Mario Eugenio Sello^1,*, Rafael Adrian Maddio¹, Santiago Ignacio Hurtado¹, Daniel Alejandro Castillo¹, Daiana Vanesa Perri¹, Octavio Agusto Bruzzone², Marcos Horacio Easdale¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.9, pp. 2479-2498, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053168 - 30 September 2024

Abstract Adaptive management in arid and semi-arid regions of Patagonia, Argentina, requires a thorough understanding of vegetative dynamics, which can be obtained via rangeland assessment and monitoring. These practices are essential for decision-making to prevent environmental degradation, especially in the light of drought aggravated by climate change. In turn, most methods used to evaluate rangelands focus on data obtained from field measurements and vegetation classifications based on remote sensing data. One of the most frequent problems is that field-based rangeland assessments, based on field measurements, turn out to be expensive because they require high efforts in… More >

Carla Cepeda^1,*, Gabriel Oliva^1,2, Daniela Ferrante^1,2

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1383-1401, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052534 - 30 July 2024

Abstract Semiarid Patagonia represents 25% of the rangeland area in Argentina, and sheep overgrazing has degraded about a third of it in the past. In this century, depleted domestic stocks have mostly stabilized, but Guanaco populations have grown. These native camelids share habitat and diets with sheep, but their effect on vegetation is poorly understood and has long been debated. We set up an exclusion experiment in Monte León and Cañadón Vaca, a semiarid shrubland grassland in southern Patagonia, currently grazed only by guanacos. Vegetation baselines were studied in 2016 in twelve plots, and half of… More >

Elizabeth J. Jacobo^1,#,*, Adriana M. Rodríguez^2,#

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.6, pp. 1179-1202, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.050928 - 27 June 2024

Abstract The Flooding Pampa grasslands are the last remnant of the Rio de la Plata grasslands in Argentina. Anthropogenic interventions have led to severe degradation and, as a result, the ecosystem services provided by the grasslands are declining, in terms of provisioning, regulating, and supporting services. We synthesized the existing literature on the ecosystem goods and services provided by these grasslands under grazing in different conditions and conservation status. We found that plant and animal diversity and primary production are the most studied ecosystem services, while climate regulation, water supply, nutrient cycling, meat production and erosion… More >

Shi G¹, ZY Liu¹, T Baoyin¹, J Sun², JJ Duan³, XL Li³, GF Yang⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 236-241, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.236

Abstract Plant functional traits and their effects on rangeland ecosystem function have received much attention by ecologists. However, the importance of functional traits and the interactive effects of grazing exclusion and climate are poorly understood. This study, therefore, aimed to analyse the response of Leymus chinensis functional traits in long-term grazing exclusion in different habitats (rainless typical steppe and rainy meadow steppe). This study showed that although the sensitivity and variability of different traits were similar in two steppe habitats, phenotypic plasticity of L. chinensis in meadow steppe was significantly higher than typical steppes. With the increased degree More >

Ithurrart LS^1,2, CA Busso^1,2, YA Torres^1,3, DV Peláez^1,2,3, H Giorgetti⁴, G Rodríguez⁴, ML Ambrosino^2,5

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.87, pp. 51-59, 2018, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2018.87.051

Abstract Plant competition for soil resources is common in semiarid rangelands. Plants have various, alternative mechanisms to deal with soil resource acquisition. They include (1) length, weight and proliferation of roots, (2) root length density, and (3) root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhiza. In rangelands of Argentina, plants are exposed to herbivory after natural fires. As a result, knowledge on how these disturbances impact root traits is important for outlining guidelines focused on rangeland management and improvement. Our aim was to analyze the effects of defoliation after a controlled burning on root traits (1) to (3) on… More >

Gul B¹, M Islam², S Ahmad³, S Gul¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.85, pp. 94-99, 2016, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2016.85.094

Abstract Spatial and temporal patterns of aboveground biomass and nutritive value of rangeland species with respect to the influence of grazing and soil moisture were investigated. The research was conducted during two years at the Tomagh Research Station, near Sanjawi, Ziarat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. This area is protected from grazing since 1998; however, some of the area is open for grazing. Three sites were selected for research purposes: a protected plain, a protected hilly, and an unprotected plain grazed area. Sampling was carried out during the spring, summer and autumn seasons. Results revealed that soil moisture More >

Hu FL^1,2, B Liu^1,3, ZM Liu^1,3, YT Fang^1,3, CA Busso⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.1, pp. 209-221, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.209

Abstract Grasslands are one of the most widespread landscapes worldwide, covering approximately one-fifth of the world’s land surface, where grazing is a common practice. How carbon storage responds to grazing in steppes remains poorly understood. We quantified the effects of grazing on community composition and species diversity, and carbon storage in two typical grasslands of northeastern China, one in Horqin and the other one in Hulunbeier. In both grasslands, grazing did not influence plant species diversity. However, it substantially decreased aboveground carbon by 31% and 54% in Horqin and Hulunbeier, respectively. Fenced and grazing treatments showed More >

Blazquez FR^1,2,3, DV Peláez^1,3,4, RJ Andrioli¹, OR Elia^1,2,3

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.83, pp. 397-405, 2014, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2014.83.397

Abstract The interaction between woody and grass species in semi-arid rangelands of central Argentina was assessed through the evaluation of the impact of woody species on grass growth over a 2-y period. The study comprised two morpho-physiologically different woody species and two cool-season perennial grass species highly preferred by domestic livestock. The study involved the assessment of total green length (TGL) and number of green leaves (NGL) per tiller in grasses growing beneath the canopy of woody species and in open rangeland areas. Soil temperature, pH and water, nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter content were estimated… More >

Torres¹ YA, MA Long², SM Zalba¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 225-240, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.225

Abstract The objective of this work is to contribute to the biology of Pavonia cymbalaria A. St. Hil & Naudin (Malvaceae), a native species of the Southern mountains of Buenos Aires Province. This knowledge will contribute to (1) promote its use as an ornamental species, (2) its conservation and (3) stimulate the interest and public valuation of mountain systems biodiversity. Seven populations of P. cymbalaria were selected. Two of them were growing under Pinus halepensis forests to characterize different environments were the herbaceous species is growing in the wild. Environmental characteristics immediately associated to six individuals of the species More >

CARLOS A. BUSSO*, BARRY L. PERRYMAN**

BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 279-285, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.279

Abstract Seed size is a crucial plant trait that may potentially affect not only immediate seedling success but also the subsequent generation. We examined variation in seed weight of Wyoming sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis Beetle and Young), an excellent candidate species for rangeland restoration. The working hypothesis was that a major fraction of spatial and temporal variability in seed size (weight) of Wyoming sagebrush could be explained by variations in mean monthly temperatures and precipitation. Seed collection was conducted at Battle Mountain and Eden Valley sites in northern Nevada, USA, during November of 2002 and 2003. Frequency… More >