Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires
In sub-humid grasslands moderate grazing by large herbivores may promote increases in plant diversity. Our objective was to evaluate changes in floristic diversity and floristic composition at different grazing intensities by large herbivores in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sampling comprised an area of 200 ha, on needlegrass grasslands grazed by feral horses and cattle. Nine 1 ha plots were selected to represent a grazing intensity gradient, and we evaluated plant species cover in order to describe the plant diversity pattern, species richness and cover, and floristic composition in relation to the grazing intensity gradient. Plant diversity was greater at moderate grazing intensity mainly due to the increment of dicots and cool-season grasses richness. In terms of cover, grazing only increased dicots’ aerial cover. Grazing was associated with changes in the floristic composition of needlegrass grasslands, through inducing the replacement of cool-season grasses (e.g. Piptochaetium hackelii, Briza subaristata, Nassella filiculmis) by an unpalatable warm-season grass (Aristida spegazzinii). In mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, moderate grazing intensity appears to favor plant diversity by increasing dicots and cool-season grasses richness, whereas high grazing intensity may promote the replacement of palatable cool-season grasses by unpalatable warm season grasses.
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología
2010
|
| Online Access: | https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1307 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| id |
rev-ecoaus-article-1307 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
ojs |
| institution |
AUSTRAL |
| collection |
OJS |
| country |
Argentina |
| countrycode |
AR |
| component |
Revista |
| access |
En linea |
| databasecode |
rev-ecoaus |
| tag |
revista |
| region |
America del Sur |
| libraryname |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología |
| language |
spa |
| format |
Digital |
| author |
Loydi, Alejandro Distel, Roberto A. |
| spellingShingle |
Loydi, Alejandro Distel, Roberto A. Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires |
| author_facet |
Loydi, Alejandro Distel, Roberto A. |
| author_sort |
Loydi, Alejandro |
| title |
Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires |
| title_short |
Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires |
| title_full |
Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires |
| title_fullStr |
Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires |
| title_sort |
floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the ventania system, buenos aires |
| description |
In sub-humid grasslands moderate grazing by large herbivores may promote increases in plant diversity. Our objective was to evaluate changes in floristic diversity and floristic composition at different grazing intensities by large herbivores in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sampling comprised an area of 200 ha, on needlegrass grasslands grazed by feral horses and cattle. Nine 1 ha plots were selected to represent a grazing intensity gradient, and we evaluated plant species cover in order to describe the plant diversity pattern, species richness and cover, and floristic composition in relation to the grazing intensity gradient. Plant diversity was greater at moderate grazing intensity mainly due to the increment of dicots and cool-season grasses richness. In terms of cover, grazing only increased dicots’ aerial cover. Grazing was associated with changes in the floristic composition of needlegrass grasslands, through inducing the replacement of cool-season grasses (e.g. Piptochaetium hackelii, Briza subaristata, Nassella filiculmis) by an unpalatable warm-season grass (Aristida spegazzinii). In mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, moderate grazing intensity appears to favor plant diversity by increasing dicots and cool-season grasses richness, whereas high grazing intensity may promote the replacement of palatable cool-season grasses by unpalatable warm season grasses. |
| publisher |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología |
| publishDate |
2010 |
| url |
https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1307 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT loydialejandro floristicdiversityunderdifferentintensitiesoflargeherbivoregrazinginmountaingrasslandsoftheventaniasystembuenosaires AT distelrobertoa floristicdiversityunderdifferentintensitiesoflargeherbivoregrazinginmountaingrasslandsoftheventaniasystembuenosaires AT loydialejandro diversidadfloristicabajodiferentesintensidadesdepastoreoporgrandesherbivorosenpastizalesserranosdelsistemadeventaniabuenosaires AT distelrobertoa diversidadfloristicabajodiferentesintensidadesdepastoreoporgrandesherbivorosenpastizalesserranosdelsistemadeventaniabuenosaires |
