scholarly journals The influence of grassing and harvest management on microbial parameters after arable land setting-aside

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 382-388
Author(s):  
K. Voříšek ◽  
L. Růžek ◽  
M. Svobodová ◽  
J. Šantrůček ◽  
S. Strnadová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Harvest Management ◽  
Medicago Lupulina ◽  
Potential Nitrification ◽  
Biomass Removal ◽  
Trifolium Repens L ◽  
Arrhenatherum Elatius

During the years 1998&ndash;2000 soil chemical (C<sub>org</sub>, N<sub>t</sub>, pH), textural (sand, silt clay) and microbiological (microbial biomass carbon &ndash; CMB, microbial extracellular carbon &ndash; C<sub>EX</sub>, respiration, ammonification, nitrification) characteristics were tested on grassed chernozem [mollisol] after arable land setting-aside. Different harvest management was also tested: black and green fallow, one or two mulching per year, three cuts with plant biomass removal. For the evaluation of the influence of management and plants we have used three main criteria: (1) &micro;g C<sub>MB</sub>/g dry soil, (2) ratio CMB/C<sub>org</sub>&nbsp;(%), (3) &micro;g C<sub>EX</sub>/mg CMB or eight criteria respectively: (4) ratio of measured and model values of C<sub>MB</sub>, (5) ratio of measured and model values of C<sub>EX</sub>/C<sub>MB</sub>, (6) potential respiration with glucose, (7) potential ammonification with peptone and (8) potential nitrification with (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>. According to these criteria, the best harvest management after arable land setting-aside from 5 different systems, which were tested, could be based on one or two mulching per year. It could be stressed that the two mulching was evaluated as the best in sum of dry mass yield (27.5 for mixtures, 20.1 for legumes and 14.2 for grasses &ndash; in t/ha/3 years). The use of legumes (Trifolium repens L. &ndash; Medicago lupulina L. &ndash; Lotus corniculatus L. &ndash; Medicago media Pers.) or grasses [Bromus catharticus Vahl &ndash; Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) Presl &ndash; Festuca pratensis Huds &ndash; Dactylis aschersoniana Graebn.] as cover plants was more successful than the use of their mixtures.

scholarly journals Succession changes of temporary grass stands on set-aside land

2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 108-115
Author(s):  
M. Svobodová ◽  
J. Šantrůček ◽  
J. Urbanec
Keyword(s):  
Dry Mass ◽  
Present Species ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Mass Yield ◽  
Medicago Lupulina ◽  
Coronilla Varia ◽  
Average Precipitation ◽  
Weight Method ◽  
Trifolium Repens L ◽  
Arrhenatherum Elatius

The mixtures of &lt;i&gt;Bromus marginatus&lt;/i&gt; Nees ex Steud. + Coronilla varia L., Festuca pratensis L. + Lotus corniculatus L., Dactylis aschersoniana Graebn. + Trifolium repens L., Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) P. Beauv. ex J.S. et K.B. Presl + Medicago lupulina&nbsp;L. were sown in rows of 125 mm in the year 1997 in Prague (chernozem, altitude 281 m a.s.l., average precipitation is 472 mm per year, average year temperature 9.3&deg;C). The stands were one or three times per year cut with the mass removing or one or two times mulched. Botanical composition (by weight method), number of present species and agrobotanical groups (grasses, legumes, other dicotyledonous) coverage were measured during 6 years of vegetation. The species number was highest on plots cut 3 times (6&ndash;17), it increased linearly. The sown species share in the dry mass yield was 75&ndash;99% and the share of grasses decreased linearly with time. The significantly highest dry mass yield was reached when mulched two times per year Bromus marginatus Nees ex Steud. with Coronilla varia L. (till 14 t/ha ). The stands coverage was 43&ndash;80%.

