ARS | Publication request: IS IT WORTH MANAGING FOR PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY IN TEMPERATE GRAZING LANDS?

Submitted to: Soil and Water Conservation Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 20, 2003
Publication Date: July 28, 2003
Citation: Sanderson, M.A., Soder, K.J., Goslee, S.C., Skinner, R.H., Gustine, D.L., Comas, L.H., Adler, P.R. 2003. Is it worth managing for plant species diversity in temperate grazing lands? [abstract]. Soil and Water Conservation Society Proceedings. p. 17.

Technical Abstract: Species diversity is a hot topic in grassland ecology research. Some results indicate that increased species diversity increases primary production in grasslands and benefits other ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling. These results and concepts have spilled over into other areas, such as forage and grazing land research, and are beginning to influence management recommendations. It is not clear, however, if these results and concepts are relevant to managed grasslands. In this presentation, we will discuss new field plot, grazing trial, and on-farm research from the northeastern USA that addresses key questions such as: are these concepts transferable to production agriculture and what knowledge gaps exist or what barriers are there to the application of these concepts?