| _version_ |
1787234035599147008 |
| spelling |
rev-ecoaus-article-13072023-11-03T02:25:04Z Floristic diversity under different intensities of large herbivore grazing in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires Diversidad florística bajo diferentes intensidades de pastoreo por grandes herbívoros en pastizales serranos del Sistema de Ventania, Buenos Aires Loydi, Alejandro Distel, Roberto A. species richness botanical composition disturbance needlegrass Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist riqueza específica composición botánica disturbio flechillales Parque Provincial Ernesto Tornquist In sub-humid grasslands moderate grazing by large herbivores may promote increases in plant diversity. Our objective was to evaluate changes in floristic diversity and floristic composition at different grazing intensities by large herbivores in mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sampling comprised an area of 200 ha, on needlegrass grasslands grazed by feral horses and cattle. Nine 1 ha plots were selected to represent a grazing intensity gradient, and we evaluated plant species cover in order to describe the plant diversity pattern, species richness and cover, and floristic composition in relation to the grazing intensity gradient. Plant diversity was greater at moderate grazing intensity mainly due to the increment of dicots and cool-season grasses richness. In terms of cover, grazing only increased dicots’ aerial cover. Grazing was associated with changes in the floristic composition of needlegrass grasslands, through inducing the replacement of cool-season grasses (e.g. Piptochaetium hackelii, Briza subaristata, Nassella filiculmis) by an unpalatable warm-season grass (Aristida spegazzinii). In mountain grasslands of the Ventania System, moderate grazing intensity appears to favor plant diversity by increasing dicots and cool-season grasses richness, whereas high grazing intensity may promote the replacement of palatable cool-season grasses by unpalatable warm season grasses. En pastizales de regiones subhúmedas, el pastoreo moderado de grandes herbívoros promovería la diversidad florística. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la diversidad florística y la composición botánica en diferentes intensidades de pastoreo por grandes herbívoros en pastizales serranos del Sistema de Ventania, Buenos Aires, Argentina. El muestreo abarcó un área de 200 ha, y comprendió comunidades de flechillas (“flechillales”) sometidas al pastoreo de caballos cimarrones y ganado vacuno. Se seleccionaron nueve parcelas de 1 ha sometidas a diferentes intensidades de pastoreo. Sobre la base de la estimación de la cobertura de cada una de las especies presentes se describió el patrón de diversidad florística, se comparó la cobertura y riqueza de especies, y se evaluaron los cambios en la composición florística, en relación al gradiente de intensidad de pastoreo. El disturbio por pastoreo afectó la riqueza específica de los flechillales y la máxima riqueza se registró en intensidades de pastoreo intermedias. Dicha respuesta se debió principalmente a un mayor número de especies latifoliadas y de gramíneas invernales. En términos de cobertura aérea, el pastoreo favoreció a las latifoliadas únicamente. El pastoreo modificó la composición botánica de los flechillales, apareciendo como más notable el reemplazo de gramíneas invernales (Piptochaetium hackelii, Briza subaristata, Nassella filiculmis) por una gramínea estival de palatabilidad baja (Aristida spegazzinii) a intensidades elevadas de pastoreo. En los pastizales serranos del Sistema de Ventania, el pastoreo moderado favorecería la diversidad florística, aumentando la riqueza de especies de latifoliadas y gramíneas invernales mientras que las altas intensidades favorecerían el reemplazo de las gramíneas invernales palatables por gramíneas de palatabilidad menor. Asociación Argentina de Ecología 2010-12-01 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Articles Artículos application/pdf https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1307 Ecología Austral; Vol. 20 No. 3 (2010): December 2010, Pages 223-324; 281-291 Ecología Austral; Vol. 20 Núm. 3 (2010): December 2010, Pages 223-324; 281-291 1667-782X 0327-5477 spa https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/1307/677 Derechos de autor 2010 Alejandro Loydi, Roberto A. Distel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |