Implications of Cheatgrass Invasions

Authors: Clements, Darin

Submitted to: Popular Publication
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2026
Publication Date: 9/8/2026
Citation: Clements, D.D. 2026. Implications of Cheatgrass Invasions. Popular Publication. 26(7):19-21.

Interpretive Summary: For nearly a century, the topic of cheatgrass as a forage and as a management nightmare have been a continuum. Pioneer researchers A.C. Hull and J. F. Pechanec published the historical paper “Cheatgrass: A Challenge to Range Research” in 1947 and pointed out the ability of cheatgrass to produce large volumes of forage for livestock, as well as the concerns of shifting from a perennial grass state to an annual grass state resulting in shifts in grazing patterns, increased wildfire threats, increased soil erosion, decreased watershed health, wildlife habitat degradation, and restoration challenges. Cheatgrass is the most abundant and widely distributed forage species on Great Basin rangelands and has continued to expand in its’ distribution and dominance. Many livestock operators depend on cheatgrass as their primary source of forage due to the continued expansion and dominance. It has been well reported that cheatgrass production varies from year to year, often dependent on the amount and periodicity of precipitation. On given favorable years, cheatgrass forage production may exceed that of perennial grasses, in the cold desert of the Great Basin, drought conditions can result in minimal cheatgrass forage production. One thing is for certain, whether cheatgrass is 1” tall or 12” tall, cheatgrass produces many more seeds than are required to not sustain the current population, but to also expand the current population. Once cheatgrass becomes established on a site, eventually it will cross a threshold where the abundance of the herbage of this annual will increase the chance of ignition and provide the early maturing fine-textured fuel to carry the fire from shrub to shrub and eventually result in a catastrophic wildfire storm. This sets in motion successional dynamics that lead to more frequent/reoccurring wildfires which assure cheatgrass dominance as well as increased events of soil erosion, wildlife habitat disturbance, watershed health, and temporary loss of grazing resources. Rehabilitation of cheatgrass-infested rangelands is essential in reducing wildfire threats, soil erosion, improving watershed health and improving sustainable grazing and wildlife resources. How do we collectively as livestock operators, resource managers, researchers, educators, wildlife advocates, environmentalists and other concerned citizens come together and provide truthful knowledge of on-the-ground realities and provide policy makers with the opportunity to make meaningful and everlasting decisions that will ultimately improve rangeland conditions for the multiple uses involved?

Technical Abstract: For nearly a century, the topic of cheatgrass as a forage and as a management nightmare have been a continuum. Pioneer researchers A.C. Hull and J. F. Pechanec published the historical paper “Cheatgrass: A Challenge to Range Research” in 1947 and pointed out the ability of cheatgrass to produce large volumes of forage for livestock, as well as the concerns of shifting from a perennial grass state to an annual grass state resulting in shifts in grazing patterns, increased wildfire threats, increased soil erosion, decreased watershed health, wildlife habitat degradation, and restoration challenges. Cheatgrass is the most abundant and widely distributed forage species on Great Basin rangelands and has continued to expand in its’ distribution and dominance. Many livestock operators depend on cheatgrass as their primary source of forage due to the continued expansion and dominance. It has been well reported that cheatgrass production varies from year to year, often dependent on the amount and periodicity of precipitation. On given favorable years, cheatgrass forage production may exceed that of perennial grasses, in the cold desert of the Great Basin, drought conditions can result in minimal cheatgrass forage production. One thing is for certain, whether cheatgrass is 1” tall or 12” tall, cheatgrass produces many more seeds than are required to not sustain the current population, but to also expand the current population. Once cheatgrass becomes established on a site, eventually it will cross a threshold where the abundance of the herbage of this annual will increase the chance of ignition and provide the early maturing fine-textured fuel to carry the fire from shrub to shrub and eventually result in a catastrophic wildfire storm. This sets in motion successional dynamics that lead to more frequent/reoccurring wildfires which assure cheatgrass dominance as well as increased events of soil erosion, wildlife habitat disturbance, watershed health, and temporary loss of grazing resources. Rehabilitation of cheatgrass-infested rangelands is essential in reducing wildfire threats, soil erosion, improving watershed health and improving sustainable grazing and wildlife resources. How do we collectively as livestock operators, resource managers, researchers, educators, wildlife advocates, environmentalists and other concerned citizens come together and provide truthful knowledge of on-the-ground realities and provide policy makers with the opportunity to make meaningful and everlasting decisions that will ultimately improve rangeland conditions for the multiple uses involved?