Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of rainfall and grazing on herbage dynamics in a seasonally dry tropical savanna

  • Published:
Vegetatio Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Species composition and herbage dynamics in relation to rainfall variability and cattle grazing were studied in permanently protected, grazed, and temporarily fenced treatments on three sites in a seasonally dry tropical savanna. Permanently protected sites, established between 1979 and 1984, were 55–79% similar with each other in species composition, and 14–25% similar with grazed sites during the period 1986–1988. Similarity among grazed sites was only 36–43%. Number of species was greater in the grazed treatment than in the permanently protected treatment. The percentages of annual grasses and non-leguminous forbs were greater in grazed savanna than in permanently protected savanna. Species diversity was higher in grazed savanna than in the corresponding permanently protected savanna. Species the two annual cycles studied, peak live shoot biomass was 614 g m-2 in permanently protected savanna, 109 g m-2 in grazed savanna, and 724 g m-2 in temporarily fenced savanna. Live shoot biomass in temporarily fenced savanna was 18 to 44% greater than in permanently protected savanna. Peak canopy biomass ranged from 342 to 700 g m-2 in permanently protected savanna. It was related with total rainy season rainfall, and was particularly sensitive to late rainy season rainfall. On the other hand, peak canopy biomass in grazed savanna ranged from 59 to 169 g m-2 and was related to grazing intensity rather than either total rainy season rainfall or late rainy season rainfall. Coefficient of variation of green biomass in permanently protected savanna was related with rainfall variability indicating it to be a pulsed system which responds quickly to rainfall events. Biomass of woody species ranged from 2466 to 5298 g m-2 in permanently protected savanna and from 744 to 1433 g m−2 in the grazed savanna. Green foliage biomass was 3.7 to 6.4% of the woody biomass in permanently protected and 5.6 to 5.9% in grazed savanna, and supplements substantially the fodder resource during the dry periods of the year.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Archer, S. & Detling, J. K. 1984. The effects of defoliation and competition on regrowth of tillers of two North American mixed grass prairie graminoids. Oikos 43: 351–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, R. H. V. 1970. The use of the herb layer by grazing ungulates in the Serengeti. In: A. Watson (ed.), Animal Populations in Relation to Their Food Sources. pp. 111–124. Blackwell Oxford, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belsky, A. J. 1986. Revegetation of artificial disturbances in grasslands of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. II. Five years of successional changes. J. Ecol. 74: 937–951.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourliere, F. 1983. Tropical Savannas. Ecosystems of the World 13, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell, M. M., Richards, J. H., Johnson, D. A., Nowak, R. S. & Dzurec, R. S. 1981. Coping and herbivory: photosynthetic capacity and resource allocation in two semiarid Agropyron bunchgrasses. Oecologia (Berlin) 50: 14–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cesar, J. & Menaut, J. C. 1974. Le peuplement vegetal des savanes de lamto. Bulletin Liaison Chercheurs Lamto. No. Special, Fasc. II., Lab. de Zoologie, E.N.S. Paris, pp. 130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Champion, H. G. & Seth, S. K. 1968. A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India. Govt. India Publ., New Delhi, pp. 251–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, M. M. 1960. Cerrado, Caatinga and pentanal: the distribution and origin of the savanna vegetation of Brazil. Geogr. Journal 126: 168–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, S. L. & Barber, S. C. 1985. Effects of disturbance on diversity in mixed-grass prairie. Vegetatio 64: 87–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppock, D. L., Detling, J. K., Ellis, J. E. & Dyer, M. I. 1983. Plant-herbivore interactions in a North American mixedgrass prairie. I. Effects of black-tailed prairie dogs on intraseasonal aboveground plant biomass and nutrient dynamics and plant species diversity. Oecologia (Berlin) 56: 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Detling, J. K., Dyer, M. I. & Winn, D. T. 1979. Net photosynthesis, root respiration, and regrowth of Bouteloua gracilis following simulated grazing. Oecologia (Berlin) 41: 127–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Floate, M. J. S. 1981. Effects of grazing by large herbivores on nitrogen cycling in agricultural ecosystems. In: F. E. Clark and T. Rosswall (ed.), Terrestrial Nitrogen cycles: Processes, Ecosystem Strategies and Management Impacts. pp. 585–601. Ecological Bulletins-NFR 33.

  • Goldstein, G. & Sarmiento, G. 1985. Water relations of trees and grasses and their consequences for the structure of savanna vegetation. In: B. H. Walker (ed.), Determinants of Tropical Savanna. pp. 13–38. IRL Press Limited, Oxford, U.K..

