Study

Riparian wetland plant response to livestock exclusion in the Lower Columbia River Basin

  • Published source details Kidd S.A. & Yeakley J.A. (2015) Riparian wetland plant response to livestock exclusion in the Lower Columbia River Basin. Natural Areas Journal, 35, 504-514.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Exclude or remove livestock from historically grazed freshwater marshes

Action Link
Marsh and Swamp Conservation
  1. Exclude or remove livestock from historically grazed freshwater marshes

    A site comparison study in 2009 of three ephemeral freshwater marshes in Oregon, USA (Kidd & Yeakley 2015) reported that the effects of cattle exclusion on the plant community depended on the duration of exclusion. Both marshes from which cattle had been excluded had a significantly different plant community composition to a marsh that remained grazed (data reported as a graphical analysis). However, this involved lower relative cover of native species in the long-term exclosure (4% of total) than in the grazed marsh (23% of total), but greater relative cover of native species in the short-term exclosure (52% of total). Both exclosures had lower plant species richness (total: 6–12; native: 3–6; non-native: 3–5 species/transect) than the grazed marsh (total: 23; native: 10; non-native: 12 species/transect). The long-term exclosure had lower plant diversity (total, native and non-native) than the grazed marsh (data reported as a diversity index). In contrast, the short-term exclosure had higher native plant diversity than the grazed marsh, and similar total and non-native diversity. Methods: In late summer 2009, vegetation was surveyed in three marshes (each <10 ha) within one river basin. Two marshes had been fenced to exclude cattle (one for three years, one for 13 years). The other marsh remained grazed (approximately 1.6 cattle/ha, April–September each year). Plant species and their cover were recorded along six 45–60 m transects/marsh.

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

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