Table 1_Seasonal and landform effects on plant productivity and carrying capacity at Bisha Rangeland, Saudi Arabia.docx

Palatable tree biomass was the dominant component, accounting for 70–80% of total palatable biomass across all season–landform combinations, whereas palatable shrub biomass made a smaller but seasonally variable contribution. Based on a standardized 90-day seasonal grazing model, livestock carrying capacity varied with season, ranging from 0.48 sheep units ha^-1–90 days^-1 in Autumn 2023 to 0.72 sheep units ha^-1–90 days^-1 in Spring 2024, representing a 1.5-fold variation, while landform effects on carrying capacity were secondary (valleys: 0.61 sheep units ha^-1–90 days^-1; plains: 0.53 sheep units ha^-1–90 days^-1) across the four seasons.

These findings support seasonally adjusted stocking strategies, the conservation of palatable herbaceous and shrub components during periods of forage scarcity, and consideration of precipitation variability to sustain rangeland productivity in the Aseer region. However, interpretation of the estimated carrying capacity is limited by the single-site, four-campaign design and the absence of direct measurements of forage quality and animal utilization.</p>