Long-term fertilization experiments on a natural grassland on calcareous meadow soil

2010 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-268
Author(s):  
István Harmati
Keyword(s):  
Trifolium Pratense ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Festuca Pratensis ◽  
Meadow Soil ◽  
Medicago Lupulina ◽  
Arrhenatherum Elatius ◽  
Natural Grassland ◽  
Fertilization Experiments ◽  
Agropyron Repens

Sekély humuszos szintű, erősen karbonátos réti talajon kialakult természetes (Achilleo-Festucetum pseudovinae) gyepen beállított tartamkísérletekben vizsgáltuk a műtrágyázás kérdéseit a gyep növényi összetételének megjavítása, termésének növelése és minősége javítása céljából. A kísérlet humuszban gazdag, nitrogénnel és káliummal igen jól ellátott, de foszforban szegény talaján az N- és P-műtrágya 2-2 adagját szólóban és kombinációikban alkalmaztuk. Az öntözetlen kísérletet 28, az öntözöttet 14 éven át folyamatosan, széleskörűen vizsgáltuk. Megállapításainkat a következőkben foglaljuk össze. – A gyep növényi összetételét a N- és a P-műtrágyák adagjaiktól és kombinációiktól függően megváltoztatták. A nitrogén a füvek, a foszfor a pillangósok versenyképességét fokozta és segítette elő növekedését. Az önmagában alkalmazott N-műtrágya a talaj nagyfokú P-szegénysége miatt nem gyakorolt pozitív hatást a gyepre. A P-műtrágya viszont kedvező változásokat okozott: a füvek fejlődésének elősegítése mellett nagymértékben növelte a pillangósok borítási értékét és tömegarányát, különösen az öntözött parcellákon. Öntözetlen viszonyok között a réti perje (Poa pratensis), a sovány csenkesz (Festuca pseudovina) és a komlós lucerna (Medicago lupulina) alkotta a gyep termésének túlnyomó részét, néhány egyéb fű- és pillangósvirágú komponens társaságában. Az öntözött kísérletben a pillangósok abszolút uralma mellett gyakran a réti perje jutott vezető szerephez. A pillangósok közül az eperhere (Trifolium fragiferum), a komlós lucerna (Medicago lupulina) és a vörös here (Trifolium pratense) váltakozva jutott uralomra. Az időjárás nagyban befolyásolta a gyep pillangós komponenseinek tömegarányát. Az NP kombinációkban a pillangósok tömegaránya erősen lecsökkent, különösen a nagyobb N-adag használata esetén. Öntözetlen területen a sovány csenkesz és a réti perje változó arányban alkotta a gyep termésének túlnyomó részét. Az öntözött parcellákon azonban a réti perje abszolút uralkodóvá vált és az egyre jobban előretörő tarackbúza (Agropyron repens) is jelentősen részt vett a termés kialakításában, elsősorban a nagyobb N-dózisú kombinációkban. A kísérlet 3. évtizedében a csapadékos években megjelent a francia perje (Arrhenatherum elatius) és a réti csenkesz (Festuca pratensis) is. – A gyep termését az önmagában alkalmazott N-műtrágya nem növelte jelentősen. Ezzel szemben a P-műtrágya nagy hatékonysággal 2–4-szeresére (3–5 t·ha–1-ra) növelte a gyep szénatermését, elsősorban a pillangósok nagyarányú térhódítása révén. 1 kg P2O5 öntözetlen körülmények között 43, míg öntözöttben 68 kg szénaterméstöbbletet eredményezett, sokévi átlagban. A 90 kg P2O5·ha–1 adag néhány év után soknak bizonyult. A legjobb eredményt a 200 kg N·ha–1 + 60 kg P2O5·ha–1 adaggal értük el, amellyel az öntözetlen területen – 28 év átlagában – 7,87, öntözötten – 14 év átlagában – 7,12 t·ha–1 szénatermést kaptunk. Az időjárás nagymértékben befolyásolta a termés mennyiségét és minőségét, legfőképpen a pillangósok tömegarányának változása révén, különösen az öntözetlen kísérletben. A három növedék tömegének aránya 7 évi átlagban, az öntözetlen kísérletben a szóló foszforkezeléseknél 48:37:15%, míg az NP kombinációknál 56:35:9% volt. Az öntözött területen ezek az arányok az előbbi sorrendben: 39:49:12, illetve 43:41:16%. A nitrogénből számított nyersfehérjehozam sokévi átlagban az öntözetlen kísérletben 428–550, míg az öntözöttben 560–760 kg·ha–1 volt. – A talaj felvehető tápanyagtartalma az évek során jelentősen megváltozott, különösen a talaj 0–10 cm-es rétegében. A P-trágyázás önmagában, de az NP kombinációiban is az adagoktól, illetve az ezek hatására kialakult termések mennyiségétől függő mértékben növelte a talaj P-tartalmát. A legjobbnak a 200 kg N·ha–1 + 60 kg P2O5·ha–1 kezelésű parcellákban bizonyult: a kísérlet 22. évében a talaj 0–10 cm-es rétegében a P-tartalom 260 mg P2O5·kg–1 lett, ami az erősen karbonátos talajok esetében igen jó P-ellátottságnak mondható. A K-ellátottság azonban az NP-kezeléseknél az optimális szint alá csökkent (172 mg K2O·kg–1) a termések nagyarányú K-kivonása következtében. Ezért néhány évi NP-trágyázás után K-pótlásra is szükség van.

