Proceedings brand creation for a prescribed fire culture – utilizing key social media parameters. Lars Coleman*1, J. Kelly Hoffman1, Thomas McDaniel1, R. Patrick Bixler2, Urs P. Kreuter1, Morgan Russell3

The Colorado River (COR) watershed includes a variety of areas with saline geologic and soil materials. International concerns over the salt load of the river began when salinity levels in COR water flowing into Mexico peaked in the 1960s. This sparked ongoing debate and various efforts at salinity abatement ensued by a variety of stakeholders. We looked at potential salinity sources due to eroding soils in the COR watershed above Lake Mead. New predictive soil mapping techniques along with remotely sensed landcover metrics were used to estimate erosion in areas with saline soils at a field scale (30m grid). Initial results show salinity hotspots near Vernal and Price, UT, Delta, CO and areas near Lake Mead, NV. The Unit Stream Power Erosion and Deposition model (USPED) was employed to estimate modern soil erosion rates to overlay onto salinity maps. Erosion models suggest the more rugged areas on the margins of these saline areas could be significant sources of salinity into COR. Surprisingly, initial results also suggest some higher mountain basins as a potentially significant salinity source. These mapping results will be validated with field assessments and by spatio-temporal comparison to different electrical conductivity measurements made on river locations in the basin. Project goals include a potential salt contribution map prioritized by a hydrological distance from surface waters within the basin. These maps and analysis are being made to aid land managers in targeting restoration and determining sound policies for land use while helping deliver high quality water down to lower COR water users. 

MANAGEMENT AND VEGETATION COMMUNITY IMPACTS ON RAINFALL EFFECTIVENESS ON THE 77 RANCH, BLOOMING GROVE, TEXAS

Land management and vegetation community have significant impacts on the effectiveness of precipitation.  We have monitored rainfall/runoff on three small watersheds in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas for the past 5 years.  Each watershed represents a different vegetation community: 1) blackland soils with tall grass species community, 2) blackland soils with mid-grass species community and 3) blackland soils with mesquite/grass species community.  In addition to measuring rainfall/runoff, each site also has been monitored over the last two years for soil moisture and soil temperatures.  The main objectives of the program are to 1) assess the impacts of vegetation community on water resources, 2) assess the impacts of variable precipitation events on infiltration and runoff and 3) assess the impacts of variable precipitation events on soil moisture and soil temperature. We have found that over the 5 years of the program, vegetation communities have had some minor shifts, but have remained relatively stable.  Rainfall events from 2015-1016 have changed somewhat compared to previous years.  Soil moisture tracks relatively well between depths over the long-term; however, there are some "event" dynamics that show different responses based on vegetation community.  Our goal is to further develop an understanding of the relationship of vegetation community to "rainfall effectiveness" under a working lands management program.

KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS EFFECTS ON WATER INFILTRATION AND RUNOFF ON A LOAMY NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS RANGELAND. David Toledo*¹, Sayjro K. Nouwakpo², Mark A. Weltz³; ¹USDA-ARS, Bismarck, ND, ²University of Nevada - Reno, Reno, NV, ³USDA ARS, Reno, NV

ABSTRACT

According to National Resources Inventory data, Kentucky bluegrass is now present in over 85% of the areas sampled in the northern Great Plains of the USA. This non-native, perennial, cool season grass has the potential to develop a dense thatch layer and root mat near the soil surface affecting how water infiltrates and runs off of a site. We used rainfall simulators and the water droplet infiltration time test to determine whether the presence of a Kentucky bluegrass root mat, thatch, and litter layers affected water infiltration and therefore hydrologic function of these Kentucky bluegrass dominated ecosystems. Rainfall simulation results show time to runoff is primarily controlled by rainfall intensity. As intensity increased from 63.5 mm/hr to 127 mm/hr, time to runoff was shortened. Hydrophobicity test results show that when dry, Kentucky bluegrass litter is very hydrophobic and is significantly more hydrophobic than thatch, root mat or mineral soils. However, hydrophobicity of bluegrass litter is significantly reduced after it has been wetted. Results also show how strata with the highest percent of organic matter (dead Kentucky bluegrass blades) were also the most hydrophobic. Results highlight the need for further research on Kentucky bluegrass effects on infiltration and runoff and the importance of management strategies that minimize excessive accumulation of Kentucky bluegrass litter. 

