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Do we need livestock grazing to promote Polylepis australis tree recruitment in the Central Argentinean Mountains?

  • Original Article
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Ecological Research

Abstract

South American Polylepis mountain forests are endangered due to centuries of logging, fire clearance, and intensive livestock grazing. Polylepis australis (Rosaceae) dominates the tree canopy in the Central Argentinean Mountains, where livestock have been excluded or reduced to very low densities over wide areas. Lowered plant and bird diversity in these abandoned grazing areas suggest that some livestock grazing may be beneficial for conservation purposes. Our study aimed to determine whether this may also be true for forest regeneration. In 300 plots of 1 m2 distributed in sub-regions of high to moderate grazing pressure as well as grazing exclusion, we recorded the presence of P. australis seedlings and grazing indicators. Topographical parameters as well as vegetation and soil characteristics were also assessed. Seedling frequencies were highest in the region with moderate grazing, intermediate with grazing exclusion, and the lowest with high grazing pressures. Logistic regression models revealed that seedling occurrence was highest close to seeder trees, with intermediate litter coverage and at intermediate altitudes above sea level. Since grazing ultimately affects seeder tree occurrence through browsing and reduces litter cover and predominates in higher areas, we conclude that grazing is an important driving factor for P. australis regeneration. We confirm previous studies determining high grazing pressure to be detrimental for P. australis regeneration, but also provide data suggesting that its complete exclusion may not be recommendable either. Management should aim to alternate between a moderate grazing intensity to promote seedling recruitment, with subsequent exclusion to accelerate the growth of the established seedlings.

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Acknowledgments

This research was made possible by the financial support of the Volkswagen Foundation. We are very thankful to Carla Coutsiers, Eugenia Menoyo, and Ricardo Suarez for assisting in the field surveys. The National Park authorities provided permits to conduct part of our studies in the Quebrada del Condorito National Park. Two anonymous reviewers gave helpful comments on the manuscript. Jan Hanspach offered skilful software solutions. Henrik von Wehrden provided valuable help on the R-manuscripts as well as GIS data and Danny McCluskey polished our English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biology, Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin-Luther University, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108, Halle, Germany

    Heike Zimmermann & Isabell Hensen

  2. Cátedra de Ecología, FCEFy N, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 229, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Daniel Renison

  3. Faculty of Biology, Conservation Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, 35032, Marburg, Germany

    Ilona Leyer

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  1. Heike Zimmermann
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  2. Daniel Renison
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  4. Isabell Hensen
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Correspondence to Heike Zimmermann.

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Zimmermann, H., Renison, D., Leyer, I. et al. Do we need livestock grazing to promote Polylepis australis tree recruitment in the Central Argentinean Mountains?. Ecol Res 24, 1075–1081 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0585-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0585-6

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