How the Use of Mesquite Impacts Grass Availability, Wild Ass Sanctuary, India
| dc.contributor.author | Sinha, Bitapi C. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Goyal, S. P. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Krauseman, Paul R. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-06-08T16:01:47Z | en |
| dc.date.available | 2015-06-08T16:01:47Z | en |
| dc.date.issued | 2009-12 | en |
| dc.identifier.issn | 0734-3434 | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10150/556560 | en |
| dc.description.abstract | We examined the impact of an exotic mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) on grass availability in the Wild Ass Sanctuary (WAS), Western India, which is the only habitat for the endangered Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur). These data are necessary for the management of endangered species in desert ecosystems where resources fluctuate widely. We collected information on the size of mesquite branches used by people for fuelwood and the impact of branches that were left on the ground on grass cover and biomass during 1989-1990. People preferred fuelwood branches of mesquite 5-15cm in diameter; the remaining thorny branches are left in the field, which reduces the availability of grass for foraging. Most grasses that grow under the discarded mesquite branches are protected whereas grasses without this protection are grazed. We correlated the percent grass cover with the number of twigs left on the ground (r = 0.74). Grasses protected due to the thorny branches leftover after mesquite collection, provide sources of seeds but reduce overall availability of forage leading to increased crop depredation by wild ass. Managing mesquite branches in WAS is important to provide more grazing areas for minimizing crop predation by wild | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | en |
| dc.publisher | University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) | en |
| dc.rights | Copyright © Arizona Board of Regents. The University of Arizona. | en_US |
| dc.source | CALS Publications Archive. The University of Arizona. | en_US |
| dc.title | How the Use of Mesquite Impacts Grass Availability, Wild Ass Sanctuary, India | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en |
| dc.contributor.department | Wildlife Institute of India | en |
| dc.contributor.department | Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana | en |
| dc.identifier.journal | Desert Plants | en |
| dc.description.collectioninformation | Desert Plants is published by The University of Arizona for the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum. For more information about this unique botanical journal, please email the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Publications Office at pubs@cals.arizona.edu. | en_US |
| refterms.dateFOA | 2018-06-20T00:39:57Z | |
| html.description.abstract | We examined the impact of an exotic mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) on grass availability in the Wild Ass Sanctuary (WAS), Western India, which is the only habitat for the endangered Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur). These data are necessary for the management of endangered species in desert ecosystems where resources fluctuate widely. We collected information on the size of mesquite branches used by people for fuelwood and the impact of branches that were left on the ground on grass cover and biomass during 1989-1990. People preferred fuelwood branches of mesquite 5-15cm in diameter; the remaining thorny branches are left in the field, which reduces the availability of grass for foraging. Most grasses that grow under the discarded mesquite branches are protected whereas grasses without this protection are grazed. We correlated the percent grass cover with the number of twigs left on the ground (r = 0.74). Grasses protected due to the thorny branches leftover after mesquite collection, provide sources of seeds but reduce overall availability of forage leading to increased crop depredation by wild ass. Managing mesquite branches in WAS is important to provide more grazing areas for minimizing crop predation by wild |
