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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207761
Title: Pasture diversity and management

Author
item Goslee, Sarah

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2007
Publication Date: 2/2/2007
Citation: Goslee, S.C. 2007. Pasture diversity and management. Northeast Pasture Consortium Fact Sheet. p. 1.

Interpretive Summary: An interpretive summary is not required.

Technical Abstract: Despite the economic importance of pastures in the northeastern United States, not much is known about their ecology, including taxonomic and functional diversity. This factsheet presents results from a 1998-2005 survey of pastures on 44 farms from Maine to Maryland. Pastures are quite diverse; the average pasture had 32 species of plants in a quarter-acre area and we found 310 species across the region. Many pastures sampled were low in diversity of forage plants, however, and particularly in legume content. Management of plant composition could improve pasture quality in northeastern farms.