(cest2017_00924) Effects of grazing and understorey clearing on regeneration of a valonia oak silvopastoral system in Western Greece

摘要

Valonia oak (Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis) forms traditional silvopastoral systems in Greece and other eastern Mediterranean countries. In a meeting that was organized under the framework of the AGFORWARD (FP7) research project, local stakeholders of the Xeromero area (Western Greece), where valonia oak forms such agroforestry systems, expressed their concerns for the low regeneration of the oaks, and attributed the problem to the livestock overgrazing and the overgrowth of the woody understorey. To test this hypothesis, an experiment was organized in the particular area. Specifically, four sheep and goat sheds as well as the pathways that the livestock follow daily for grazing were identified and 6 paired plots, 5X8 meters in size each, were established per shed territory, a total of 24 plots. In each pair, one plot was fenced and the other plot was left free to grazing. Woody understorey vegetation was cleared in half of each plot in early autumn of the first growing season. Data were collected twice per year (May and October) and included number of seedlings and young samplings, acorns and acorn-cups as well as the floristic characteristics. A two-years results show that understorey clearing did not have any significant effects on two variables measured while fencing significantly increased the number of seedlings and young saplings as well the number of acorns only in October.