Universität zu Köln

Oomen, Roelof J., Linstaedter, Anja, Ruppert, Jan C., Brueser, Katharina, Schellberg, Juergen and Ewert, Frank (2016). Effect of management on rangeland phytomass, cover and condition in two biomes in South Africa. Afr. J. Range Forage Sci., 33 (3). S. 185 - 199. GRAHAMSTOWN: NATL INQUIRY SERVICES CENTRE PTY LTD. ISSN 1727-9380

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Abstract

In rangelands, grazing management is a main driver of rangeland condition. Due to masking effects of seasonal climate fluctuations, little is known about (dis)similarity of management effects on rangeland condition and forage provision across major dryland biomes. Taking a macro-ecological perspective, we analysed if management effects differed between South Africa's central grassland and Kalahari savanna biomes. We recorded proxies of forage provision (phytomass, vegetation cover and their ratio) over five seasons, annual rainfall to account for seasonal climate fluctuations, and rangeland condition (through relative abundances of increaser and decreaser species). Regarding forage provision, we found effects of management for the savanna, where, irrespective of rainfall, rotational grazing management resulted in higher phytomass and phytomass-cover ratios than management with continuous grazing. In the grassland, however, this difference was only discernible for phytomass-cover ratio in two years with above-average antecedent rainfall. This suggests that management effects are biome-dependent and that modulating effects of annual rainfall are stronger in the grassland. In either biome, management effects on the dominance of increaser and decreaser species were negligible, i.e. rangeland condition did not differ across management types in either biome. We conclude that investigations on management effects should account for interactions with biome and rainfall.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Oomen, Roelof J. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Linstaedter, Anja UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Ruppert, Jan C. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Brueser, Katharina UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Schellberg, Juergen UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Ewert, Frank UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-288920
DOI:	10.2989/10220119.2016.1218368
Journal or Publication Title:	Afr. J. Range Forage Sci.
Volume:	33
Number:	3
Page Range:	S. 185 - 199
Date:	2016
Publisher:	NATL INQUIRY SERVICES CENTRE PTY LTD
Place of Publication:	GRAHAMSTOWN
ISSN:	1727-9380
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language KRUGER-NATIONAL-PARK; WATER-USE EFFICIENCY; GRAZING GRADIENTS; GRASSLAND BIOME; CLIMATE-CHANGE; WEST-AFRICA; FREE-STATE; IMPACT; PRECIPITATION; PRODUCTIVITY Multiple languages Ecology; Environmental Sciences Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/28892