旨在为该地区放牧藏羊的科学饲养与管理提供理论依据。     

Sward characteristics, grass dry matter intake and milk production performance is affected by timing of spring grazing and subsequent stocking rate

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of contrasting spring grazing dates (GD) and stocking rate (SR) on sward characteristics, grass dry matter intake and milk production performance of autumn calving dairy cows during the spring period. Two swards were created by grazing in March (early grazing; E) or by delaying first grazing until mid-April (late grazing; L). Two stocking rates, high (H; 5.5) and medium (M; 4.5) were applied across each sward. Forty eight autumn calving Holstein cows (160 ± 35 days in milk) were assigned to one of four (n = 12) different grazing treatments. The experiment began on April 17th and finished after 2 grazing rotations on June 20th. Later spring grazing significantly increased herbage mass (kg DM/ha) above ground level (+ 933, P < 0.05) and > 50 mm (+ 738, P < 0.05). Compressed sward height (+ 22.1 mm, P < 0.05), extended tiller height (+ 73 mm, P < 0.001) and pseudostem height (+ 35 mm, P < 0.001) were also significantly higher for later grazed swards. In the grazing horizon (> 80 mm— extended tiller height), later grazed swards had significantly lower leaf proportion (− 0.09, P < 0.05) and higher dead material (+ 0.05, P < 0.001). Daily herbage allowance (> 50 mm) was on average 12.7, 15.9, 18.2 and 21.9 kg DM/cow for EH, EM, LH and LM, respectively. Daily leaf allowance (> 80 mm) was 10.1, 12.3, 13.3 and 14.5 kg DM/cow for EH, EM, LH and LM, respectively. The EM (16.2 kg DM/cow), LH (+ 0.1 kg) and LM (0.8 kg) treatments all had similar grass DM intake, however there was evidence of an interaction (P < 0.10) between GD and SR, this was due to the low grass DM intake of the EH (13.9 kg DM/cow) treatment. When expressed as UFL (Fill unit) intake the EM treatment recorded the highest value. There was a significant interaction between GD and SR (P < 0.01) for milk, protein yield, 4% fat corrected milk yield (P < 0.05) and protein concentration (P < 0.001). Cows grazing the EM treatment produced 23.9 kg of milk, 876 and 685 g of fat and protein yield. The difference in milk production (cow/day) between EM and EH treatments was + 3.6 kg milk, + 98 g fat and + 107 g protein. The production yield difference between LM and LH treatments was + 1.1 kg milk, + 27 g fat and + 29 g protein in favour of the LM treatment (23.9 kg of milk, 877 and 687 g fat and protein yield). Herbage quality and morphological characteristics are clearly improved with early spring grazing as herbage mass is reduced on subsequent rotations. Swards grazed in early spring allow higher grass utilisation and high milk production performance when grazed at a medium stocking rate. Improved milk production from herbage can be achieved provided herbage mass and allowance are maintained at levels where herbage quality decreases are minimised.     

Seasonal changes in pasture biomass and grazing behaviour of cattle in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana

Spatial and temporal availability of pasture vegetation and cattle grazing behaviour in three seasons (intermediate season [IM], peak season [PS] and dry season [DS]) in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana was examined. The frequency of occurrence of three species groups (grass, legume and forbs) and biomass yield was estimated in 1 m² plots. The grazing behaviour of 18 cows from six herds was monitored over three days per animal. Season affected the prevalence of species groups with grasses being most dominant in all seasons. Most grazing lands were heavily grazed in IM and DS but moderately grazed in PS. Whilst harvested rice fields represented the most frequently grazed land in DS, fallowed hard pans were used in PS and IM. Biomass yield was highest in DS owing to the contribution of crop residues from harvested farmlands. Carrying capacity was linked to biomass production and averaged 0.55 in DS, 0.38 in PR and 0.21 in IM. Animals spent less time outside the kraal in PS than IM and DS. Walking time was higher in DS than in IM and PS. Less than 20% of the time on pasture was spent on resting, watering and social interaction across seasons.     

Eighty Years of Grazing by Cattle Modifies Sagebrush and Bunchgrass Structure

Grazing by cattle is ubiquitous across the sagebrush steppe; however, little is known about its effects on sagebrush and native bunchgrass structure. Understanding the effects of long-term grazing on sagebrush and bunchgrass structure is important because sagebrush is a keystone species and bunchgrasses are the dominant herbaceous functional group in these communities. To investigate the effects of long-term grazing on sagebrush and bunchgrass structure, we compared nine grazing exclosures with nine adjacent rangelands that were grazed by cattle in southeast Oregon. Grazing was moderate utilization (30 ? 45%) with altering season of use and infrequent rest. Long-term grazing by cattle altered some structural aspects of bunchgrasses and sagebrush. Ungrazed bunchgrasses had larger dead centers in their crowns, as well as greater dead fuel depths below and above the crown level compared with grazed bunchgrasses. This accumulation of dry fuel near the meristematic tissue may increase the probability of fire-induced mortality during a wildfire. Bunchgrasses in the ungrazed treatment had more reproductive stems than those in the long-term grazed treatment. This suggests that seed production of bunchgrasses may be greater in ungrazed areas. Sagebrush height and longest canopy diameter were 15% and 20% greater in the ungrazed compared with the grazed treatment, respectively. However, the bottom of the sagebrush canopy was closer to the ground in the grazed compared with the ungrazed treatment, which may provide better hiding cover for ground-nesting avian species. Sagebrush basal stem diameter, number of stems, amount of dead material in the canopy, canopy gap size, and number of canopy gaps did not differ between ungrazed and grazed treatments. Moderate grazing does not appear to alter the competitive relationship between a generally unpalatable shrub and palatable bunchgrasses. Long-term, moderate grazing appears to have minimal effects to the structure of bunchgrasses and sagebrush, other than reducing the risk of bunchgrass mortality during a fire event.     

