Stream Channel and Vegetation Responses to Late Spring Cattle Grazing

Clary, Warren P.

doi:10.2307/4003683

Cited by 67 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Virtually all streamside variables changed from initial conditions toward conditions more beneficial for salmonid fisheries habitat when pastures were not grazed or when pastures were grazed to a 14 cm streamside stubble height. A lesser number of variables improved when pastures were grazed to a 10 cm streamside graminoid stubble height (Clary 1999). Although this study did not include a stubble height treatment (and associated grazing intensity) that would be too severe for any riparian recovery, we consider that it has provided evidence for defining a critical forage stubble height for the mountain meadow situation studied.…”

Section: Overall Riparian System Response To Control Of Stubble Heightmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Buckhouse et al (1981) reported no increase in streambank erosion with moderate levels of livestock grazing, and Marlow and Pogacnik (1985) found that limiting livestock grazing to periods when streambanks were relatively dry could greatly reduce physical damage. In Idaho maintaining stubble heights of 10 to 14 cm allowed streambank recovery, although at a slower rate than occurred under no grazing (Clary 1999). Simulated grazing procedures have illustrated that relatively continuous hoof action can severely break down streambanks, while more restricted use can result in minimal changes (Clary and Kinney 2000).…”

Section: Indirect Effects Streambank Tramplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stubble height as a tool for management of riparian areas

Clary¹,

Leininger²

2000

REM

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Stubble height, a measure of the herbaceous vegetation remaining after grazing, has been widely used in recent years to gage the impacts of grazing use in riparian areas. Stubble height is a short-term management guide that should only be applied to help attain long-term ecological objectives; it should not be thought of as a long-term management objective.Maintaining a minimum stubble height helps preserve forage plant vigor, retain sufficient forage to reduce cattle browsing of willows (Salix spp.), stabilize sediments, indirectly limit streambank trampling, maintain cattle gains, and provide an easily communicated management criterion. Based on limited specific research of riparian system response and on knowledge of the characteristics of how cattle graze, a 10-cm residual stubble height is recommended by the authors as a starting point for improved riparian grazing management. Monitoring should then be conducted to determine if an adjustment is needed. In some situations, 7 cm or even less stubble height may provide for adequate riparian ecosystem function, particularly when streambanks are dry and stable or possibly at high elevations where vegetation is naturally of low stature. In other situations, 15-20 cm of stubble height may be required to reduce browsing of willows or limit trampling impact to vulnerable streambanks. The recommended criterion would apply to streamside and nearby meadow sites with hydrophilic or potentially hydrophilic vegetation, but not directly to dry meadows or even to all wet meadows. Stubble height may have little application where the streambanks are stabilized by coarse substrates, or the channels are deeply incised.The effects of residual stubble height in riparian functions have received limited direct experimental examination. Consequently, much of the information in this review was derived from studies indirectly related to the questions raised and, to some extent, from observations of experienced professionals. The authors have identified areas of scientific investigation needed to improve our understanding of the effects of stubble height on riparian function and grazing management.Key Words: Grazing, livestock management, streambanks, trampling, utilization, willowIn the early settlement history of the western United States management of riparian grazing lands was pretty straightforward-no irrigation or stock water to worry about-just turn the livestock out in the spring and take them home in the fall. We now know that proper management of these highly diverse ecosystems is not that easy. These land-water ecotones are among the most ecologically productive and diverse of all terrestrial habitats, and the influence of moving water within stream ripari- ResumenLa altura del rastrojo, una medida de la vegetación herb·cea remanente después de que ha sido sujeta apacentamiento, ha sido ampliamente utilizada en años recientes para medir el impacto del apacentamiento en las áeas ribereñas. La altura del rastrojo es una guáa de manejo a corto plazo que debe ser aplica...

