Degradation and small-scale spatial homogenization of topsoils in intensively-grazed steppes of Northern China

Overgrazing has led to severe degradation and desertification of semi-arid grasslands in Northern China over the last decades. Despite the fact that vegetation is often heterogeneously distributed in semi-arid steppes, little attention has been drawn to the effect of grazing on the spatial distribution of soil properties. We determined the spatial pattern of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N_tot), total sulphur (S_tot), bulk density (BD), pH, Ah thickness, and carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) at two continuously grazed (CG) and two ungrazed (UG79 = fenced and excluded from grazing in 1979) sites in Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis dominated steppe ecosystems in Inner Mongolia, Northern China. Topsoils (0–4 cm) were sampled at each site using a large grid (120 m × 150 m) with 100 sampling points and a small plot (2 m × 2 m) with 40 points. Geostatistics were applied to elucidate the spatial distribution both at field (120 m × 150 m grid) and plant (2 m × 2 m plot) scale. Concentrations and stocks of SOC, N_tot, S_tot were significantly lower and BD significantly higher at both CG sites. At the field scale, semivariograms of these parameters showed a heterogeneous distribution at UG79 sites and a more homogeneous distribution at CG sites, whereas nugget to sill ratios indicated a high small-scale variability. At the plant scale, semivariances of all investigated parameters were one order of magnitude higher at UG79 sites than at CG sites. The heterogeneous pattern of topsoil properties at UG79 sites can be attributed to a mosaic of vegetation patches separated by bare soil. Ranges of autocorrelation were almost congruent with spatial expansions of grass tussocks and shrubs at both steppe types. At CG sites, consumption of biomass by sheep and hoof action removed vegetation patches and led to a homogenization of chemical and physical soil properties. We propose that the spatial distribution of topsoil properties at the plant scale (<2 m) could be used as an indicator for degradation in semi-arid grasslands. Our results further show that the maintenance of heterogeneous vegetation and associated topsoil structures is essential for the accumulation of SOM in semi-arid grassland ecosystems.     

Short‐term degradation of semiarid grasslands—results from a controlled‐grazing experiment in Northern China

The assessment of grassland degradation due to overgrazing is a global challenge in semiarid environments. In particular, investigations of beginning steppe degradation after a change or intensification of the land use are needed in order to detect and adjust detrimental land‐use management rapidly and thus prevent severe damages in these sensitive ecosystems. A controlled‐grazing experiment was established in Inner Mongolia (China) in 2005 that included ungrazed (UG) and heavily grazed plots with grazing intensities of 4.5 (HG4.5) and 7.5 (HG7.5) sheep per hectare. Several soil and vegetation parameters were investigated at all sites before the start of the experiment. Topsoil samples were analyzed for soil organic C (SOC), total N (N_tot), total S (S_tot), and bulk density (BD). As vegetation parameters, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), tiller density (TD), and leaf‐area index (LAI) were determined. After 3 y of the grazing experiment, BD increased and SOC, N_tot, S_tot, ANPP, and LAI significantly decreased with increasing grazing intensity. These sensitive parameters can be regarded as early‐warning indicators for degradation of semiarid grasslands. Vegetation parameters were, however, more sensitive not only to grazing but also to temporal variation of precipitation between 2006 and 2008. Contrary, soil parameters were primarily affected by grazing and resistant against climatic variations. The assessment of starting conditions in the study area and the application of defined grazing intensities is essential for the investigation of short‐term degradation in semiarid environments.     

Grazing‐induced alterations of soil hydraulic properties and functions in Inner Mongolia,PR China

Increasing grazing intensities of sheep and goats can lead to an increasing degradation of grasslands. We investigated four plots of different grazing intensities (heavily grazed, winter‐grazed, ungrazed since 1999, and ungrazed since 1979) in Inner Mongolia, PR China, in order to study the effects of trampling‐induced mechanical stresses on soil hydraulic properties. Soil water transport and effective evapotranspiration under “heavily grazed” and “ungrazed since 1979” were modeled using the HYDRUS‐1D model. Model calibration was conducted using data collected from field studies. The field data indicate that grazing decreases soil C content and hydrophobicity. Pore volume is reduced, and water‐retention characteristics are modified, the saturated hydraulic conductivity decreases, and its anisotropy (vertical vs. horizontal conductivity) is influenced. Modeling results revealed higher evapotranspiration on the ungrazed site (ungrazed since 1979) compared to the grazed site (heavily grazed) due to wetter soil conditions, more dense vegetation, litter cover, and decreased runoff and drainage, respectively. Grazing modified the partitioning of evapotranspiration with lower transpiration and higher evaporation at the grazed site owing to reduced root water uptake due to reduced evaporation and a patchy soil cover.     

