Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society of Range Management, 2011, Billings, MT
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89 Years of Photo Monitoring of Resources in the Gravelly Mountains of Southwest Montana
Arthur Hall*
A Comparison of Stream Morphology and Vegetation of Cottonwood-Dominated and Open Reaches
within a Riparian Ecological Site in NW Colorado
Kira Puntenney*, Emily Kachergis, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez
A Comparison of Vegetative Responses to Prescribed Fire in Grazed and Ungrazed Tobosagrass Flats in
the Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Texas
Laura A. Schnapp*, Bonnie J. Warnock
A Conservation Partnership at Work in Western South Dakota
Matt Stoltenberg*
A Focus on Lentic Riparian/Wetland Ecosystems
Lou Hagener*
A Historical Perspective of Native Plants for the Restoration of Disturbed Landscapes
John M. Englert*, Jack R. Carlson, W. Curtis Sharp, Douglas Helms
A Historical Perspective on the Development of the Ecological Site Concept
Joel Brown*, Jack Alexander, Justin Derner
A Lifetime of Research and Observations Preserved: The August "Gus" Hormay Collection Available
Online
Bonnie McCallum*
A Matter of Ecological Context: The Response of Tallgrass Prairie Butterflies to Fire
Ray Moranz*, Diane Debinski, David Engle, Sam Fuhlendorf, James Miller
A Quantitative Protocol to Assess the Invasive Potential of a Plant Species into a Rangeland Ecosystem
Using Camelina sativa (Gold of Pleasure, Large-seeded False Flax) as a Model
Phillip Davis, Fabian Menalled*, Bruce Maxwell
A Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model
Mark Nearing*, H. Wei, J.J. Stone, F.B. Pierson, K.E. Spaeth, M.A. Weltz, D.C. Flanagan, M. Hernandez
Ability to Extract Soil N at High Temperatures Allows Cheatgrass to Exclude Perennial Grasses
A. Joshua Leffler*, Thomas Monaco, Jeremy James
Aboriginal Burning and Keystone Predation: A New Paradigm for Range Management
Charles Kay*
Accuracy of Cattle Grazing Distribution Patterns Recorded by Horseback Visual Observers During the
Early Morning
Steven Lunt*, Derek Bailey, Adrienne Lipka, Milt Thomas, Morgan Russell
Agency Accomplishments - Making A Difference On-the-Ground
Linda Coates-Markle*
Alberta's Wolf Report: Quantifying the Impacts
Callum Sears*
Alfalfa Hay Supplementation Increases Ponderosa Pine Browsing by Goats in Winter
Brent Roeder*, Jeffrey Mosley, Rachel Frost, Tracy Mosley
Alternative Uses of CRP Lands: The Use of Livestock Grazing to Enhance Vegetation and Wildlife
Biodiversity
Timothy DelCurto*
Aminocyclopyrachlor: A New Herbicide for Pasture and Rangeland Weed Control
Craig Alford*, Jeff Meredith, Eric Castner, Michael Edwards, Susan Rick, James Harbour
An Algorithm for Approximate Rectification of Digital Aerial Images
Stephen K. Ndzeidze, Kipp E. Johnson, Michael D. Johnson, Mounir Louhaichi, Patrick E. Clark, Douglas E. Johnson*
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
An Assessment of Plant Community Structure, Herbivory, Soils, and State-and-Transition Theory on a
Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata [Pursh] A.D.J.Meeuse & Smit) Ecological Site
Casey Matney*, Tamzen Stringham
An Invasive Grass Alters Tallgrass Prairie Fuelbed Characteristics and Reduces Burn Probability
Devan McGranahan*, David Engle
