Study

Herbaceous response to cattle grazing following juniper cutting in Oregon

  • Published source details Bates J.D. (2005) Herbaceous response to cattle grazing following juniper cutting in Oregon. Rangeland Ecology & Management (previously Journal of Range Management 1948-2004), 58, 225-233.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use wire fences within grazing areas to exclude livestock from specific forest sections

Action Link
Forest Conservation

Log/remove trees within forests: effects on understory plants

Action Link
Forest Conservation
  1. Use wire fences within grazing areas to exclude livestock from specific forest sections

    A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 1999-2001 in temperate coniferous forest in Oregon USA (Bates 2005) found that cattle exclusion following cutting of western juniper Juniperus occidentalis trees in 1998, increased seed production of perennial grasses, but did not affect herbaceous plant cover. Seed production of perennial grasses was lower in grazed plots (32 kg/ha) than in ungrazed plots (42 kg/ha), while seed production of Sandberg's bluegrass Poa sandbergii was similar (5 kg/ha in both). Herbaceous plant cover was similar in grazed and ungrazed plots (16% in both). In 2001, seed production was estimated in five 9 m2 plots and herbaceous cover was estimated in 0.2 m2 plots in four pairs of grazed (0.86 cattle/ha for 4-5 days in early 1999 and 2000) and ungrazed plots (0.45 ha).

     

  2. Log/remove trees within forests: effects on understory plants

    A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 1999-2001 in temperate coniferous forest in Oregon, USA (Bates 2005) found that cutting western juniper Juniperus occidentalis trees increased total herbaceous cover and seed production of perennial grasses. Herbaceous plant cover in cut plots (16%) was higher than in uncut plots (4%). Seed production of perennial grasses was higher in cut plots (42 kg/ha) than in uncut plots (<1 kg/ha), while seed production of Sandberg's bluegrass Poa sandbergii was similar (5 kg/ha) in both treatments. In 2001, herbaceous cover was estimated using 0.2 m2 frames and seed production was estimated using five 9 m2 frames in four pairs of cut (all juniper trees cut down in 1998) and uncut plots (0.45 ha).

     

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