Cattle Grazing and Vegetation Succession on Burned Sagebrush Steppe |
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| Institution: | 1. Research Associate, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA;2. Professor, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA;3. Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA;1. Senior Research Associate Professor, Oregon State University, Union, OR 97883, USA;2. Professor, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA;3. Professor, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA;4. Research Ecologist, US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV 89512, USA;5. Professor, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;10. Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;6. Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Lafayette, LA 70506, USA;7. Postdoctorate Research Scientist, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Burns, OR 97720, USA;8. Professor, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA;15. Associate Professor, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA;9. Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Boise, ID 83702, USA;11. Senior Ecologist, Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID 83709, USA;12. Research Hydrologist, ARS, Boise, ID 83712, USA;18. Hydrologist, ARS, Boise, ID 83712, USA;13. Research Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA;14. Research Physical Scientist, ARS, Tifton, GA 31793, USA;16. Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA;17. Research Ecologist Emeritus, US Forest Service, Reno, NV 89512, USA;1. Ecologist, US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT 59301, USA;2. Policy Analyst, Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Policy, Cheyenne, WY 82002, USA;3. Professor, Animal, Rangeland, and Wildlife Sciences Department, and Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Kleberg Agricultural Building, Texas A&M University–Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.;1. Rangeland Scientists, USDA-ARS, Burns, OR 97720 USA; and;2. Research Associate, Oregon State University, Burns, OR 97720 USA |
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| Abstract: | There is limited information about the effects of cattle grazing to longer-term plant community composition and herbage production following fire in sagebrush steppe. This study evaluated vegetation response to cattle grazing over 7 yr (2007–2013) on burned Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young] Welsh) steppe in eastern Oregon. Treatments, replicated four times and applied in a randomized complete block design, included no grazing on burned (nonuse) and unburned (control) sagebrush steppe; and cattle grazing at low (low), moderate (moderate), and high (high) stocking on burned sagebrush steppe. Vegetation dynamics were evaluated by quantifying herbaceous (canopy and basal cover, density, production, reproductive shoot weight) and shrub (canopy cover, density) response variables. Aside from basal cover, herbaceous canopy cover, production, and reproduction were not different among low, moderate, and nonuse treatments. Perennial bunchgrass basal cover was about 25% lower in the low and moderate treatments than the nonuse. Production, reproductive stem weight, and perennial grass basal cover were greater in the low, moderate, and nonuse treatments than the control. The high treatment had lower perennial bunchgrass cover (canopy and basal) and production than other grazed and nonuse treatments. Bunchgrass density remained unchanged in the high treatment, not differing from other treatments, and reproductive effort was comparable to the other treatments, indicating these areas are potentially recoverable by reducing stocking. Cover and production of Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass) did not differ among the grazed and nonuse treatments, though all were greater than the control. Cover and density of A.t. spp. wyomingensis did not differ among the burned grazed and nonuse treatments and were less than the control. We concluded that light to moderate stocking rates are compatible to sustainable grazing of burned sagebrush steppe rangelands. |
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