This experiment evaluated forage production, sward structure, stocking rate, weight gain per area and nutritive value of forage as grazed by beef heifers on Alexandergrass (Urochloa plantaginea (Link) Hitch) pasture fertilized with nitrogen (N): 0; 100; 200 or 300 kg of N/ha. The experiment was a completely randomized design following a repeated measurement arrangement. The experimental animals...

Livestock grazing, which has a large influence on habitat structure, is associated with the widespread decline of various bird species across the world, yet there are few experimental studies that investigate how grazing pressure influences avian reproduction. We manipulated grazing pressure using a replicated field experiment, and found that the offspring sex ratio of a common upland passerine...

Wetlands are critical ecosystems for supporting biodiversity and regulating climate. Over the past century, it has been degraded significantly due to both climatic human activities. In Mongolia, livestock grazing drastic impact on this ecosystem. study, we seek understand effects of soil water content (SWC) moisture by contrasting grazed non-grazed area in a wetland north-eastern Mongolia. We f...

Over millennia, the combination of controlled burnings and extensive grazing has maintained mosaic landscapes preserved mountain grasslands in southern Europe. In last century, deep socio-economic changes have led to an abandonment traditional uses, a general decline domestic herbivory misuse burning practices. This study aims quantify how decoupling regimes affects long-term structure, diversi...

Wetlands are significant sources of atmospheric methane. Methane produced by microbes enters roots and escapes to the atmosphere through the shoots of emergent wetland plants. Herbivorous birds graze on helophytes, but their effect on methane emission remains unknown. We hypothesized that grazing on shoots of wetland plants can modulate methane emission from wetlands. Diffusive methane emission...

Degradation of communal grazing land vegetation is a widespread problem throughout sub Saharan Africa and its restoration is a challenge for the management of many semi-arid areas. This study assessed the effectiveness of different age (young versus old) exclosures on species composition and diversity, biomass production and woody structure in northern Ethiopia. The species composition and dive...

Cobalt and copper concentrations were measured in 599 lamb livers collected at slaughter from 58 sheep flocks in 6 different parts of Norway in 1993. Information about pasture, additional feeding and mineral supplements in the flocks was obtained through a questionnaire. Average hepatic levels of cobalt in the lamb flocks varied from < 0.003 to 0.22 microg/g ww, and of copper from 5 to 240 micr...

Management regimes of varying types and intensities can have profound impacts on grassland soil quality. Plus, there has recently been increased interest in finding soil quality indicators that are reflective of historical and current land management. We surveyed soil quality of privately owned grasslands in northeastern Kansas differing in their cultivation histories and current land-use (cool...