In a cultural-ecological perspective of New Zealand pastoralism the amount and form of energy supplements at different stages of pastoral development are characterized and prospects for sustainability discussed. The history of the pastoral exploitation of the tussock grasslands of South Island, New Zealand is reviewed with particular attention to physiognomic changes brought about by early fire...

Many western grasslands and scrublands are being overrun by Mediterranean annual grasses that are a limiting impediment to grassland restoration throughout the western United States (Kay et al. 1981; Dyer and Rice 1997, 1999; Brown and Rice 2000). Conserving and restoring these invaded ecosystems are important biodiversity goals. Restoring perennial grasslands can also increase the forage quali...

On account of their ecological, economical and cultural significance, grasslands are an important mark and a unique heritage in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the details of distribution of vast reserves of soil organic carbon (SOC) in these ecosystems are not well known because most of the previous investigations on these ecosystems have been devoted towards highlighting their importance as repos...

Resulting from centuries of traditional animal husbandry, extensive grasslands belong to the most important natural tourism resources in Central Europe adding to the amenity values of many landscapes. Facing agricultural market pressures, they are endangered by agricultural intensification as well as by abandonment. Both developments threaten grassland values for tourists and recreationists. Ho...

On a Flemish sandy loam soil, cut and grazed swards were compared at different levels of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilization. Economically optimal N fertilization rates were 400 (or more) and 200 kg N ha yr on cut and grazed swards respectively. Considering the amounts of residual soil nitrate-N in autumn, these N rates also met the current Flemish legal provisions, i.e. no more than 90 kg ha ni...

1. Grasslands in the Temperate Zone: Distribution and History 2. Characteristics of Old Temperate Grassland Ecosystems 2.1 Grazing and Cutting Regimes 2.2 Nutrients 2.3 Area Size and Networks 2.4 Dynamic Land Use 2.5 Species Richness/Biodiversity 3. Present and Future Policy to Manage Old Temperate Grasslands 3.1 Modern Agriculture and Traditional Temperate Grasslands 3.2 Avoidance of Eutrophic...

When males of a species follow different reproductive strategies in different habitats, one might expect the strategy adopted to maximize fitness payoffs under particular ecological conditions. Striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) males in the moist grasslands of South Africa follow a roaming mating strategy, visiting several receptive females, and do not participate in parental care. In contrast, ...

Fire is a globally distributed disturbance that impacts terrestrial ecosystems and has been proposed to be a global "herbivore." Fire, like herbivory, is a top-down driver that converts organic materials into inorganic products, alters community structure, and acts as an evolutionary agent. Though grazing and fire may have some comparable effects in grasslands, they do not have similar impacts ...

three species belonging to three genera of the family tylenchidae, namely, cephalenchus leptus, eutylenchus excretorius, and lelenchus leptosoma were discovered as first reports for iran's nematode fauna. they were characterized by morphological, morphometric and molecular phylogenetic studies. the two latter genera are new for iran. iranian population of cephalenchus leptus is characterized by...

A significant recovery of food plants preferred by introduced deer (Cervus elaphus) occurred between 1969 and 1984 on 57 permanent plots in the alpine grasslands of northern Fiordland. During this period the deer population was reduced markedly by hunters operating from helicopters. Deer showed a strong preference for grasslands characterised by Chionochloa pallens and large-leaved herbs. These...