Sward structure and diet selection after sheep introduction on abandoned grassland in the Giant Mts, Czech Republic

Abstract

The effect of rotational grazing on the sward structure of long-term abandoned grassland and the sheep diet selection were investigated in the Giant Mts (Krkonose/Karkonosze). The aim of the study was to answer the following questions: (1) Does sheep grazing affect the sward structure of previously abandoned mountain grassland? (2) How does sheep diet selection develop within and among grazing seasons? (3) Which section of a pasture do sheep prefer to graze? Data was collected three times during each grazing season in spring, summer and in autumn in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003 Fifty 1 × 1 m plots were used where the plant species occurrence and damage of plants by grazing for all species were repeatedly recorded. 1) Nonsignificant changes in plant species occurrences were recorded in spite of obvious visual changes in sward structure due to grazing e.g. the retreat of tall dominant species characteristic of long-term unmanaged grasslands. 2) Seasonal as well as inter-annual changes in sheep diet selection were detected. In spring 2001, sheep grazed over a wide variety of plant species in low quantities. In subsequent springs, they preferred species favoured during previous autumns (Veratrum album subsp. lobelianum; Ranunculus platanifolius; Senecio ovatus) and changed the diet only as a result of the elimination of favoured plants. 3) Sheep preferred to graze at the highest elevated part of the pasture probably as a consequence of anti-predator behaviour not due to higher occurrence of favoured plant species or the presence of a drinking place or salt licks. Changes in the sward structure were mostly of a quantitative not qualitative character, thus the presence-absence data collection is not a suitable method for monitoring the effects of management restoration. The diet selection changed probably due to the animals’ experience; sheep had no experience with montane species in spring 2001. The sheep were able to recognize favoured plant species after 6 months of wintering in lowland.