The mountain rangeland chain of Matmata (southern Tunisia) is characterised by an arid Mediterranean climate with severe droughts and high temperatures, combined with substantial human disturbance. In order to withstand these harsh conditions, plants have developed adaptive strategies and functional traits to survive. This study aims to evaluate the impact of three grazing regimes (grazing exclusion, seasonal and continuous grazing) on Stipa tenacissima L. functional traits, a dominant native and multi-use plant species, and its community. The findings suggest that the diversity of plant communities and traits of S. tenacissima are strongly affected by the management regime. Diversity is higher under seasonal grazing. Traits, such as leaf water content, specific leaf area and bio-volume are higher under seasonal grazing, compared with continuous grazing and/or sites fenced off to prevent grazing. Hence, seasonal grazing is recommended to maintain diversity of the plant community and to enhance the adaptation strategies of the local species under montane dryland conditions.

Matmata（突尼斯南部）的山脉地带的特征是干旱的地中海气候，严重的干旱和高温以及严重的人为干扰。为了承受这些苛刻的条件，植物已经开发出适应性策略和功能性状以生存。这项研究旨在评估三种放牧制度（放牧排除，季节性和连续放牧）对Stipa tenacissima L.功能性状，主要的本地和多用途植物物种及其群落的影响。这些发现表明，S。tenacissima的植物群落和性状具有多样性。受管理制度的强烈影响。在季节性放牧条件下，多样性更高。与连续放牧和/或围起来以防止放牧的地点相比，季节性放牧下的叶片水分，比叶面积和生物量等性状较高。因此，建议进行季节性放牧，以保持植物群落的多样性，并增强山地旱地条件下当地物种的适应策略。