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Section: Overall Riparian System Response To Control Of Stubble Heightmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Indirect Effects Streambank Tramplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stubble height as a tool for management of riparian areas

Clary¹,

Leininger²

2000

REM

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“…enhanced width-depth ratios) (Clary 1999;Scrimgeour and Kendall 2003), stream banks (e.g. decreased stability) (Trimble and Mendel 1995;Clary 1999;Scrimgeour and Kendall 2003), and stream water (e.g. nutrient enrichment) (Agouridis et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…lowering and contraction of the hyporheic zone) (Dobkin et al 1998), stream channels (e.g. enhanced width-depth ratios) (Clary 1999;Scrimgeour and Kendall 2003), stream banks (e.g. decreased stability) (Trimble and Mendel 1995;Clary 1999;Scrimgeour and Kendall 2003), and stream water (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Livestock Trampling Reduces the Conservation Value of Beetle Communities on High Quality Exposed Riverine Sediments

Bates

Sadler

Fowles³

2006

Biodivers Conserv

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Exposed riverine sediments (ERS) are habitat for a large number of rare and threatened specialist species of invertebrates and are of considerable conservation importance. Livestock trampling is believed to be one of the most widespread causes of damage to ERS habitats in the UK, and as such, its effects were the focus of this investigation. Beetle density was measured at two points within 25 distinct patches of habitat along~47 km of the Afon Tywi special site of scientific interest in South Wales, which is known to support an extremely good quality ERS beetle fauna in a UK context. Partial canonical correspondence analyses were used to explore the relationship between beetle assemblage and a range of environmental variables. The percentage of fine (<8 mm) sediments, median sediment size, distance downstream, cattle stocking levels, and counts of sheep faeces were found to best relate to beetle abundance and assemblage structure. Species richness was positively associated with stocking levels, probably because of the addition of species associated with resultant elevated levels of silt and organic matter. The ERS quality score, which is a measure of conservation value based on the rarity of specialist ERS beetles, was negatively associated with measures of trampling damage. It was therefore concluded that livestock trampling reduces the conservation value of beetle communities on high quality ERS and management should restrict trampling in sites of high conservation importance.

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“…1). Therefore, utilization standards limiting grazing disturbances and adaptive grazing strategies controlling timing, intensity, and distribution of livestock grazing are critical in maintaining functional grazed systems and promoting win-win benefits for multiple ecosystem services, as observed in this study (e.g., positive relationships between species diversity, forage resource value, and cattle use) (Clary 1999, George et al 2011, Freitas et al 2014.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Montane meadow hydropedology, plant community, and herbivore dynamics

et al. 2014

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Abstract. Montane meadows provide multiple ecological and economic benefits, and are widely considered areas of high conservation value. There is growing interest in balancing multiple land-uses on these and other focal working landscapes to provide for economic, social, and conservation goals. Globally, livestock grazing has been used as a management and conservation tool in many ecosystems; however, there is substantial concern-particularly for montane meadows-that grazing negatively impacts ecosystem functions and services. The mechanisms by which excessive livestock grazing can degrade meadow function have been well documented; yet, for hydrologically functional meadow systems, we know little about meadow-scale linkages in the hydrologic-soil-plant-grazing animal continuum, which limits our ability to develop riparian grazing conservation strategies. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational survey of hydrology, soils, plant communities, and cattle forage resource use across 24 functional montane meadows of the central Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in California, USA. By linking principles of plant community ecology and foraging theory, we were able to unravel relationships and drivers between hydropedologic conditions, plant community characteristics, and cattle grazing patterns. Our work demonstrates that hydrology is a critical driving factor of cattle foraging response, plant community attributes, and soil properties across these wetland ecosystems. Results indicate that these systems are resilient to the observed gradient of grazing disturbances. This information advances our understanding of how meadow-scale heterogeneity can be utilized in managing for multiple, and potentially conflicting, ecosystem services across working landscapes-particularly in the face of projected future climate changes and continually limited resources to support conservation and restoration projects.

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Stream Channel and Vegetation Responses to Late Spring Cattle Grazing

Cited by 67 publications

References 26 publications

Stubble height as a tool for management of riparian areas

Stubble height as a tool for management of riparian areas

Livestock Trampling Reduces the Conservation Value of Beetle Communities on High Quality Exposed Riverine Sediments

Montane meadow hydropedology, plant community, and herbivore dynamics

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