Grazing itineraries and forage selection of goats in the Al Jabal al Akhdar mountain range of northern Oman |
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| Authors: | E Schlecht U Dickhoefer E Gumpertsberger A Buerkert |
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| Institution: | 1. Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Kassel and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Steinstr. 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany;2. Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research, University of Kassel, Steinstr. 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany;1. College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA;2. Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA;3. The Nature Conservancy Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, PO Box 458, Pawhuska, OK 74056, USA;1. Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Anbar-23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;2. Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar-25120, Pakistan;3. H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan;4. Department of Chemistry, COMSAT Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad-22060, Pakistan;5. UoN Chair of Oman''s Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al-Mouz, Nizwa-616, Oman;6. Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research (CEAMR), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia Kingdom;1. Institut de Recherches Medicinales CERD, Djibouti;2. Institut Science de la Terre CERD, Djibouti;3. Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia |
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| Abstract: | In view of the repeatedly reported overstocking of the high-altitude pastures on Al Jabal al Akhdar, northern Oman, plant species abundance, cover and frequency, and herbaceous mass yield were studied in ungrazed versus heavily grazed areas of this mountain range. In addition, plant species selection by goats along a gradient of 1000–2000 m and spatial extent of pasture areas were investigated after abundant rainfall and a subsequent 6-months dry spell by means of manual observation and GPS/GIS tools.The substantially higher species diversity and herbaceous mass yield in the ungrazed area illustrate the production potential of these mountain pastures or, respectively, the biodiversity and productivity loss resulting from continuous grazing. The concentration of goats' selection on only a dozen herbaceous and ligneous species favours pasture encroachment with poisonous shrubs such as Nerium mascatense in the lower and Dodonaea viscosa in the higher altitudes. Given the spatially limited extent of pasture areas, these are exposed to high stocking rates. Therefore, grazing and feeding schemes need to be developed which reduce livestock pressure on the pastures, taking into account local property rights, herding skills and the recovery potential of the vegetation, which heavily depends on unpredictable rainfall events. |
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