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, E. A. & Detling, J. K. 1990. Plant response to herbivory and belowground nitrogen cycling. Ecology 71: 1040–1049.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntley, B. J. & Walker, B. H. 1982. Ecology of Tropical Savanna. Springer Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha, C. S., Tiwari, A. K. & Singh, J. S. 1990. Land use and forest cover. In: J. S. Singh, K. P. Singh and M. Agrawal (Editors). Environmental Degradation of Obra-Renukoot-Singrauli Area and its Impact on Natural and Derived Ecosystems. Final Technical Report submitted to MAB, Ministry of Environment and Forests. pp. 34–36. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knapp, A. K. 1985. Effect of fire and drought on the ecophysiology of Andropogon gerardii and Penicum virgatum in a tallgrass prairie. Ecology 66: 1309–1320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knapp, A. K. & Gilliam, F. S. 1985. Response of Andropogon gerardii (Poaceae) to fire-induced high vs. low irradiance environments in tallgrass prairie: leaf structure and photosynthetic pigments. Am. J. Bot. 72: 1668–1671.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knapp, A. K. & Seastedt, T. R. 1986. Detritus accumulation limits productivity of tallgrass prairie: the effects of its plant litter on ecosystem function make the tallgrass prairie unique among North American biomes. BioScience 36: 662–668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Margalef, R. 1958. Information theory in ecology. General Systematics 3: 36–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, S. J. 1977. Diversity and stability of ecological communities: a comment on the role of empiricism in ecology. Am. Nat. 111: 515–525.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, S. J. 1978. Serengeti ungulates: feeding selectivity influences the effectiveness of plant defense guilds. Science. 199: 806–807.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, S. J. 1983. Serengeti grassland ecology: the role of composite environmental factors and contingency in community organization. Ecol. Monogr. 53: 291–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, S. J. 1985. Ecology of a grazing ecosystems: The Serengeti. Ecol. Monogr. 55: 259–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, S. J. & ChapinIII, F. S. 1985. Effects of phosphorus nutrition and defoliation on C4 graminoids from the Serengeti Plains. Ecology 66: 1617–1629.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, S. J., Wallace, L. L. & Coughenour, M. B. 1983. Plant adaptation in an ecosystem context: effects of defoliation, nitrogen, and water on growth of an African C4 sedge. Ecology 64: 307–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Medina, E. 1985. Requirements, conservation and cycles of nutrients in the herbaceous layer. In: B. H. Walker (ed.), Determinants of Tropical Savanna. pp. 39–65. IRL Press Limited, Oxford, U.K.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milchunas, D. G., Sala, O. E. & Lauenroth, W. K. 1988. A generalized model of the effects of grazing by large herbivores on grassland community structure. Am. Nat. 132: 87–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milchunas, D. G., Lauenroth, W. K., Chapman, P. L. & Kazempour, M. K. 1990. Community attributes along a perturbation gradient in a short grass steppe. J. Veg. Sci. 1: 375–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mooney, A., Hobb, R. J., Gorham, J. & Williams, K. 1986. Biomass accumulation and resource utilization in cooccurring grassland annuals. Oecologia (Berlin) 70: 555–558.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mott, J. J., Williams, J., Andrew, M. H. & Gillison, A. N. 1985. Australian savanna ecosystems. In: J. C. Tothill & J. J. Mott (eds.), Ecology and Management of the World's Savanna. pp. 56–82. Australian Academy of Sciences, Canberra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Motyka, J. B., Dobrzanski, B. & Zawadaski, S. 1950. Wstepne badania nad lakami puludniowo-Wschodneij Lubetszczuzny (Preliminary studies on meadows in the southeast of the province Lublin). Summary in English. Ann. Aniv. M. Curi. Sklodowska Sec. E. 5: 367–447.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, C. B. 1990. Species composition, plant biomass and net productivity of savanna in a tropical dry forest area. Ph. D. Thesis. Banaras Hindu University, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, C. B. & Singh, J. S. 1991. Influence of grazing and soil conditions on secondary savanna vegetation in India. J. Veg. Sci. 2: 95–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ram, J., Singh, J. S. & Singh, S. P. 1989. Plant biomass, species diversity and net primary production in a Central Himalayan high altitude grassland. J. Ecol. 77: 456–468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raychaudhuri, S. P., Agrawal, R. R., Datta Biswas, M. R., Gupta, S. P. & Thomas, P. K. 1963. Soils of India. I.C.A.R., New Delhi, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards, J. H. 1984. Root growth response to defoliation in two Agropyron bunchgrass: fields observations with an improved root periscope. Oecologia (Berlin) 64: 21–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruess, R. W., McNaughton, S. J. & Coughenour, M. B. 1983. The effects of clipping, nitrogen source and nitrogen concentration on the growth responses and nitrogen uptake of an East African sedge. Oecologia 59: 252–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • San Jose, J. J. & Medina, Y. E. 1976. Organic matter production in the Trachypogon savanna at Calabozo, Venezuela. Trop. Ecol. 17: 113–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarmiento, G. 1984. The Ecology of Neotropical Savannas. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarmiento, G., Goldstein, G. & Meinzer, F. 1985. Adaptive strategies of woody species in neotropical savannas. Biol. Rev. 60: 315–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shannon, C. E. & Weaver, W. 1949. The Mathematical Theory of Communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, P. L. & Singh, J. S. 1978. The structure and function of ten western North American grasslands. II. Intraseasonal dynamics in primary producer compartments. J. Ecol. 66: 547–572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, A. R. E. 1983. The adaptations of African ungulates and their effects on community function. In: F. Bourliere (ed.), Tropical Savanna: Ecosystems of the World 13. pp. 401–426. Amsterdam, Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. S. 1968. Net aboveground community productivity in the grasslands at Varanasi. In: R. Misra and B. Gopal (eds.), Recent Advances in Tropical Ecology, Pt. II. Int. Soc. Trop. Ecol., India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. S. & Joshi, M. C. 1979. Primary production. In: R. T. Coupland (ed.), Ecosystems of the World: The Analysis of Grassland and Their Uses. pp. 197–218. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. S., Lauenroth, W. K. & Milchunas, D. G. 1983. Geography of grassland ecology. Progr. Phys. Geogr. 7: 46–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. S. & Misra, R. 1969. Diversity, dominance, stability and net production in the grasslands at Varanasi. Can. J. Bot. 47: 425–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. S., Singh, K. P. & Agrawal, M. (Ed.). 1990. Environmental Degradation of Obra-Renukoot-Singrauli Area and its Impact on Natural and Derived Ecosystems. Final Technical Report to MAB, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India. pp. 498. Banaras Hindu University.

