Potential herblayer production and grazing effects in anthropogenic savanna-grasslands in the moist tropical forests of the Western Ghats of India

Lele, S and Hegde, Gurupada T (1997) Potential herblayer production and grazing effects in anthropogenic savanna-grasslands in the moist tropical forests of the Western Ghats of India. In: TG: Tropical Grasslands, 31 (6). pp. 574-587.

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Abstract

The moist tropical forests of the Western Ghats of India are pockmarked with savanna-grasslands created and managed by local agricultural communities. A sample of such savanna-grasslands with differing growing conditions was studied in terms of peak above-ground biomass, monthly growth, and cumulative production under different clipping treatments. The herblayer was found to be dominated by perennial C4 grasses, with Eulalia trispicata, Arundinella metzii and Themeda triandra being common to all sites. Peak biomass ranged between 3.3-5.9 t/ha at sites most favourable for grass production. Across these sites, peak biomass was found to be inversely related to the number of rainy days during the growing season, suggesting that growth may be light-limited. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that growth is most rapid immediately after the easing of the monsoon. Single clips early in the growing season had no negative or a slightly positive effect on production, but mid-season single clips or continuous frequent clipping reduced production by as much as 40%. The results suggest that, while indiscriminate grazing may certainly be deleterious, it is possible to obtain sustained high yields from forest lands managed for grass production without totally excluding grazing.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	TG: Tropical Grasslands
Publisher:	Tropical Grassland Soc Aust
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Tropical Grassland Soc Aust.
Department/Centre:	Division of Biological Sciences > Centre for Ecological Sciences
Date Deposited:	30 Jun 2011 14:09
Last Modified:	30 Jun 2011 14:09
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/38360

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