放牧对荒漠草原植物生物量及土壤养分的影响

以宁夏荒漠草原为研究对象,探讨放牧对荒漠草原植物多样性、 生物量及土壤养分特征的影响。结果表明, 放牧对荒漠草原植物群落多样性、 均匀度和丰富度影响显著。植物群落多样性和均匀度随着放牧强度的增加均呈先增加后降低的趋势,在轻度放牧达到最大值。同围封禁牧相比,重度、 中度和轻度放牧草地的植物地上和地下部生物量显著降低,分别降低了43.8%、 42.0%、 15.4% 和 27.7%、16.2%、11.9%。土壤有机碳随着放牧强度的增加而降低,而土壤全氮含量随着放牧强度的增加呈先增加后降低的趋势。围封禁牧草地土壤有机碳比重度放牧增加了18.1%,而土壤全磷、 速效磷和全钾含量分别降低了 21.1%、 51.9% 和 11.0%。土壤有机碳含量对植物群落地上和地下部生物量的影响大于土壤全氮、 全磷、 全钾、 速效磷和速效钾。放牧干扰下荒漠草原土壤环境及其养分含量,能在一定程度上反映植物群落多样性和生物量的变化。     

Changes to soil physical properties after grazing exclusion

Abstract. The potential for degraded physical properties of soil to regenerate naturally after exclusion of grazing animals was examined at a long-term stocking rate trial near Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was measured before grazing was excluded, and after 7 months and 2.5 years' grazing exclusion. These data were compared with controls grazed at 10,15 and 20 sheep/ha. After 2.5 years, there were significant increases in unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at 5 and 15 mm tension in the ungrazed treatments compared with the grazed controls. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivities and bulk density of surface soils under pasture which had been ungrazed for 2.5 years were comparable to those where the pasture had been ungrazed for 27 years. We speculate that the natural amelioration of soil physical properties in these soils was due to biological activity and wetting and drying cycles, in the absence of the compactive effect of animal treading.     

Grazing effects on soil chemical and physical properties in a semiarid steppe of Inner Mongolia (P.R. China)

It is not clear from the literature whether heavy grazing leads to a deterioration of physical and chemical parameters of topsoils in steppe ecosystems. We sampled five sites in northern China with different grazing intensities, ranging from ungrazed since 1979 to heavily grazed, at 540 sampling points to a depth of 0–4 cm. Each sample was analysed for bulk density, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (N), total sulphur (S) and pH. The dataset was analysed using general statistics and explorative analysis (ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis). As a result of the large number of samples, we were able to detect a change in the mean value of all parameters of less than 10%, with a statistical power of 90% and a level of significance of 0.01. Bulk density increased significantly with increasing grazing intensity. Organic carbon, total N and total S concentrations decreased significantly with increasing grazing intensity. No effect on the pH or C/N ratio was detected. Significant differences in C/S and N/S ratios between differently grazed plots were found. These differences point towards a relative accumulation of sulphur in grazed compared to ungrazed areas following an increased organic matter decline or lower inputs of diluting litter. Elemental stocks of the upper 4 cm were calculated for OC, total N and total S using the measured bulk densities. The data revealed significantly lower amounts for all three elements on the heavily grazed site, but no significant differences for the other areas. In addition, elemental stocks were calculated using an equivalent mass instead of bulk density to take into account changes in bulk density following grazing. This revealed a highly significant decrease for OC, total N and total S with increasing grazing intensity. OC, total N and total S concentrations respond similarly to different grazing intensities, showing highly significant positive correlations. OC concentrations and bulk densities were significantly negatively correlated. We found effects of grazing cessation only in the long-term, as no ameliorating effects of reduced or excluded grazing could be detected five years after grazing cessation. After 25 years of exclusion, significantly different values were found for all parameters. Thus, physical and chemical parameters of steppe topsoils deteriorated significantly following heavy grazing, remained stable if grazing was reduced or excluded for five years, and recovered significantly after 25 years of grazing exclusion.     