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF GRAZING MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS ON VEGETATION AND SOIL SURFACE FEATURES IN NORTHERN NAMIBIA
. D. Layne Coppock*¹, Luke Crowley², Susan Durham¹, Dylan Groves², Julian Jamison², Dean Karlan³, Brien Norton¹, Doug Ramsey¹, Andrew Tredennick¹; ¹Utah State University, Logan, UT, ²Innovations for Poverty Action, New Haven, CT, ³Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

ABSTRACT

Grazing management interventions that improve rangeland condition and trend are often elusive in lands governed by common-property regimes.  In 2010-14, GOPA—a consulting firm—was  contracted by the Millenium Challenge Account (Namibia) to implement cattle grazing-management interventions based on holistic management principles under the auspices of the Community Based Rangeland and Livestock Management (CBRLM) project.  Project beneficiaries are agro-pastoral and pastoral people residing in 123 Grazing Areas (GAs) occurring along an 800-km, east-to-west transect near the Angolan border.  Producers here have traditionally relied upon “low input” grazing and herding practices that have reportedly contributed to rangeland degradation.  The interventions implemented by GOPA were intended to slow or reverse rangeland degradation and improve dry-season fodder reserves via adoption of short-duration, “higher-input” grazing and herding practices.  GOPA targeted fifty-two GAs for inputs in support of new grazing systems, while 71 GAs have served as controls.  Some of the 52 GAs, however, did not fully accept the program. From 2015 to the present, effects of the intervention package on management behaviors, cattle productivity, and household wealth and resilience have been assessed by researchers affiliated with a US-based NGO called Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), and will not be addressed here.  IPA recruited ecologists in 2016 to assess the effects of grazing intervention on the rangeland environment, with a focus on vegetation and soil surface features. Our field data collection has occurred within 972 1-hectare plots, using 1 to 10 plots per GA.  Data collection has included cover and line-intercept measurements in wet and dry seasons.  Analysis of precipitation records and remotely sensed images provide context for the field studies by identifying possible long-term drought cycles and regional trends for woody encroachment and water-point development.  Here we provide a preliminary analysis concerning the ecological effects of the grazing management interventions across a diverse landscape. 

EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF HERBIVORY IN PATAGONIAN STEPPE: ALIGNING PRESENT GRAZING WITH PALEOHERBIVORY. Fidel Hernandez*¹, Carlos Ríos², Humberto P. Baldivieso³; ¹Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Kingsville, TX, ²University of Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile, ³Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX

ABSTRACT

Herbivory exerts a profound influence on ecosystem function and physiognomy.  How a plant community responds to grazing by domestic herbivores is to a large degree dependent on its evolutionary history of herbivory.  Plants evolving in communities with a long evolutionary history generally possess adaptations that make them resilient to grazing, whereas plants evolving in communities without such history often do not.  The evolutionary history of herbivory therefore can serve as an indicator of a system’s resiliency to grazing.  However, determining a system’s evolutionary history of herbivory is problematic because quantitative measures are needed of native herbivores over an evolutionary time period, as is knowledge of plant origin and evolution.  Paleoecology provides a useful framework for assessing the co-evolution of plants and herbivores.  The Patagonian steppe of South America is a biotic province with an evolutionary history of herbivory whose resilience to grazing is uncertain.  Herbivory on the steppe transitioned from a diverse assemblage of megaherbivores during much of the Tertiary to an impoverished community consisting of a single, large herbivore—the guanaco (Lama guanicoe)—from the late Pleistocene extinction onward.  Here we present a paleoecological approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of herbivory in Patagonian steppe and examine the role of megaherbivores and guanaco in shaping its vegetation.  We discuss how present management is misaligned with the steppe’s evolutionary history of herbivory and offer suggestions for steppe conservation under contemporary land use.

