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ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #154632
Title: THE OTHER GRAZERS

Author
item MCADOO, J - UNIV NEV COOP EXT ELKO
item Vermeire, Lance
item GILGERT, W - USDA-NRCS

Submitted to: Rangelands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2004
Publication Date: 6/20/2004
Citation: Mcadoo, J.K., Vermeire, L.T., Gilgert, W. 2004. The other grazers. Rangelands. 26(3) 30-37

Interpretive Summary: The Society for Range Management's (SRM) Wildlife Habitat Committee organized a symposium in 2003 to focus on the less-considered "other grazers" (worms, insects, rodents, and birds) and examine the interactions of these diverse invertebrate and vertebrate species in rangeland ecosystems. Although many of these species are small, they often occur at high densities and total biomass may exceed that of larger grazers. The effects of these other grazers in factors such as nutrient cycling, herbivory, and seed dispersal, and their sheer mass indicate they should be accounted for to best manage and understand the structure and function of rangeland ecosystems. Certainly, if attention is limited to large ungulates, we are seeing only a fraction of the big picture.

Technical Abstract: The Society for Range Management's (SRM) Wildlife Habitat Committee organized a symposium in 2003 to focus on the less-considered "other grazers" (worms, insects, rodents, and birds) and examine the interactions of these diverse invertebrate and vertebrate species in rangeland ecosystems. Although many of these species are small, they often occur at high densities and total biomass may exceed that of larger grazers. The effects of these other grazers in factors such as nutrient cycling, herbivory, and seed dispersal, and their sheer mass indicate they should be accounted for to best manage and understand the structure and function of rangeland ecosystems. Certainly, if attention is limited to large ungulates, we are seeing only a fraction of the big picture.