Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Volume–biomass functions reveal the effect of browsing on three Moroccan dwarf shrubs

Volume–biomass functions reveal the effect of browsing on three Moroccan dwarf shrubs We studied the effects of browsing on the plant architecture and volume-biomass relationships of three dominant dwarf shrubs – Artemisia herba-alba, A. mesatlantica and Teucrium mideltense – in a sagebrush steppe in the Central High Atlas Mountains, southern Morocco. For this purpose, we developed power-law volume-biomass functions based on nonlinear regressions for each of these species, under both browsed and unbrowsed conditions. These functions were then applied to individual-based annual monitoring data from inside and outside a browsing exclosure to calculate standing biomass for each of the years from 2004 to 2009. The biomass of the three species was well predicted by the allometric functions, and different functions for the browsed and unbrowsed conditions reflected changes in plant architecture. Browsing had a significant negative impact on biomass for A. herba-alba but not for A. mesatlantica, whereas its effects on T. mideltense were inconsistent between years. The fact that the latter two species hardly benefited from browsing exclusion might be because of increased competition from the more dominant A. herba-alba. During the study period, the standing biomass increased whether or not there was browsing, which might be because of the recovery of the shrubs after a preceding severe drought. Further studies are needed in order to investigate the generality of the findings. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Journal of Range & Forage Science Taylor & Francis

Volume–biomass functions reveal the effect of browsing on three Moroccan dwarf shrubs

Download PDF
6 pages

Volume–biomass functions reveal the effect of browsing on three Moroccan dwarf shrubs

Abstract

We studied the effects of browsing on the plant architecture and volume-biomass relationships of three dominant dwarf shrubs – Artemisia herba-alba, A. mesatlantica and Teucrium mideltense – in a sagebrush steppe in the Central High Atlas Mountains, southern Morocco. For this purpose, we developed power-law volume-biomass functions based on nonlinear regressions for each of these species, under both browsed and unbrowsed conditions. These functions were then applied to...
Loading next page...
 
/lp/taylor-francis/volume-biomass-functions-reveal-the-effect-of-browsing-on-three-vcBhywvO5R
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
Copyright NISC Pty Ltd
ISSN
1727-9380
eISSN
1022-0119
DOI
10.2989/10220119.2012.687074
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We studied the effects of browsing on the plant architecture and volume-biomass relationships of three dominant dwarf shrubs – Artemisia herba-alba, A. mesatlantica and Teucrium mideltense – in a sagebrush steppe in the Central High Atlas Mountains, southern Morocco. For this purpose, we developed power-law volume-biomass functions based on nonlinear regressions for each of these species, under both browsed and unbrowsed conditions. These functions were then applied to individual-based annual monitoring data from inside and outside a browsing exclosure to calculate standing biomass for each of the years from 2004 to 2009. The biomass of the three species was well predicted by the allometric functions, and different functions for the browsed and unbrowsed conditions reflected changes in plant architecture. Browsing had a significant negative impact on biomass for A. herba-alba but not for A. mesatlantica, whereas its effects on T. mideltense were inconsistent between years. The fact that the latter two species hardly benefited from browsing exclusion might be because of increased competition from the more dominant A. herba-alba. During the study period, the standing biomass increased whether or not there was browsing, which might be because of the recovery of the shrubs after a preceding severe drought. Further studies are needed in order to investigate the generality of the findings.

Journal

African Journal of Range & Forage Science – Taylor & Francis

Published: Apr 1, 2012

Keywords: allometric function; Atlas Mountains; nonlinear regression; permanent plot; plant architecture; standing biomass

References

  • How to assess rangeland condition in semiarid ecosystems? The indicative value of vegetation in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
  • Untersuchungen zum Wasserhaushalt ausgewählter Pflanzenarten im Drâa-Tal–Südost Marokko
  • PAST: Paleontological Statistics software package for education and data analysis
  • Browse in Africa. The current state of knowledge
  • Raumnutzungsmuster von Weidetieren im südlichen Atlasvorland
  • Etude relative à l'inventaire participatif, identification et évaluation des sites clé de la biodiversité dans le versant sud du Haut Atlas (document de synthèse)
  • STATISTICA für Windows (Software-System für Datenanalyse) Version 8.0