Grazing Intensity Shapes Vegetation Structure and Soil Characteristics in High-Elevation Rangelands of Nepal.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the ecological impacts of livestock grazing on rangeland conditions is essential for developing sustainable rangeland management strategies that balance livestock production and ecosystem health. However, there is a paucity of field experiments measuring the impacts of grazing on rangeland health in the Himalayan region. This study assessed the impacts of four grazing intensities-non-grazed (NG), lightly grazed (LG), moderately grazed (MG), and highly grazed (HG)-on plant species diversity, community composition, plant height, biomass production, and soil physicochemical properties across three sub-alpine rangelands in Jumla district, western Nepal. A total of 113 plant species were recorded, dominated by forbs (87.6%), with fewer graminoids, pteridophytes, and shrubs. Specie

SUBMITTER: Chaudhary T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12711437 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature