Stocking Rate and Riparian Vegetation Effects on Physical Characteristics of Riparian Zones of Midwestern Pastures

Abstract

Grazing at high stocking rates May Increase sediment and nutrient loading of streams pasture Through Transport in precipitation runoff and bank erosion. A 3-yr (2007)(2008)(2009)) grazing study was Conducted on 13 cool-season grass pastures to quantify effects of stocking rate and botanical composition on forage sward height, proportions of bare and manure-covered ground, and bank erosion adjacent to streams. Pastures ranged from 2 ha to 107 ha with stream Reaches of 306 m to 1778 m That has drained watersheds of 253 to 5660 ha. Bare and manure-covered ground Were Measured at 15.2-m distance perpendicular to the stream at 30.5-m intervals at up to 30 locations on each side of the stream by the line transect method in May, July, September, and November of each year.At the midpoint of the 15.2-m line, forage sward height was Measured with a falling plate meter (4.8 kg · m -2 ) and plant species identified. In November 2006, fiberglass pins (1.6 × 76.2 cm) 73.7 cm Were driven into the stream bank at 1-m intervals from the streambed to the top of the bank along 10 transect equidistant locations on each side of the stream bank erosion to measure During spring, summer, and fall of each year. Increasing pasture stocking rates Increased manure-covered ground and Decreased sward height, but did not Affect proportions of bare ground. The greatest, intermediate, and Least net soil erosion rates occurred During the winter / early spring, late spring / early summer, and late summer / fall seasons. Stocking rates Between measurements, Expressed as cow-days · m -1 stream, Were not related to bank erosion. Increasing stocking rates per unit of stream length will cover manure Increase and decrease forage sward height, but not Affect proportions of bare ground or bank erosion rates pasture adjacent to streams.THEREFORE, managing stocking rates May reduce nutrient loading of streams pasture. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. Stocking Rate and Riparian Vegetation Effects on Physical Characteristics of Riparian Zones of Midwestern PasturesAuthor (s) AbstractGrazing at high stocking rates may increase sediment and nutrient loading of pasture streams through transport in precipitation runoff and bank erosion. ) and plant species identified. In November 2006, fiberglass pins (1.6 3 76.2 cm) were driven 73.7 cm into the stream bank at 1-m intervals from the streambed to the top of the bank along 10 equidistant transect locations on each side of the stream to measure bank erosion during spring, summer, and fall of each year. Increasing pasture stocking rates increased manure-covered ground and decreased sward height, but did not affect proportions of bare ground. The greatest, intermediate, and least net soil erosion rates occurred during the winter/early spring, late spring/early summer, and late summer/fall se...

Phosphorus source—sink relationships of stream sediments in the Rathbun Lake watershed in southern Iowa, USA

“…Of interest, total P (Crosland et al 1995) in the soils ranged from 267 to 349 mg kg , which is comparable to total P (TP) measured in other Iowa watersheds with similar soil types (Zaimes et al 2008;Nellesen et al 2011). Additional information describing the 13 study sites is available from Bear et al (2012) and Tufekcioglu et al (2012).…”

“…Site selection was based on landowner permission to access a site during the study and perennial flow in all pasture stream reaches. When the study of Bear et al (2012) was initiated, surface horizons (0-20 cm) of soils at each site were sampled to determine inherent soil properties. Of interest, total P (Crosland et al 1995) in the soils ranged from 267 to 349 mg kg , which is comparable to total P (TP) measured in other Iowa watersheds with similar soil types (Zaimes et al 2008;Nellesen et al 2011).…”

Riparian Grazing Impacts on Streambank Erosion and Phosphorus Loss Via Surface Runoff1

“…, 2005). A study conducted by Bear et al. (2012) found that reducing the stocking rate and altering the distribution of cattle will reduce the risk of nutrient loss to surface runoff from riparian areas of grazed pastures.…”

Bison and cattle grazing management, bare ground coverage, and links to suspended sediment concentrations in grassland streams

“…In a three‐year study, Bear et al . () did not find significant differences in bare ground coverage nor bank erosion between high and low intensity grazing in riparian zones. Meanwhile, other studies have shown significant increases in bare ground coverage with increasing grazing pressures (Russell et al ., ; Zhao et al ., ), and in some instances cattle have been shown to increase bare ground quite rapidly (over 10% within two years) (Hillhouse et al ., ).…”

“…Vegetation cover is the most influential variable in determining aquatic sediment and nutrient loading from adjacent hillslopes (Haan et al, 2006). Vegetation decreases wind and runoff erosion by limiting the area of exposed soils (Li et al, 2007;Bastin et al, 2012), entrapping mobilized soil particles, increasing soil stability, infiltration rates, and litter cover, while decreasing rain splash impact (Pearce et al, 1998;Bear et al, 2012). Many studies indicate that cattle grazing decreases grass biomass, resulting in bare ground (Popolizio et al, 1994;Kutt and Woinarski, 2007;Teague et al, 2010), leading to accelerated soil erosion and increased fluvial suspended sediment concentrations (Olley and Wasson, 2003;Vidon et al, 2008;Bartley et al, 2010a).…”