Riparian wetland plant response to livestock exclusion in the Lower Columbia River Basin
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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.
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.
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Exclude or remove livestock from historically grazed freshwater marshes Action Link |
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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)
Output references
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