Seasonal grazing impact on cryptogamic crusts in a cold desert ecosystem
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Authors: K. L. Memmott, V. J. Anderson, and S. B. Monsen
Date: 1998
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 51
Number: 5
Pages: 547-550
Summary of Methods: Memmott et al. measured cryptogamic crust cover after two years of spring, summer or winter grazing, to determine how grazing in different seasons effects this fragile vegetative cover. Grazing in all seasons reduced lichen cover, however, moss cover was only reduced in spring and summer grazed pastures. Total cryptogamic crust cover varied among grazing treatments; it was lowest in the summer grazed pasture, intermediate in the spring grazed pasture, and greatest in the winter grazed pasture. The authors suggest that frozen soils reduce the hoof impact caused by cattle grazing in winter and believe that long-term spring and summer grazing could significantly decrease cryptogamic crust cover and increase erosion in this ecosystem.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: cattle, lichen, moss, shrub, erosion control
Annotation: Authors evaluated 5 areas of a crested wheatgrass pasture each interplanted with shrubs. Each of the 5 areas was subdivided into 4 paddocks; a control paddock remained ungrazed, while the other 3 paddocks were grazed in either spring (first week of May), summer (third week of July), or winter (first week of December). Each of the 1.2 ha grazed paddocks was grazed annually in the same season for 2 consecutive years by 10 cows for 4 days.,Approximately 50% utilization of the crested wheatgrass grazed.
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