• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.269-276
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• 2008

In order to understand the role of seed banks for restoration, seed banks in abandoned rice fields in the Gwangneung National Arboretum, central Korea were investigated using the seedling emergence method. The study sites represented three stages: an initial stage dominated by forbs such as Persicaria thunbergii and Juncus effuses var. decipiens, a middle stage dominated by Salix, and a late stage dominated by Quercus aliena and Prunus padus (in nearby riparian forest chosen as a reference stand). DCA ordination arranged the stands according to the number of years since abandonment. CCA ordination identified the dominant environmental variables correlated most closely with Axes 1 and 2 as $Mg^{2+}$ (intraset correlation was 0.827) and $K^+$ (intraset correlation was -0.677), respectively. Species richness and diversity decreased from the initial stage (H'=2.61) to the middle (H'=1.79) and late (H'=0.75) stages. A total of 49 species $(/m^2)$ and 18,620 seedlings $(/m^2)$ emerged out of the seed bank samples. The DCA ordination and similarity analysis detected a large discrepancy between the composition of the actual vegetation and the seed bank. We conclude that the contribution of seed bank to restoration is low. However, seed bank may help the recovery of forbs after disturbance. Some of our results are consistent with the tolerance model of succession whereas others follow the trajectory of the facilitation model. More research on succession will be required to understand the underlying mechanisms.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 1985

The processes of vegetation development and interspecific association were studied as a part of a successional study in the sand bars at the Nadgdong River estuary in Korea. The major pioneer plant species in the sand bars were Salsola komarovi, Carex pumila and Cynodon dactylon. In embryonic sand bars, Namusitdeung and Galmaegideung, the processes of vegetation development after colonization by pioneer species were closely interdependent with the development of the sand dune. The vegetation types of embryonic sand bars were divided into two groups: sand dune plants, and annual and perennial forbs. Those of old sand bars, Baeghapdeung and Ogryudeung, were also divided into tow groups: sand dune plants, and salt marsh plants. The results of interspecific association coincided well with the actual distribution of plant communities in the sand bars. The degree of vegetation development in each sand bar agreed with the order of successional stage observed in this study area.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2010

The chemical components in plant cuticular wax can be used as markers to estimate the species composition of the diet of grazing animals. In this experiment, composition of the diet of yak on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau was estimated using n-alkane analysis. During the grazing period, samples of whole plants of the species present, plus fecal samples voided by the yak, were collected, air-dried and ground prior to the extraction of cuticular wax n-alkanes. The species composition of the yak diets was estimated by relating fecal alkane contents to those of the plant species, using the 'ATWHAT'software package. The results showed that the n-alkane technique can detect the main dietary components selected by yak. The diet consumed by yak contained 33% Kobresia humilis, 67% Stipa aliena in summer pasture; 26% Potentilla anserine, 74% Carex qinghaiensis in autumn pasture; 52% Carex qinghaiensis, 32% Heteropappus bowerii and 16% Saussurea semifasciata in winter pasture and 5% Carex qinghaiensis, 95% Achnatherum splendens in spring pasture. The apparent selection for forbs is likely to be a reason for nutritional constraint of yak inhabiting alpine environments.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1-20
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• 1971

Ecological factors limiting Stipa pulchra have been determined in experimental gardens and at several sites in the hills south and east of Monterey, California. The Stipa pulchrafacies of Valley Grassland communities were found to be dominated by that species, though a total of 36 grasses and forbs were collected and identified. Basal area was not large, but aerial cover by Stipa alone averaged over 50 per cent. Across an ecotone between a Stipa association and the California Annual Type a sudden and dramatic change was recorded. Soil measurements there, and in other nearby areas, showed a much higher clay content with more available water and elemental phosphorus at the Stipa sites. Germination of Stipa seeds was high under all laboratory and field conditions, though growth of seeldings was highly variable. Seedlings grown in Stipa woil with an abundance of water were vigorous and reached anthesis the first year. In other soils they grew less, and when grown in competition with Avena fatua they scarcely grew at all. These findings indicate that when established on desirable soils, Stipa competes well and apparently precludes the dominance of Avena fatua and other large annual grasses. On the other hand, because of a lack of vigor in its seedlings, Stipa cannot reinvade the rich more friable soils on which it was once found, and on which it was shown to grow satisfactorily. This supports the contention that Sipa pulchra was the dominant grass through much of the Valley Grassland and Foothill Woodland, but also indicates that well-drained soils and those poor in mineral nutrients probalby never supported such associations.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.91-108
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• 2015

