This research was conducted in the Mamora cork oak
forest of Morocco to: (1) Describe the impacts of sheep
grazing (none, 35% use, 70% use) in March, April, May and
June of 1987 and 1988 on seasonal forage production; (2)
evaluate the effects of these factors on annual changes
in herbaceous foliar cover and botanical composition; and
(3) determine their effects on seasonal changes in forage
quality of the herbaceous vegetation.
Neither the month of 1987 nor the degree of use had
significant effects on the rate of herbage accumulation.
In 1988, the month of grazing, the degree of use and
their interaction had significant effects on all rates of
herbage accumulation except that between May and June for
the March grazed treatment. For the April, May and June
treatments, grazing depressed the forage production of
the subsequent months.
The interaction of the month of grazing and the
degree of use had no significant effect on the botanical
composition of all groups of species. Averaged over the
season, the other forbs were the dominant group of
species.
Total canopy cover was significantly affected by the
year only. The 1988 total vegetative ground cover was
significantly higher than the 1987 and 1989 ones as a
result of the impacts of the intensity and distribution
of rains on vegetative growth, development and
distribution.
The degree of use had a significant effect on the
forage nutrients only for some grazing treatments. It
seemed that the effect of the grazing intensity on forage
nutrients of the subsequent months is more evident when
grazing occurs early in the season.
This study developed the first information for this
area related to the response of the vegetation to the
time and the intensity of grazing. The results suggest
that scheduling intensity and timing of grazing livestock
might be a key factor in community dynamics. Combined
research on grazing management, fertilization and seeding
should be undertaken and implemented in the next Mamora
management plan. / Graduation date: 1992
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/36788 |
| Date | 03 October 1991 |
| Creators | Mejjati-Alami, Mohammed |
| Contributors | Bedell, Thomas E. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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