Effects of grazing on soil physical properties and soil erodibility in semiarid grassland of the Northern Loess Plateau (China)

Grazing animals provide a livelihood for farmers, but they may also produce adverse environmental effects. We investigated whether grazing leads to deterioration of soil physical properties that subsequently increases topsoil erodibility. We sampled three sites (an ungrazed grassland, a continuously grazed grassland, and a track trampled by stock) on the northern Loess Plateau of China. The bulk density, water content, proportion of stable aggregates, infiltration rate, and resistance to scouring were determined for each soil sample. The results showed that the track had the highest soil bulk density and the lowest soil water content, proportion of stable aggregates, infiltration rate, and ability to resist scouring. The ungrazed plots had the best results for these parameters, in terms of reduced erosion. Soil bulk density and the proportion of stable aggregates differed significantly with depth beneath the track. However, the effect of depth on water content, infiltration rate, and the soil resistance to scouring was not significant at any sampling site. The ability of the soil to resist scouring was negatively correlated with the soil's bulk density and positively correlated with the soil's water content, infiltration rate, and proportion of stable aggregates. Thus, soil physical properties played an important role in determining soil erodibility. Grazing and trampling by livestock therefore appear to cause deterioration of soil physical properties and to increase soil erodibility.     

Labile organic C and N mineralization of soil aggregate size classes in semiarid grasslands as affected by grazing management

Soil labile organic carbon (C) oxidation drives the flux of carbon dioxide (CO₂) between soils and the atmosphere. However, the impact of grazing management and the contribution soil aggregate size classes (ASCs) to labile organic C from grassland soils is unclear. We evaluated the effects of grazing intensity and soil ASC on the soil labile organic C, including CO₂ production, microbial biomass C, and dissolved organic C and nitrogen (N) mineralization in topsoils (0–10 cm) in Inner Mongolia, Northern China. Soil samples were separated into ASCs of 0–630 μm [fine ASC (fASC)], 630–2000 μm [medium ASC (mASC)] and >2000 μm [coarse ASC (cASC)]. The results showed that heavy grazing (HG) and continuous grazing (CG) increased soil labile organic C significantly compared to an ungrazed site since 1999 (UG99) and an ungrazed site since 1979 (UG79). For winter grazing site (WG), no significant differences were found. CO₂ production was highest in cASC, while lowest in fASC. Microbial biomass C and dissolved organic C showed the highest values in mASC and were significantly lower in fASC. Grazing increased N mineralization in bulk soils, while it exhibited complex effects in the three ASCs. The results suggest that the rate of C mineralization was related to the rate of N accumulation. To reduce CO₂ emission and nutrient loss, and to improve soil quality and productivity, a grazing system with moderate intensity is suggested.     

Spatial variability of topsoils and vegetation in a grazed steppe ecosystem in Inner Mongolia (PR China)

It is not clear from the literature how the spatial distribution of topsoil and vegetation properties is affected by grazing cessation. Thus, the objective of this study was to elucidate if long‐term grazing exclosure increases spatial heterogeneity of topsoil and vegetation properties in a steppe ecosystem in NE China. Variograms and crossvariograms were calculated for bulk density, organic carbon (OC), total N, and total S concentration, δ¹³C, pH, Ah horizon thickness, vegetation cover, and aboveground biomass. Five sites with different grazing intensities (ungrazed since 1979, ungrazed since 1999, winter grazing, continuously grazed, heavily grazed) were sampled with two different grid sizes, allowing the exploration of scale effects. Small grids (15 m spacing, 5 m nested sampling) exhibited a different spatial structure compared to large grids (50 m spacing, 10 m nested sampling). Spatial distribution in small grids changed with grazing intensity. Generally, heterogeneity of topsoil properties increased with decreasing grazing intensity from a homogeneous to a patchy distribution. We attribute this to vegetation recovery/succession and deposition of windblown material in ungrazed areas. The plot ungrazed since 1999 showed different spatial dependencies than continuously and heavily grazed plots, but has not yet reached the high variability of the plot which was ungrazed since 1979. Large grid sampling did not detect small‐scale variability or grazing impacts, but showed spatial dependencies that were attributed to topography or soil erosion/deposition. Low OC concentration and low Ah thickness were associated with hilltop and shoulder positions, resulting in lower OC stocks at these topographic units.     

