Effect of clipping and grazing on various vegetational parameters of grassland communities of Gorakhpur, U.P

Two grassland communities of Gorakhpur, one on the managed (periodically clipped) and protected site of Golf ground (site I) and the other moderately grazed, open natural site of University campus (site II) were selected and analysed for the comparison of various vegetational parameters. Out of the total 100 species, 65 were common to both sites, 9 species occurred exclusively at site I and 26 species at site II. The majority of species at both the sites were fortuitous. On managed site, only a few species showed high values of phytosociological indices while open natural and moderately grazed site showed more even distribution of values. Upper strata species like Cassia absus, Cassia tora and Hyptis suaveolens were rare in abundance at managed site while Coccinia indica and Crotalaria ferugenia were rare at natural site. The community at site I showed markedly higher dominance and the lower diversity and evenness values as compared to those at site II. A high species turnover of 8.8 indicates considerable differences between the managed and natural sites with respect to species richness and population size of key species.