An Overview of Lentic Wetlands
Mary Manning*
An Overview of the Research and Studies on Diversifying Crested Wheatgrass Seedings
Mike Pellant*
Analyzing the Effect of Slope Aspect and Phenology on Biomass Production in Western South Dakota
Grasslands Using MODIS NDVI
Matthew Rigge*, Alexander Smart, Bruce Wylie
Applications of Molecular Tools for Rangeland Ecology and Management
Melanie Murphy*, Chris Funk
Applications to Current Monitoring Programs
Gregg Simonds*
Arguments for a Major Research Focus on Seedling Establishment and Recruitment on Rangelands
Tony Svejcar*
Artemisia Population Dynamics Under Different Climate Change Scenarios
Sarah Swope, Sabrina McCue*
Artificial Selection as a Tool to Develop Native Plant Materials for Novel Ecosystems
Thomas Jones*
Assessing Climate Change Effects with Indicators for Rangeland Ecosystem Goods, Services and Core
Processes
Kristie Maczko*, Daniel W. McCollum, Jack A. Morgan, Clifford S. Duke, William E. Fox, Lori Hidinger, Urs Kreuter, John E. Mitchell,
John A. Tanaka
Assessing Riparian and Aquatic Habitat Using Very-High Resolution Imagery
D. Terrance Booth*, Samuel E. Cox
Assessing Sagebrush Steppe Rangelands with VLSA Imagery
Corey Moffet*, J. Bret Taylor, D. Terrance Booth
Assessing the Success of the UtahPCD Watershed Restoration Initiative
Curtis Warrick*
Assessment and Demonstration of Ecologically-Based Medusahead and Cheatgrass Management in
Jordan Valley, Oregon
Edward Vasquez, Anna-Marie Chamberlain, Brenda Smith*, Roger Sheley
Attitudes and Perceptions on Fire Policy and Burn Bans in Texas; A Working Model for Meeting Today's
Complex Fire Management Challenges
Mark Moseley*, Brian Hays, Amy Hays
Automated Generation of Very-High Resolution Orthomosaics and 3D Models in support of Fine Scale
National Resource Applications
Matthew Bobo*, Tom Noble
Barriers to Collaborative Grazing Planning across Multiple Ownerships to Maintain Open Space and
Wildlife Habitat in Washington Shrub-Steppe Ecosystems
Tipton Hudson*
Benefits of Fence Marking for Sage-Grouse
Bryan Stevens*, Kerry Reese, Jack Connelly
Biological Assessment and Monitoring of Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region
Christina Hargiss*
Bird Activities that Expand Existing Plant Community Ranges
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Anne Bartuszevige*
Bison and Cattle: How Different Are They?
Brady Allred*, Samuel Fuhlendorf, Robert Hamilton
BLM and the Pollinator Partnership
Laurie Davies-Adams*, Carol Spurrier
BLM New Mexico: Fostering Successful Partnerships to Restore New Mexico's Enchanting Landscapes
Amelia Underwood*, Steven Torrez
Breeding Strategies for the Development of Bluebunch Wheatgrass for the Great Basin
Blair Waldron*, Steve Larson
Breeding Strategies for the Development of Native Grasses
Kevin Jensen*, Joseph Robins, Blair Waldron, Steve Larson
Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming - High Desert District, Rawlins Field Office, Sulphur Springs
Allotment
Andy Warren*
"Burn early, burn often:" Contrasting Aboriginal Versus Modern North American Fire Management
Regimes.
Cliff White*
Business Planning Concepts and Methods - How Does it Work?
Cindy Garretson-Weibel*
Can Targeted Sheep Grazing or Mowing Suppress Sulfur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) on Rangeland?
