Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T00:20:10.151Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of cutting and burning on grass quality and axis deer (Axis axis) use of grassland in lowland Nepal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Stein R. Moe  and
Per Wegge
Stein R. Moe
Affiliation:
Department of Biology and Nature Conservation, Agricultural University of Norway, P.O. Box 5014, N-1432 As, Norway
Per Wegge
Affiliation:
Department of Biology and Nature Conservation, Agricultural University of Norway, P.O. Box 5014, N-1432 As, Norway
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Man-made grasslands dominated by Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. in forested areas of lowland Nepal are commonly cut and/or burned annually. Changes in grass forage quality following different treatments of cutting and burning and axis deer (Axis axis) response to such habitat manipulations were investigated. Samples of matured grass were collected in December 1990, February and April 1991 from three experimental sites: cut, burned, cut-and-burned. Four locations on cut-and-burned grassland were repeatedly sampled at 12-d intervals from January to April 1992. Numbers of axis deer were recorded during the dry season of 1991/1992 on grassland plots receiving the following treatments: cut, cut-and-burned, and uncut/unburned (controls). Based on grass quality differences between December and February and between December and April, cut-and-burned treatments gave the greater increase in forage quality. N was significantly higher on cut-and-burned plots than on cut plots both in February and in April, while Na, K and P was significantly higher in February. On plots cut-and-burned in January, Ca concentrations were relatively low while the P content fell below required levels for domestic stock towards the end of the dry season in April. Na concentrations were below the minimum required levels for both domestic and wild ruminants during the whole period. When an entire grassland was cut, deer density increased gradually. When the same area was subsequently burned, the daily deer density increased much more rapidly. Axis deer preferred burned plots compared to plots neither cut nor burned and to cut plots. Plots burned in late February had higher densities of axis deer than plots burned 1.5 mo earlier. When nearby recently burned plots were available, deer density was reduced on plots burned earlier.

Keywords

AsiaAxis axisImperata cylindricafire managementforage qualitygrazing ecology
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , March 1997 , pp. 279 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

