Ecorestoration of Banni Grassland - Global Restoration Network

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Ecorestoration of Banni Grassland 26-50, 51-75 and 76-100 per cent. The great advantage of this scale method as compared to more complicated surveying, is that it is less time consuming. This method however, is not accurate mainly due to subjectivity in the estimate. To avoid such inaccuracy, the designated classes of the cover in the area were defined initially through orientation training of the field research staff. Data on aboveground biomass was collected using harvesting method. Care was taken to harvest the aboveground biomass at similar height, i.e. close to ground level. The harvesting of aboveground biomass was carried out between September 1997 to November 1997 (in Dhordo) or December 1997 (in Bhirandiyara) at a periodic interval of 15 days. The aboveground biomass was packed in polythene bags and site details were labelled on the bags. Then it was sorted into species at the laboratory and was dried under natural sun light for several days. After complete drying, the dry weight of each species in each sample area was taken by using Mettler precision balance. 24 The fresh weight was not considered because it is not an appropriate measure (Bullock 1996). It varies with the moisture content of the plant and the moisture loss during transportation to the laboratory. Within the quadrate, soil samples were also collected to assess the microhabitat condition and to understand the effects of soil parameters such as salinity and pH on the distribution and production of plant species. The sampling was done at two depths, i.e. the top soil and at a depth of 30-40 cm. The reason for restricting up to a depth of 30-40 cm was due to the fact that the grass root system generally utilises only 30 cm of soil depth. Singh and Yadav, (1993) reported that 93 per cent of the grass root materials were found up to 0-30 cm soil depth. The samples were analysed through soil testing laboratory of Agricultural Department, Bhuj.
5. RESULTS 5.1 COVER The phenology of grass species occurring in grassland change immediately after a few showers. After receiving sufficient moisture, the seedlings of annuals and perennials start emerging from the seeds and sprouting of perennating buds, and are followed by vigorous vegetative growth, which gradually converts the area into lush green. The grass cover protects the soil from erosion and reduces the soil moisture loss due to evaporation. In the present study, the grass cover recorded in the restoration site showed a gradual increase while, it was maximum soon after the rainfall (September and October) in the unprotected and Prosopis juliflora infested areas and it decreased during the subsequent post monsoon season. 5.1.1 Dhordo Restoration Site At Dhordo, there was a marked variation in grass cover at three study sites, i.e., restoration site (site A), outside unprotected area (site B) and Prosopis juliflora infested areas (site C). The restoration site was broadly classified into two categories; unploughed area where Ecorestoration of Banni Grassland no soil working was carried out and ploughed area where soil working such as ploughing, adding of farmyard manure and reseeding of grass species were undertaken. The grass cover estimated in the ploughed and unploughed area of site A gradually increased from 56.7 and 54.7 per cent in September to 67.4 and 72.1 per cent respectively at the end of November, with a slight fall (57 and 65 per cent) in the first fortnight of November (Table 1). Further, the unploughed and ploughed area did not record any significant variation in grass cover between the initiation and the end of the study period. Nevertheless, the grass cover was slightly higher in unploughed areas since October when compared to ploughed area (Figure 4 and Table 1). Contrary to this, unprotected and Prosopis juliflora infested areas showed very low availability of cover, which during the study period decreased from 15.4 to 10.7 per cent and 30.7 to 8.3 per cent respectively. However, site C showed a higher cover than site B during the initiation of the study (Table 1). A comparison between unploughed protected area (restoration site) and unprotected area (site B), which have similar climo-edaphic conditions, 25
Page 1 and 2: Ecorestoration of Banni Grassland F
Page 3 and 4: PREFACE Ecorestoration of Banni Gra
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS Ecorestoration of Banni Gr
Page 7 and 8: S N Title LIST OF TABLES Ecorestora
Page 9 and 10: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Gujarat Ecology C
Page 11 and 12: 1. INTRODUCTION Man’s relationshi
Page 13 and 14: Gujarat State. Due to scanty and hi
Page 15 and 16: a study to assess and understand th
Page 17 and 18: Fig. 1 : Map showing location of Ba
Page 19 and 20: 3. RESTORATION APPROACH As a pilot
Page 21 and 22: competition. Even useful fodder bus
Page 23: 4. METHODOLOGY The vegetation data
Page 27 and 28: Table 3: Difference in the Grass Co
Page 29 and 30: Table 6: Grass and Herbaceous Speci
Page 31 and 32: Ecorestoration of Banni Grassland 3
Page 33 and 34: Species Table 10: Frequency Occurre
Page 35 and 36: S. No Species 5.4 SPECIES DOMINANCE
Page 37 and 38: Table 16: Association Index of Bhir
Page 39 and 40: Cenchrus sp. and Dichanthium annula
Page 41 and 42: Chloris barbata, Echinocloa sp., an
Page 43 and 44: Table 23: Percentage Contribution o
Page 45 and 46: Species C. haspan 1483.0 Table 27:
Page 47 and 48: 5.8 SALINITY VS GRASS BIOMASS PRODU
Page 49 and 50: 6. DISCUSSION In Banni, animal husb
Page 51 and 52: Reversat 1982, Joffre 1987 and Grou
Page 53 and 54: 7. CONSTRAINTS A study Committee of
Page 55 and 56: 9. REFERENCES Acker, S. A, 1990. Ve
Page 57 and 58: Maranga, F. K. 1984. Influence of A
Page 59: use of the Amazon rain forest (Eds.

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