Rachel Frost*, Jeffrey Mosley, Brent Roeder, Rodney Kott, Duane Griffith
Capabilities, Challenges, and Cost of Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Natural Resources Monitoring
Albert Rango*, Andrea Laliberte
Carbon Offsets for Utah Cattle Ranchers? Sequestration Potential of Deeded Lands and Implications for
Policy and Management
D. Layne Coppock*, Zhao Ma, Thomas Monaco, Donald Snyder, Helga Van Miegroet, Grant Cardon
Cattle Grazing and Yosemite Toad (Bufo canorus Camp) Occupancy across a Hydrologic Gradient of
Sierra Nevada Mountain Meadows
Leslie Roche*, Andrew Latimer, Danny Eastburn, Kenneth Tate
Change on the Range: Ten Years of Rangeland Monitoring on the Tonto National Forest
Jim Sprinkle*, George Ruyle, Michael Crimmins
Changes in Relic Plant Communities in Utah over 60 Years
Shane Green*, Keith Wadman
Changes of Some Elements in Soil of Three Species of Artemisia sieberi, Salsola rigida, and Stipa
barbata within and out of Enclosure in Rude Shur Saveh Rangelands
maryam saffariha*, hosein Azarnivand, ali tavili
Changes of Some Elements in Three Species of Artemisia sieberi, Salsola rigida, and Stipa barbata
within and out of Enclosure in Two Seasons (Summer and Autumn) in Rude Shur Saveh Rangelands
maryam saffariha*, hosein Azarnivand, ali tavili
Characterization of Forage Availability and Use by Feral Horses across Diverse Habitats in SW Alberta
Tisa Girard*, Edward Bork, Mike Alexander
Characterization of the Thermal Environment of Rangeland Pastures with Heterogeneous Vegetation
Structure
Vanessa Prileson, Andres Cibils*, Wendy Taylor, Richard Dunlap, Shad Cox, Miguel Brizuela, Silvia Cid
Cheatgrass Biomass and Competition: Is a Greenhouse Fight a Fair Fight?
Dan Harmon*, Charlie Clements
Cheatgrass Dead Zones in Northern Nevada
Tye Morgan*, Robert Blank, Charles Clements
Cheatgrass Invasion Increases Wildfire Frequency and Size by Altering Fuel Characteristics
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Kirk Davies*
Classification and Expansion Detection of Western Juniper Using Historical Aerial Imagery
Nathan Cline*, Timothy Deboobt, Micheal Fisher, Steven Petersen
Classification of Lentic Riparian Areas: Challenges and Opportunities
Linda Vance*
Climatic Control of Sagebrush Survival in Semi-Arid Ecosystems of Nevada
Erin Hourihan*, Barry Perryman
Clover Seeding for Sage-Grouse Habitat and Forage Production on Mountain Meadows
Matt Barnes, Joe Brummer, Lars Santana*, John Scott, Mark Volt
Collaborative Partnerships for Grassland and Prairie Habitat Restoration Projects with Aminopyralid
Byron Sleugh*, Mary Halstvedt, Vanelle Peterson, D. Chad Cummings, Dean Gaiser, Jerry Benson, Mike Finch, Robert Wilson,
Scott Nissen, Roger Becker, Mike Moechnig, Mark Renz
Collection of Very-High-Resolution Images from a Remotely Piloted Rotary Wing Vehicle: Applications in
Utah Rangeland Monitoring
D. Bracken Davis*, Scott Heath, Jan Knerr, Mark C. Quilter
Communicating Effectively with Livestock Producers
Fee Busby, Rick Caquelin, Steve Hedstrom, Justin Meissner, John Hollenback*
Communicating Effectively with Livestock Producers
Fee Busby*
Community Responses to Climate Variability Over 50 Years in a Subalpine Rangeland
Lafe Conner*, Richard Gill
Comparing Grazed Allotments in Arizona on Their Ability to Convert Precipitation to Vegetation
Philip Heilman*, Stephen Hagen
Comparing Methods of Rangeland Measurements: Proper Design and Statistical Analysis
Corey Moffet*
Comparing Seed Mixes and Seeding Techniques for Restoring Plant Communities in Wyoming's High
Desert
Karen J. Clause*, Susan R. Winslow, James S. Jacobs
Comparing the Impacts of Water Quality Regulations on Land Use in Two Watersheds: Lake Taupo (NZ)
and Tomales Bay, California (USA)
Sheila Barry*, Stephanie Larson, Warren King, Michael Lennox
Comparing the SamplePoint and Point Intercept Monitoring Methods
Jim Cagney*, Terry Booth, Samuel Cox
Comparing Two Ground-Cover Measurement Methodologies for Semiarid Rangelands
Keith Weber*, Fang Chen, D. T. Booth, Mansoor Raza, Kindra Serr, Bhushan Gokhale
Comparison of the Effects of Fire on Sagebrush Steppe 3-Dimensional Structure and Biomass using
Fusion of Terrestrial Scanning Laser and Airborne Digital Photography
Robert A. Washington-Allen*, Vincent Mendieta, D. Terrance Booth, W. Eric Limbach, Sorin Popescu
Competition of Native Grasses from Invasion Transplanted into Russian Knapweed and Canada Thistle
Brian Sebade*, Ann Hild, Brian Mealor, Thomas Smith
Conifer and Abiotic Factors Influence on Big Sagebrush Cover
Karen Kitchen*, Brittany Mendelsohn, Michael Frisina, Bok Sowell
Conquering Social and Ecological Fire Thresholds to Empower and Equip Ranchers to Manage
Rangelands
Charles Taylor*, Dirac Twidwell, William Rogers
Conservation of Draba in the Intermountain West: The importance of hybridization, ploidy, breeding
system, endemism and biogeography.