scholarly journals Quantifying Muskox Plant Biomass Removal and Spatial Relocation of Nitrogen in a High Arctic Tundra Ecosystem

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesper B. Mosbacher ◽  
Ditte K. Kristensen ◽  
Anders Michelsen ◽  
Mikkel Stelvig ◽  
Niels M. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Arctic Tundra ◽  
High Arctic ◽  
Tundra Ecosystem ◽  
Biomass Removal

scholarly journals FEATURES OF ULMUS PUMILA L. SEEDLING COPPICE ON ARABLE LANDS IN THE STEPPE ZONE OF KHAKASSIA

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 61-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Марина Мартынова ◽  
Marina Martynova
Keyword(s):  
Arable Land ◽  
Steppe Zone ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Windward Side ◽  
Leeward Side ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Ulmus Pumila ◽  
Crown Density ◽  
Grass Stand ◽  
Shelter Belts

In the 90s of the last century, the volume of spontaneous conservation of arable land in Central Siberia amounted to 1.1 million hectares. Unproductive land with forest melioration facilities, which are used as pastures, underwent spontaneous conservation. Currently, there is an active overgrowing of fallow fields with elm trees and shrubs. In order to use forest forests effectively, it is necessary to remove excess tree-shrub vegetation. Studies of the characteristics of the seed renewal of Ulmus pumila L., growing on spontaneously conserved, highly degraded lands used as pastures, were carried out in 2013–2017. in the steppe zone in the territory of Khakassia. The term conservation of arable land is 17 years. Conditions for the growth of natural renewal Ulmus pumila adverse. 47% of the undergrowth of Ulmus pumila belonged to the category of sanitation - weakened. The main part, 73%, of the undergrowth was small and did not exceed 50 cm in height. On interband lanes, natural renewal was unevenly distributed. On the leeward side of the parental forest shelter belts at a distance of up to 20 m, 65% grew; on the windward side at the same distance - 18% of all existing Ulmus pumila. The optimal size of Ulmus pumila at the age of 10 years was from 1.0 to 2.5 thousand units per hectare, since with these indicators the maximum productivity of grass stand was obtained - 12.7 kg per hectare of air-dry mass. In order to increase the productivity of the grass stand at the forest pasture, it is necessary to carry out a radical improvement in the destruction of excessive shrub vegetation. Woody plants of less than 2.5 thousand units per hectare should be left on the fields, provided that they are evenly distributed over the territory so that Ulmus pumila, having reached its adult state, forms plantations with optimum crown density, which should not exceed the value of 0.2.

scholarly journals Study on Vegetative Propagation of Elionurus latiflorus (Nees Ex Steud.) Hack

2021 ◽  
pp. 29-36
Author(s):  
Ana Gabriela Buglia
Keyword(s):  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Early Growth ◽  
Initial Number ◽  
Survival Percentage ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Completely Randomized Design ◽  
Early Growth Phase

Aims: Elionurus latiflorus (Nees ex Steud.) Hack. commonly known as Brazilian lemongrass is a medicinal plant native to Brazil. Present experiment was conducted to study the effect of number of tillers/vegetative unit of transplants on biomass production in a period of 480 days. Study design: The experiment was conducted by using completely randomized design with three treatments i.e. plants transplanted with one tiller (T1), plants transplanted with 2 tillers (T2) and plants transplanted with 3 tillers (T3). These treatments were replicated eight times where transplantations were done in polybags which containing mixture of soil, dung and carbonized rice in 3:1:1 ratio. These polybags were kept for 160 days in greenhouse and pruning was done in every plant by maintaining 5 cm of the plant biomass for its regrowth. Duration of Study: This experiment was carried out over 16 months. Methodology: Every plant seedling was submitted to a cut maintaining approximately 5 cm of the plant biomass for its regrowth. After each pruning, survival percentage, increment in the number of tillers propagated, rise of plants height, fresh as well as dry mass weight were evaluated. Results: Lower initial number of main stems influenced survival only in the early growth phase after transplantation with a loose of 73% of the population transplanted with an unique main stem. Survival kept a constant value without plant mortalities in the successive 320 days evaluated after the first pruning. The number of tillers propagated weren’t affected significantly by the number of initial main stems in a single period. In the other hand, in the comprehensive period of the experiment there was a change with mean variation from 9.68 to 36.75. Height decreased the mean from 102.82 cm to 26.66 cm. Fresh and Dry Plant Mass increased from 5.19 g/plant to 11.47 g/plant and from 2.17 g/plant to 4.93 g/plant respectively, P˂0.05. Conclusion: This study even if elementary represents a required approach for the domestication of the species avoiding the waste of time and plant material for successive propagation works. It represents a suggestion for further research work in greenhouses with this specie for a validation of these results.

scholarly journals RECYCLING OF MINERAL SERPENTINITE WASTE FROM MINING INDUSTRY AND ITS USE IN AGRICULTURE TO IMPROVE SOIL AGROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juozas PEKARSKAS ◽  
Algirdas GAVENAUSKAS ◽  
Anželika DAUTARTĖ ◽  
Aida STIKLIENĖ
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Spring Barley ◽  
Nickel Content ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Barley Plant ◽  
Agrochemical Properties ◽  
Soil Agrochemical Properties ◽  
Calcium Iron

The influence of processing the serpentinite quarry from the Caucasian mountains at the foot of the Mount Elbrus crushed waste on soil agrochemical properties, phytotoxicity of spring barley, influence on barley plant biomass and its chemical composition were investigated. Ground and granular serpentinite had a different effect on soil and plants. Application of serpentinite fertilizers significantly increased the content of calcium, iron, 227.95-376.75 and 5.05-9.62 mg kg-1, total and plant-derived magnesium 0.34-0.52 and 1.19-2.16 mg kg-1, lead and nickel, while the amount of copper dropped substantially; the soil was becoming more alkaline. Application of ground serpentinite lead to alkalizing of the soil much more compared to the granular, with a significant increase in plant-derived magnesium. The influence of serpentinite increased the yield of spring barley plants in green and dry mass by 0.049-0.256 and 0.011-0.046 g or 0.65-3.41 and 1.19-2.59% out of the growing vessel, and dry matter increased by 0.12-0.26 % units, the yield of spring barley green and dry mass under the influence of ground serpentinite was higher than of granular serpentinite fertilizer, and the dry matter was found to be significantly higher than that of unfertilized spring barley plants. Ground and granular serpentinite was not phytotoxic to spring barley. An application of ground serpentinite increased an amount of calcium, potassium and magnesium in the barley dry matter compared to the granular serpentinite. Ground and granular serpentinite reduced the amount of trace elements copper and manganese in the dry mass of the plant, and the amount of zinc decreased only after fertilization with granular serpentinite. An application of serpentinite significantly decreased content of lead, chrome and cadmium while nickel content significantly increased in the dry matter of barley plants.

