Pattern of Interspecific Association in Sehima-Heteropogon Grasslands Under Three Different Systems of Managment

Abstract

The study of the interspecific association with respect to the dominant Sehima nervosum and the co-dominant Heteropogon contortus and between five other species in the grassland under three systems of management reveals interesting information. In the protected grassland S. nerovsum shows positive association with four species whereas in heavily graze and burnt grasslands it shows positive association with two and three species, respectively. The species, barring H. contortus shows highly positive association at all the three sites, associating with S. nervosum in grazed and burnt grasslands are different. This is suggestive of the varied trends in interspecific association in the grasslands under the influence of grazing and burning. Such study would be helpful in condition classification by way of providing quantitative measure of the pattern of interspecific association from good to poor condition grasslands.