Loreen Allphin*, Michael Windham
Contribution of Warm and Cool Season Grasses to Seasonal Herbage Availability in Loamy and Sandy
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Mixed Prairie Range Sites of Alberta
Edward Bork*, Barry Irving, Tanner Broadbent
Controlling Japanese Brome with Grazing Management in Judith Basin County, Montana
Rick Caquelin*
Cottonwood Seedling Demography along the Upper Missouri River
Gregor Auble, Michael Scott, Michael Merigliano, Chad Krause*
Crested Wheatgrass Control and Native Plant Establishment in Utah
April Hulet*, Bruce Roundy, Brad Jessop, Jennifer Rawlins
Crested Wheatgrass Diversification: Practical Experiences
Jerry Benson*
Crested Wheatgrass Impedes the Spread of an Exotic Annual Grass
Aleta Nafus*, Kirk W. Davies, Roger Sheley
Crossings, Corridors and Trophic Cascades: Wolves and Woody Vegetation in Banff National Park
Clifford A. White*
Crossings, Corridors and Trophic Cascades: Wolves and Woody Vegetation in Banff National Park
Cliff White*
CRP...A Duck's Best Friend
Bob Sanders*
Database for Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment (DIMA)
Ericha Courtright*, Barry Lavine, Jason Karl, Scott Schrader, Brandon Bestelmeyer, Laura Burkett, Jeff Herrick
Deleterious Composition and Quality of Pronghorn Diets in Southern Arizona
Clare Mix, William Miller*
Demonstration of Restoration Approaches on a Wetland Reserve Project
Kathy Pendergrass, Dean Moberg, Joe Williams*
Density of Crested Wheatgrass and Native Perennial Bunchgrasses 12-Years after Co-Planting
Aleta Nafus*, Kirk W. Davies
Developing and Implementing a Strategy for the Conservation of Shrub Steppe/Rangelands in South
Central Washington
Julie Conley*
Developing Native Plant Materials and Applying Management Practices to Repair Disturbed Landscapes
Jack Staub*
Development of a Fungal Seed Bank Pathogen for Cheatgrass Biocontrol on Intermountain Rangelands
Susan E Meyer*, Julie Beckstead, Phil S Allen
Development of a Habitat Appraisal Guide for Rio Grande Wild Turkeys in South Texas
Chase Currie*, Alfonso Ortega, William Kuvlesky Jr., Leonard Brennan, Stephen DeMaso
Development of a State-and-Transition Model for the Middle Sheyenne River
Miranda Meehan*, Jeff Repp, Edward DeKeyser, Kevin Sedivec, Joseph Zeleznik, Jack Norland
Development of Most Similar Neighbor (MSN) Polygons for use with the Burning Risk Advisory Support
System (BRASS) on Fort Hood, Texas
Edward Rhodes*, William Shaw, R. Loren Naylor, Timothy Brown, Wayne Hamilton, J. Richard Conner, Jason Jones, Jay Angerer
Differential Responses of Poa pratensis and Festuca campestris to Defoliation and Microenvironment
Steven Tannas*, Edward Bork, Walter Willms
Digital Charting Technologies and their Applications on Rangelands
Patrick Clark*, Douglas Johnson, Michael Johnson, Mounir Louhaichi
Distribution of a Rare Sand Dune Legume Limited by Deer Herbivory at Multiple Scales
Darcy Henderson*, Sarah Lowe, Christiane Catellier, Eric Lamb, Xulin Guo
Diversifying Crested Wheatgrass Seedings in Northern Nevada
Kent McAdoo*, John Swanson, Nancy Shaw
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Do Cultivation Land-Use Legacies Affect Rangeland Seeding Success?