scholarly journals Changes of botanical composition of grass stands under different types of management

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 499-504
Author(s):  
J. Šantrůček ◽  
M. Svobodová ◽  
V. Brant
Keyword(s):  
Ground Cover ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Present Species ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Botanical Species ◽  
Average Precipitation ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Weight Method ◽  
Arrhenatherum Elatius

A&nbsp;field trial with Bromus catharticus Vahl. cv. Tacit, Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) P. Beauv. ex J.S. et K.B. Presl cv. Median, Festuca pratensis Huds. cv. Otava and Dactylis aschersoniana Graebn. cv. Tosca sown in rows 125 mm, was established in the year 1996 in Prague (chernozem, altitude 281 m a.s.l., average precipitation 472 mm per year, average year temperature 9.3&deg;C). The stands were cut one or three times per year. The mass was removed or once or twice mulched. The share of the botanical species (by weight method), number of present species and agrobotanical groups (grasses, legumes, other dicotyledonous) coverage were measured from the third to the sixth year of vegetation. The results were evaluated by the analysis of variance (Tukey&nbsp;&alpha;&nbsp;= 0.05) and by time series analysis (forecasting) by the Statgraphics Plus programme, version 4.0. The species number increased rapidly with the three times cut variant during the four years, from 4 to 25 species, under the other management it was in average from 7 to 14 species, in the sixth year. The highest share of the sown species with the lowest reduction during the years was at Arrhenatherum elatius (41&ndash;72% in the sixth year). Bromus catharticus was extinct in the fifth year. The species chosen had a&nbsp;higher importance for conserving of the original botanical composition than the way of harvest. There was the significantly lower ground cover with the variant&nbsp; one cut per year (on average less than 70%). Mulch covered 15&ndash;64% of the surface in dependence on the dry mass yield and mulching frequency. The plants coverage was highest on the two or three times harvested variants (75&ndash;80%D).

scholarly journals Development of Nutrient Uptake by Understory Plant Arrhenatherum elatius and Microbial Biomass during Primary Succession of Forest Soils in Post-Mining Land

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Kaneda ◽  
Šárka Angst ◽  
Jan Frouz
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Primary Succession ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Successional Stage ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Successional Stages ◽  
Arrhenatherum Elatius ◽  
Understory Plant

The development of plant and soil microbial communities is one of the basic preconditions for the restoration of functional ecosystems. However, nutrients are concurrently used by plants and microbes, and the dynamics of this interaction during ecosystem development have seldom been studied. The aim of our study, thus, was to describe the dynamics of nutrient availability in soil and, at the same time, the nutrient accumulation in plant and microbial biomass along an unassisted primary succession heading toward broadleaf forest. The growth of the understory plant Arrhenatherum elatius on soils originating from three (16, 22, and 45 years’ old) successional stages of a post-mining area and the development of the microbial community in the presence or absence of this plant were studied in a pot experiment. Both, the plant biomass and carbon (C) in microbial biomass in intermediate and late middle successional stages were higher than those in the early stage. In soil, extractable organic C, extractable organic nitrogen (N), and inorganic N increased with proceeding succession, but Olsen phosphorus (P) peaked in the intermediate successional stage. The amounts of N and P in plant and microbial biomass increased during succession. In the late middle successional stage, the amount of P in microbial biomass exceeded that of plant bound P approximately twice, and this increase was higher in pots with plants than without. The results imply that the competition between plants and microbes for available P may increase microbial P uptake and, thus, hinder plant growth in later successional stages.

