Data Biodiversity and Forage Production

This study was conducted at the Center of Agroveterinary Sciences, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages, Brazil (27º47′ S, 50º18′ W). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications and 315 m ² experimental units, which were considered replicates. The treatments were three nitrogen fertilization rates applied annually over three years: 100, 200, and 300 kg N ha⁻¹. Nitrogen fertilization was applied in three split applications annually: the summer application (50, 150, and 250 kg N ha⁻¹ for the respective treatments) was applied in November and January, while the winter application (50 kg N ha⁻¹ across all treatments) was applied in July. Grazing was initiated when pastures reached 23 cm in summer (during C4 species predominance) and 20 cm during the cool season (during L. multiflorum predominance), regardless of nitrogen fertilization rate. These management targets were selected to maintain a low level of light competition.