Lesley Morris*, Thomas Monaco, Roger Sheley, Justin Williams
Downwind Rangeland Smoke: Flint Hills Case Study
Brian Obermeyer*, Kristen Hase
Dryness and Desperate Measures: A Political Ecology of Ranching in the Rocky Mountain West
Kristin Gangwer*, William R. Travis
Ecological Sites: Organizational Tool for Outcome-Based Land Management
Justin Derner*, Joel Brown, Jack Alexander
Ecologically-Based Land Management on Bromus tectorum Invaded Great Basin Shrublands: An
Ecosystem Assessment
Beth Fowers*, Merilynn Hirsch, Thomas Monaco, Chris Call
Ecology of Biotic Soil Crust Lichens of Oregon's Sagebrush Steppe
Heather Root*
Economic Flow-Model for Western Rangelands: Using Economic Principles to Guide the Allocation of
Conservation Resources
Michael Taylor*, Kimberly Rollins, Laine Christman
Ecophysiological Role of Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) in the Semi-Arid Grasslands of the Nebraska
Sandhills
Jessica Milby*, Adam Yarina, Walter Schacht, Tala Awada
Ecosystem Services: The New Motive for Range Improvements
Allen Torell*, Neil Rimbey, John Tanaka
Effect of a Wildfire on Old Aerated and Prescribed Burned Sites: Vegetation Diversity and Exotic Grasses
Felix Ayala-A.*, J. Alfonso Ortega-S., Timothy E. Fulbright, G. Allen Rasmussen, D. Lynn Drawe, David R. Synatzske, Andrea R. Litt
Effect of Landform Position on Mesquite Growth Patterns
Fredrich Schrank*, Roger Wittie, Carol Thompson, R. J. Ansley
Effect of Management Practices on Spatial Utilization by Cattle (Bos spp.) on Rangeland in South Florida
Brandee Williams*, MJ Williams
Effects of a Single Grazing Event by Cattle on Terrestrial Invertebrates Falling Into Streams and Trout
Populations: Results of a Field Experiment
W. Carl Saunders*, Kurt D. Fausch
Effects of Bitterweed Ingestion on Reproduction in Rambouillet Rams
Derrick Fuchs*, Cody Scott, Micheal Salisbury, Corey Owens
Effects of Changing Spatial and Thematic Scale for Mapping Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat
Virginia Harris*, Eva Strand, Jocelyn Aycrigg
Effects of Climate/Vegetation and Level of Herbivory on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in Semi-Arid
Rangelands
Doug Tolleson*, John Kava
Effects of Fire and Herbivory on Sentinel Species across the Landscape of Northeastern Montana
Angela Reid*, Samuel Fuhlendorf
Effects of Fuel Load, Heterogeneity, and Environmental Conditions on Fire Behavior in Grasslands Results from a Physics Based Process Model
Eva Strand*, Chad Hoffman, Stephen Bunting
Effects of High-Density, Short-Duration Planned Livestock Grazing on Soil Carbon Sequestration
Potentials in a Coastal California Mixed Grassland
Kristina Wolf*, Brent Hallock, Robert Rutherford, Marc Horney, Anthony O'Geen, Royce Larsen
Effects of Liquid Smoke on Seed Germination of Shortgrass Prairie Plant Species
Yifang Chou*, Robert Cox
Effects of Off-Road Vehicles on Rodents in Sonoran Desert Rangelands
Simon Reid*, Ward Brady
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Effects of Patch Burning and Livestock Grazing on Grasshopper Populations in Northern Mixed Prairie in
Eastern Montana
David Branson*, Lance Vermeire
Effects of Prescribed Burning and Litter Type on Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Release in MixedGrass Prairie in Eastern Montana
Kurt Reinhart*, Aaron Roth, Lance Vermeire
