Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients
Temporal and spatial variabilities in rainfall, herbaceous production and biomass were studied over a 4-year period in a topographically diverse, arid pastoral region of northwest Kenya. A significant relation between rainfall and primary production was found, and this was applied in a manner that c...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
1990
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/28880 |
| _version_ | 1855513985216937984 |
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| author | Coughenour, M.B. Coppock, D. Layne Ellis, J.E. |
| author_browse | Coppock, D. Layne Coughenour, M.B. Ellis, J.E. |
| author_facet | Coughenour, M.B. Coppock, D. Layne Ellis, J.E. |
| author_sort | Coughenour, M.B. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Temporal and spatial variabilities in rainfall, herbaceous production and biomass were studied over a 4-year period in a topographically diverse, arid pastoral region of northwest Kenya. A significant relation between rainfall and primary production was found, and this was applied in a manner that considered topographic variation and its influence on rainfall occured as pulses that were rapidely attenuated as the dry seasons progressed. The combination of spatial and temporal variability of herbaceous forage is significant for nomadic pastolalists who move along rainfall gradients between wet and dry seasons. Dry areas at low elevations produce forage that is available for only a short period of time, which explains pastoral use of drier areas early in the wet season. Quantitative analyses of relationships between topography, rainfall and forage are between topography, rainfall and forage are needed to determine appropriate pastoral densities in topographically diverse arid regions. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace28880 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 1990 |
| publishDateRange | 1990 |
| publishDateSort | 1990 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace288802024-03-06T10:16:43Z Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients Coughenour, M.B. Coppock, D. Layne Ellis, J.E. arid zones pastoralism feed crops precipitation topography pastoralists vegetation biomass Temporal and spatial variabilities in rainfall, herbaceous production and biomass were studied over a 4-year period in a topographically diverse, arid pastoral region of northwest Kenya. A significant relation between rainfall and primary production was found, and this was applied in a manner that considered topographic variation and its influence on rainfall occured as pulses that were rapidely attenuated as the dry seasons progressed. The combination of spatial and temporal variability of herbaceous forage is significant for nomadic pastolalists who move along rainfall gradients between wet and dry seasons. Dry areas at low elevations produce forage that is available for only a short period of time, which explains pastoral use of drier areas early in the wet season. Quantitative analyses of relationships between topography, rainfall and forage are between topography, rainfall and forage are needed to determine appropriate pastoral densities in topographically diverse arid regions. 1990 2013-05-06T07:01:39Z 2013-05-06T07:01:39Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/28880 en Limited Access Journal of Arid Environments;19(2):147-159 |
| spellingShingle | arid zones pastoralism feed crops precipitation topography pastoralists vegetation biomass Coughenour, M.B. Coppock, D. Layne Ellis, J.E. Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| title | Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| title_full | Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| title_fullStr | Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| title_short | Herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of Kenya: Importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| title_sort | herbaceous forage variability in an arid pastoral region of kenya importance of topographic and rainfall gradients |
| topic | arid zones pastoralism feed crops precipitation topography pastoralists vegetation biomass |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/28880 |
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