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Biancari L, Aguiar MR, Saiz H, Gross N, Le Bagousse-Pinguet Y, Eldridge DJ, Maestre FT. Upper boundary on tree cover at global drylands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:836-840. [PMID: 38362948 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucio Biancari
- IFEVA, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, C1417DSE, Argentina
- Cátedra de Ecología, Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía, UBA, Buenos Aires, C1417DSE, Argentina
| | - Martín R Aguiar
- IFEVA, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, C1417DSE, Argentina
- Cátedra de Ecología, Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía, UBA, Buenos Aires, C1417DSE, Argentina
| | - Hugo Saiz
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Huesca, 50009, Spain
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, 3013, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Gross
- Université Clermont Auvergne, l'Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, VetAgro Sup, Unité Mixte de Recherche 212 Ecosystème Prairial, Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000, France
| | | | - David J Eldridge
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Fernando T Maestre
- Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramon Margalef", Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante, 03690, Spain
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante, 03690, Spain
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Arroyo AI, Pueyo Y, Barrantes O, Alados CL. Interplay between Livestock Grazing and Aridity on the Ecological and Nutritional Value of Forage in Semi-arid Mediterranean Rangelands (NE Spain). ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:1005-1015. [PMID: 38300314 PMCID: PMC11024040 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-01939-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Rangeland-based livestock production constitutes a primary source of livelihood for many inhabitants of dryland regions. Their subsistence relies heavily on maintaining the productivity, biodiversity and services of these ecosystems. Harsh environmental conditions (e.g., drought) combined with land use intensification (e.g., overgrazing) make dryland ecosystems vulnerable and prone to degradation. However, the interplay between livestock grazing intensity and aridity conditions in driving the conservation and nutritional value of forage in arid and semi-arid rangelands is still not fully understood. In this study, we performed structural equation models (SEM) to assess the simultaneous direct and indirect effects of livestock grazing intensity and aridity level on community structure, diversity, biomass, forage production, forage C:N ratio and forage fiber composition in two semi-arid Mediterranean rangelands, NE Spain. Not surprisingly, we found that higher livestock grazing intensity led to lower community plant cover, especially when combined with higher aridity. However, both increasing grazing intensity and aridity were associated with higher forage production after one year of grazing exclusion. We did not find any adverse effect of livestock grazing on plant diversity, although plant species composition differed among grazing intensity levels. On the other hand, we found an aridity-driven trade-off in regard of the nutritional value of forage. Specifically, higher aridity was associated with a decrease in the least digestible fiber fraction (i.e., lignin) and an increase in forage C:N ratio. More interestingly, we found that livestock grazing modulated this trade-off by improving the overall forage nutritional value. Altogether, our results provide further insights into the management of semi-arid Mediterranean rangelands, pointing out that maintaining traditional rangeland-based livestock production may be a sustainable option as long as rangeland conservation (e.g., community plant cover) is not severely compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio I Arroyo
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE), CSIC, Av. Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Yolanda Pueyo
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE), CSIC, Av. Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Olivia Barrantes
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Facultad de Veterinaria (Universidad de Zaragoza), C/ Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón -IA2- (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), C/ Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Concepción L Alados
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE), CSIC, Av. Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
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Ma Q, Zhu Y, Wang Y, Liu T, Qing X, Liu J, Xiao Y, Song Y, Yue Y, Yu H, Wang J, Zhong Z, Wang D, Wang L. Livestock grazing modifies soil nematode body size structure in mosaic grassland habitats. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119600. [PMID: 38042077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Body size is closely related to the trophic level and abundance of soil fauna, particularly nematodes. Therefore, size-based analyses are increasingly prominent in unveiling soil food web structure and its responses to anthropogenic disturbances, such as livestock grazing. Yet, little is known about the effects of different livestock on the body size structure of soil nematodes, especially in grasslands characterized by local habitat heterogeneity. A four-year field grazing experiment from 2017 to 2020 was conducted in a meadow steppe characterized by typical mosaics of degraded hypersaline patches and undegraded hyposaline patches to assess the impacts of cattle and sheep grazing on the body size structure of soil nematodes within and across trophic groups. Without grazing, the hypersaline patches harbored higher abundance of large-bodied nematodes in the community compared to the hyposaline patches. Livestock grazing decreased large-bodied nematodes within and across trophic groups mainly by reducing soil microbial biomass in the hypersaline patches, with sheep grazing resulting in more substantial reductions compared to cattle grazing. The reduction in large-bodied nematode individuals correspondingly resulted in decreases in nematode community-weighted mean (CWM) body size, nematode biomass, and size spectra slopes. However, both cattle and sheep grazing had minimal impacts on the CWM body size and size spectra of total nematodes in the hyposaline patches. Our findings suggest that livestock grazing, especially sheep grazing, has the potential to simplify soil food webs by reducing large-bodied nematodes in degraded habitats, which may aggravate soil degradation by weakening the bioturbation activities of soil fauna. In light of the widespread land use of grasslands by herbivores of various species and the ongoing global grassland degradation of mosaic patches, the recognition of the trends revealed by our findings is critical for developing appropriate strategies for grassland grazing management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanhui Ma
