Research Project: Adaptive Grazing Management and Decision Support to Enhance Ecosystem Services in the Western Great Plains

Location: Rangeland Resources & Systems Research

2023 Annual Report

Accomplishments
1. Water use efficiency indicators across agricultural systems. Agricultural production is challenged by water scarcity and competition among users for available water. Increasing water use efficiency (production output per unit of water input) is therefore a primary objective of agricultural management, breeding, and engineering. Although water use efficiency can be determined for spatial scales from the individual leaf to the entire farm/ranch, and for time scales of a few seconds to years, the measurement and interpretation of water use efficiency varies across these scales, making comparisons difficult. ARS researchers in Fort Collins, Colorado, led a Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network effort to review common water use efficiency indicators across diverse agroecosystems and production environments across the Nation. Focusing on a single water use efficiency indicator across complex agricultural systems is misleading as it may have unintended consequences at different spatial or time scales. Rather, water use efficiency indicators should be carefully selected to address specific scientific questions, effects of management practices, or impacts of climate change.

2. Rotational grazing reduces diet quality and weight gain. Adaptive, rotational grazing management practices are hypothesized to enhance certain ecosystem services, such as forage and livestock productivity and soil carbon sequestration, yet very few experiments have evaluated how or why they affect livestock production, which has the greatest consequences for ranch economics. ARS researchers from Fort Collins, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, used GPS tracking devices to quantify foraging behavior of cattle managed via adaptive, multi-paddock rotational grazing, and compared this with foraging behaviors of cattle grazing under a traditional, season-long management regime. They showed that rotational grazing management altered individual steer foraging behaviors in ways that led to reduced diet quality (less selective foraging), and in turn reduced cattle weight gain by 14% over a 5-year period. Findings document the mechanism by which rotational grazing management can reduce cattle productivity and identify stock density (herd size relative to pasture size) as a key factor managers should consider when developing grazing management regimes to achieve multiple outcomes on extensive rangelands. During May 2023, these findings were highlighted in more than 25 agricultural media outlets (e.g., Beef Magazine, On Pasture, Western Ag Reporter) in the U.S. and Canada with potential outreach to >4.7 million consumers.

3. Soil disturbance magnifies climate change effects on rangeland. Although human disturbances affect much of the world’s land area, their interactions with climate change are poorly understood. ARS researchers in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the University of Wyoming, tested how effects of elevated carbon dioxide and warming differed in intact mixedgrass rangeland and disturbed rangeland with invasive plants. They found that intact rangeland was relatively resistant to global change effects, but that this resistance was lost through disturbance. The combination of soil disturbance and plant invasion (1) magnified elevated carbon dioxide effects on productivity 10-fold, (2) reversed elevated carbon dioxide effects on plant diversity, and (3) combined with warming to slow recovery of soil carbon. Results suggest that limiting soil disturbance and controlling plant invasion through common rangeland management practices may be even more important under future climatic conditions. Land managers and policy makers can use these results to help prioritize conservation efforts and invasive species management in rangeland ecosystems.

Review Publications
Blumenthal, D.M., Kray, J.A. 2023. Climate change, plant traits, and invasion in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In: Ziska, L.H., editor. Invasive Species and Global Vlimate Change. 2nd edition. Boston, MA: CABI. p. 74-91. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800621459.0000
Duchardt, C., Augustine, D.J., Porensky, L.M., Beck, J., Hennig, J., Pellatz, D., Scasta, D., Connell, L., Davidson, A. 2022. Disease and weather induce rapid shifts in a rangeland ecosystem mediated by a keystone species (Cynomys ludovicianus). Ecological Applications. Article e2712. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2712.
Walsh, K.B., Rose, J. 2022. A review of restoration techniques and outcomes for rangelands affected by oil and gas production in North America. Ecological Restoration. 40(4):259-269. https://doi.org/10.3368/er.40.4.259.
Jorns, T.R., Derner, J.D., Augustine, D.J., Briske, D., Porensky, L.M., Scasta, D.J., Beck, J.L., Lake, S. 2022. Movement dynamics and energy expenditure of yearling steers under contrasting grazing management in shortgrass steppe. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 85:38-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2022.09.001.
