Effects of long-term livestock grazing and habitat on understory vegetation

The herbaceous understory stratum contains most of the plant diversity in ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson var. scopulorum Engelm.) forests of the American Southwest and provides critical food and habitat for many wildlife species. During the last century, this stratum has been affected by livestock grazing and by increased dominance of overstory trees. We sampled a unique grazing exclosure to examine the relative importance of long-term livestock grazing (grazed or ungrazed) and habitat (park or tree) on the understory community. We sampled 3 plots of 192 contiguous quadrats (each quadrat 0.5 m 2 ) in each of the 4 treatment combinations, for a total of 2304 quadrats. Species-area curves were generated by aggregating quadrats into nonoverlapping areas at grain sizes of 0.5 to 576 m 2 . The effects of habitat and grazing on species density were evident at very different scales. Species density was higher in park than tree plots at scales ≤32 m 2 but did not differ between habitats at larger scales. Species density differed minimally between grazed and ungrazed treatments at small grains, but grazed plots contained more species than ungrazed plots at larger grains. Grazing treatments differed at smaller grains (to 4–8 m 2 ) than did habitats (to 32 m 2 ), with respect to density of native species and graminoids. Grazed plots had more exotic species than ungrazed plots at all grain sizes, though few exotics were present. Twenty-two species were identified as indicator species associated with habitats and/or grazing treatments. Evaluations of plant community response to treatments would be improved by accounting for the grain at which data have been collected and analyzed and by identifying indicator species associated with various treatments. These data would enable more-informed conservation and management decisions.     

The Le Broc grasshopper population: further evidence of its hybrid status (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Further evidence is provided of the hybrid status of a population of grasshoppers in the southern French Alps. Both the calling and courtship songs are shown to match closely those of laboratory-reared hybrids between Chorthippus mollis and C. biguttulus. The population is also shown to be morphologically intermediate between these two species in a combination of three key male characters.     

Vegetation changes after livestock grazing exclusion and shrub control in the southern Chihuahuan Desert

Vegetation cover and production were evaluated after nearly 7 years of livestock grazing exclusion and shrub control in an area with a long history of heavy livestock grazing in the southern Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico. An exclosure was established to prevent livestock grazing. In half of the excluded area, the main shrub, Larrea tridentata , was mechanically controlled. Outside the exclosure, heavy livestock grazing occurred as customary and shrubs were not controlled. Absence of grazing resulted in 50% higher grass cover and 35% higher total biomass. Larrea tridentata cover was twice as high on the grazed area as on the ungrazed area. Vegetation cover was dominated by grasses (42%) in the ungrazed area, whereas in the grazed area, cover was equally divided between grasses (28%) and shrubs (27%). Shrub control did not affect vegetation cover or herbage production. Multivariate analysis confirmed that inside the excluded area, shrub control had little impact on the plant community. The effect of grazing, however, clearly distinguished the community outside the exclosure from that inside the exclosure.     

Vegetal change on a northern Utah foothill range in the absence of livestock grazing between 1948 and 1982

Reexamination of a semiarid foothill rangeland, first evaluated in 1948, indicated that secondary succession continues to shift toward a perennial grass-forb community formerly dominated by xeric shrubs, particularly big sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata spp. vaseyana ). The direct role in livestock grazing in establishment and maintenance of shrub-dominant plant communities appears confirmed in the decline of shrubs upon cessation of livestock grazing in summer and continued browsing by mule deer in winter. The reduction of shrub forages on mule deer winter ranges is a major factor in population declines.     

Effects of livestock grazing exlosure on aquatic macroinvertebrates in a montane stream, New Mexico

Aquatic macroinvertebrate populations inhabiting reaches of a stream within areas excluded from livestock grazing for a decade were markedly different from those in grazed areas when density, biomass, biotic condition indices, and mean chi square indices of the two populations were compared. Increased densities and biomasses of more tolerant forms of macroinvertebrates were observed in grazed reaches. Because pretreatment data were not available, differences in macroinvertebrate populations and relative tolerances of taxa in grazed and ungrazed areas could be as easily attributed to linear changes in stream habitat as to removal of domestic livestock. Results of this study have implications for the design of future research on the effects of livestock grazing on stream environments and biota: (1) baseline/pretreatment information is prerequisite, and (2) the study should take a watershed (ecosystem) approach.     

Managing livestock grazing for mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) on winter range in the Great Basin

History and technical literature describing potential effects of livestock grazing on mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) populations and winter range habitat are reviewed. Recommendations for livestock grazing on winter ranges within the Great Basin are advanced.     

