ABSTRACT
The humid tropics is, in general, a world of forests, and there are few large-scale pastures. Scattered, large-scale grasslands dominated by Imperata cylindrica occur, but these are not pastures for animal husbandry. This chapter reviews phytosociological studies of tropical and subtropical grasslands, various types of grasslands in relationship to vegetation dynamics and the influences of burning and grazing. Although animal husbandry in such vegetation types is the main primary industry in Africa, there have been few trials to establish an ecologically-based management plan for it. In addition limitations on agriculture, particularly rice production at higher elevations increases the importance of animal husbandry. For a renewable natural resource, productivity is important from the standpoint of utilization. Following that M. Numata’s methodological viewpoints, such as criteria for grassland condition diagnosis and pasture management, phase dynamics in plant succession, and diversity, production and grassland conditions were summarized based on his own data.