Gornish, E.S., Guo, J.S., Porensky, L.M., Perryman, B.L., Leger, E.A. 2023. Pre-fire grazing and herbicide treatments can affect post-fire vegetation in a Great Basin rangeland. Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 4. Article e12215. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12215.
Derner, J.D., Eisele, K., Eisele, M., Wilmer, H.N., Mortenson, M.C., Freeman, P., Lockman, R. 2022. King Ranch: Ranching on the edge. Rangelands. 44:411-417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.09.002.
Barille, G., Augustine, D.J., Porensky, L.M., Duchardt, C., Shoemaker, K., Hartway, C., Derner, J.D., Hunter, E., Davidson, A. 2023. A big data–model integration approach for predicting epizootics and population recovery in a keystone species. Ecological Applications. Article e2827. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2827.
Augustine, D.J., Kearney, S.P., Raynor, E.J., Porensky, L.M., Derner, J.D. 2023. Adaptive, multi-paddock, rotational grazing management alters foraging behavior and spatial grazing distribution of free-ranging cattle. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 352. Article 108521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2023.108521.
Finger-Higgens, R., Bishop, T., Belnap, J., Gelger, E., Grote, E., Hoover, D.L., Reed, S., Duniway, M. 2023. Droughting a megadrought: Ecological consequences of a decade of experimental drought atop aridification on the Colorado Plateau. Global Change Biology. Article gcb.16681. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16681.
Derner, J.D., Wilmer, H.N., Stackhouse-Lawson, K., Place, S., Boggess, M.V. 2023. Practical considerations for adaptive strategies by US grazing land managers with a changing climate. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 6. Article e20356. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20356.
Baldwin, T., Ritten, J.P., Derner, J.D., Augustine, D.J., Wilmer, H.N., Wahlert, J., Anderson, S., Arisarri, G., Peck, D.E. 2022. Stocking rate and marketing dates for yearling steers grazing rangelands: Can producers do things differently to increase economic net benefits? Rangelands. 44(4):251-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.04.002.
Ochoa-Hueso, R., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Risch, A.C., Ashton, L., Augustine, D.J., Belanger, N., Bridgham, S., Britton, A.J., Camarero, J.J., Cornelissen, G., Liebig, M.A. 2023. Bioavailability of macro and micronutrients across global topsoils: Main drivers and global change impacts. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 37. Article e2022GB007680. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GB007680.
Price, J., Sitters, J., Ohlert, T., Tognetti, P., Brown, C.S., Seabloom, E.W., Borer, E.T., Prober, S., Bakker, E.S., MacDougall, A.S., Yahdjian, L., Gruner, D.S., Venterink, H.O., Barrio, I.C., Graff, P., Bagchi, S., Arnillas, C.A., Bakker, J.D., Blumenthal, D.M., Boughton, E.H., Brudvig, L.A., Bugalho, M.N., Cadotte, M.W., Caldeira, M.C., Dickman, C.R., Donohue, I., Gregory, S., Hautier, Y., Jonsdottir, I.S., Lannes, L.S., McCulley, R.L., Moore, J.L., Power, S.A., Risch, A.C., Schutz, M., Standish, R., Stevens, C.J., Veen, G.F., Virtanen, R., Wardle, G.M. 2022. Evolutionary history of grazing and resources determine herbivore exclusion effects on plant diversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution. 6:1290-1298. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01809-9.
Lopez, B.E., Allen, J.M., Dukes, J.S., Lenior, J., Vila, M., Blumenthal, D.M., Beaury, E.M., Fusco, E.L., Laginhas, B., Morelli, T.L. 2022. Global environmental changes more frequently offset than intensify detrimental effects of biological invasions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(PNAS). 119(22). Article e32117389119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2117389119.
Stears, A., Adler, P.B., Blumenthal, D.M., Kray, J.A., Mueller, K., Ocheltree, T., Wilcox, K., Laughlin, D. 2022. Plant availability dictates how plant traits predict demographic rates. Ecology. Article e3799. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3799.
