Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXIII, Issue 1
Written by Roxana NICOARĂ, Marilena ONETE, Dumitru ZAHARIA, Minodora MANU
The Făgăraș Massif is situated in the central area of the Carpathian Mountains, aligned west to east and whose slopes mainly have north and south aspects. The habitat diversity is high, comprising grasslands from the foot of the mountains to their summits. These grasslands have been used for sheep grazing for centuries. Our study examined six private grasslands, recording the vegetation both within enclosures, which simulate ungrazed areas, and outside the enclosures in grazed areas. In each investigated grassland, an inventory of the plant species was made and the pastoral value calculated. From these observations, we can argue that the plant species diversity and pastoral value of the grasslands decreases with increased grazing intensity and higher altitude. The overgrazed grasslands are dominated by species with low palatability which might lead to starvation of the sheep and forcing the animals to consume even these species. Thus, a good management plan can lead to sustainable future usage of these grasslands.
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