scholarly journals Response of Microbial Activities in Soil to Various Organic and Mineral Amendments as an Indicator of Soil Quality

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Elbl ◽  
Jana Maková ◽  
Soňa Javoreková ◽  
Juraj Medo ◽  
Antonín Kintl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Organic Amendments ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Basal Respiration ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Individual

The presented paper deals with the analysis of potential differences between organic waste compost (CBD), vermicompost (CVER) and mineral fertilizer (MF; 27% of N) applications affecting the quality of arable soil by influencing microbial activity therein. The selected types of compost represent alternatives to conventional organic fertilizers, which are, however, not available to Czech and Slovak farmers in sufficient amounts. Their mutual comparison and the comparison with organic fertilizers aim to provide farmers further information about their influence on arable land and thus to give them the possibility of deciding on the most suitable amendments. To demonstrate the effect of these amendments, six variants were prepared: one without the addition of fertilizers; two variants with the addition of 40 Mg/ha of CVER and CBD; one variant with the addition of double dosed CVER (80 Mg/ha), and the remaining two variants were fertilized only with MF (0.22 Mg/ha) and with the combination of CVER (0.20 Mg/ha) and MF (0.11 Mg/ha). Substrate induced respiration (SIR), basal respiration (BS), microbial carbon (Cmic) and enzymatic activities (hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate—FDA, dehydrogenase activity—DHA, and phosphatase activity—PA) were used to evaluate the effect of CBD, CVER and MF application on the soil quality. Both organic and mineral amendments affected BS and SIR. The highest BS and SIR rates were found in variants with compost application (CVER and CBD). All variants treated with the mineral fertilizer showed the lowest level of enzyme activities; lower by about 30% in comparison with variants where CVER, CBD and the combination of MF and CVER were applied. We found insignificant differences between the individual types of compost. More importantly, we compared the situation at the beginning of the experiment and after its end. It was found that the application of mineral fertilizers automatically led to the deterioration of all enzymatic parameters, on average by more than 25%, as compared with the situation at the beginning of the experiment. However, when the mineral fertilizer dose was supplemented with organic amendments (CVER), this negative effect was eliminated or significantly reduced. Furthermore, both composts (CVER and CBD) positively affected plant biomass production, which reached a level of production enhanced by the MF. Results clearly showed that the application of both compost types could be used to improve soil quality in agriculture.

Termite mounds may not be foraging hotspots for mega-herbivores in a nutrient-rich matrix

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 551-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justice Muvengwi ◽  
Monicah Mbiba ◽  
Tatenda Nyenda
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Wiener Index ◽  
Tree Species Diversity ◽  
Termite Mounds ◽  
Mammalian Herbivores ◽  
Biomass Removal ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
And Control

Abstract:Our study investigated the influence of termitaria on vegetation utilization by elephants in Chewore North, Zimbabwe. Ten termite mounds and ten similar sized control plots were surveyed for soil nutrients, tree species diversity and plant biomass removal by elephants. Termite mounds had higher mean (± SE) concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and Na (0.15 ± 0.01, 48.8 ± 9.32, 5.78 ± 1.59 and 0.47 ± 0.12 meq per 100 g respectively) than control plots (0.05 ± 0.01, 3.33 ± 0.56, 1.53 ± 0.22 and 0.19 ± 0.02 meq per 100 g). However, Shannon Wiener index of tree diversity did not vary significantly between termite mounds (1.13 ± 0.280) and their control plots (0.827 ± 0.469). Contrary to most studies investigating patterns of vegetation utilization by large mammalian herbivores on termitaria, biomass removal was five times more on control plots than termite mounds. No difference in biomass removal was noted for Colophospermum mopane which had enough replicates for statistical analysis both on termite mounds and control plots. Our study negates the hypothesis that nutrient-rich soil patches will act as feeding hotspots for large mammalian herbivores. We concluded that vegetation utilization by elephants may be tree species specific, particularly in nutrient-rich environments.

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