Plant Community Responses to Short Duration Grazing in Tallgrass Prairie

Gillen, Robert L.; McCollum, F. T.; Hodges, Matt; Brummer, Joe E.; Tate, Kenneth W.

doi:10.2307/4002309

Cited by 33 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Pastures in both treatments were moderately grazed with mixed‐breed yearling cattle from about 1 December to 1 September, at 3 ha animal −1 based on long‐term research projects to optimize sustainable production (Gillen et al . 1991; McCollum et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of the fire–grazing interaction to restore a shifting mosaic on tallgrass prairie

Fuhlendorf

Engle

2004

Journal of Applied Ecology

471

514

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Summary1. Management of rangelands has long operated under the paradigm of minimizing spatially discrete disturbances, often under the objective of reducing inherent heterogeneity within managed ecosystems. Management of grazing animals has focused on uniform distribution of disturbance, so that no areas are heavily disturbed or undisturbed (i.e. management to the 'middle'). 2. A model of the fire-grazing interaction argues that grazing and fire interact through a series of positive and negative feedbacks to cause a shifting mosaic of vegetation pattern across the landscape. This interaction was important in the evolution of species in the North American Great Plains grasslands. This approach has the potential to serve as an ecological-based model for management of grasslands with a long evolutionary history of grazing. 3. We compared a heterogeneity-based approach, in which fire is applied to discrete patches, with typical homogeneity-based land management in the North American Great Plains, to determine if patch burning followed by focal grazing creates a shifting mosaic pattern of vegetation structure and composition. 4. Our data suggest that spatially discrete fires promote focal grazing, where grazing animals devote 75% of grazing time within the one-third of the area that has been burned within the past year. These focal disturbances cause local changes in the plant community and increase patch-level heterogeneity across landscapes. As the focal disturbance is shifted to other patches over time, successional processes lead to changes in local plant communities and the patchwork landscape can be described as a shifting mosaic. 5. A patch-dynamic approach can be accomplished in the tallgrass prairie through applying spatially discrete fires and allowing animals free access to a diversity of landscape elements that vary in time since focal disturbance. This increases heterogeneity across the landscape, a variable that has been shown to be critical to some wildlife species as well as the structure and function of grassland ecosystems. 6. Synthesis and applications. Our study demonstrates that the fire-grazing model may be useful for generating heterogeneity in grassland management. Discrete fires are applied to patches, and patchy grazing by herbivores promotes a shifting vegetation mosaic across the landscape. Furthermore, application of the model has the potential of increasing the area of rangelands under management for conservation purposes, because livestock production is maintained at a level similar to traditional management. So, by managing transient focal patches that move through the landscape, heterogeneity has the potential to be a central paradigm for managing landscapes for multiple objectives, such as biodiversity and agricultural productivity.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of the fire–grazing interaction to restore a shifting mosaic on tallgrass prairie

Fuhlendorf

Engle

2004

Journal of Applied Ecology

471

514

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“…It has been suggested that favorable amounts of precipitation during the growing season (Gillen et al, 1991), such as those that generally occur in the upper Midwest (Anderson and Matches, 1983), combined with low intensity defoliation (Forwood and Magai, 1992; Trocsanyi et al, 2009), and rest periods that follow native grass growth rates (Gillen and McNew, 1987; Mousel et al, 2003) can mitigate against potential injurious effects associated with defoliation. In this study, the above listed conditions were met.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tradeoffs in Performance of Native Warm‐Season Grass Cultivars and Locally Harvested Seed Managed for Wildlife Habitat or Livestock Production

et al. 2012

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or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. conservation practitioners and managers advocate the use of LHS (Jones, 2003;McKay et al., 2005), which theoretically is adapted to the local environmental conditions of a region (McMillan, 1969) and maintains the genetic integrity of local plant populations (Bischoff et al., 2010). However, LHS may not be suited for agronomic applications such as repeated defoliations under rotational grazing and as a result may not ABSTRACT Native warm-season grasses have potential to increase the ecosystem services associated with grazing lands and to provide a source of forage for livestock. In the upper Midwest, minimal region specifi c information is available to grass-based farmers on how to manage native pastures for long-term productivity and persistence. Wildlife biologists suggest delaying defoliations until mid-summer to preserve grassland bird habitat, yet production-based management recommendations warn against late season defoliations. Moreover, the source of seed to use for pasture establishment, cultivar or locally harvested seed (LHS), is unclear. We initiated an on-farm experiment to evaluate the eff ects of two rotational grazing schedules, June to July or July to September, for diff erences in vegetation cover, vigor, yield, and nutritive value of paddocks seeded with native warm-season grass cultivars or LHS. Aft er 2 yr, native grass cover was similar across all treatments. Vigor, as measured by spring etiolated growth, was sustained under grazing and across seed sources for the dominant native grasses big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and Indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash]. Total yield was greatest when grazing was deferred until July, but this resulted in decreased nutritive value for both seed sources. Th ese results indicate that native warm-season grasses have potential to persist under rotational grazing in upper Midwest pasture systems and that pasture performance is controlled by the timing of the fi rst grazing cycle. Th e lack of a consistent seed source eff ect suggests that the LHS and cultivars used in the study are suitable for pasture use in the region.

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“…The study area, Douglas County, is highlighted in the eastern part of the state. Gillen et al 1991;Anderson and Briske 1995;Collins and Steinauer 1998;Gillen et al 1998). The impact of grazing on plant communities depends upon how resistant species within the community are to grazing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating Grazing Intensity and Range Condition of Grasslands in Northeastern Kansas Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Data

Peterson¹,

Price

Martinko

2002

Geocarto International

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Grazing changes plant species composition of grassland ecosystems by selective removal and trampling. Grazing also alters soil physical and biogeochemical properties and can dramatically change hydrologic processes that can impact water budgets and quality. For these reasons, practical means are needed to assess grazing management practices and its impacts upon the land. This study examines whether a grazing intensity and range condition gradient can be detected in spectral reflectance characteristics of grasslands in northeastern Kansas. Multitemporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and field data collected concurrent with the TM overpasses, were used in the analysis. Correlation analysis was used to examine relationships between spectral data and biophysical data. Next, the study sites within each grassland type were classified into three spectrally similar clusters. Grazing intensity, range condition, and biophysical characteristics were summarized for each spectral cluster and compared.The results suggest that NDVI may be used as a surrogate for living biomass for both grassland types and may be useful for predicting grazing intensity in native warm season grasslands. And while there appeared to be relationships between total living and non-living cover, and TM NIR and MIR bands, there were no direct relationships between spectral characteristics and grazing intensity or range condition.

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Plant Community Responses to Short Duration Grazing in Tallgrass Prairie

Cited by 33 publications

References 7 publications

Application of the fire–grazing interaction to restore a shifting mosaic on tallgrass prairie

Application of the fire–grazing interaction to restore a shifting mosaic on tallgrass prairie

Tradeoffs in Performance of Native Warm‐Season Grass Cultivars and Locally Harvested Seed Managed for Wildlife Habitat or Livestock Production

Investigating Grazing Intensity and Range Condition of Grasslands in Northeastern Kansas Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Data

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