Ecograzing as a management tool for artificial dykes: the example of the Donzère-Mondragon hunting and wildlife reserve (Vaucluse-Drôme, France)

Abstract

The beneficial roles of extensive grazing practices on vegetation diversity and species-richness are well established. Domestic herbivores have been widely used as management tools in many semi-natural ecosystems. On the other hand, the modification of environments by human activities and their strong artificialisation have led to the creation of new ecosystems presenting new combinations of species and functions. Their conservative management must then be rethought. Will the eco-grazing management practices traditionally applied in natural areas have impacts similar to those observed during the conservation of historic ecosystems? This is the question we tried to answer in our study on the artificial dikes of the Rhone in the hunting and wildlife reserve of Donzère-Mondragon. We have shown that the grazing systems used to maintain the openness of habitats increase the species richness, diversity and heterogeneity of vegetation in the short term compared to the absence of management or mechanical interventions. These different results correspond to those already obtained in semi-natural environments but experiments should also be conducted in the future using mixed grazing systems to increase the effect of restoration at the expense of competitive shrub colonization.