Boggy meadows, livestock grazing, and interspecific interactions: influences on the insular distribution of montane Lincoln's Sparrows ( Melospiza lincolnii alticola )

I surveyed 34 meadows in California and Oregon to count Lincoln's Sparrows ( Melospiza lincolnii alticola ) and to identify habitat features that might influence their local, insular occurrence. Lincoln's Sparrows were most common in wet meadows with little damage by grazing. Singing males were concentrated in flooded or boggy areas near meadow edges, where pines ( Pinus sp.) provided elevated perches for singing and vigilance. Patches of willows ( Salix sp.) were often present nearby. Numbers of male Lincoln's Sparrows were strongly and negatively correlated with abundance of sympatric Song Sparrows ( M. melodia fisherella ). Lincoln's Sparrows breeding in montane meadows are potentially vulnerable to local extirpation because of their insular distribution, low population density, and fluctuating habitat conditions. Heavy damage from livestock grazing drastically increases the probability of local extirpation.     

Waterfowl and shorebird use of surface-mined and livestock water impoundments on the Northern Great Plains

Cluster analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis were used to group waterfowl and shorebird use on water impoundments (bentonite, coal, livestock) on the Northern High Plains. Three bird-use categories—high, medium, and low—were delineated by these analytical procedures. Eleven physical, chemical, and biological parameters of impoundments were related to bird use; water area, nitrogen, and low basin slopes were found to be important parameters in estimating bird use on impoundments. Spring and summer were the best seasons for surveying waterfowl and shorebird water impoundment use.     

Effects of cattle grazing on North American arid ecosystems: a quantitative review

A quantitative review was conducted of the effects of cattle grazing in arid systems on 16 response variables ranging from soil bulk density to total vegetative cover to rodent species diversity. Various studies from North American arid environments that used similar measures for assessing grazing effects on the same response variables were used for the review; each study was assigned to serve as a single data point in paired comparisons of grazed versus ungrazed sites. All analyses tested the 1-tailed null hypothesis that grazing has no effect on the measured variable. Eleven of 16 analyses (69%) revealed significant detrimental effects of cattle grazing, suggesting that cattle can have a negative impact on North American xeric ecosystems. Soil-related variables were most negatively impacted by grazing (3 of 4 categories tested were significantly impacted), followed by litter cover and biomass (2 of 2 categories tested), and rodent diversity and richness (2 of 2 categories tested). Vegetative variables showed more variability in terms of quantifiable grazing effects, with 4 of 8 categories testing significantly. Overall, these findings could shed light on which suites of variables may be effectively used by land managers to measure ecosystem integrity and rangeland health in grazed systems.     

Effects of rotational grazing on rodents and raptors in a coastal grassland

We conducted a 4-year experiment to assess the impacts of rotational cattle grazing on rodents and raptors in a mesic coastal grassland in northwestern California. Live-trapping indicated that rodent abundance declined by 69% on the grazed area and increased by 14% on the ungrazed area. Raptor use of the grazed area declined by 15% and increased on the ungrazed area by 63%. Measures of giving-up density indicated that rodents perceived a 25% higher predation risk on grazed area than on ungrazed area, but raptor hunting surveys indicated that risk of depredation from raptors was 2.5 times lower in the grazed habitat, suggesting that rodents use indirect vegetative cues to assess risk.     

Effects of grazing exclusions on rangeland vegetation and soils, east central Idaho

Nineteen exclosures on sagebrush steppe and shadscale rangelands, varying in age from 18 to 38 years, were sampled for plant species richness, plant composition, indicators of soil erosion, ground cover, vegetative cover, and herb-low shrub layer screening cover. Features within the exclosures were compared with adjacent sites of the same size that were open to grazing by livestock and wildlife. Species richness typically was slightly greater inside exclosures than in adjacent grazed sites (median = 2 more species inside exclosures), but the difference was not significant ( P = 0.16). Similarity of plant community composition between exclosures and adjacent grazed sites ranged from 45% to 82%. Evidences of soil movement, soil pedestals, and soil flow patterns were all more pronounced outside exclosures than inside ( P ≤ 0.02), even though many sites were on flat to mild slopes (median slope = 12%). Meta-analysis of the 19 exclosure sites indicated that grazing exclusion resulted in less bare ground cover compared with adjacent grazed sites ( P ≤ 0.05). The effect of grazing exclusion on visible soil surface cryptogams was significant ( P ≤ 0.05), with generally greater cover inside exclosures. Cryptogam cover differences between grazed sites and exclosures tended to increase with the number of years of grazing exclusion ( r = 0.64, P = 0.046). Pseudoroegneria spicata , a principal livestock forage, averaged greater basal cover inside exclosures than outside on 4 of 10 sites where it occurred, although no exclosure sites had greater P. spicata cover on grazed sites. Meta-analysis of the 10 sites indicated that grazing exclusion resulted in greater P. spicata cover compared with adjacent grazed areas ( P ≤ 0.05). Poa secunda , a short-growing grass that initiates growth early in the spring and is not important livestock forage, averaged greater basal cover outside exclosures on 5 of 15 sites where it occurred. Meta-analysis of the 15 sites indicated a significant treatment effect ( P ≤ 0.05), with greater Poa secunda basal cover outside exclosures. Grazing exclusion resulted in greater screening cover in the herb-low shrub layer (0-0.5 m height; P ≤ 0.05). These results indicate that despite improved livestock grazing management over the past half century, livestock grazing still can limit the potential of native plant communities in sagebrush steppe ecosystems, and that the health of semiarid ecosystems can improve with livestock exclusion in the absence of other disturbances. A few exclosure sites were similar for the measured parameters, suggesting that these sites were ecologically stable and that exclusion of livestock grazing was not sufficient to move succession toward more pristine conditions, at least within the time periods studied. Managed disturbance such as fire or mechanical brush treatments may be necessary to restore herb productivity on these ecologically stable sites.     

