TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of grazing on soil biota in a Mediterranean grassland
AU - Li, Q.
AU - Mayzlish, E.
AU - Shamir, I.
AU - Pen-Mouratov, S.
AU - Sternberg, M.
AU - Steinberger, Y.
PY - 2005/11
Y1 - 2005/11
N2 - The effect of cattle grazing on the soil nematode and protozoan communities, and on microbial biomass, was measured in Israel's northern highlands. Three grazing areas were compared: (1) with 1·1 cow ha-1 y-1; (2) 0·55 cow ha-1 y-1; and (3) control - no grazing for almost 18 years. Soil samples were collected from the upper 10 cm level of each area (n = 24), in autumn, before the onset of the rainy season, in order to analyse soil moisture, organic matter, total nitrogen, microbial biomass, soil respiration, soil free-living nematodes, as well as ciliate and flagellate populations. Soil microbial biomass and soil free-living nematodes showed no clear differences in impact between heavy and moderate grazing. However, ciliates and flagellates showed a significant response to different grazing pressures.
AB - The effect of cattle grazing on the soil nematode and protozoan communities, and on microbial biomass, was measured in Israel's northern highlands. Three grazing areas were compared: (1) with 1·1 cow ha-1 y-1; (2) 0·55 cow ha-1 y-1; and (3) control - no grazing for almost 18 years. Soil samples were collected from the upper 10 cm level of each area (n = 24), in autumn, before the onset of the rainy season, in order to analyse soil moisture, organic matter, total nitrogen, microbial biomass, soil respiration, soil free-living nematodes, as well as ciliate and flagellate populations. Soil microbial biomass and soil free-living nematodes showed no clear differences in impact between heavy and moderate grazing. However, ciliates and flagellates showed a significant response to different grazing pressures.
KW - Grazing
KW - Israel
KW - Microbial biomass
KW - Nematodes
KW - Protozoa
KW - Soil
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=28844437831&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ldr.680
DO - 10.1002/ldr.680
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AN - SCOPUS:28844437831
SN - 1085-3278
VL - 16
SP - 581
EP - 592
JO - Land Degradation and Development
JF - Land Degradation and Development
IS - 6
ER -