Soil microbial activity and litter turnover in native grazed and ungrazed rangelands in a semiarid ecosystem

Long-term overgrazing is known to influence soil microbiological properties and C sequestration in soil organic matter. However, much remains to be known concerning overgrazing impacts on soil microbial activity and litter turnover in heavily grazed rangelands of Central Iran. Aboveground litter decomposition of three dominant species (Agropyron intermedium, Hordeum bulbosum, and Juncus sp.) were studied using a litter bag experiment under field conditions in three range sites of Central Iran, a site with continuous grazing, a site ungrazed for 17 years with dominant woody species (80% cover), and a site ungrazed for 17 years with dominant pasture species (70% cover). Soil samples were taken from 0 to 30 cm depth and analyzed for their chemical and microbiological properties. Results demonstrate that soil organic C and total N contents and C/N ratios were similar for both ungrazed and grazed sites, while available P and K concentrations significantly decreased under grazed conditions. It was also evident that range grazing decreases soil respiration and microbial biomass C, suggesting a lower recent annual input of decomposable organic C. Nevertheless, grazing conditions had no significant effect on litter decomposition indicating soil microclimate is not affected by grazing animals in this ecosystem. It is concluded that overgrazing may presumably depress microbial activity through either reduced input of fresh plant residue into the surface soil or lack of living roots and exudates for stimulating microbial activity. This study also suggests that 17 years of livestock exclusion might be insufficient time for expected C accumulation in soil.     

Impact of cattle grazing on temperate coastal salt marsh soils

Over the last two decades, grazing intensity has increased in the temperate salt marshes of Samborombón Bay (Argentina) due to agricultural expansion and the displacement of domestic livestock to these areas. We investigated the effect of cattle grazing on soil chemical and physical properties in the higher (HE), medium (ME) and lower (LE) elevation levels of this temperate salt marsh. Soil data were collected from both a National Park, where cattle grazing has been excluded for more than 35 yrs, and an adjacent commercial livestock farm continuously grazed by cattle. We found that soil salinity was greater on the grazed than on the ungrazed sites, especially those in the ME and LE. This could be related to the upward flow of salts from the saline groundwater, driven by the increase in the proportion of bare soil on grazed sites. The increase in soil salinity changed the plant community structure through the increase of salt‐tolerant and non‐palatable species and the decrease of palatable species. Soil physical variables (soil bulk density and soil bearing capacity) were also higher on the grazed than on the ungrazed sites, which can be related to the decrease in soil organic matter (SOM), and suggest an incipient compaction process; however, the values were still lower than those considered critical for plant growth in clay soils. These results suggest that continuous grazing management in this temperate salt marsh might have negative consequences for animal production and ecosystem conservation, mainly related to the increased soil salinity. Further research will be necessary to evaluate the suitability of switching to intermittent grazing management.     

Influence of cattle trampling on soil porosity under alternate dry and ponded conditions

Abstract. The impact of cattle trampling on the porosity of a representative soil (Typic Natraquoll) of the flooding Pampa of Argentina was studied from 1984 to 1987. Water content, total porosity (TP), macroporosity (> 30 μm) and mean weight diameter of water-stable aggregates (MWD) were determined in undisturbed topsoil samples taken from adjacent continuously grazed (1.0 animal unit/ha/yr) and ungrazed (since 1976) areas. It was expected that trampling would decrease macroporosity when the soil was ponded, and that the damaged macropores would regenerate during the subsequent soil drying. This was only partly verified. The soil varied in TP from 58 to 64% in the ungrazed area, and from 53 to 78% in the grazed area. This variation resulted mainly from shrink-swell processes. Trampling decreased soil macroporosity (mainly >60 μm) from 8 to 5% and decreased MWD from 5.35 to 4.58 mm under dry soil conditions. The damaged soil pores regenerated and aggregate stability recovered during the subsequent period of surface water ponding, when soil swelling increased macropores in the grazed area but not in the ungrazed area. There was no evidence of poaching damage in this soil.     

