FORAGE COMPOSITION, BIOMASS AND CARRYING CAPACITY DYNAMICS IN YABELLO RANGELAND, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA USING DIFFERENT GRAZING SITES

作者：Yeneayehu Fenetahun, Xinzhong Xu, Y.D. WANG · 发表于：Applied Ecology and Environmental Research · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.15666/aeer/1805_72337253 · 被引用次数：11 · 研究领域：Rangeland and Wildlife Management、Plant Ecology and Soil Science

Forage species composition, biomass production and carrying capacity potential are primary indicators of rangeland conditions. The article aimed to assess the changes occurring in forage species composition, biomass production and carrying capacity of different grazing sites with relation to seasonal variation by using the benchmark and biomass methods in Yabello rangeland, Southern, Ethiopia. Results indicated that the species abundance and height showed significant variation across the sampling site in relation to seasonal difference. Chloris roxburghiana, Cenchrus ciliaris and Chrysopogon aucheri grass species were shown to be dominant and registered the highest average single species coverage and biomass yield for all grazing sites. The grazing vegetation index value of conserved grazing site were shown higher value 62.8% and 64.4% during rainy season and 48% and 54.7% during dry season from open communal and woody plant infested grazing site respectively. 76.7% and 90.9% higher biomass production was observed from ranch grazing site as compared to open-communal and woody covered grazing area, respectively. The carrying capacity variation within ranch grazing site was 77%, 76% and 76.7% greater from open-communal grazing site and 92.7%, 86.4% and 90.9% greater from woody plant infested grazing site compared during rainy season, dry season and yearly average value respectively.