THE EFFECTS OF CUTTING AND BURNING ON GRASS QUALITY AND AXIS DEER (AXIS-AXIS) USE OF GRASSLAND IN LOWLAND NEPAL

Man-made grasslands dominated by Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. in fo rested areas of lowland Nepal are commonly cut and/or burned annually. Changes in grass forage quality following different treatments of cut ting and burning and axis deer (Rn's arn's) response to such habitat m anipulations were investigated. Samples of matured grass were collecte d in December 1990, February and April 1991 from three experimental si tes: cut, burned, cut-and-burned. Four locations on cut-and-burned gra ssland were repeatedly sampled at 12-d intervals from January to April 1992. Numbers of axis deer were recorded during the dry season of 199 1/1992 on grassland plots receiving the following treatments: cut, cut -and-burned, and uncut/unburned (controls). Based on grass quality dif ferences between December and February and between December and April, cut-and-burned treatments gave the greater increase in forage quality . N was significantly higher on cut-and-burned plots than on cut plots both in February and in April, while Na, K and P was significantly hi gher in February. On plots cut-and-burned in January, Ca concentration s were relatively low while the P content fell below required levels f or domestic stock towards the end of the dry season in April. Na conce ntrations were below the minimum required levels for both domestic and wild ruminants during the whole period. When an entire grassland was cut, deer density increased gradually. When the same area was subseque ntly burned, the daily deer density increased much more rapidly. Axis deer preferred burned plots compared to plots neither cut nor burned a nd to cut plots. Plots burned in late February had higher densities of axis deer than plots burned 1.5 mo earlier. When nearby recently burn ed plots were available, deer density was reduced on plots burned earl ier.