Final answer:
Successfully sown pastures require knowledge of species richness, successional plant stages, and biotic interactions, alongside traits like good dispersal and fast growth. Sustainable pasture management practices include rotational grazing, which helps soil health and biodiversity, and selecting plant varieties suited for local conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The desirable traits and attributes of successfully sown pastures include a deep understanding of plant-animal interactions and environmental conditions, which are vital for sustainable pasture management. This requires knowledge of species richness, the various successional stages of plant growth, and the importance of biotic interactions like mycorrhizal mutualisms and competition among plants. For a successfully managed pasture, plant traits such as good dispersal ability, fast growth, and abilities to resist disturbances are also crucial, keeping in mind the adaptability to local soil and climatic conditions.
For example, at the Van Vleck Ranch, careful grazing management practices are employed including rotation of cattle to prevent overgrazing, thus allowing a diversity of native grasses to flourish, contributing to soil health and ecological function. Such practices not only enhance the pasture's productivity but also play a role in climate change mitigation by promoting carbon sequestration. Additionally, cultivators like the Sukuma farmers in Tanzania and Peruvian potato farmers have demonstrated the importance of matching plant varieties to the correct soil type and environmental conditions to achieve productive harvests.
Ultimately, effectively managing pastures calls for a symbiotic approach where the health of the soil, plant, and animal life is seen as interconnected, with the added goal of addressing broader environmental impacts such as biodiversity loss and climate change.