Influences of livestock grazing on sage grouse habitat
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Authors: J. L. Beck, and D. L. Mitchell
Date: 2000
Journal: Wildlife Society Bulletin
Volume: 28
Number: 4
Pages: 993-1002
Summary of Methods: This is a summary of 81 studies on the direct and indirect effects of livestock grazing on sage grouse habitat.
Article Summary / Main Points: Intensive season-long grazing was found to increase woody vegetation during 1800(s) and early 1900(s) on western sagebrush ranges. Big sagebrush cover increased by 12.9% on grazed communities in central Utah and it also increased 54% in southeastern Idaho when protected from grazing for 25 years. Grazing can move sagebrush-grass communities into a lower stable state dominated by sagebrush with little herbaceous understory. Proper grazing techniques can enhance or maintain suitable habitat for sage grouse, especially for nesting and cover. Residual grass cover is essential to conceal sage grouse nests from predators. Chemical removal of sagebrush is not encouraged as it decreased sagebrush cover to less that 15% in the summer and 25% in the winter. To maximize desired sage grouse habitat a grazing system needs to be customized to the specific site, with considerations about the season of use, grazing duration, kind of livestock and stocking rate.
Vegetation Types: Sagebrush Steppe
MLRA Ecoregions: Not Applicable
Agrovoc Control Words: Sagebrush Grazing Wildlife
Article Review Type: Peer Reviewed
Article Type: Scientific Synthesis
Keywords: artemisia tridentata, centrocercus urophasianus, livestock grazing, sagebrush habitat, sage grouse
Annotation: This is a good summary on the effects of grazing on sagebrush and sage grouse habitat and is widely applicable to sagebrush rangelands that have potential to be sage grouse habitat. Land managers are encouraged to incorporate the critical times of sage grouse behavior into their grazing schemes.
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