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization & Heilongjiang Xingkai Lake Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station & Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xue Qing
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jushan Liu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yingli Xiao
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yueqing Song
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yonghuan Yue
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jianyong Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhong
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Deli Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
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Wade C, Trotter MG, Bailey DW. Small Ruminant Landscape Distribution: A Literature Review. Small Rumin Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2023.106966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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Reyes MF, Aguiar MR. Do xerophytic and mesophytic perennial grasses differ in soil resource capture and allocation? A field
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N experiment. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fernanda Reyes
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias Universidad Nacional del Comahue Ruta 151 km‐12.5 Cinco Saltos Río Negro 8303Argentina
- IFEVA Facultad de Agronomía CONICET Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Martín R. Aguiar
- IFEVA Facultad de Agronomía CONICET Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
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Oñatibia GR, Golluscio RA, Texeira M, Paruelo JM. Controls of forage selective defoliation by sheep in arid rangelands. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gastón R. Oñatibia
- CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) Av. San Martín 4453 (C1417DSE) Buenos Aires1417Argentina
- Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente Facultad de Agronomía Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires1417Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A. Golluscio
- CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) Av. San Martín 4453 (C1417DSE) Buenos Aires1417Argentina
- Departamento de Producción Animal Facultad de Agronomía Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires1416Argentina
| | - Marcos Texeira
- CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) Av. San Martín 4453 (C1417DSE) Buenos Aires1417Argentina
- Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información Facultad de Agronomía Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires1417Argentina
| | - José M. Paruelo
- CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) Av. San Martín 4453 (C1417DSE) Buenos Aires1417Argentina
- Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información Facultad de Agronomía Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires1417Argentina
- INIA La Estanzuela Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria Ruta 50 km 11 Colonia Uruguay
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Oñatibia GR, Amengual G, Boyero L, Aguiar MR. Aridity exacerbates grazing‐induced rangeland degradation: A population approach for dominant grasses. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gastón R. Oñatibia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente Cátedra de Ecología Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Gerónimo Amengual
- Facultad de Agronomía Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente Cátedra de Ecología Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Luciano Boyero
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente Cátedra de Ecología Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Martín R. Aguiar
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA) CONICET‐Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
- Facultad de Agronomía Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente Cátedra de Ecología Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
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Growth Response of Sessile Oak and European Hornbeam to Traditional Coppice-with-Standards Management. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10060515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research Highlights: The influence of litter raking and livestock grazing on the development of juvenile sessile oak and European hornbeam sprouts as well as on sessile oak standards were studied. Such experiments are very rare, especially in central Europe where these activities have been prohibited for several decades. Little is known on how these ancient management activities affect tree growth. Background and Objectives: Traditional management practices in coppice forests such as grazing and litter raking have been abandoned, but have recently been studied as to whether these practices can substantially contribute to an increase in the species diversity of coppices. The important question is, however, how these practices influence the growth of coppice-with-standards. Therefore, this study focused on the effect of grazing, litter raking, and their combination on both sprouts and adult trees in a coppice-with-standards system one year after harvest. Materials and Methods: The experiment was carried out in the area of the Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny, Czech Republic, in a forest stand dominated by sessile oak and European hornbeam. We analyzed 132 oak polycormons, 132 hornbeam polycormons, and 163 oak standards. Results: The number of sprouts per stump was affected by the stump size and management practice: (A) coppice-with-standards, litter raking, and sheep grazing; (B) coppice-with-standards and sheep grazing; (C) coppice-with-standards and litter raking; and (D) coppice-with-standards), but not by tree species. The number of the sprouts as well as their height increased with the stump size. In contrast, grazing resulted in a smaller height of the sprouts while thinner sprouts were found under a combination of grazing and raking. When comparing the species, the oak sprouts were higher and thicker when compared to the hornbeam sprouts. The increment of standards increased after stand harvest. This, however, was not the result of grazing or raking, but the response to the reduction of tree number and thus of competition between neighboring trees. Conclusions: The results showed that there were rather negative impacts from the implemented traditional management practices on the growth of sprouts. This may lead to the question of whether ecological diversity resulting from the traditional practices may prevail their negative effect on the growth of the coppices.
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