Grazing-induced changes in plant composition affect litter quality and nutrient cycling in flooding Pampa grasslands.

Changes in plant community composition induced by vertebrate grazers have been found to either accelerate or slow C and nutrient cycling in soil. This variation may reflect the differential effects of grazing-promoted (G+) plant species on overall litter quality and decomposition processes. Further, site conditions associated with prior grazing history are expected to influence litter decay and nutrient turnover.

Effects of grazing pattern and nitrogen availability on primary productivity.

A major part of the impact of grazing on primary productivity results from the joint action of tissue removal and nutrient return to the soil via dung and urine. Grazing, however, is not uniformly distributed in space: grazed grasslands show a matrix of grazed and ungrazed patches, which in turn, may or may not be affected by faecal or urine deposition. This paper investigates the effects of grazing spatial pattern and nitrogen availability on primary productivity.