UPLAND AND RIPARAIN COVER UNDER STRATEGIC GRAZING, CONTINUOUS STOCKING AND MULTI-YEAR REST. Rick Danvir*¹, Gregg E. Simonds², Eric D. Sant³, Eric T. Thacker⁴, Randy Larsen⁵, Anthony J. Svejcar⁶, Doug Ramsey⁴, Fred Provenza⁴, Chad Boyd⁷; ¹Western Landowners Alliance, Casper, WY, ²Open Range Consulting, Park City, UT, ³Open Range Consulting, Preston, ID, ⁴Utah State University, Logan, UT, ⁵Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, ⁶Oregon State University, burns, OR, ⁷USDA - ARS, Burns, OR

ABSTRACT

Despite the complex nature of biophysical systems, ranchers need ways to assess ecological progress, and grazing management practices must be science-based to be broadly accepted. We used innovative remote sensing technology in this case study to quantitatively assess whether four New Mexico mid-grass prairie ranches using Strategic Grazing Management (SGM) and rotational grazing, had less upland bare ground and more riparian vegetation than neighboring lands which did not use SGM. Neighboring lands were managed with continuous stocking (CS) or multi-year rest. A combination of Ground-Based Vertical Photographs, Pleiades 0.5m2 and Landsat satellite imagery were used to develop continuous cover maps of each ranch and compare upland and riparian cover on paired polygons of ecologically similar sites along ranch boundaries. Bare ground averaged significantly less (13% less; p < 0.001) on SGM ranches than on adjacent paired sites (using pooled data from all four ranches). On Ranch 3 alone, bare ground was significantly lower than adjacent CS pastures (27% lower, p < 0.001) and lower than adjacent pastures rested > 3 years (20% lower; p = 0.072). Riparian vegetation averaged 19% greater on SGM stream reaches than on paired CS reaches (p < 0.002) since ranches began using SGM (1984-2015). However, precipitation-driven changes in percent riparian vegetation on both SGM and CS pastures in the thirty-year time-series caused cover values to fluctuate significantly, and to converge at high and low precipitation extremes.

PLANT COMMUNITY DYNAMICS IN THE SHORTGRASS STEPPE 24 YEARS AFTER REVERSAL OF A GRAZING EXCLOSURE EXPERIMENT

State-and-Transition Models are important decision-support tools for rangeland managers that suggest directional effects of both long-term grazing imposition and relaxation on plant community composition.  However, most studies of the effects of grazing on semiarid rangelands evaluate only one direction of management: response to rest or relaxation of grazing pressure. Here, we study the long-term effects of the imposition and relaxation of cattle grazing on the composition of vegetative community composition on shortgrass steppe. In 1993 we reversed a long-term grazing exclosure study. We opened half of grazing exclosures established in 1939 to moderately stocked, continuous season-long grazing. We built new exclosures in pastures that had been similarly grazed since 1939. In late July of each year we sampled percent cover of all plant species over three dry-wet cycles through 2017. Introduction of grazing into previously ungrazed communities caused them to converge with long-term grazed communities within a decade.   Conversely, the abundance of cool-season mid-grasses, and specifically western wheat grass (P. smithii) increased in new exclosures, and converged with long-term exclosures within a decade. Differences between grazed and ungrazed communities increased with successive wet periods through 2016 and declined during dry periods. These findings have direct implications for the revision of State-and-Transition Models using empirical data.    

RUBRIC FOR DISENTANGLING ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE IN RANGELAND MANAGEMENT. Natalya C. Robbins Sherman*, Aaron M. Lien, Laura López-Hoffman, George Ruyle; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Adaptive management (AM) theory is a popular management and conservation tool favored by many land managers and scientists. Its influence is widely observed in the policies and goals of many federal land management agencies. Rangeland management in the west is no exception. AM has been proposed for use in grazing management because it recognizes that rangelands are not static. AM allows land managers to respond to unexpected environmental stressors, such as drought, by adjusting the intensity, season, or duration of grazing. Despite its widespread adoption in policy, implementing AM on the ground has proven to be a difficult task. We hypothesize that some of this difficulty stems from a misunderstanding of what practices are consistent with AM and because of an under-emphasis on the different approaches to AM, ranging from passive (informed by best practices; includes monitoring, reflection and incorporating learning into management) to active (focused on learning and hypothesis testing; emphasizes formulation and testing of hypotheses, and incorporates knowledge and experiences from a wide range of stakeholders; embraces interdisciplinarity and complexity). This research presents a thorough review of AM implementation on rangelands in theory and practice. Through this review, we have compiled all available literature on AM practices used in rangeland management, evaluated the characteristics of typical AM approaches, and proposed an adaptive management rubric for use in assessing the presence or absence and qualities of AM in management documents. This review and AM rubric can be used in determining the degree to which AM is being implemented in rangeland management and other natural resources management settings and contributes to efforts to evaluate the efficiency and efficacy of institutionally mandated AM policies.           

