Ecological benefits of strategically applied livestock grazing in sagebrush communities

Abstract

There are concerns about the negative consequences of non‐native livestock grazing of sagebrush communities, especially since these communities are experiencing unpreceded threats from invasive annual grasses, altered fire regimes, and climate change. The narrative around grazing often focuses on the effects of heavy, repeated growing season use that were common historically but now are rare or localized (e.g., near water sources). At the same time, the potential for ecological benefits of strategically applied grazing is often overlooked, limiting management options that may promote desired outcomes. To improve management in the face of unprecedented threats, we synthesized the literature to investigate and identify potential ecological benefits of strategically applied livestock grazing in sagebrush communities. We found that grazing can be used to modify fine fuel characteristics in ways that decrease fire probability and severity in sagebrush communities. Pre‐fire moderate grazing may be especially important because it decreases fire severity and, thereby, promotes biodiversity and reduces postfire annual grass invasion, fire‐induced mortality of native bunchgrasses, and fire damage to soil biocrusts. Grazing can create and maintain fine fuel breaks to improve firefighter safety and fire suppression efficiency. Strategic grazing can also be used to promote desirable plant community composition. Grazing can be a valuable tool, that is currently underutilized, for achieving desired management outcomes in the sagebrush and likely other ecosystems. Improper grazing can generate severe negative consequences; therefore, successful application of grazing to achieve desired outcomes will require careful attention to plant community response and balancing management objectives with community constraints.