Effects of grazing by horses and/or cattle on the diversity of coastal grasslands in western France

摘要: In the coastal grasslands of western France, extensive mixed grazing by cattle and horses has been practised for many centuries. The vegetation these old embanked varies along a topographical gradient with hygrophilous plant community in low-lying depressions seasonally flooded, mesophilous on high level flats that are never meso-hygrophilous slopes where soil remains saline. Recently, fewer have grazed pastures so 6-year study was designed to investigate effects monospecific structure, composition diversity. Mixed produced most species-rich structurally diverse swards. enhanced development rosette, sub-halophyte halophyte species is saline, due additive between two herbivore species. also limited strongly competitive Elymus repens Agrostis stolonifera horse latrine areas, grazing, thus showing compensatory effect. combination could be used manage diversity, heterogeneity structure communities conservation value at scale grassland ecosystem.