THE EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND DORMANT SEASON GRAZING ON CATTLE USE OF MIXED-GRASS PRAIRIE HABITATS. Samuel A. Wyffels*¹, Lance B. McNew¹, Janice G. Bowman¹, Mark K. Petersen²; ¹Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, ²USDA-ARS Fort Keogh, Miles City, MT

In Montana, economic efficiency of cattle production is threatened by high feed and input costs. Dormant season livestock grazing reduces reliance on harvested feeds, but typically requires protein supplementation to be successful during periods of low forage quality. Providing supplements to grazing beef cattle during times of low forage quality may improve animal performance and vegetation utilization across the landscape. However, information relating supplementation strategies to individual grazing behavior and resource utilization on dormant forage is lacking. Thus, the intent of this research is to examine cattle resource utilization and residual cover and biomass removal of vegetation on rangelands grazed during the dormant season under two supplementation management strategies. Approximately 100 weaned composite heifer calves were randomly selected and placed into one of two supplementation treatments in each of 2 years (50 heifers/treatment/year); one receiving a free access 62% crude protein self-fed mineral/protein concentrate, and the other receiving a daily hand-fed 20% crude protein cake fed in bulk. Grazing for both treatments occurred simultaneously beginning in December (2015 & 2016) and continued through March (2016 & 2017). Thirty transects were randomly located within each pasture for measuring vegetation composition, production and quality, canopy cover and visual obstruction pre- and post-grazing. Grazing locations were recorded for twenty-one randomly selected individuals within each treatment with Lotek GPS collars containing head position sensors that record daily space use as well as timing and location of grazing activities at 5 minute intervals. Data sets were used to quantify space use as a continuous, probabilistic variable and related to the habitat covariates using generalized linear models to assess cattle resource utilization. Our research addresses comprehensive agro-ecosystem responses of dormant season cattle grazing and protein supplementation while providing multidimensional insight to stakeholders concerning grazing behavior and the ecological impacts of late season use on Montana rangelands.

FORAGE QUALITY AND INTAKE RATES OF LIVESTOCK GRAZING PASTURES OCCUPIED BY PRAIRIE DOGS

Prairie dogs have long been seen as being in competition with cattle.  Prairie dogs can reduce the carrying capacity on rangelands by up to 50% through direct consumption of vegetation and by clipping plants to improve predator detection.  Studies have shown that forage quality and digestibility are greater on prairie dog towns than off-town, however research is lacking that quantifies rates of forage and nutrition intake by cattle.  In 2012-2016, we conducted a study in northcentral South Dakota to evaluate livestock grazing behavior, forage quality, and rate of intake on three plant communities in pastures occupied by prairie dogs.  Plant communities studied were grass-dominated on-town sites, forb-dominated on-town sites, and grass dominated off-town sites.  Three pasture with varying levels of prairie dog occupation (0%, 19%, and 40%) were studied.  Remote sensing was used to identify plant communities in each pasture. Each pasture was grazed by a separate herd of yearling steers, a random subset of which were fitted with GPS collars equipped with motion sensors to determine graze locations.  Daily time spent grazing was estimated for each plant community and averaged by month for each pasture. Intake was estimated using ruminally fistulated steers that were allowed to graze in 30 minute increments in temporary exclosures within each plant community and pasture for June, July, and August of each year.  Rumen forage samples were weighed and analyzed for OM, CP, NDF, and ADF.  Intake was calculated as the rate of OM per minute and multiplied by average monthly grazing time based on GPS collar data.  Overall quality of the diet was calculated. Results from this study will further our understanding of diet selection and diet composition of free ranging cattle in pastures occupied by prairie dogs, and inform land managers of potential forage contributions of on-town and off-town plant communities.  

