Ecorestoration of Banni Grassland - Global Restoration Network

Cenchrus sp. and Dichanthium annulatum
encompasses 31.7,11.1 and 10.3 per cent
respectively at site A, whereas it decreased to 14.5,
0.0 and 1.3 per cent respectively at site B and 3.6,
0.004 and 0.3 per cent respectively at site C.
Contrary to this, the biomass contribution of
species like Cyperus rotundus, Aeluropus
logopoides and Chloris barbata which are
comparatively less palatable at matured stage, was
least at site A; 7.6, 3.8 and 11.2 per cent respectively
while it was 27.9, 23.3 and 16.7 at site B and 21.6,
12.2 and 19.2 at site C.
A comparison of grass species between site A and
B shows that except Aeluropus logopoides, which
showed a lesser decrease (-44.1 per cent) at site B,
all other species decreased significantly (66.2 to
100 per cent). Three highly palatable grass species
such as Cenchrus, Dactyloctenium aegyptium and
Tetrapogan tenellus were totally absent at site B,
while only Echinocloa sp. was absent at site C.
S.
No
Table 19: Average Biomass (kg/ha) of Selected Species at Three Sites of Dhordo
Species Dhordo
Restoration
plot
Degraded
Area
% Difference
(Restoration
Plot and
Degraded Area)
Prosopis jull
flora Area
% Difference
(Restoration
Plot and
Prosopis
Area)
1 Cyperus sp. 189.7(7.6) 64.2 (27.9) -66.2 43.6(21.6) -77.0 -32.5
2 Chloris barbata 280.4(11.2) 38.5(16.7) -86.3 38.8(19.2) -86.2 -0.8
3 Sporobolus sp. 794.9(31.7) 33.4(14.5) -95.8 7.2 (3.6) -99.0 -78.4
4 Setaria sp. 172.9 15.3 -91.2 27.4 -84.2 ,79.1
5 Aeluropus sp. 95.9 (3.8) 53.6 (23.3) -44.1 24.7(12.2) -74.2 -53.9
6 Eragrostis sp. 184.5 13.2 -92.8 29.0 -92.8 119.7
7 Gandhiro 86.3 4.6 -94.7 21.3 -75.3 363.0
8 Echinocloa sp. 95.2 4.2 -95.6 0 -100.0 -100.0
9 Cenchrus sp. 277.4(11.1) 0 -100.0 0.91 (0.004) -99.7 100.0
10 Dactyloctenium
sp.
31.1 0 -100.0 5.9 -81.0 100.0
11 Tetrapogan sp. 39.6 0 -100.0 2.4 -93.9 100.0
12 Dichanthium 257.1 (10.3) 2.9(1.3) -98.9 0.7 (0.3) -99.7 -75.9
Total Biomass 583.8 53.9 -90.8 9.606 -91.9 -12.3
* Percentage are given in parenthesis
Ecorestoration of
Banni Grassland
Further, a comparison between site B and C showed
that the biomass of grass species such as Gandhiro
(363 per cent), Eragrostis sp. (119.7 per cent), and
Setaria sp. (79.1 per cent) were found more at site C
than at B. Among the decreasers (highly palatable)
of site C, maximum decrease was recorded in
Sporobolus sp. (78.4 per cent) and Dichanthium
annulatum (75.9 per cent) (Table 19).
Between September and November, total biomass
of these selected 12 species showed an increase of
75.6 per cent at site A, whereas it decreased to 44.7
per cent at site B and 40.1 per cent at site C (Table
20). The comparison of biomass of grass species
between September and November at site A shows
that, except three species; Cyperus rotundus,
Setaria sp. and Dactyloctenium aegyptium, all other
species showed an increase. Among the species at
site A, maximum increase was recorded on
Sporobolus sp., which alone encompasses 22 per
cent of the biomass in September to 36 per cent in
% Difference
(Degraded Area
and Prosopis
Area)
39