Pan, P., Qi, Z., Koehn, A.C., Leytem, A.B., Bjorneberg, D.L., Ma, L. 2023. Modification of the RZWQM2-P model to simulate labile and total phosphorus in an irrigated and manure-amended cropland soil. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 206. Article 107672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.107672.
Li, L., Ma, L., Qi, Z., Fang, Q., Harmel, R.D., Schmer, M.R., Jin, V.L. 2023. Measured and simulated effects of residue removal and amelioration practices in no-till irrigated corn (Zea mays L.). European Journal of Agronomy. 146. Article 126807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2023.126807.
Maxell, T., Gemino, M.J., Romero, S.J., Porensky, L.M., Blumenthal, D.M., Brown, C., Adler, P. 2023. Experimental manipulation of soil-surface albedo alters phenology and growth of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass). Plant and Soil. 487:325-339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-05929-4.
Frost, M.D., Komatsu, K.J., Porensky, L.M., Reinhart, K.O., Wilcox, K.R., Koerner, S.E. 2023. Consequences of rainfall manipulations for invasive annual grasses vary across grazed northern mixed-grass prairie sites. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 90:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2023.05.007.
Rinella, M.J., Porensky, L.M., Bellows, S.E., Knox, J.M., Metier, E.P. 2022. Establishing forbs for pollinators in agricultural landscapes of the Great Plains. Restoration Ecology. 31(4). Article e13846. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13846.
Spiegal, S.A., Webb, N., Boughton, E., Boughton, R., Bentley-Brymer, A., Clark, P., Holifield Collins, C.D., Hoover, D.L., Kaplan, N.E., McCord, S.E., Meredith, G., Porensky, L.M., Toledo, D.N., Wilmer, H.N., Wulfhorst, J.D., Bestelmeyer, B.T. 2022. Measuring the social and ecological performance of agricultural innovations on rangelands: Progress and plans for an indicator framework in the LTAR network. Rangelands. 44:334-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.12.005.
Pan, P., Qi, Z., Zhang, T., Ma, L. 2023. Modeling phosphorus losses to subsurface drainage under tillage and compost management. Soil & Tillage Research. 27. Article 105587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2022.105587.
Elias, E.H., Tsegaye, T.D., Hapeman, C.J., Mankin, K.R., Kleinman, P.J., Cosh, M.H., Peck, D.E., Coffin, A.W., Archer, D.W., Alfieri, J.G., Anderson, M.C., Baffaut, C., Baker, J.M., Bingner, R.L., Bjorneberg, D.L., Bryant, R.B., Gao, F.N., Gao, S., Heilman, P., Knipper, K.R., Kustas, W.P., Leytem, A.B., Locke, M.A., McCarty, G.W., McElrone, A.J., Moglen, G.E., Moriasi, D.N., O'Shaughnessy, S.A., Reba, M.L., Rice, P.J., Silber-Coats, N., Wang, D., White, M.J., Dobrowolski, J.P. 2023. A vision for integrated, collaborative solutions to critical water and food challenges. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 78(3):63A-68A. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2023.1220A.
Subhashree, S.N., Igathinathane, C., Hendrickson, J.R., Archer, D.W., Liebig, M.A., Halvorson, J.J., Kronberg, S.L., Toledo, D.N., Sedivec, K., Peck, D. 2023. Forage economics calculator web tool: A decision support system for forage management. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 208. Article 107775. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.107775.
Wulfhorst, J., Bruno, J., Toledo, D.N., Wilmer, H.N., Archer, D.W., Peck, D.E., Huggins, D.R. 2022. Infusing ‘long-term’ into social science rangelands research. Rangelands. 44(5):299–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.06.001.
Mueller, K., Ocheltree, T., Kray, J.A., Bushey, J., Blumenthal, D.M., Williams, D., Pendall, E. 2023. Trading water for carbon in the future: Effects of elevated CO2 and warming on leaf hydraulic traits in a semiarid grassland. Functional Ecology. Article e16314. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16314.