HOW DOES PULSE GRAZING INFLUENCE WITHIN-AND BETWEEN-GRAZING SEASON DIETARY QUALITY OF CATTLE IN SHORTGRASS STEPPE? Tamarah R. Plechaty*¹, Justin D. Derner², John D. Scasta¹, David Augustine³; ¹University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, ²USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, WY, ³USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO

ABSTRACT

Pulse grazing, high stock density with short grazing periods (weeks) followed by long rest periods (months to > 1 year), is a management strategy posited to decrease selectivity and increase utilization of forage by cattle, but influences on dietary quality of grazing animals in shortgrass steppe are unknown.  We used the experimental framework of the participatory, stakeholder-led Collaborative Adaptive Rangeland Management (CARM) project at the USDA Central Plains Experimental Range to compare effects of pulse grazing to traditional rangeland management (TRM) on weekly dietary quality (based on fecal NIRS) of yearling steers for a 20-week grazing season (mid-May to early October) for two years (2015 and 2016).  Pulse grazing employed the same moderate stocking rate as TRM, but stocking density was ten-fold higher (1.85 vs. 0.185 steers per ha), and livestock were adaptively rotated among 10, 130 ha pastures within the grazing season. Across the grazing season, crude protein in cattle diets was 26-31% greater for TRM than pulse grazing in 2015 (TRM 9.7 ± 0.6%, pulse grazing 7.4 ± 0.5 %, mean ± 1 SE) and 2016 (TRM 8.6 ± 0.5 %, pulse grazing 6.8 ± 0.2 %).  Dietary digestible organic matter was also greater for TRM than pulse-grazing in 2015 (TRM 62.4 ± 0.3 %, pulse-grazing 61.0 ± 0.4 %) and 2016 (TRM 64.0 ± 0.8 %, pulse grazing 62.4 ± 0.8 %). Within grazing season diet quality differences were greater between pulse grazing and TRM early in the season (mid-May through June), with these differences declining as the growing season progressed.  Adaptive management decision-making to enhance dietary quality with pulse grazing should address use of prescribed burning to increase early grazing season forage quality, matching mid-and late-season use of pastures with local precipitation patterns and amounts, and likely quicker rotations through pastures during rapid vegetation growth periods.

CAN INTENSIVE EARLY STOCKING BE UTILIZED WITH REPRODUCTIVE CATTLE?

Intensive early stocking was introduced nearly a half century ago in eastern Kansas, and has since been adopted as a major management tool to increase animal production, efficiency of production, and economic return almost exclusively by using young stocker animals.  Meanwhile, perennial grassland acres available for cattle production are declining in many western and mid-western states. Using management practices that mimic a modified intensive early stocking strategy to increase beef cattle stocking density for breeding herds may allow producers to maintain or increase cow numbers for beef production on fewer perennial grassland resources.  The objective of this project was to compare beef cattle reproductive herd performance and rangeland characteristics of traditional continuous season-long stocking and modified intensive early stocking systems. On native mixed-grass rangelands, cow/calf pairs at two locations were stocked at either 1.45X the typical stocking density May through July or at a 1X density.  Calves from the more densely spring stocked 1.45X cows were weaned mid-growing season and were backgrounded, reducing stocking rate and density for the last portion of the growing season.  Calves from 1X cows were weaned in October.  At a third location, breeding heifers were also stocked at a 1.6X rate early in the season and were compared to heifers stocked at a 1X rate.  At midseason, heifers that conceived to artificial insemination (AI) in the 1.6X pastures remained on pasture, while heifers not pregnant to AI were removed from pasture.  Body weights, body condition and pregnancy rates were measured, and all pastures were monitored for plant composition, ground cover, and biomass at key ecological sites to compare rangeland health between modified intensive early stocking and continuous stocking systems.

POST-FLEDGING HABITAT USE AND SEASONAL PRODUCTIVITY OF HENSLOW&RSQUO;S SPARROW AMMODRAMUS HENSLOWII)
. Aaron C. Young*¹, L. LaReesa Wolfenbarger², John P. McCarty², W. Andrew Cox³; ¹University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, ²University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, ³Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainsville, FL