Species diversity and functional composition of pastures that vary in landscape position and grazing management

The productivity of grasslands depends in part on their diversity of species and functional composition. Our objective was to examine the effects of three landscape positions (summit, backslope, and toeslope) and three stocking systems (continuous, rotational, and nongrazed) on species diversity and percentage of cover of grass, legume, and weed species functional types in southeastern Iowa pastures. Data were collected in 0.2-m2 plots randomly distributed throughout each of four replicate pastures in spring and summer 2000 and 2001. Backslope landscape positions within pastures managed with either continuous or rotational stocking contained the greatest overall diversity of species. Across years, overall species...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Agroecosistema, Agroecosystem, Agroécosystème, America, America del norte, All tags... Amérique, Amérique du Nord, Crop Science Society of America, Crop science, Diversidad especies, Diversité espèces, Estados Unidos, Etats Unis, Fodder crop, Grazing, Iowa, North America, Pastizal, Pastoreo, Pasture, Planta forrajera, Plante fourragère, Pâturage, Pâture, Species diversity, Topografía, Topographie, Topography, United States, Fewer tags