Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - HeathMod
T2 - a model of the impact of seasonal grazing by sheep on upland heaths dominated by Calluna vulgaris (heather)
AU - Read, Jonathan M.
AU - Birch, Colin P. D.
AU - Milne, John A.
PY - 2002/6
Y1 - 2002/6
N2 - The dwarf shrub heather Calluna vulgaris is an important component of the UK landscape, with value for amenity, nature conservation and animal production. A model, called "HeathMod", is described, which investigates the impact of grazing on upland heather. It combines an empirical model of production with a simple process-based model of grazing impacts. Validation from short-term studies in the literature indicated that the model predicts grazing impacts well, although more studies of grazing impacts are required to confirm the model's accuracy. Analysis of the model allowed derivation of a simple general formula for predicting sustainable levels of grazing, given knowledge of local site productivity. Predicted levels of sustainable grazing were lower than previous estimates, mainly because the model predicts the long-term impacts of sustained grazing. Application of the model is most appropriate in areas where heather is in mixed-age stands, because there is inadequate information available to model interactions between grazing and degeneration in even-aged stands of heather. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
AB - The dwarf shrub heather Calluna vulgaris is an important component of the UK landscape, with value for amenity, nature conservation and animal production. A model, called "HeathMod", is described, which investigates the impact of grazing on upland heather. It combines an empirical model of production with a simple process-based model of grazing impacts. Validation from short-term studies in the literature indicated that the model predicts grazing impacts well, although more studies of grazing impacts are required to confirm the model's accuracy. Analysis of the model allowed derivation of a simple general formula for predicting sustainable levels of grazing, given knowledge of local site productivity. Predicted levels of sustainable grazing were lower than previous estimates, mainly because the model predicts the long-term impacts of sustained grazing. Application of the model is most appropriate in areas where heather is in mixed-age stands, because there is inadequate information available to model interactions between grazing and degeneration in even-aged stands of heather. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
KW - Calluna vulgaris
KW - grazing
KW - sugar pool
KW - sustainable management
KW - utilization
KW - SPHAGNUM COMMUNITY
KW - VEGETATION CHANGE
KW - GREAT-BRITAIN
KW - GROWTH
KW - PRODUCTIVITY
KW - DYNAMICS
KW - PLANT
KW - PHOTOSYNTHESIS
KW - CONSERVATION
KW - REGENERATION
U2 - 10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00187-2
DO - 10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00187-2
M3 - Journal article
VL - 105
SP - 279
EP - 292
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
SN - 0006-3207
IS - 3
ER -