Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course students will be able to: 1) assess vegetation cover with different methods
2) calculate the composition of floristic vegetation
3) determine the production of above-ground biomass
4) assess other quantitative parameters as frequency, density etc
5) become familiar with the methods of measuring quality parameters (crude protein, NDF, ADF, ADL etc.)
Course Content (Syllabus)
Techniques for assessing quantitative characteristics of vegetation. Specifically, vegetation cover, floristic composition, species density, frequency, height rangeland species, Methods of rangeland biomass production measurements. Vigor of rangeland species. Estimation methods of species diversity. Data analysis. Classification of native rangeland plants of the country with emphasis to the families Poaceae and Fabaceae. Specifically, study the ecological types their growth (herbaceous annuals and perennials, shrubs) the height spread (low, mountainous and subalpine vegetation zone wide),the economic value, the strength to grazing, their capacity to adapt into different environments, their resistance to stress condition, sthe competitive ability, nutritional value, the grazing preference and the managerial characteristics. Methods of determination of the chemical composition of plant species. Antiquality components. Methods of determination of the antiquality components. Τhe wordwide effects of long-term grazing on rangeland biodiversity.
Keywords
vegetation cover, plant composition, biomass production, grazing, secondary compounds, diversity, forage quality, rangeland plant species