The study investigates herbage communities along the altitudinal gradient in northwest Himalaya and highlights the effect of trees on its understory floristic diversity and phytosociology. The study was conducted in nine forests at three elevations viz., chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), mixed and khair (Acacia catechu) forests at elevation $E_1$ (850-1150 m), chir pine, mixed and ban oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) forests at elevation $E_2$ (1151-1600 m) and ban oak, mixed and chir pine forests at elevation $E_3$ (>1600 m) in a sub-watershed located in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. These were compared grasslands located adjacent to forests. In all, 20 grass, 3 sedge, 2 forb and 4 legume species were recorded in study sites. Jaccard's coefficient of herbage vegetation was highest between chir pine forests and grasslands, and lowest in khair and ban oak forests. TWINSPAN dendrogram of herbage composition exhibited three subtypes with Apluda mutica, Arundinella nepalensis and Dichanthium annulatum as indicator species. Three groups of plant communities were identified on the basis of their moisture requirement. Peak density and basal area of herbage in forests and grasslands occurred by September. Density and basal area of herbage in grasslands at different elevations ranged from 649.6 to $1347.9tillers/m^2$ and 30.0 to $65.7cm^2/m^2$, respectively, while, in forests it varied from 351.2 to $1005.3tillers/m^2$ and 14.9 to $43.9cm^2/m^2$, respectively. Density and basal area of the herbage in plant communities decreased along the elevation. Under trees in forests the density of herbage decreased up to 77% and basal area up to 62% of their respective values in grasslands.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.978-983
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• 2006

Forages from grazing lands comprise conventional feed resources for ruminants in the tropical region. A study was conducted to assess fodder productivity and nutritive potential of deferred forages of six silvopastoral traditional fodder banks in central northwest Tanzania, traditionally known as Ngitiri. The grazing lands were dominated by low quality increaser grass species: Eragrostis spp., Aristida spp., Urochloa spp., Rottboellia exaltata, Cenchrus spp., Cynodon spp. and Chloris spp., and forbs species. The grazing lands had low vegetative basal cover that varied (p<0.05) from 34.7 to 75%, and low forage biomass productivity that varied (p<0.05) from 0.76 to 3.69 tones (t) dry matter (DM)/ha. The forages contained low crude protein (CP) that varied (p<0.05) from 16 to 27 g/kg DM; and had high fibre contents, which varied (p<0.05) from 702-725, 497-573 and 119-225 g/kg DM for neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL), respectively. The forages were poorly degraded in sacco, and showed low DM degradability (DMD) characteristics of 74, 473 and 576 g/kg DM for DM washing losses (a), slowly degradable feed fraction (b) and potential degradability, (a+b), respectively; and low DMD at 48 h incubation, which varied from 317-345 g/kg DM, and contained low metabolizable energy (ME), (4.2-4.36 MJ/kg DM). The herbage forages would not meet protein and energy requirements for maintenance and production, which could be reflected through low animal productivity. Further work is needed to assess animal productivity (growth, milk, draft force) from conserved forages in traditional fodder banks in the dry season.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1587-1593
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• 2010

