Nurse effects of Aloe secundiflora shrubs promote native grass establishment, growth and reproduction in degraded semi-arid rangeland on Koija Group Ranch, north-central Kenya
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Published source details
King E.G. & Stanton M.L. (2008) Facilitative effects of Aloe shrubs on grass establishment, growth, and reproduction in degraded Kenyan rangelands: implications for restoration. Restoration Ecology, 16, 464-474
Published source details King E.G. & Stanton M.L. (2008) Facilitative effects of Aloe shrubs on grass establishment, growth, and reproduction in degraded Kenyan rangelands: implications for restoration. Restoration Ecology, 16, 464-474
Summary
The study site comprised a fenced 4 ha compound (average 0.8 goats and sheep/ha) with herbaceous cover (around 10%), large areas of bare ground and substantial soil erosion. Absent were several palatable perennial grasses present in less over-grazed areas. In the 25 x 5 m experimental block (within the compound) there was less than 1% perennial vegetation cover and a cement-like soil surface.
In the first growing season C. ciliaris seedling emergence was low (average 2.6% across treatments, not varying significantly among treatments). No new seedlings were observed subsequently. At the end of the first season, 16% of seedlings in the aloe treatment, 9% in the thorn treatment and 6% in the controls were alive. Thereafter, C. ciliaris survival was 98% in the second and 90% in third seasons, and was similar among treatments.
Output references
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