Bentz, J. A. & Woodard, P. M. 1988. Vegetation characteristics and bighorn sheep use of burned and unburned areas in Alberta. Wildlife Society Bulletin 16:186–193.Google Scholar
Bolton, M. 1976. Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve management plan, 1976–1981. UNDP/FAO Field Doc. No. 6, Kathmandu.Google Scholar
Bremner, J. M. & Mulvaney, C. S. 1982. Nitrogen-total. Pp. 595–624 in Page, A. L. (ed.) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties. (2nd edition). American Society of Agronomy, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin.Google Scholar
Carlson, P. C., Tanner, G. W., Wood, J. M. & Humphrey, S. R. 1993. Fire in key deer habitat improves browse, prevents succession, and preserves endemic species, Journal of Wildlife Management 57:914–928.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, R. 1986. The handbook of ecological monitoring. A GEMS/UNEP publication. Oxford University Press, N.Y.Google Scholar
Daubenmire, R. 1968. Ecology of fire in grasslands. Pp. 209–266. in Cragg, J. B. (ed.) Advances in ecological research, Volume 5. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Dinerstein, E. 1979a. An ecological survey of the Royal Karnali Bardia Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Part I: Vegetation, modifying factors, and successional relationships. Biological Conservation 15:127–149.Google Scholar
Dinerstein, E. 1979b. An ecological survey of the Royal Karnali-Bardia Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Part II: Habitat/animal interactions. Biological Conservation 16:265–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dinerstein, E. 1980. An ecological survey of the Royal Karnali-Bardia Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Part III: Ungulate populations. Biological Conservation 18:5–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dinerstein, E. 1982. Deer, plant phenology and succession in the lowland forests of Nepal. Pp. 272–288 in Wemmer, C. (ed.) Biology and management of the Cervidae. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.Google Scholar
Edroma, E. L. 1981. The role of grazing in maintaining high species-composition in Imperata grassland in Rwenzori National Park, Uganda. African Journal of Ecology 19:215–223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falvey, J. L., Hengmichel, P. & Pongpiachan, P. 1981. The productivity and nutritive value of Imperata cylindrica (L) Beauv. in the Thai highlands, Journal of Range Management 34:280–282.Google Scholar
Glantz, S. A. 1992. Primer of biostatistics. (3rd edition). McGraw Hill, New York.Google Scholar
Hobbs, R. J. & Gimingham, C. H. 1987. Vegetation, fire and herbivore interactions in heathlands. Pp. 87–173. in Macfadyen, A. & Ford, E. D. (eds.). Advances in Ecological Research 16. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Hofmann, R. R. 1985. Digestive physiology of the deer—their morphophysiological specialisation and adaption. Pp. 393–407 in Fennessy, P. F. & Drew, K. R. (eds.). Biology of deer production. The Royal Society New Zealand Bulletin 22, Wellington.Google Scholar
Jandel Scientific 1992. SigmaPlot. Scientific graph system. Jandel Scientific, Germany.Google Scholar
Kelleman, M., Miyanishi, K. & Hiebert, P. 1985. Nutrient retention by savanna ecosystem. II. Retention after fire, Journal of Ecology 73:953–962.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Komarek, E. V. 1969. Fire and animal behaviour. Proceedings of Annual Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference, Tallahassee, Florida 9:161–207.Google Scholar
Lehmkuhl, J. F. 1989. The ecology of south Asian tall grass community. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Washington, Washington.Google Scholar
Lehmkuhl, J. F., Upreti, R. K. & Sharma, U. R. 1988. National parks and local development: grasses and people in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Environmental Conservation 15:143–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lemon, P. C. 1968. Fire and wildlife grazing on an African plateau. Proceedings of Annual Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference, Tallahassee, Florida 8:71–89.Google Scholar
Martin, C. 1977. Status and ecology of the barasingha (Cervus duvauceli branderi) in Kanha National Park (India), Journal of Bombay Natural History Society 74:60–132.Google Scholar
Mcnaughton, S. J. 1976. Serengeti migratory wildebeest. Facilitation of energy flow by grazing. Science 191:92–94.Google Scholar
Mcnaughton, S. J. 1979. Grazing as an optimization process: Grass-ungulate relationship in the Serengeti. American Naturalist 113:691–703.Google Scholar
Mcnaughton, S. J. 1988. Mineral nutrition and spatial concentrations of African ungulates. Nature 334:343–345.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miles, J. 1971. Burning Molinia-dominated vegetation for grazing by red deer. Journal of British Grassland Society 26:247–250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, W. J., Clifton, C. M., Brooks, O. L. & Beatty, E. R. 1965. Influence of harvesting age on digestibility and chemical composition of pelleted coastal bermudagrass. Journal of Dairy Science 48:209–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mishra, H. R. 1982. The ecology and behaviour of chital (Axis axis) in the Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Moe, S. R. 1993. Mineral content and wildlife use of soil licks in southwestern Nepal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71:933–936.Google Scholar
Moe, S. R. 1994a. Distribution and movement pattern of deer in response to food quality and manipulation of grassy habitat: A case study with emphasis on axis deer (Axis axis) in lowland Nepal. Dr. Scient Thesis, Agricultural University of Norway, Ås.Google Scholar
Moe, S. R. 1994b. The importance of aquatic vegetation for the management of the barasingha Cervus duvauceli in Nepal. Biological Conservation 70:33–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moe, S. R. & Wegge, P. 1994. Spacing behaviour and habitat use of axis deer (Axis axis) in lowland Nepal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 72:1735–1744.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moe, S. R., Wegge, P. & Kapela, E. 1990. The influence of man-made fires on large wild herbivores in Lake Burungi area in northern Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology 28:35–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moss, R., Welch, D. & Rothery, P. 1981. Effects of grazing by mountain hares and red deer on the production and chemical composition of heather. Journal of Applied Ecology 18:487–496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Research Council. 1984. Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. (6th edition). National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Ness, K. J. & Andersen, H. J. 1993. Assessing census techniques for wild ungulates in Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal. M.Sc. Thesis, Agricultural University of Norway, Ås.Google Scholar
Pokharel, S. J. 1993. Floristic composition, biomass production, and biomass harvest in the grassland of the Royal Bardia National Park, Bardia, Nepal. M.Sc. Dissertation, Agricultural University of Norway, Ås.Google Scholar
Robbins, C. T. 1993. Wildlife feeding and nutrition. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego.Google Scholar
Rodgers, W. A. 1986. The role of fire in the management of wildlife habitats: A review. Indian Forester 112:845–557.Google Scholar
SAS 1987. SAS/STAT guide for personal computers. (6th edition). SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, N.C.Google Scholar
Schaaf, C. D. 1978. Population size and structure and habitat relations of the barasingha (Cervus d. duvauceli) in Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. Ph.D. Dissertation, Michigan State University, Michigan.Google Scholar
Schaller, G. B. 1967. The deer and the tiger. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Singh, B. R. & Mishra, V. K. 1987. Mineral content of grasses and grasslands of the Himalayan region: 2. Concentration of trace and major elements in grasses in relation to soil properties and climatic factors. Soil Science 143:241–253.Google Scholar
Sokal, R. R., Rohlf, F. J. 1981. Biometry. (2nd edition). W.H. Freeman and Company, N.Y.Google Scholar
Sunquist, M. E. 1981. The social organization of tigers (Panthera tigris) in Royal Chitawan National Park, Nepal. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. 1982. Nutritional ecology of the ruminant. O & B Books, Inc., Corvallis, Ore.Google Scholar
Weisberg, S. 1985. Applied linear regression. (2nd edition). John Wiley & Sons, Inc., N.Y.Google Scholar
West, O. 1965. Fire in vegetation and its use in pasture management. With special reference to tropical and subtropical Africa. Publication No. 1. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Berkshire, (mimeo).Google Scholar
Wharton, C. H. 1968. Man, fire and wild cattle in Southeast Asia. Proceedings of the Annual Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference, Tallahassee, Florida, USA 8:107–167.Google Scholar