Livestock exclusion in mixed forests of northern Patagonia under silvopastoral use: Structural and functional responses of vegetation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.24.34.2.0.2290Keywords:
closures, understory vegetation, Ciprés de la Cordillera, Coihue, regeneration, functional diversityAbstract
Closures in temperate forests have been widely used to evaluate the effects of livestock on conservation and restoration objectives, but their use with management objectives in integrated productive systems in native forests has been poorly studied. Given that the studies are concentrated in the northern hemisphere, it is essential to advance local research to provide management tools to ensure the continuity of the forest component and the functionality of the system. Therefore, we analyzed the response of vegetation to the temporary exclusion of livestock in silvopastoral systems in mixed Austrocedrus chilensis - Nothofagus dombeyi forests of northern Patagonia. We evaluated changes in the structure, composition and functionality of understory vegetation, as well as in the regeneration of dominant canopy species. We selected three medium-sized estates, and in each one established three plots and three paired closures, which were monitored for three years. Closures significantly affected the height growth of N. dombeyi saplings, and marginally the survival of A. chilensis seedlings, while the species richness, composition, cover and functional diversity of the understory showed no changes. The coverage of palatable species was not affected, possibly due to greater limitation by light than herbivory and the short time of exclusion. Under the conditions studied, short-term community closures do not appear to be a suitable tool in farm management to promote forage production or regeneration of the most sensitive forest species.
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