Multi-scale sampling of plant diversity in pastures varying in grazing management and landscape position

The composition and diversity of forage plants varies with landscape position and stocking method in cool-season grass pastures, and in most environments plant diversity increases with sample area or scale. In this study we used a modified-Whittaker nested vegetation sampling method to assess the relationship between plant diversity and sample area in pastures with different landscape positions and stocking methods. We found that landscape positions differ in species composition and diversity. The diversity of legume, grass, and total forage species was greatest on backslope positions, and diversity increased with scale at a greater rate in grazed than nongrazed pastures. Increased sample scale enables greater detection of minor forage species. These minor species are important to maintaining productive and stable-yielding pastures.