000165745 001__ 165745
000165745 005__ 20260123143856.0
000165745 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1111/jvs.13015
000165745 0248_ $$2sideral$$a147087
000165745 037__ $$aART-2021-147087
000165745 041__ $$aeng
000165745 100__ $$aPelliza, Yamila Ivón
000165745 245__ $$aTogether we stand, divided we fall: Effects of livestock grazing on vegetation patches in a desert community
000165745 260__ $$c2021
000165745 5203_ $$aQuestions
Vegetation patches formed by interacting xeric species are the main drivers of dryland structure and function. Plant aggregation enhances microclimatic conditions and triggers abiotic and biotic processes, such as nutrient cycling and accumulation, and species interactions. However, vegetation patches may be modified by disturbances in unpredictable ways. We tested whether livestock grazing affects vegetation structure and plant spatial associations in a desert community, by considering the role of plant species in ecological succession.
Location
Patagonian Monte Desert, Argentina.
Methods
We used high-quality standardized photographs along transects to characterize plant community structure (i.e., cover, abundance, richness), spatial patterns (i.e. plant-plant associations), and classified species based on their successional role (i.e. early, intermediate and late species). We used regression models and network analysis to evaluate the effect of grazing on vegetation.
Results
In general, grazing modified community structure, reducing total cover, abundance and richness. Grazing modulated community spatial patterns, simplifying and removing vegetation patches. The impact of grazing depended on the species successional role. The abundance and cover of early species were less affected by grazing than intermediate and late species, the latter being the most affected. However, species richness significantly decreased with increasing stocking rates, regardless of their successional role. Late species were present in most plant spatial associations, indicating a major contribution to multi-specific vegetation patches formation.
Conclusions
The reduction in species richness and low abundance of late species highlights the need to prevent irreversible degradation caused by overgrazing. Late species emerge as key structures of vegetation in desert rangelands facilitating the establishment and protecting other plant species. Due to the critical role of vegetation patches in maintaining desert ecosystem functioning, conservation and management practices should focus on late species, while early species, responsible for vegetation patch formation in overgrazed situations, should be preferred for restoration practices.
000165745 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess$$aAll rights reserved$$uhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/
000165745 590__ $$a3.389$$b2021
000165745 591__ $$aFORESTRY$$b13 / 69 = 0.188$$c2021$$dQ1$$eT1
000165745 591__ $$aPLANT SCIENCES$$b69 / 239 = 0.289$$c2021$$dQ2$$eT1
000165745 591__ $$aECOLOGY$$b69 / 173 = 0.399$$c2021$$dQ2$$eT2
000165745 592__ $$a0.945$$b2021
000165745 593__ $$aPlant Science$$c2021$$dQ1
000165745 593__ $$aEcology$$c2021$$dQ1
000165745 594__ $$a4.5$$b2021
000165745 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000165745 700__ $$aFernandez, Anahi
000165745 700__ $$aSaiz, Hugo
000165745 700__ $$aTadey, Mariana
000165745 773__ $$g32, 2 (2021), e13015 [14 pp.]$$pJ. veg. sci.$$tJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE$$x1100-9233
000165745 8564_ $$s1257174$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/165745/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000165745 8564_ $$s2073921$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/165745/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000165745 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:165745$$particulos$$pdriver
000165745 951__ $$a2026-01-23-14:37:11
000165745 980__ $$aARTICLE