Annual and spatial variation in herbaceous biomass production in a Zambian dry miombo woodland

False broomweed is a troublesome weed on south Texas rangelands. The plant suppresses the growth of desirable herbaceous plant species and is unpalatable to livestock and wildlife. The objectives of this study were to evaluate multispectral satellite data for automated detection, classification, and mapping of false broomweed infestations. Determining the optimum phenological conditions for false broomweed detection was a major goal. Results indicate that satellite data can be used to detect major stands of this shrub and map the relative extent of infested areas. The best classification was obtained when the foliage of the shrub was fully developed and during periods of low herbaceous biomass production. Limited ground or aerial surveying will be needed to produce more exact estimates of the extent of false broomweed stands; however, these efforts can be focused on areas identified by satellite classification.

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Quantitative Assessment and Predicting the Effects of Soil Pollutants on Herbaceous Biomass Production in Reserved Forests

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences India Section B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1007/s40011-021-01325-z ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Gisandu K. Malunguja ◽

Ashalata Devi

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Quantitative Assessment ◽

Herbaceous Biomass

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Effects of Land Management Types on Surface Soil Properties and Aboveground Herbaceous Biomass Production in Semihumid Region in Turkey

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis ◽

10.1080/00103624.2012.697235 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (16) ◽

pp. 2167-2179 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Turan Yüksek ◽

Fahrettin Tilki ◽

Filiz Yüksek

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Land Management ◽

Surface Soil ◽

Herbaceous Biomass ◽

Surface Soil Properties

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Monitoring water use efficiency of irrigated sugarcane production in Mpumalanga, South Africa, using SEBAL

Water SA ◽

10.4314/wsa.v44i4.12 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 (4 October) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A Singels ◽

C Jarmain ◽

E Bastidas-Obando ◽

FC Olivier ◽

AL Paraskevopoulos

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Remote Sensing ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Spatial Variation ◽

Water Use ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Canopy Interception ◽

Surface Renewal ◽

Evaporation Coefficient ◽

Use Efficiency

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy, spatial variation and potential value of remote sensing (RS) estimates of evapotranspiration (ET) and biomass production for irrigated sugarcane in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Weekly ET and biomass production were estimated from RS data from 2011 to 2013 using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL). Ground estimates of canopy interception of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) and aerial biomass were compared to RS estimates. ET was estimated with a surface renewal (SR) system in one field. Evaporation coefficient (Kc) values were calculated from ET and reference grass evaporation. Remote sensing FPAR and biomass estimates compared well with field measurements (R2 = 0.89 and 0.78). SEBAL ET estimates exceeded SR estimates by 5 mm/week, while full canopy Kc values for SEBAL compared better with literature values than with SR Kc values. SEBAL estimates of ET and biomass were regarded as reliable. Considerable spatial variation was observed in seasonal RS ET (1 034 ± 223 mm), biomass (45 ± 17 t/ha) and biomass water use efficiency (WUEBIO, defined as dry biomass produced per unit of ET) (4.1 ± 1.0 kg/m3). About 32% of sugarcane fields had values below economic thresholds, indicating an opportunity to increase productivity. Actual yields correlated well with WUEBIO values, suggesting that this may be used for monitoring crop performance and identifying areas that require remedial treatment.

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Management of natural pasture increases native and exotic herbaceous biomass and biodiversity in the Caatinga of Brazil

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2019v40n2p867 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 867

Author(s):

Jefte Arnon de Almeida Conrado ◽

Ana Clara Rodrigues Cavalcante ◽

Rafael Gonçalves Tonucci ◽

Alan Rocha Saldanha ◽

Magno José Duarte Cândido

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Buffel Grass ◽

Herbaceous Biomass ◽

Transition Season ◽

Natural Pasture ◽

Forage Value ◽

Production Diversity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of savanna thinning and enrichment with grasses to maintain local biodiversity and intensify biomass production in an area of Caatinga. The study was carried out in a Caatinga area thinned into savanna and an unmanipulated area during the rainy and rainy-dry transition seasons of 2016. The herbaceous biomass production, diversity, and equability of the thinned and unmanipulated areas were evaluated by calculating values of the Shannon-Weaver (H?) and Pielou (J?) indices. The establishment of massai and buffel grasses in the savanna-thinned area was also evaluated. The area thinned into savanna produced more native herbaceous forage biomass in both the rainy (1,940.55 kg ha-1) and rainy-dry transition seasons (1,918.55 kg ha-1) than that in the unmanipulated area in the same periods (78.42 and 37.40 kg ha-1, respectively), without compromising biodiversity, as the Shannon-Weaver and Pielou indices for the savanna-thinned area (H? = 1.48 and J? = 0.62, respectively) and for the unmanipulated area (H? = 1.29 and J? = 0.72) were comparable. The frequency of species with a known forage value in the area thinned into savanna was still able to increase by 141% in the rainy season and 1,700% in the rainy-dry transition season. Massai grass became better-established in the savanna-thinned area that buffel grass, where it produced up to 3 t of dry matter ha-1. The thinning and enrichment treatments promoted an increase in the biodiversity of the area, and moreover contributed to increases in forage biomass in the Caatinga.

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