Resilience of South African communal grazing lands after the removal of high grazing pressure

A paired site study was conducted of communally grazed eutrophic and dystrophic grasslands and adjacent ungrazed areas of varying periods of exclusion from communal grazing. This allowed determination of the rate and extent of change of a number of vegetation and soil variables following the removal of high and continuous grazing pressure characteristic of communal lands. Similarity indices for grass species composition between the grazed and adjacent ungrazed areas showed a significant exponential decrease with increasing time since protection from continuous grazing. Most change in grass species composition occurred within four to nine years of protection from communal grazing in eutrophic grasslands, and in six to nine years in dystrophic grasslands. In both grassland types palatability increased with time since protection. In eutrophic sites the abundance of perennials showed a significant increase with time since protection, while the abundance of annuals showed a concomitant decrease. This relationship was not evident in dystrophic grasslands. Grass species diversity, basal cover and density showed no relationship with time since protection in the eutrophic sites, but a general increase with time since protection was found in dystrophic sites. Soil bulk density, field capacity, pH and soil nutrients showed no evidence of a relationship with time since protection for either grassland type, while soil porosity increased significantly with time since protection at eutrophic sites, but not dystrophic sites. These relatively rapid changes following the removal of the high grazing pressure indicate that these systems are characterized by relatively high resilience. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同放牧条件内蒙古草原土壤冻融期水热动态

内蒙古草原地处季节性冻土区,与放牧强度相关,土壤冻融过程对该地生态和水文过程有着显著影响,但相关研究相对欠缺。该文重点研究了内蒙古锡林郭勒草原3种放牧条件下UG79(1979年以来禁牧)、UG99(1999年以来禁牧)、HG(1979年以来持续放牧)季节性冻融期的土壤水热动态,以期准确理解放牧这一当地主要土地利用模式对土壤生态水文过程的影响。结果表明:与地上覆盖度相关,不同放牧条件下地表积雪厚度有明显差异,其中HG处理积雪厚度远小于其他处理,其土壤温度变化也最为剧烈。与不同处理土壤冻结速率相关,土壤冻结时HG,UG79和UG99的"聚墒区"分别为20—30cm,10—20cm和10—30cm,其中UG99"聚墒区"分布范围最广,且集中在牧草根系发达区域,对来年牧草生长提供了更好的水分条件。换言之,由于冻后聚墒效应,土壤消融期水分含量在土壤表层高于冻融前,其中UG99处理最大,达到了0.19m~3/m~3。该研究结果为内蒙古草原季节性冻土区控制放牧及合理的禁牧措施提供理论依据。     

Influence of cattle trampling on preferential flow paths in alkaline soils

Abstract. Preferential flow paths (PFP) are important in water and solute movement through soils, especially in regions where vertical water movements predominate, such as the flooding Pampa (Argentina). The impact of grazing on PFP and its interactions with other properties were studied in three soils with natric horizons in the flooding Pampa using an iodide colouring technique. In the soil with a mollic horizon (Typic Natraquoll), % PFP was decreased by trampling but was later restored by shrink-swell. In the Typic Natraqualf, the most alkaline of the studied soils, % PFP was very small under both grazed and ungrazed conditions. In a coarser textured soil (Mollic Natraqualf) trampling did not affect % PFP. The % PFP of the Ah horizons increased with increasing organic carbon and sand contents and decreased as clay content, pH and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) increased. The Bt horizons had small % PFPs and were not affected by cattle trampling.     

Microbial growth rate measurements reveal that land-use abandonment promotes a fungal dominance of SOM decomposition in grazed Mediterranean ecosystems

The present study investigated the effects of land-use abandonment on the soil decomposer community of two grazed Mediterranean ecosystems (an annual grassland with scattered holm oaks and a low-density shrubland). To test the influence of grazing abandonment, a set of plots within each site were fenced and kept undisturbed during 4–5 years, during which above-ground plant community structure was monitored. After that, soil samples were collected from grazed and abandoned plots corresponding to the three different soil conditions: away from (“grass”) and below tree canopies (“oak”) within the annual grassland, and from the shrubland (“shrub”). Soil samples were split into two different layers (0–5 and 5–15 cm) and then analyzed for saprotrophic fungal (acetate into ergosterol incorporation) and bacterial (leucine incorporation) growth rates. Ergosterol content (as a fungal biomass estimator) and a standard set of soil chemistry variables were also measured. After 5 years of grazing exclusion, saprotrophic fungal growth rate clearly increased in both grass and oak surface layers whereas bacterial growth rate was not altered. This translated into significantly higher fungal-to-bacterial (F/B) growth rate ratios within the ungrazed plots. Similar trends were observed for the shrub soils after 4 years of exclusion. On the contrary, abandonment of grazing had negligible effects on the ergosterol content, as well as on the soil chemical variables (soil organic carbon, total N, C/N ratio, and pH), in all the three soil conditions assessed. These results indicated a shift toward a more fungal-dominated decomposer activity in soils following cessation of grazing and highlighted the sensitivity of the microbial growth rate parameters to changes associated with land use. Moreover, there were evidences of a faster fungal biomass turnover in the ungrazed plots, which would reflect an accelerated, though not bigger, fungal channel in soil organic matter mineralization.     

