Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion
Simultaneous reduction of biodiversity and forage nutritive value after grazing abandonment represents a critical agroecological problem observed in temperate mountain grasslands. However, how both processes affect each other after the exclusion of large grazers is not well understood. To address th...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-12-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/1/25 |
| _version_ | 1797543613762109440 |
|---|---|
| author | Gonzalo García-Baquero Iñaki Odriozola Arantza Aldezabal |
| author_facet | Gonzalo García-Baquero Iñaki Odriozola Arantza Aldezabal |
| author_sort | Gonzalo García-Baquero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Simultaneous reduction of biodiversity and forage nutritive value after grazing abandonment represents a critical agroecological problem observed in temperate mountain grasslands. However, how both processes affect each other after the exclusion of large grazers is not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used four Atlantic grassland sites in the Aralar masif (northern Iberian Peninsula) to ask whether floristic composition mediates change in forage nutritive quality after grazing exclusion, and, if so, how much of the effect on forage quality is mediated. To examine the effects of grazing exclusion on forage quality and floristic composition a repeated-measures (2005–10) randomized complete block experiment was used. Then, the direct effects of grazing exclusion on forage quality were disentangled from the indirect effects mediated by concurrent change in floristic composition. Grazing exclusion deteriorated forage mineral content, phosphorus content, neutral detergent fiber and, especially, crude protein and enzymatic digestibility. Concurrent floristic change mediated change in crude protein (80%), enzymatic digestibility (55%) and forage content in calcium (31%). Our study shows that plant diversity and forage quality are intimately linked features of Atlantic mountain grasslands and highlights the importance of preserving leguminous and dicotyledonous species to maintain the nutritive value of these grasslands. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:48:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-16d0f5613ced43f1a9e67a49a8cc84c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:48:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-16d0f5613ced43f1a9e67a49a8cc84c72023-11-21T02:25:05ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952020-12-011112510.3390/agronomy11010025Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing ExclusionGonzalo García-Baquero0Iñaki Odriozola1Arantza Aldezabal2Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, SpainDepartment of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, SpainDepartment of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, SpainSimultaneous reduction of biodiversity and forage nutritive value after grazing abandonment represents a critical agroecological problem observed in temperate mountain grasslands. However, how both processes affect each other after the exclusion of large grazers is not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used four Atlantic grassland sites in the Aralar masif (northern Iberian Peninsula) to ask whether floristic composition mediates change in forage nutritive quality after grazing exclusion, and, if so, how much of the effect on forage quality is mediated. To examine the effects of grazing exclusion on forage quality and floristic composition a repeated-measures (2005–10) randomized complete block experiment was used. Then, the direct effects of grazing exclusion on forage quality were disentangled from the indirect effects mediated by concurrent change in floristic composition. Grazing exclusion deteriorated forage mineral content, phosphorus content, neutral detergent fiber and, especially, crude protein and enzymatic digestibility. Concurrent floristic change mediated change in crude protein (80%), enzymatic digestibility (55%) and forage content in calcium (31%). Our study shows that plant diversity and forage quality are intimately linked features of Atlantic mountain grasslands and highlights the importance of preserving leguminous and dicotyledonous species to maintain the nutritive value of these grasslands.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/1/25Iberian Peninsulamediation analysismixed modellingrepeated-measures randomized complete block experiment |
| spellingShingle | Gonzalo García-Baquero Iñaki Odriozola Arantza Aldezabal Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion Agronomy Iberian Peninsula mediation analysis mixed modelling repeated-measures randomized complete block experiment |
| title | Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion |
| title_full | Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion |
| title_fullStr | Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion |
| title_short | Floristic Composition Mediates Change in Forage Nutritive Quality of Atlantic Mountain Grasslands after Experimental Grazing Exclusion |
| title_sort | floristic composition mediates change in forage nutritive quality of atlantic mountain grasslands after experimental grazing exclusion |
| topic | Iberian Peninsula mediation analysis mixed modelling repeated-measures randomized complete block experiment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/1/25 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gonzalogarciabaquero floristiccompositionmediateschangeinforagenutritivequalityofatlanticmountaingrasslandsafterexperimentalgrazingexclusion AT inakiodriozola floristiccompositionmediateschangeinforagenutritivequalityofatlanticmountaingrasslandsafterexperimentalgrazingexclusion AT arantzaaldezabal floristiccompositionmediateschangeinforagenutritivequalityofatlanticmountaingrasslandsafterexperimentalgrazingexclusion |