Which grazing management practices are most appropriate for maintaining biodiversity in South African grassland?

Abstract

The relative benefit of different grazing management practices for maintaining grassland biodiversity integrity was assessed. Practices considered were grazing system, stocking rate, animal type, grazing season, fire–grazing interaction, plus burning regime. Sparse empirical data indicated that stocking rate, cattle-to-sheep ratio, and increased fire intervals can affect plant diversity. Certain species behave as increaser or decreaser species in response to stocking rate or cattle-to-sheep ratio. Plant diversity appears robust in the face of variation in fire regime except for preclusion of fire. Multicriteria analysis was used to assess the relative impact of grazing systems (continuous, conventional, or high-intensity grazing by sheep, cattle, or sheep plus cattle) on grassland biodiversity integrity. Selected indicators covered landscape composition, structure and functioning. High-intensity systems and continuous sheep grazing have the most, and continuous grazing with beef the least, negative impact, depending on stocking rate. The relation between veld condition and plant diversity needs to be tested further before veld condition is used as a management tool for maintaining biodiversity. Proposed research priorities include inventory of management systems used, rapid expansion of the empirical data base, an improved understanding of patterns of plant diversity across the biome, and evaluation of the pyro–grazing diversity paradigm.