Understory Forage Quality for Grazing Animals in Chilean Patagonian Forests
Thomas Brisard,
Amelie Brisard,
Mónica D. R. Toro-Manríquez,
Soraya Villagrán Chacón,
Pablo Jesús Marín-García,
Lola Llobat,
Guillermo Martínez Pastur,
Sabina Miguel Maluenda,
Alejandro Huertas Herrera
Affiliations
Thomas Brisard
Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), 23 Chem. des Capelles, 31300 Toulouse, France
Amelie Brisard
Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), Av. de l’Université, 64000 Pau, France
Mónica D. R. Toro-Manríquez
Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n km 4.7, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Soraya Villagrán Chacón
Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n km 4.7, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Pablo Jesús Marín-García
Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera (CEU), 46113 Valencia, Spain
Lola Llobat
Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Universidad Cardenal Herrera (CEU), 46113 Valencia, Spain
Guillermo Martínez Pastur
Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia 9410, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Sabina Miguel Maluenda
Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Zaragoza, C. de Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Alejandro Huertas Herrera
Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n km 4.7, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
Native forests provide forage for grazing animals. We investigated whether native and exotic vegetation promotes the potential animal load (PAL, ind ha−1 yr−1) for cattle (Bos taurus, ~700 kg) and sheep (Ovis aries, ~60 kg) in contrasting native forest types and canopy cover (closed, semi-open, open). This study was conducted in Chilean Patagonia (−44° to −49° SL). Vegetation cover (%) and growth habit data (trees, shrubs, forbs, graminoids, ferns, lianas, lichens, and bryophytes) were collected from 374 plots (>5 ha) in different environments: coihue (Nothofagus dombeyi, CO), lenga (N. pumilio, LE), mixed Nothofagus forests (MI), ñirre (N. antarctica, ÑI), evergreen forest (SV), and open land (OL). We combine this data with literature and laboratory analyses (e.g., crude protein, %) to develop PAL values for seasons. Data sampling was evaluated using descriptive analyses and uni- and multi-variate analyses (ANOVA, MCA, GLM). Results showed that closed forests had more native species (~56.6%) compared to open forests (~33.3%), while OL had higher cover of exotic species (~68.6%). LE presented the highest native species cover (~58.0%) and ÑI presented the highest exotic species cover (~53.0%). Closed forests had fewer exotic species than semi-open and open forests, which supported higher cover of native plants (p 2 = 0.57–0.67). Our analyses also showed that exotic species dominated environment types with a high PAL, particularly during spring and summer, when cover increased. This indicates a trade-off between forage production in forests with exotic plants.
