herbdominated

Herb-dominated describes vegetation or plant communities in which herbaceous species, including grasses, forbs, and other non-woody plants, constitute the majority of ground cover and biomass. In these systems, woody vegetation is sparse, discontinuous, or developmentally suppressed, resulting in an open or semi-open canopy. Herb-dominated landscapes occur in various biomes, such as temperate and tropical grasslands, steppes, tundra, and other disturbance-maintained environments where light and resources favor herbaceous growth.

Key characteristics include high herbaceous ground cover, substantial belowground biomass in many species, and relatively low structural complexity compared with woody-dominated ecosystems. Disturbance regimes such as fire, grazing, mowing, or drought often maintain herb-dominated states by promoting rapid regrowth of grasses and forbs and inhibiting wood plant establishment. Conversely, reductions in disturbance or changes in climate can lead to woody encroachment, gradually shifting the system toward a shrub- or tree-dominated state.

Measurement and interpretation focus on the proportion of plant cover or biomass that is herbaceous. Common metrics include percent ground cover by herbs, aboveground biomass allocation, and remote-sensing indicators of herbaceous productivity. The concept is functional as much as taxonomic, highlighting the ecological role of non-woody vegetation in productivity, biodiversity, soil health, and habitat structure.

Management implications center on maintaining or restoring herb-dominated conditions through prescribed fire, grazing management, mowing, and restoration of natural disturbance regimes to prevent woody encroachment or to revert degraded sites.