Floristic composition, biomass, and aboveground net plant production in grazed and protected sites in a mountain grassland of central Argentina

• Published in: Acta oecologica (Montrouge) Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 97 - 105
• Main Authors: Pucheta, Eduardo, Cabido, Marcelo, Díaz, Sandra, Funes, Guillermo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01.03.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; biomass; consumption; diversity; floristic composition; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; growth form; livestock grazing; moveable cages; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; South America; Argentina; America; floristic composition; biomass; diversity; growth form; moveable cages; consumption; livestock grazing; Grassland; Species diversity; Primary productivity; Floristic composition; Mountain; Biomass; Grazing; Growth habit; Species richness
• ISSN: 1146-609X; 1873-6238
• DOI: 10.1016/S1146-609X(98)80013-1

Changes in plant community composition, diversity, aboveground biomass, and aboveground net primary production (ANPP) of different plant growth-forms were assessed in sites protected from livestock grazing for 2, 4, and 15 years, and in a heavily-grazed site. Species richness was maximum at the grazed site and decreased significantly after 4 years of protection. Diversity decreased significantly only after 15 years of protection. No alien or weedy species were found at grazed or protected sites. Grazing exclusion produced a shift from grazing-tolerant or grazing-avoiding species with a graminoid or prostrate growth-form to taller species with a tall tussock growth-form. Grazing produced a 33% decrease in standing biomass but little change in ANPP when compared to the site protected from grazing for 2 years, but important changes in both biomass and ANPP respect to the sites protected for 4 and 15 years. Consumption was near 35% of ANPP.