Publication Date

1997

Description

The relationship between pasture biomass and pasture stability with species diversity was derived for two low fertility, hill land sites. At one site, pasture production increased with an increased number of species contributing to biomass. The coefficient of variation in biomass, however, decreased with higher numbers of species. At a second site, pasture biomass was also found to increase with increasing species diversity, but the relationship between yield stability and species diversity was not as strong as at the first site. This suggested there were other factors that influenced the stability of pastures, which could include the substitution effect between species or the greater contribution of particular species to yield and stability.

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Production, Stability and Biodiversity of North Island New Zealand Kill Pastures

The relationship between pasture biomass and pasture stability with species diversity was derived for two low fertility, hill land sites. At one site, pasture production increased with an increased number of species contributing to biomass. The coefficient of variation in biomass, however, decreased with higher numbers of species. At a second site, pasture biomass was also found to increase with increasing species diversity, but the relationship between yield stability and species diversity was not as strong as at the first site. This suggested there were other factors that influenced the stability of pastures, which could include the substitution effect between species or the greater contribution of particular species to yield and stability.