Grazing Systems: Their Influence on Infiltration Rates in the Rolling Plains of Texas

Abstract

Water infiltration rates into soils after 30 min in shrub canopy areas and in shortgrass interspaces on the Rolling Plains were similar across grazing treatments of heavy and moderate stocking, continuous grazing; rested and grazed deferred-rotation; rested and grazed high intensity, low frequency (HILF); and two livestock exclosures which had been grazed for 20 years. The mid-grass interspace infiltration rates for the deferred-rotation treatments approached rates in the exclosures and exceeded rates in the heavily stocked, continuously grazed, and grazed HILF pastures. Infiltration rates in the HILF grazing treatments were similar to those of the heavily stocked, continuously and moderately stocked continuously grazed pastures. Infiltration rates in the rested HILF pasture were similar to those of the deferred-rotation pastures; however, the grazed HILF pasture had rates lower than the deferred-rotation pasture rates or rates of the exclosures. Aggregate stability, organic matter content, mulch, standing crop, bulk density, and ground cover significantly influenced infiltration rates.

Ecohydrology: Processes and Implications for Rangelands

“…There is an extensive body of work examining the ecohydrological influence of grazing, and specifically its influence on soil infiltration. Much of this work was conducted in the USA in the 1970s and 1980s and has been summarized in several review papers (Gifford 1978;Wood et al 1978;Wood and Blackburn 1981;Blackburn et al 1982;Trimble and Mendel 1995). The findings consistently show that, irrespective of grazing systems, light-to-moderate grazing generally has little adverse effect on the ecohydrology of rangelands and may even have a positive effect, whereas heavy grazing generally significantly decreases soil infiltrability.…”

Impacts of grazing systems on soil compaction and pasture production in Alberta

“…Determining an optimal grazing rotation to ensure sustainable pasture use goes beyond the simple examination of vegetation removal. Modification of soil physical properties by hoof action, in concert with reduced vegetation cover, often results in increased bulk density and penetration resistance of soils (Wood and Blackburn 1981;Blackburn 1984).…”

“…It has been speculated that these systems will help reduce, or perhaps eliminate, the deleterious effects of grazing on soil properties. However, research indicates that the use of heavy stocking rates under rotational grazing have consistently shown no significant hydrologic and carrying capacity improvement over continuously grazed pastures (Wood and Blackburn 1981;Blackburn 1984;Abdel-Magid et al 1987;Heitschmidt et al 1987;Dormaar et al 1989;Chanasyk and Naeth 1995). The negative effect of continuous season-long grazing on soil physical properties has also received considerable attention (e.g., McCarty and Mazurak 1976;Thurow et al 1986).…”

The influence ofCaragana korshinskiishrub on soil and hydrological properties in a revegetation-stabilized desert ecosystem

“…The effect of the shrubs on infiltration rate was attributable to the change of soil aggregate stability and organic matter content. Infiltration rates were observed to be 23-60% higher in shrub canopy sites (151 mm h -1 ) than in either shortgrass interspace (60 mm h -1 ) or midgrass interspace (116 mm h -1 ) after 30 min of rain in an area of northwest Texas, USA (Wood and Blackburn 1981). The higher infiltration rates, lower yield of eroded sediment and higher nutrient contents were found for small plots centred on creosote bushes in New Mexico under conditions of simulated rain (Elkins et al 1986).…”