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The impact of goats grazing on understory vegetation of cork oak woodlands

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datacite.subject.fosCiências Agrárias::Agricultura, Silvicultura e Pescas
datacite.subject.sdg15:Proteger a Vida Terrestre
datacite.subject.sdg13:Ação Climática
datacite.subject.sdg02:Erradicar a Fome
datacite.subject.sdg12:Produção e Consumo Sustentáveis
dc.contributor.authorSouza, Júlio Henrique Germano de
dc.contributor.authorMosquera-Losada, Maria Rosa
dc.contributor.authorCastro, Marina
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-01T09:15:45Z
dc.date.available2025-04-01T09:15:45Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractThe aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of high grazing pressure for short, intermittent periods (1-2 h per day) on fuel load management in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests in the north-eastern region of Portugal. This evaluation aims to understand the effectiveness of targeted grazing as a forest management tool, specifically in reducing fuel load accumulation and thereby potentially reducing wildfire risk. In addition, this study extends its analysis to examine the time required for vegetation recovery in the absence of grazing, with the aim of determining the optimal grazing interval. Changes in herbaceous and shrub cover, herbaceous biomass and phytovolume were compared between grazed and ungrazed plots over a period of thirty-four months. Using a stocking rate of 400 goats per hectare for 21 cumulative hours over 12 days resulted in a 93.43% reduction in shrub phytovolume and a 76.2% reduction in shrub cover. Herbaceous biomass also decreased from 53.80 +/- 7.82 g m-2 to 17.76 +/- 6.29 g m-2 in the grazed areas. Twenty-two months after cessation of grazing, no significant differences in plant and shrub cover or herbaceous biomass were observed. The results highlight the effectiveness of targeted grazing in managing fuel loads in cork oak woodlands, with pronounced short-term benefits. However, the rapid recovery of vegetation in the absence of grazing highlights the need for a strategic and continuous management approach to maintain the benefits of fuel reduction.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipNational funding by FCT, Foundation for Science and Technology, through the individual research grant 2022.12880.BD of Júlio Henrique Germano de Souza.
dc.identifier.citationSouza, Júlio Henrique Germano de; Mosquera‑Losada, Maria Rosa; Marina Castro (2025). The impact of goats grazing on understory vegetation of cork oak woodlands. Agroforestry Systems. ISSN 0167-4366. 99:3, p. 1-13
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10457-024-01110-7
dc.identifier.eissn1572-9680
dc.identifier.issn0167-4366
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10198/34368
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherSpringer Nature
dc.relationAvaliação da contribuição dos serviços de pastoreio para a mitigação das alterações climáticas ao longo de três gradientes Atlântico-Mediterrânicos.
dc.relation.ispartofAgroforestry Systems
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectTargeted grazing
dc.subjectFuel load management
dc.subjectVegetation recovery
dc.subjectCork oak forests
dc.titleThe impact of goats grazing on understory vegetation of cork oak woodlandseng
dc.typejournal article
dcterms.referenceshttps://doi. org/10.1007/s10457-024-01110-7
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleAvaliação da contribuição dos serviços de pastoreio para a mitigação das alterações climáticas ao longo de três gradientes Atlântico-Mediterrânicos.
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT//2022.12880.BD/PT
oaire.citation.endPage13
oaire.citation.issue3
oaire.citation.startPage1
oaire.citation.titleAgroforestry Systems
oaire.citation.volume99
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameSouza
person.familyNameCastro
person.givenNameJúlio Henrique Germano de
person.givenNameMarina
person.identifier2303569
person.identifier.ciencia-idE41B-6A5D-D90D
person.identifier.ciencia-id6417-7D8D-FD7E
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-5233-2064
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-6368-8098
person.identifier.ridB-5197-2016
person.identifier.scopus-author-id56612728000
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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relation.isAuthorOfPublicationa7a3b08e-9d22-4faf-9224-36924d8ce7c8
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery8eafe8c2-114d-4574-889a-81919d32bd39
relation.isProjectOfPublication50f0575a-1d9f-46ce-923a-e2b6c9718c98
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