Publication Date
1993
Description
The competition-stress-disturbance (CSD) model of Grime (Plant strategies and vegetation processes, New York, John Wiley 1979) is used as the basis for discussing the forces that influence the distribution and abundan.ce. of plant species. Characteristics of plant strategies (competitive, ruderal and stress-tolerator) in both the established and regenerative phases are summarised. Pasture management can be viewed as the manipulation of competition, stress and disturbance. A number of pasture situations ( disturbance-diversity relationships, pasture degradation, weed invasion, management of abandoned farm land, species conservation) are analysed in ecological terms and the consequences for pasture management are outlined. The CSD model can be used to explain different situations and should be useftJI for- initial predictions in situations where there is insufficient knowledge of species to design detailed management strategies. When applying the model to agricultural situations, consideration must be given to production as well as plant fitness, survival and adaptation, and also to changes occurring because the vegetation may not be at CSD equilibrium.
Citation
McIvor, John G., "Distribution and Abundance of Plant Species in Pastures and Rangelands" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 12.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session11/12
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Distribution and Abundance of Plant Species in Pastures and Rangelands
The competition-stress-disturbance (CSD) model of Grime (Plant strategies and vegetation processes, New York, John Wiley 1979) is used as the basis for discussing the forces that influence the distribution and abundan.ce. of plant species. Characteristics of plant strategies (competitive, ruderal and stress-tolerator) in both the established and regenerative phases are summarised. Pasture management can be viewed as the manipulation of competition, stress and disturbance. A number of pasture situations ( disturbance-diversity relationships, pasture degradation, weed invasion, management of abandoned farm land, species conservation) are analysed in ecological terms and the consequences for pasture management are outlined. The CSD model can be used to explain different situations and should be useftJI for- initial predictions in situations where there is insufficient knowledge of species to design detailed management strategies. When applying the model to agricultural situations, consideration must be given to production as well as plant fitness, survival and adaptation, and also to changes occurring because the vegetation may not be at CSD equilibrium.