The effects of forest fragmentation on the population ecology and natural history of a funnel-web spider

Habitat fragmentation strongly affects the abundance, distribution, body size and population genetics of invertebrates. Urban growth in Brazil has led to severe fragmentation, especially in the Atlantic Forest and savannas. The effects of this fragmentation on the common funnel-web spider Aglaoctenus lagotis were examined in two forest fragments within the interior savanna: a smaller fragment within an urban environment and a larger fragment within a rural environment. The reproductive period occurred in October, coinciding with the beginning of the rainy season, when the species was aggregated in the two forest fragments. The smaller fragment contained a larger population, and the spiders had a larger average prosoma size and web area. The presence of a larger population in a smaller area within the urban centre may reflect a limited dispersal ability, reduced predator abundance or low interspecific competition. The larger prosoma length and web area in the smaller habitat fragment suggest greater resource availability and a higher probability of capturing prey in the urban environment. In both areas, a larger number of capture threads was positively correlated with the presence of inquiline spiders in the webs. The genetic data indicate close similarity between and within the two areas, indicating that the species has low genetic variability or that the areas studied, consistent with their proximity, have separated only recently. Most savannas and forests in midwestern Brazil have recently undergone severe fragmentation, and further studies of this nature are needed.     

Differential effects of cattle and sheep grazing on high mountain meadows in the Strawberry Valley of central Utah

Species diversity, niche metrics, cover, frequency, and soil relationships were studied on high mountain meadows on adjacent cattle and sheep allotments in Strawberry Valley, Wasatch County, Utah. The cattle allotment vegetation was predominantly Mountain bluebell (Mertensia ciliata) , and the sheep allotment vegetation was predominantly Smallwing sedge (Carex microptera) . Other species of importance on both areas included Letterman needlegrass (Stipa lettermanii) , Mountain bromegrass (Bromus carinatus) , and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) . Tall forbs were most abundant on the cattle allotment, and low forbs, perennial grasses, and sedges were most abundant on the sheep allotment. Vegetation composition on the two allotments was significantly different.         

A review of flea collection records from Onychomys leucogaster with observations on the role of grasshopper mice in the epizoology of wild rodent plaque

Published records of fleas collected from the northern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster , indicate that these mice have a great deal of intimate environmental contact with other rodents or their burrows. Fifty-seven species of fleas have been collected from the omnivorous grasshopper mouse. The range of this mouse overlaps much of the distribution of plague. Yersinia pestis , in the western United States; and nearly one-half of the flea species collected from O. leucogaster are known to be of importance in the epizoology of plague. This article discusses the importance of the association of fleas with a hospitable secondary host in the maintenance and transmission of wild rodent plague.     

Effects of horse grazing in spring on survival, recruitment, and winter injury damage of shrubs

The use of domestic grazers to shift the growth advantage toward shrubs is a commonly applied tool on winter ranges managed primarily for big game. Results from horses grazing in spring indicated grazing also benefits shrub survival, seedling recruitment, and reduced winter injury damage on some species of shrubs.     

The effect of elevation on the distribution of sibling species in the Simulium arcticum complex (Diptera: Simuliidae)

At least 5 sibling species and an additional 11 cytotypes of the Simulium arcticum complex occur in Montana. Consequently, this speciose complex might allow study of environmental correlates with genetic differentiation. We used conventional methods of collection and cytogenetic analysis to study 1128 male larvae of the Simulium arcticum complex at 15 sites within 5 drainages in western Montana to test the hypothesis that distribution of siblings is associated with elevation. We sampled at the mouth, at the headwaters, and at an intermediate site to span the range of elevations within each drainage. We restricted our analyses to the most abundant taxa of the S. arcticum complex within our study area and observed a statistically significant presence of S. apricarium at low-elevation sites. Simulium arcticum IIL-18 appeared more frequently than expected at high elevation sites. Simulium brevicercum and S. arcticum sensu strictu appeared to be distributed randomly. We suggest potential causal reasons for these distributions including differential use of habitats along these elevational gradients.     

Genetics, environment, and subspecies differences: the case of Polites sabuleti (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)

Circumstantial evidence is presented that suggests the Mourning Cloak undergoes regular seasonal up- and downslope movements in northern California. The species breeds at low elevations in spring and then disappears until autumn; its disappearance coincides with the appearance of fresh individuals in the Sierra Nevada alongside obvious hibernators.