Carla Etel Suárez^1,*, María Sol Rossini^1,3, Ernesto Francisco Atilio Morici¹, Héctor Daniel Esterlich^1,2

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 2063-2074, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053193 - 30 August 2024

Abstract The semiarid grasslands of Argentina’s central region have been modified by domestic livestock grazing, both in their composition and structure. The increase in the proportion of woody and non-forage species and the decrease in forage species are some of the most evident results of this process. There is limited available information about the effect of differential grazing pressures on morphometric attributes of native species, and it also depends on the life histories of the species in this grassland. The objective of this work was to evaluate some morphometric aspects in the grasses Poa ligularis Nees ex… More >

Gittins¹ C, CA Busso², G Becker¹, L Ghermandi³, G Siffredi¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.79, pp. 55-68, 2010, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2010.79.055

Abstract Poa ligularis is an important forage in Patagonian rangelands. Populations of this perennial bunchgrass have been severely affected by overgrazing. We propose that increased defoliation frequencies will decrease (1) aerial- and belowground dry matter production, (2) root survival, and (3) concentration and content of total non-structural crown + root carbohydrates, and (4) increase root mortality. Five defoliation frequencies (plus 1 control) were applied in a representative grassland of the Occidental District in Patagonia during two consecutive growing seasons. All four hypotheses were rejected. Aerial and belowground dry matter production increased from one to two or three… More >