Resource information
The encroachment of woody species in natural grasslands has recently increased, especially in arid and semi-arid environments. In the Mediterranean region, this is mainly attributed to the dramatic decrease of the traditional human activities such as pastoral management and fuelwood collection, which controlled the encroachment of woody species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Juniperus oxycedrus encroachment on herbage production and floristic diversity in a natural grassland. The research was conducted in the area of Megalo Dereio, which is located in Evros region, in north-eastern Greece in 2010. Herbage production was measured and ecological diversity indices were determined at three different shrub cover regimes (open, moderate, dense). Herbage production decreased progressively as juniper cover increased. Floristic diversity was significantly higher in the moderate shrub cover regime, while it was dramatically reduced in the dense shrub cover regime.
