Forage Diversity And Impact Of Grazing Management System On Rangeland Ecosystems In Mbeere District Kenya

Plant species composition, biomass, frequency and density of Mbeere rangeland has beenrndescribed to compare open and enclosed sites. A total of 245 plallf species were identified.rnClipping and preference unit technique were used to estimate herbaceous alld trees andrnshrub biomass respectively. Density and callopy cover were done through counting andrnvisual estimation for three growth forms while forage preference was through directrnobsen'ation. Soil samples were analysed for soil moisture, pH, total nitrogen, organicrnmatter, exchangeable cations, percent carbon, available phosphorus, bulk density, soilrncolour and textural class (sand, clay and silt content). The species sampled were classifiedrnillfo twenty community types (ten each for herbaceous and all vascular plant species) usingrnSyntax. The effect of grazing and management system in this rangeland was studied bothrnon the vegetation and on the soil properties. Grazing reduces above ground biomass inrncommunal lands mainly through overgrazing and elimination of palatable species. Foragernproductivity on the other hand largely depends on availability of rainfall and disturbance.rnIn the dry season the biomass accumulated was relatively low but substantially increasedrnduring the wet season. Grazing management systems used in this particular rangelandrnhave a direct impact on forage diversity. T-test results sholVS that total species ric/lIlessrnand herbaceous richness in the open site were significantly differellf (p

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