A preliminary investigation of area‐selective grazing in the Southern Tall Grassveld of Natal

Abstract

The consequences of area‐selective grazing by cattle under three stocking rates and at two sites in the Southern Tall Grassveld of Natal were investigated. Soil compaction was found to significantly distinguish area‐selected patches from non‐selected veld (P≤0.01), while non‐significant differences in soil nutrient and moisture status were recorded. Area‐selected and non‐selected patches may be distinguished on the basis of species composition. Area‐selected patches are characterized by Aristida congesta subsp. barbicollis, Microchloa caffra and Eragrostis racemosa. Non‐selected veld is characterized by Themeda iriandra, Tristachya leucothrix and Hyparrhenia hirta.

Die gevolge van area selektiewe beweiding deur beeste in die Suidelike Lang Grasveld van Natal met drie vee belad‐ings en op twee lokaliteite is bestudeer. Betekenisvolle verskille in kompaktheid van grond (P≤0.01) tussen selektief beweide en nie‐selektief beweide areas is gevind. Geen verskil in vrugbaarheid en vogstatus van die grond is gevind nie. Selektief beweide en nie‐selektief beweide areas kan onderskei word ten opsigte van plantsamestelling. Selektief beweide areas is gekenmerk deur Aristida congesta subsp. barbicollis, Microchloa caffra en Eragrostis racemosa. Nie‐selektief beweide veld is gekenmerk deur Themeda triandra, Tristachya leucothrix en Hyparrhenia hirta.

Additional index words:

• Grazing effects
• soil compaction