Creation and preservation of vegetation patterns by grazing

Mouissie, A. M.; Apol, M. E. F.; Heil, G. W.; Diggelen, Rudy van

doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.06.018

Cited by 28 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Our finding that grazers select plots that offer high fodder quality accords with results of several studies (Bakker ; Mouissie et al. ; Putfarken et al. ; Gilhaus et al.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

High fodder value and feeding likelihood favour endozoochorous plant dispersal

Gilhaus

Freitag

Kunze

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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Questions In pasture‐dominated landscapes, endozoochory by large herbivores is an important vector of plant dispersal. Conditions influencing the potential for endozoochorous dispersal of plant species by grazers are, however, still poorly known. Here, we assess the impact of feeding habits and functional traits on the likelihood of endozoochorous dispersal by cattle (ruminants) and horses (non‐ruminants). Location Pasture of 27 ha in NW Germany, year‐round grazed by free‐ranging cattle and horses. Methods Vegetation relevés were established in 45 plots, from which dung samples of cattle and horses were collected. The number and composition of seedlings emerging from dung samples were compared with the vegetation of the study site in terms of plant functional trait composition. For the first time, feeding habits were included in the analysis. GLMs were used to identify traits that increased the potential for endozoochorous dispersal. Results A total of 65 species germinated from the dung samples. These species had higher average fodder and nutrient indicator values than the species composition of the vegetation. In particular, species found in horse dung were more tolerant of grazing and had more elongated seeds. The likelihood of endozoochorous dispersal was higher for common than for rare species and was influenced by feeding habits. Conclusions The likelihood of plant species being dispersed endozoochorously can be linked to different functional traits and is dependent on the type of grazer and the population size of target species in the vegetation. Differences between cattle and horses in seed dispersal may result from species‐specific grazing habits and different digestion modes.

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“…Our finding that grazers select plots that offer high fodder quality accords with results of several studies (Bakker ; Mouissie et al. ; Putfarken et al. ; Gilhaus et al.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

High fodder value and feeding likelihood favour endozoochorous plant dispersal

Gilhaus

Freitag

Kunze

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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“…As described by Parsons and Dumont (), preferred intake of forage from short swards at the bite‐scale can lead to “seeds” from which more aggregated spatial patterns evolve due to other sward height‐dependent processes. One such process was demonstrated by Mouissie, Apol, Heil, and van Diggelen () through a spatially explicit, individual‐based model for optimal foraging of cattle and sheep. In their simulations, the initially developing pattern of grazed and ungrazed patches was more fine‐grained than the one that was finally preserved, because initially grazed patches that were too far from the main grazing area were not revisited.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sward patterns created by patch grazing are stable over more than a decade

Tonn

Raab

Isselstein

2018

Grass and Forage Science

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Under extensive grazing, a mosaic pattern of frequently defoliated short patches and rarely defoliated tall patches is often formed. The agronomic and ecological consequences of this patch‐grazing pattern strongly depend on its stability between successive years. We assessed patch structure and temporal stability under three intensities of cattle stocking (moderate, lenient and very lenient) in a cattle grazing experiment established in 2002. Aerial images of the whole area taken in 2005, 2010, 2013 and 2015 were classified into short and tall patches using random forest classification. These were complemented by annual sward height measurements (2007‐2017) at 10 permanent plots per paddock, which were classified into sward height classes. The mean proportion (0.72, 0.32, 0.19) and size of short patches decreased with stocking intensity, while size of tall patches increased. Inter‐annual stability depended on patch type and stocking intensity and was particularly high for the respective dominant patch type. Of the short patch area in 2015, 0.62, 0.29 and 0.30 were classified as short in all four aerial images under moderate, lenient and very lenient grazing, respectively; the corresponding proportions for tall patches were 0.10, 0.53 and 0.65. Our results imply that short and tall patches experience persistent differences in local grazing intensity over extended periods. The long‐term effects of this heterogeneity on soil properties and vegetation composition need to be monitored to assess agronomic sustainability and ecological potential of patch‐grazed pastures.

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“…The model enabled us to link animal selectivity at the bite scale with the creation of grazing patterns at plot‐wide scale. This had already been achieved using a simulation model (Mouissie et al 2008), but the protocol required the calibration of a large number of parameters, whereas our method is based on simple sward measurements. At the macroheterogeneity scale, the heifers created and sustained large short‐grass patches, as previously reported under cattle grazing (Willms et al 1988; van den Bos & Bakker 1990; Cid & Brizuela 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A hierarchical model for analysing the stability of vegetation patterns created by grazing in temperate pastures

Rossignol

Carrère

Dumont

2010

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions: Does vegetation structure display any stability over the grazing season and in two successive years, and is there any correlation between the stability of these spatial patterns and local sward composition? Location: An upland grassland in the French Massif Central. Method: The mosaic of short and tall vegetation stands considered as grazed and ungrazed patches respectively is modeled as the realization of a Boolean process. This method does not require any arbitrarily set sward‐height thresholds to discriminate between grazed and ungrazed areas, or the use of additional variables such as defoliation indexes. The model was validated by comparing empirical and simulated sward‐height distributions and semi‐variograms. Results: The model discriminated between grazed and ungrazed patches at both a fine (1 m2) and a larger (500 m2) scale. Selective grazing on legumes and forbs and avoidance of reproductive grass could partly explain the stability of fine‐scale grazing patterns in lightly grazed plots. In these plots, the model revealed an inter‐annual stability of large‐scale grazing patterns at the time peak biomass occurred. At the end of the grazing season, lightly grazed plots showed fluctuating patch boundaries while heavily grazed plots showed a certain degree of patch stability. Conclusion: The model presented here reveals that selective grazing at the bite scale could lead to the creation of relatively stable patches within the pasture. Locally maintaining short cover heights would result in divergent within‐plot vegetation dynamics, and thus favor the functional diversity of vegetation.

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Creation and preservation of vegetation patterns by grazing

Cited by 28 publications

References 71 publications

High fodder value and feeding likelihood favour endozoochorous plant dispersal

High fodder value and feeding likelihood favour endozoochorous plant dispersal

Sward patterns created by patch grazing are stable over more than a decade

A hierarchical model for analysing the stability of vegetation patterns created by grazing in temperate pastures

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