Grass production and decomposition in Southern Guinea savanna, Nigeria
- 31 December 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Nature in Oecologia
- Vol. 40 (2) , 155-165
- https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00347933
Abstract
Annual grass production in ungrazed plots was 2731 kg ha-1, litter production was 1619 kg ha-1 and decomposition was 1789 kg ha-1. In grazed plots the corresponding figures were 3157 kg ha-1, 1440 kg ha-1, and 1475 kg ha-1, respectively. Cattle consumed 1405 kg ha-1. Litter disappearance was greatest in the dry season with 1226 kg ha-1 (69% of the annual total) disappearing in the 4 mo. of Dec.-March in the ungrazed plots, largely due to consumption (790 kg ha-1 in Dec.-March) by fungus-growing termites (Macrotermitinae). A positive linear relationship was found between maximum grass biomass and annual rainfall in West Africa.Keywords
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