Estimating Aboveground Net Primary Production and Carrying Capacity

a Case Study in Sierras del Este, Uruguay

Authors

  • Federico Gallego Universidad de la República, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales. Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Felipe Lezama Universidad de la República, Facultad de Agronomía, Departamento de Sistemas Ambientales, Ecología
  • Fabiana Pezzani Universidad de la República, Facultad de Agronomía, Departamento de Sistemas Ambientales, Ecología
  • Luis López-Mársico Universidad de la República, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales. Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Elsa Leoni Universidad de la República, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales. Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Ana Laura Mello Universidad de la República, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales. Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Beatríz Costa Universidad de la República, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales. Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31285/AGRO.21.1.14

Keywords:

remote sensing, radiation use efficiency, grasslands

Abstract

In livestock production systems under grazing it is essential to know the Carrying Capacity (CC). Aboveground Net Primary Productivity (ANPP) is the most important variable to estimate the CC as it represents the main source of energy for herbivo-res. The ANPP can be estimated from successive biomass harvests or from spectral information. The aim of this study was generate information about the ANPP, for two grassland units (dense and open), based on satellite data. For this purpose, the Efficiency in the Use of the Radiation (EUR) was determined for two grasslands units, by combining satellite and field data. In turn, we estimated, based on a simplified method, the CC of a representative cattle farm in Sierras del Este region. EUR was 0,38 and 0,44 grMS/MJ (Dry Matter/Mega Joules) for dense and open grasslands, respectively. The EUR for each grass-land unit did not show significant differences. For this reason the total EUR was of 0,36 grMS/MJ. The average ANPP for the 14 years of the dense and open grasslands was 2876 and 1711 kgMS/ha*year, respectively. The average CC for the analyzed farm was 0,44 UG/ha. CC varied among paddocks depending on the relative importance of each grassland unit. The ANPP information generated and the CC estimation procedure used in this study provides to technicians and producers a simple way to estimate the CC of their farm.

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Published

2017-06-01

How to Cite

1.
Gallego F, Lezama F, Pezzani F, López-Mársico L, Leoni E, Mello AL, et al. Estimating Aboveground Net Primary Production and Carrying Capacity: a Case Study in Sierras del Este, Uruguay. Agrocienc Urug [Internet]. 2017 Jun. 1 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];21(1):120-3. Available from: https://agrocienciauruguay.uy/index.php/agrociencia/article/view/184

Issue

Section

Animal production and pastures
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