Hoover, D.L., Abendroth, L.J., Browning, D.M., Saha, A., Snyder, K.A., Wagle, P., Witthaus, L.M., Baffaut, C., Biederman, J.A., Bosch, D.D., Bracho, R., Busch, D., Clark, P., Ellsworth, P.Z., Fay, P.A., Flerchinger, G.N., Kearney, S.P., Levers, L.R., Saliendra, N.Z., Schmer, M.R., Schomberg, H.H., Scott, R.L. 2022. Indicators of water use efficiency across diverse agroecosystems and spatiotemporal scales. Science of the Total Environment. 864. Article e160992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160992.
Copeland, S.M., Hoover, D.L., Augustine, D.J., Bates, J.D., Boyd, C.S., Davies, K.W., Derner, J.D., Duniway, M.C., Porensky, L.M., Vermeire, L.T. 2023. Variable effects of long-term livestock grazing across the western United States suggest diverse approaches are needed to meet global change challenges. Applied Vegetation Science. 26(1). Article e12719. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12719.
Crow, L., Porensky, L.M., Augustine, D.J., Bastian, C.T., Paisley, S.I., Ritten, J. 2022. Evaluating prairie dog–cattle competition from the perspective of a ranching enterprise in the western Great Plains: An economic analysis of potential effects on long-term profitability. Rangeland Ecology and Management. 85:56-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2022.09.003.
Raynor, E.J., Derner, J.D., Augustine, D.J., Jablonski, K.E., Porensky, L.M., Ritten, J., Hoover, D.L., Elliot, J. 2022. Balancing ecosystem service outcomes at the ranch-scale in shortgrass steppe: The role of grazing management. Rangelands. 44(6):391-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.05.003.
Bagnall, D.K., Morgan, C., Bean, G.M., Liptzin, D., Cappellazzi, S., Cope, M., Greub, K.L., Norris, C.E., Rieke, E.L., Tracy, P.W., Ashworth, A.J., Baumhardt, R.L., Dell, C.J., Derner, J.D., Ducey, T.F., Fortuna, A., Kautz, M.A., Kitchen, N.R., Leytem, A.B., Liebig, M.A., Moore Jr, P.A., Osborne, S.L., Owens, P.R., Sainju, U.M., Sherrod, L.A., Watts, D.B. 2022. Selecting soil hydraulic properties as indicators of soil health: Measurement response to management and site characteristics. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 86(5):1206-1226. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20428.
Elias, E.H., Savoy, H.M., Swanson, D.A., Cohnstaedt, L.W., Peters, D.C., Derner, J.D., Pelzel-McClusky, A., Drolet, B.S., Rodriguez, L.L. 2022. Landscape dynamics of a vector-borne disease in the Western US: How vector-habitat relationships inform disease hotspots. Ecosphere. 13(11). Article e4267. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4267.
Blumenthal, D.M., Carillo, Y., Kray, J.A., Parsons, M.C., Morgan, J.A., Pendall, E. 2022. Soil disturbance and invasion magnify CO2 effects on grassland productivity, reducing diversity. Global Change Biology. 28:6741-6751. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16383.
Keller, A.B., Walter, C.A., Blumenthal, D.M., Borer, E.T., Collins, S.T., DeLancey, L.C., Fay, P.A., Hofmockel, K.S., Knops, J.M., Leakey, A.D. 2022. Stronger fertilization effects on above ground versus belowground plant properties across nine U.S. grasslands. Ecology. 104. Article e3891. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3891.
Ibanez, I., Petri, L., Barnett, D.T., Beaury, E.M., Blumenthal, D.M., Corbin, J.D., Diez, J., Dukes, J.S., Early, R., Pearse, I.S. 2023. Combining local, landscape, and regional geographies to assess plant community vulnerability to invasion impact. Ecological Applications. 33. Article e2821. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2821.
O'Connor, R.C., Blumenthal, D.M., Ocheltree, T.W., Nippert, J.B. 2022. Elevated CO2 counteracts effects of water stress on woody rangeland-encroaching species. Tree Physiology. Article tpac150. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpac150.