AUTHOR=Mganga Kevin Z. , Kaindi Eric , Ndathi Aphaxard J. N. , Bosma Luwieke , Kioko Theophilus , Kadenyi Nancy , Musyoki Gilbert K. , Wambua Stephen , van Steenbergen Frank , Musimba Nashon K. R. TITLE=Plant Morphoecological Traits, Grass-Weed Interactions and Water Use Efficiencies of Grasses Used for Restoration of African Rangelands JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2020 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2020.613835 DOI=10.3389/fevo.2020.613835 ISSN=2296-701X ABSTRACT=
Degradation characterized by depleted vegetation cover is a serious environmental problem in African rangelands. It poses a serious threat to millions of pastoralists and agropastoralists who depend on livestock as a source of livelihood. Consequently, there has been a growing global interest to consolidate efforts to restore degraded ecosystems. For example, the UN decade of Ecosystem Restoration initiative aims at uniting the world behind a common goal of preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems. Grass reseeding using native perennial species has been identified as one of the practical ecological strategies for restoring degraded African rangelands, enhancing vegetation cover and forage production. Knowledge of the multifaceted performance of African rangeland grasses in terms of morphoecological traits, interaction with weeds and water use efficiencies is however largely limited and often elusive. Perennial grasses indigenous to African rangelands