02396nas a2200193   4500008004100000245008300041210006900124300001300193490000800206520173800214653001801952653001301970653002201983653003602005653001502041653002102056100002002077856010502097       2003                        eng d00aSpatial heterogeneity in the herbaceous layer of a semi-arid savanna ecosystem0 aSpatial heterogeneity in the herbaceous layer of a semiarid sava  a319 -3320 v1673 aDespite increasing recognition of the role spatial pattern can play in ecosystem function, few studies have quantified spatial heterogeneity in savanna ecosystems. The spatial distribution of herbaceous biomass and species composition was measured across three scales in a semi-arid savanna in central Kenya, and patterns were related to environmental variables at different scales. Herbaceous biomass declined across a rainfall gradient and from upper to lower topographic positions, but variation within a site (across 5–50 m) was similar in magnitude to among-site variation associated with rainfall and topography. Geostatistical analyses showed that patchiness at scales of 5–25 m explained 20% of total variation in herbaceous biomass. This pattern arose from the presence of both 5–10-m diameter patches containing high herbaceous biomass (> 170 g m−2) and 5–10-m diameter patches characterized by nearly bare soil surfaces (< 40 g m−2). Patch structure was contingent on topography, with larger bare patches at ridgeline and upper hillslope positions. Grass species distributions showed the greatest degree of patch structure and species turnover across distances of 5–45 m. Additional community variation was associated with topography, with minimal variation in species composition across the rainfall gradient. Pattern diversity significantly exceeded levels reported for four other grassland ecosystems, suggesting fundamental differences in local processes generating spatial pattern. It is hypothesized that heterogeneously distributed grazing pressure, interacting with the distribution of shrub canopies, is an important factor generating such high levels of small-scale patch structure in this savanna.10aGeostatistics10aLaikipia10aPattern diversity10aPlant community patch structure10atopography10aUngulate grazing1 aAugustine, D.J.  uhttp://lter.konza.ksu.edu/content/spatial-heterogeneity-herbaceous-layer-semi-arid-savanna-ecosystem