Prescribed Fire, Grazing, and Herbaceous Plant Production in Shortgrass Steppe

Augustine, David J.; Derner, Justin D.; Milchunas, Daniel G.

doi:10.2111/rem-d-09-00044.1

Cited by 49 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Fire use is controversial in semiarid grasslands due to perceived loss of reserve forage for livestock and lack of shrub encroachment. However, depending on their timing (following average or above‐average precipitation) and spatial configuration (<50% of a pasture), burns can be used to manage wildlife habitat without negatively affecting forage availability to cattle (Augustine and Milchunas 2009, Augustine et al 2010). Managers must also consider the cost of implementing burns.…”

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance regimes and mountain plover habitat in shortgrass steppe: Large herbivore grazing does not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire

Augustine

Derner

2012

J Wildl Manag

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Restoring historical disturbance regimes to enhance habitat for grassland birds can conflict with livestock production goals and has been controversial because of uncertainty in the frequency and pattern of different disturbances prior to European settlement. We studied nesting habitat for the mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) in relation to prescribed fire, grazing by large herbivores (cattle), and grazing by black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Colorado. Breeding mountain plovers primarily occurred on black‐tailed prairie dog colonies or areas burned during the previous dormant season. Vegetation surrounding mountain plover nests and foraging locations was characterized by a fine‐scale mosaic of prostrate (<4 cm tall) vegetated patches interspersed with >35% bare soil in a given square meter, with this fine‐scale pattern distributed over a broad (>100‐m radius) area. Mountain plovers rarely occupied grassland lacking prairie dogs or recent fire, but those that did selected sites with similar vegetation height and bare soil exposure as sites on burns and prairie dog colonies. Vegetation structure at mountain plover‐occupied sites was also similar to random sites on burns and prairie dog colonies, but differed substantially from sites managed only with cattle. Intensive cattle grazing at twice the recommended stocking rate during spring (Mar–May) or summer (May–Oct) for 6 years produced significantly less bare soil than burns and prairie dog colonies, particularly following years with average or above‐average precipitation. Thus, intensive cattle grazing did not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire in terms of effects on vegetation structure and mountain plover habitat. Both prescribed burning and increased size and distribution of black‐tailed prairie dog colonies appear to be effective and complementary means to manage for mountain plover breeding habitat in shortgrass steppe. Provision of mountain plover habitat has tradeoffs with traditional management for livestock production. Thus, managers need to clearly define desired outcomes for management to provide multiple ecosystem goods and services. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance regimes and mountain plover habitat in shortgrass steppe: Large herbivore grazing does not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire

Augustine

Derner

2012

J Wildl Manag

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“…Within mixed grasslands at SNWR, grass species respond differently to fire, and B. eriopoda recovers slower than neighboring grasses, including B. gracilis, Sporobolus contractus Hitchc., and Muhlenbergia arenicola (Buckley) Hitchc. (Gosz and Gosz 1996;Ford 1999;Parmenter 2008;Augustine et al 2010). Other grass taxa (Pleurapis jamesii, Aristida spp., and Sporobolus spp.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chihuahuan Desert Grassland Responds Similarly to Fall, Spring, and Summer Fires During Prolonged Drought

Ladwig

Collins

Ford

et al. 2014

Rangeland Ecology & Management

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“…Previous studies showed that prescribed fires in shortgrass steppe enhanced forage quality by increasing nitrogen content 1·3–2·2‐fold (Augustine & Milchunas ) and to a lesser extent by increasing in vitro dry matter digestibility (from 63% in unburned to 70% in burned areas; Augustine, Derner & Milchunas ). In mesic grassland, fires enhanced forage quality to a substantially greater degree, increasing nitrogen content 2·7–4·8‐fold early in the growing season (Allred et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controls over the strength and timing of fire–grazer interactions in a semi‐arid rangeland

Augustine

Derner

2013

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary1. The degree to which large herbivores select and forage within recently burned areas is a key driver of vegetation heterogeneity in rangeland ecosystems. However, few studies have quantified the strength and timing of herbivore selection for burned areas or examined how selection strength varies among ecosystems differing in precipitation and primary productivity. 2. We conducted a 4-year patch-burning experiment in semi-arid rangeland of Colorado, USA, where 25% of the area available to cattle was burned each year and burned patches were shifted annually. We used GPS collars with activity sensors to quantify the distribution of free-ranging cattle at a high temporal resolution (5-min intervals) during the growing season each year. We used a classification tree model to discriminate between cattle grazing vs. non-grazing locations, which significantly increased precision in quantifying burn selection strength. We fit generalized linear models predicting the frequency of cattle use of a given location within each study area and month, enabling comparisons between the relative influence of burns and topography on grazing distribution. 3. Across multiple growing seasons, cattle selectively spent 31% of grazing time on recently burnt areas, which comprised 25% of the landscape; this selection strength was half as strong as that documented in mesic rangeland. 4. At a monthly temporal scale, strong cattle selection for burned areas occurred during periods of rapid vegetation growth regardless of when during the growing season this greening occurred. Outside these intervals, burn selection strength was inconsistent and cattle grazing distribution was primarily influenced by topography. Thus, the relative importance of fire and topography in controlling grazer distribution was temporally contingent upon the timing and size of precipitation pulses. 5. Synthesis and applications. Spatiotemporal interactions between fire and herbivores are a consistent feature of both semi-arid and mesic rangelands, with interaction strength varying across gradients of precipitation and primary productivity. Management of semi-arid ecosystems to sustain ecological processes should include strategies that allow ungulate herbivores to shift their grazing distribution seasonally in response to fire, topoedaphic variation and precipitation patterns. Combined management of fire and grazing for conservation objectives can be consistent with, and even complementary to, livestock production goals.

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Prescribed Fire, Grazing, and Herbaceous Plant Production in Shortgrass Steppe

Cited by 49 publications

References 37 publications

Disturbance regimes and mountain plover habitat in shortgrass steppe: Large herbivore grazing does not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire

Disturbance regimes and mountain plover habitat in shortgrass steppe: Large herbivore grazing does not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire

Chihuahuan Desert Grassland Responds Similarly to Fall, Spring, and Summer Fires During Prolonged Drought

Controls over the strength and timing of fire–grazer interactions in a semi‐arid rangeland

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