Biomass cycles, accumulation rates and nutritional characteristics of grass layer plants in canopied and uncanopied subhabitats of burkea savanna

Abstract

Annual biomass cycles, accumulation rates and nutritional characteristics of forage and non‐forage species groups were determined in the canopied and open, uncanopied subhabitats of the herbaceous layer in Burkea africana savanna. The total amount of biomass of all species over the season was significantly greater in the open than under Burkea africana trees and Ochna pulchra shrubs. However, the amount of biomass and in‐vitro digestible organic matter of forage species was of the same order of magnitude under Burkea africana and in the open, and the amount of crude protein was in fact greater under Burkea africana trees than in the open and under Ochna pulchra in the case of forage species. The amount of biomass, crude protein and in‐vitro digestible organic matter of non‐forage species was greatest in the open. Biomass accumulation rate of total biomass was greatest in the open, whilst that of forage species was greatest under Burkea Africana.

Uittreksel

Bepalings is gedoen van jaarlikse biomassasklusse, akkumuleringstempos en voedingseienskappe van wei‐ en nie‐ wie spesies in die bedekte en onbedekte subhabitats van die graslaag in Burkea savanna. Die totale biomassasiklus was betekenisvol hoër tussen borne (onbedek) as onder Burkea africana bome en Ochna pulchra struike. Die hoeveelheid biomassa en in‐vitro verteerbare organiese materiaal van weispesies was egtervan dieselfde orde onder bome en in die ope, terwyl daar in die geval van weispesies eintlik ‘n groter hoeveelheid ru‐proteïen onder Burkea africana borne was as onder Ochna pulchra struike en in die ope.

In die geval van nie‐weispesies was die grootsle heoveelheid biomassa, ru‐proteïen, en in‐vitro verteerbare organiese materiaal in die ope. Die biomassa akkumuleringstempo van totale biomassa was hoogste in die ope subhabitat, terwyl die van weispesies die hoogste was onder Burkea africana.