Vegetation Response to Juniper Reduction and Grazing Exclusion in Sagebrush-Steppe Habitat in Eastern Oregon

Western juniper expansion is one of the largest threats to conserving sagebrush steppe ecosystems in the northwestern United States. Juniper expansion has degraded the sagebrush steppe by altering fire regimes and outcompeting shrubs and herbaceous vegetation for limited resources. We characterized the effect of juniper removal in a severely degraded sagebrush steppe habitat for 3 yr following juniper cutting. In addition, we measured the effect of low-intensity seasonal grazing on plant community recovery through cattle exclusion treatments. We monitored plant community composition (exotic annual grasses, preferred grasses, preferred forbs, and shrubs); fuel loads; and juniper recruitment in a factorial design of juniper removal and grazing exclusion. We found that although there were significant differences between cut and uncut juniper treatments, there were no consistent trends across all 3 yr. Our results suggest that other factors, such as timing of precipitation, may also have strong short-term effects on plant community composition. We detected no significant grazing effects during the study period, suggesting the current grazing regime is appropriate for the area. The cutting of juniper increased total fuel loads and herbaceous fuel loads. Compared with open interspace, a twofold increase in juniper seedlings and saplings was detected beneath juniper piles, which will act as sources for future juniper encroachment.     

Assessing the impacts of domesticated versus wild ungulates on terrestrial small mammal assemblages at Telperion Nature Reserve,South Africa

Grazing by large mammals alters vegetation physiognomy, consequently changing habitat suitability for small mammal communities. We investigated the response of terrestrial small mammals to grazing by wild and domesticated ungulates at the boundary of a protected area (Telperion Nature Reserve) and surrounding cattle ranches in Mpumalanga, South Africa over two seasons. Fifteen paired grids were set on either side of the boundary fence at which small mammals were trapped in Sherman live traps placed flat on the ground. A total of 11 760 trap nights resulted in the capture of 187 animals belonging to 14 species (11 rodents, two shrews and one elephant shrew). The small mammal communities in grasslands grazed by domesticated or wild ungulates were similar in abundance, species richness, diversity and demographic parameters, likely due to the fact that vegetation structure of the two grazing systems was also similar. We used generalised linear models to show that rock and grass cover were plausible predictors of small mammal abundance in this system. Rock cover showed a positive relationship with small mammal abundance whilst grass cover showed a negative relationship. Our observations suggest that at the scale of our study and with the current stocking densities, wild and domesticated ungulates have similar impacts on the small mammal community.     

不同放牧强度下羊草十大针茅草地植被与土壤氮素的空间异质性分析

以河北坝上的羊草(Leymus chinensis)+大针茅(Stipa grandis)典型草原为研究对象,用方差和地统计分析相结合的方法,研究了不同放牧强度对植被和土壤氮素的空间分布格局的影响.结果表明,植被密度与土壤氮素的变异函数大多符合球状和指数模型;轻牧与中牧的植被群落密度的空间分布受随机因素的影响较大,禁牧与重牧地受空间结构性因素影响较大,但重牧区土壤氮素的空间分布受随机因素影响相对较大;放牧降低了植被密度的空间异质性,而禁牧区的空间异质性(基台值0.116 8)大于放牧区(基台值均值0.019 5);随放牧强度的增加,土壤铵态氮、硝态氮的空间异质性均呈降低-增加的趋势,且重牧明显增加了土壤铵态氮和硝态氮的空间异质性,基台值分别为5.642 0和2.681 0,大于其余3个处理铵态氮和硝态氮的均值(0.315 8和0.168 7);整体上,在相同放牧处理的植被密度与土壤硝态氮的空间分布有相近的变化趋势.     

季节性放牧对草地植物多样性与功能群特征的影响

针对放牧对高寒草地生态系统的影响,通过比较暖季放牧(6月-10月)和冷季放牧(11月-翌年5月)下典型高寒草地物种多样性和功能群特征的变化,分析了高寒草地植物群落对季节性放牧的响应机制。结果表明,暖季放牧草地中物种多样性指数为1.92,均匀度指数为0.78,明显高于冷季放牧草地的1.81和0.74,而冷季放牧草地的丰富度指数为17.45,高于暖季放牧草地的16.45。冷季放牧草地的地上生物量为246.61 g·m~(-2),莎草类和豆科类功能群的生物量比例分别为66.85%和15.86%,其值均高于暖季放牧草地。暖季放牧草地植物总密度为2 064株·m~(-2),明显高于冷季放牧草地的1 394株·m~(-2)。合理的放牧强度下,暖季放牧相比冷季放牧有利于草地群落物种多样性和均匀度的维持,但冷季放牧草地有利于草地群落地上生物量的积累。