Pastures of the Apennines of Central Italy contribute to feed resources of high altitude (above 1,300 m sea level) grazing systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of faecal extract from the yak (Bos grunnienes) as an alternative microbial inoculum to rumen fluid for estimation of digestibility of several forage species. Forage samples produced at high altitude were tested in this study: four legumes (Lathyrus sativus L., Lotus corniculatus L., Onobrychis viciaefolia L. and Trifolium pratense L.), three forbs (Achillea millefolium L., Potentilla reptans L. and Teucrium flavum L.) and one grass (Brachipodyum pinnatum L.) were incubated with yak rumen fluid or faecal extract. A large variability in chemical composition was observed among the species collected. Rumen liquor and faecal samples were collected from adult healthy yak. The $Daisy^{II}$ incubator was used to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of forages using rumen liquor as control and faecal extract as alternative microbial inoculum sources. Filter bags containing samples of browse species were added to the four digestion vessels along with their respective inoculum and then incubated for 48 h and dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral and detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility was determined. There was a significant relationship between estimates, indicating that faecal liquor has the potential to be used instead of rumen fluid for estimation of in vitro digestibility of plants. It is concluded that the $Daisy^{II}$ incubator results are appropriate for the determination of in vitro digestibility of nutrients using faecal liquor to define the potential for adaptation of yak to new pastures.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1228-1234
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• 2000

The reported study was conducted on range managed Malpura ewes that were non-breeding empty, were at an advanced stage of pregnancy, and were in early lactation, under a protocol of free grazing with concentrate supplementation at 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50% of their body weight to assess their plane of nutrition and nutrient intake. The biomass yield of pasture plots was 1689, 1820 and 2912 kg/ha in pregnancy, lactation and empty phases, respectively. In addition to natural shrubs and forbs, Cenchrus ciliaris (36.4%) and dead litter (31.6%) were the major component of pasture vegetation during pregnancy. The dead litter disappeared during the lactation and empty phase with a concomitant increase in distribution of Cenchrus ciliaris to 73.0 and 87.2% respectively. The daily dry matter consumption from supplemental concentrate and free grazing was 70.1, 57.3 and 63.5 g/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ with concentrate to roughage ratio of 40:60, 47:53 and 33:67 in pregnancy, lactation and empty phases respectively. Digestibility of DM and OM were similar in the three phases while CP digestibility was higher (p<0.0l) during lactation than other two phases. Digestibility of NDF, ADF and cellulose were higher (p<0.0l) in empty than pregnancy and lactation, while hemicellulose digestibility was similar in lactation and empty and lower in pregnancy phase. The ewes in ~hases of pregnancy, lactation and empty consumed 7.1, 7.7 and 6.1 g DCP and 197.2, 214.6 and 232.5 kcal DE/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ respectively. It is concluded that ewes maintained on semi-arid Cenchrus dominated pasture with concentrate supplementation during pregnancy, lactation and empty phases consumed 45.2, 45.1 and 35.2 g DCP/Mcal ME respectively.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.9-18
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate species diversity of understory in Mt. Biryong. The quadrat size was installed based on the result of analysis of Species-Area Curve. The vascular plants were enlisted 107 taxa: 47 families, 80 genera, 91 species, 11 varieties, 2 subspecies, and 3 forms. The three taxa such as Carex okamotoi, Philadelphus schrenkii var. schrenkii, and Weigela subsessilis were enlisted from the surveyed sites as the Korean endemic plants. Due to the list from the Korea Forestry Administration, Rhododendron micranthum was enlisted as the rare plant. The growth from was categorized followed by forbs, shrubs and trees, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.79 no.2
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• pp.144-161
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• 1990

Pine forest communities developed in Mt. Palgong, southeastern Korea, were studied phytosociologically, with special reference to multiple management of local forests, and were classified into two communities, Pinus densiflora - Quercus mongolica community(I : mountain forest) and P. densiflora-Climbing plants community (II : valley forest) and six subgroups accompanied by several subgroups. Judging from the coincidence method, the division of communities (vegetation units) was closely related to altitude and topography. Based on vegetation units, a vertical distribution map of pine forest communities was prepared. The species composition(%) of pine forest communities under stratification, in upper and lower tree layer, teas I higher than II, in middle and shrubs lacer II higher than I (Total : Upper 15.5%, Middle 28.4%, Lower 34.6%. Shrubs 21.5%. Sum of mean coverage%i of understory vegetation was II twice as high as I (Total. shrubs 28.4%. forbs 11.4%, Graminoids 11.8%, ferns 1.0%). Based on constance, coverage and d.b.h. class etc., an actual growth and occurrence table of tree species and understory vegetation by vegetation unity were prepared, and could assume a criterion for judging potential dominance-growth conditions.