dc.description.abstract |
Abstract: The dynamics of most rangelands in Kenya remain to be poorly understood. This paper provides
baseline information on the response of a semiarid rangeland under different livestock grazing regimes on land
inhabited by the Massai people in the east side of Amboseli National Park in Kenya. The data were collected from
grasslands designated into four types: (1) grassland from previous Massai settlements that had been abandoned
for over twenty years; (2) grassland excluded from livestock grazing for eight years; (3) a dry season grazing area;
and (4) a continuous grazing area where grazing occurred throughout all seasons. Collected data included grass
species composition, grass height, inter-tuft distance, standing grass biomass and soil characteristics. The results
indicated that continuous grazing area in semiarid rangelands exhibited loss of vegetation with negative, long-term
effects on grass functional qualities and forage production, whereas grassland that used traditional Maasai grazing
methods showed efficiency and desirable effects on the rangelands. The results also showed that abandoned
homestead sites, though degraded, were important nutrient reservoirs.
Keywords: dry season grazing; grass species composition; livestock grazing; soil nutrients; Kenya |
en_US |