Range and Meadow Forage Management Research Site Logo
ARS Home About Us Helptop nav spacerContact Us En Espanoltop nav spacer
Printable VersionPrintable Version     E-mail this pageE-mail this page
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
Search
  Advanced Search
 
Programs and Projects
Subjects of Investigation
The Area-Wide EBIPM Project
 

Research Project: RANGELAND RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT

Location: Range and Meadow Forage Management Research

Title: GRAZING AFTER FIRE IN THE SAGEBRUSH-STEPPE

Authors
item Bates, Jonathan
item Rhodes, Ed - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item Davies, Kirk
item Sharp, Rob - BLM-BURNS, OR

Submitted to: Extension Reports
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: May 1, 2008
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Citation: Bates, J.D., Rhodes, E., Davies, K.W., Sharp, R. 2008. Grazing after fire in the sagebrush-steppe. Extension Reports. Range Field Day 2008 Progress Report. Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, Special Report 1085. Burns, OR. pp. 9-18.

Interpretive Summary: : In sagebrush rangelands of the western United States, fire has been a natural and prescribed disturbance temporarily shifting vegetation from shrub-grass co-dominance to grass dominance. There is limited information on the impacts of grazing to community dynamics following fire in sagebrush ecosystem. This study evaluated cattle grazing impacts over four growing seasons after prescribed fire on Wyoming big sagebrush steppe in eastern Oregon. Treatments included no grazing on burned and unburned sagebrush steppe, two summer grazing applications after fire, and two spring grazing applications after fire. Treatment plots were burned in fall 2002. Grazing was applied in 2003-2005. Vegetation responses to treatments were evaluated by quantifying plant cover, density, standing crop, production, and measuring perennial grass seed production. Standing crop and seed production were greater in the ungrazed burn treatment than all grazed burn treatments; however, these differences were not affecting community recovery after fire. Herbaceous response variables (cover, density, and production), bare ground, and litter cover did not differ among grazed and ungrazed burn treatments. Burn treatments (grazed and ungrazed) had greater herbaceous cover, standing crop, herbaceous production, and seed production than the unburned treatment by the second or third year after fire. The results demonstrated that properly applied livestock grazing after low severity fire will not slow or reduce the recovery of plant communities in big sagebrush steppe.

Technical Abstract: In sagebrush rangelands of the western United States, fire has been a natural and prescribed disturbance temporarily shifting vegetation from shrub-grass co-dominance to grass dominance. There is limited information on the impacts of grazing to community dynamics following fire in sagebrush ecosystem. This study evaluated cattle grazing impacts over four growing seasons after prescribed fire on Wyoming big sagebrush steppe in eastern Oregon. Treatments included no grazing on burned and unburned sagebrush steppe, two summer grazing applications after fire, and two spring grazing applications after fire. Treatment plots were burned in fall 2002. Grazing was applied in 2003-2005. Vegetation responses to treatments were evaluated by quantifying plant cover, density, standing crop, production, and measuring perennial grass seed production. Standing crop and seed production were greater in the ungrazed burn treatment than all grazed burn treatments; however, these differences were not affecting community recovery after fire. Herbaceous response variables (cover, density, and production), bare ground, and litter cover did not differ among grazed and ungrazed burn treatments. Burn treatments (grazed and ungrazed) had greater herbaceous cover, standing crop, herbaceous production, and seed production than the unburned treatment by the second or third year after fire. The results demonstrated that properly applied livestock grazing after low severity fire will not slow or reduce the recovery of plant communities in big sagebrush steppe.

   

 
Project Team
Boyd, Chad
Svejcar, Anthony - Tony
Davies, Kirk
Madsen, Matthew - Matt
Bates, Jonathan - Jon
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Pasture, Forage and Rangeland Systems (215)
  Crop Protection & Quarantine (304)
 
 
Last Modified: 05/18/2013
ARS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Policies and Links 
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Nondiscrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House