  • Singh, J. S. & Yadava, P. S. 1974. Seasonal variation in composition, plant biomass, and net primary productivity of a tropical grassland at Kurukshetra, India. Ecol. Monogr. 44: 351–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, Lalji & Singh, J. S. 1991. Species structure, dry matter dynamics and carbon flux of a dry tropical forest of India. Ann. Bot. 68: 263–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, K. P. & Misra, R. 1979. Structure and Functioning of Natural, Modified and Silvicultural Ecosystems in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Final Technical Report, MAB Research Project, pp. 161. Banaras Hindu University.

  • Singh, R. S., Raghubanshi, A. S. & Singh, J. S. 1991. Nitrogen mineralization in dry tropical savanna: Effects of burning and grazing. Soil Biol. Biochem. 23: 269–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSS/PC+. 1986. SPSS/PC for the IBM PC/XT/AT. SPSS, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Upadhyay, M. P. & Srivastava, S. C. N. 1980. Working Plan, Obra Forest Division, South Circle, Uttar Pradesh from 1980–81 and 1989–90. Working Plan Circle (2), Naini Tal.

  • Verma, D. M., Pant, P. C. & Hanfi, M. I. 1985. Flora of India. Ser. 3. Flora of Raipur, Durg and Rajandgaon. Botanical Survey of India, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, L. L., McNaughton, S. J. & Coughenour, M. B. 1985. Effects of clipping and four levels of nitrogen on the gas exchange, growth, and production of two east African Graminoids. Am. J. Bot. 72: 222–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, R. M. 1966. Game utilization in the Serengeti: preliminary investigations. Part II. Wildebeest. British Veterinary Journal. 122: 18–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R. H. 1972. Evolution and measurement of species diversity. Taxon 21: 213–251.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, 221005, Varanasi, India

    C. B. Pandey & J. S. Singh

Authors
  1. C. B. Pandey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. S. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pandey, C.B., Singh, J.S. Influence of rainfall and grazing on herbage dynamics in a seasonally dry tropical savanna. Vegetatio 102, 107–124 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044728

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044728

Keywords

Search

Navigation