Botanical Composition and Soil Characteristics of Grasslands in the Central Appalachian Region

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sustainability of grasslands results from complex interactions involving climate, soil, and forage and livestock management. Soils from the central Appalachian region are acidic and thus unlikely to support legume production without substantial soil fertility management. A survey was conducted to determine if the level of legume forages in central Appalachian grasslands was sufficient for sustainable productivity and if the levels of soil nutrients are sufficient to maintain legumes. Results from this survey indicated that the soil in most fields had adequate levels of plant nutrients for satisfactory forage legume production; however, most fields had sub-optimal levels of forage legumes. These results suggest that increases in the abundance of legume forages in the central Appalachian grassland will occur with changes in livestock and forage management rather than increasing soil fertility.