How do grassland management history and bacterial micro-localisation affect the response of bacterial community structure to changes in aboveground grazing regime?

In a context of frequent intensification or de-intensification of management in grasslands, a better understanding of how quickly soil microbiota responds to changes in management is required. The kinetics of changes in the structure of the bacterial community (using ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis) was studied in grassland mesocosms after changes of aboveground grazing regime, taking into account bacteria micro-localisation by separating the bacteria located inside stable aggregates (inner soil fraction) and the bacteria easily washed out, i.e. mainly located in macropores (outer soil fraction). Four treatments were used: (i) control grazed mesocosms, (ii) control ungrazed mesocosms, (iii) application of grazing on previously ungrazed mesocosms, (iv) cessation of grazing on previously grazed mesocosms. Each grazing event was simulated by application of synthetic sheep urine and plant clipping. Application of grazing led to a change in the structure of the whole soil bacterial community within 5 months, whereas changes were observed only 12 months after cessation of grazing. Changes in plant species composition and soil organic carbon content observed after cessation of grazing were found to be possible drivers of the changes in the bacterial community structure. However, after application of grazing, changes of the bacterial community structure occurred prior to changes in plant species composition and soil organic carbon content, suggesting that supply of urine and/or impact of labile carbon were likely the main drivers of changes. After 12 months, the application of grazing significantly affected the bacterial community structure in both inner and outer soil fractions. Conversely, 12 months after cessation of grazing, community structure was affected only for bacteria located in the outer fraction. This study shows that the bacterial community structure responded faster and more deeply after application than after cessation of grazing, and may be driven by different environmental factors between both scenarios. This study also shows that, 2 years after the changes in grazing regime, the bacterial community structure was determined by both the past and new grazing regimes.     

土壤团聚体中有机碳研究进展

增加土壤有机碳有助于农业可持续发展, 同时对缓解温室气体增加造成的全球气候变暖等具有重要意义。土壤团聚体是土壤的重要组成部分, 影响土壤的各种物理化学性质。土壤团聚体和有机碳是不可分割的, 前者是后者存在的场所, 后者是前者存在的胶结物质。本文在综合各方面研究的基础上, 阐述了土壤团聚体和有机碳的依存关系, 影响团聚体固碳的几大因素, 团聚体对有机碳的物理保护机制以及目前应用比较广泛的团聚体内有机碳的研究方法, 为以后的研究提供理论和方法上的支持。     

Density and success of bird nests relative to grazing on western Montana grasslands

Grassland birds are declining at a faster rate than any other group of North American bird species. Livestock grazing is the primary economic use of grasslands in the western United States, but the effects of this use on distribution and productivity of grassland birds are unclear. We examined nest density and success of ground-nesting birds on grazed and ungrazed grasslands in western Montana. In comparison to grazed plots, ungrazed plots had reduced forb cover, increased litter cover, increased litter depth, and increased visual obstruction readings (VOR) of vegetation. Nest density among 10 of 11 common bird species was most strongly correlated with VOR of plots, and greatest nest density for each species occured where mean VOR of the plot was similar to mean VOR at nests. Additionally, all bird species were relatively consistent in their choice of VOR at nests despite substantial differences in VOR among plots. We suggest that birds selected plots based in part on availability of suitable nest sites and that variation in nest density relative to grazing reflected the effect of grazing on availability of nest sites. Nest success was similar between grazed plots and ungrazed plots for two species but was lower for nests on grazed plots than on ungrazed plots for two other species because of increased rates of predation, trampling, or parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). Other species nested almost exclusively on ungrazed plots (six species) or grazed plots (one species), precluding evaluation of the effects of grazing on nest success. We demonstrate that each species in a diverse suite of ground-nesting birds preferentially used certain habitats for nesting and that grazing altered availability of preferred nesting habitats through changes in vegetation structure and plant species composition. We also show that grazing directly or indirectly predisposed some bird species to increased nesting mortality. Management alternatives that avoid intensive grazing during the breeding season would be expected to benefit many grassland bird species.