Rainfall simulation to evaluate infiltration/runoff characteristics of a shortgrass prairie
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Authors: G. W. Frasier, R. H. Hart,and G. E. Schuman
Date: 1995
Journal: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Volume: 50
Number: 5
Pages: 460-463
Summary of Methods: Runoff and infiltration was measured on the Central Plains Experimental Range, near Nunn, Colorado to see how these attributes change after cattle grazing is stopped. Along with runoff and infiltration, biomass was also measured in a 3 ha exclosure in each of three pastures with different previous grazing intensities: heavy, moderate, and light. Three rainfall simulation treatments (water on dry soil, water on wet soil, and double the amount of water on twice wetted soil) were applied. Exclosures were built after over 50 years of grazing and the rainfall trials occurred two months after exclosures were built and one and two years following construction. Runoff was measured in flumes at the bottom of the plot and converted to a runoff equilibrium ratio (amount of runoff to water applied) for analysis.
Article Summary / Main Points: Runoff ratios were higher (more runoff and less infiltration) on the heavily grazed plots than moderately and lightly grazed plots over all years and across rainfall treatments. Over the three years, runoff ratios declined in all pastures but most on heavily grazed site. Biomass increased more during the three years of recovery in the moderately and lightly grazed than heavily grazed plots. These results suggest that that biomass is not the most important factor in infiltration, and runoff and infiltration in grazed shortgrass prairies can return to non-grazed levels in a short period of time.
Vegetation Types: Shortgrass Prairie
MLRA Ecoregions: 67B Central High Plains, Southern Part
Agrovoc Control Words: Grazing lands Rangelands Runoff water
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: cattle removal, cattle grazing, infiltration rates, erosion, runoff, soil compaction
Annotation: This study is applicable to other shortgrass prairie sites and possibly other similar vegetation types. However, infiltration and runoff can be quite specific due to various soil properties like texture and bulk density.
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