Effects of Weed Induced Alteration of Plant Composition on Patterns of Vegetation Recovery Following
Herbicide Control of Leafy Spurge
Stefanie Wacker*, Jack Butler
Efficient and Effective Methods for Monitoring Ecological Integrity on Grazed Lands
Laura Applegate*, Linda Hardesty
Environmental Influences on Structural Characteristics of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)
Charles Sloane*, Clayton B. Marlow
ESD Development Technical Workshop
Jamin Johanson*, Shane Green, Sarah Quistberg, Jacob Owens
Establishment and Persistence of Native Grass in Wyoming's High Desert
Susan R. Winslow*, Karen J. Clause, James S. Jacobs
Establishment of Invasive Species in Post-Fire Seeding Treatments
Megan M. Taylor*, Ann L. Hild, Nancy L. Shaw, Erin K. Denney
Estimating Desert Rangelands Forage Production with High Spatial Resolution Satellite Imagery and
Vegetation Indices
Ahmed Mohamed*, Jerry Holechek, Derek Bailey
Estimating Influence of Stocking Regimes on Livestock Grazing Distributions
Matthew Rinella*, Marty Vavra
Estimating Prickly Pear (Opuntia) Pad Density by Line Intercept, Belt Transect, and Quadrat Methods
David Barre, Kurt Huffman, Dale Rollins, Dean Ransom, Jr*
Estimating Seed Production and Plant Age of Mountain Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp.
vaseyana)
Melissa L. Landeen*, Steven L. Petersen, Stanley G. Kitchen, Peter J. Weisberg, Brian A. Reeves, Kevin A. Costa
Estimating the Cost of Replacing Forage Losses on California Annual Rangeland
Theresa Becchetti*, Neil McDougald, William Frost, James Sullins
Evaluation and Use of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) at the Manhattan Plant Materials Center (PMC),
Manhattan, Kansas
P. Allen Casey*, Richard L. Wynia, John M. Row
Evaluation of Freeze-Thaw Dynamics in Hummocked Wetlands
Mae Smith*, Paul Meiman, Joe Brummer
Evaluation of Habitat Use by Sharp-Tailed Grouse on the Grand River National Grasslands in Northwest
South Dakota
Dean Houchen*, Benjamin Geaumont, Christopher Schauer, Kevin Sedivec
Evaluation of Sand Sagebrush Control in a Southern Mixed Prairie: Implications for Lesser Prairie
Chicken Habitat Management
Eric Thacker*, Robert Gillen, Stacey Gunter, Tim Springer
Evaluation of the Tenderness, Size, and Marbling of Forage-Finished Ribeye Steaks Produced in Kauai
County, Hawaii
Matthew Stevenson*, Yong Soo Kim, Glen Fukumoto
Examining Disturbance and Environmental Mechanisms Regulating Plant Species Dynamics in Native
Festuca campestris Grassland
Steven Tannas*, Edward Bork, Walter Willms
Expediting State-and-Transition Models through Sorting of Ecological Sites into Disturbance Response
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Groups
Tamzen Stringham*, Patti Novak-Echenique, Erica Freese, Lucas Wiseley, Patrick Shaver
Experimental Comparison of Pre-Emergence Herbicides for Reducing Annual Grass Emergence in Two
Great Basin, USA Soils
Merilynn Hirsch*, Thomas Monaco, Corey Ransom, Christopher Call
Expiring CRP: Alternative Management Systems to Sustain Wildlife Habitat Values
Ben Geaumont*
Extension Outreach in Tropical Range and Livestock Management for Pacific Islanders
Mark Thorne*, Jonathan Deenik, Robert Godfrey, Glen Fukumoto, John Powley, Matthew Stevenson, Lawerence Duponcheel,
Alejandro Badilles
Factors Limiting Use of Drought Mitigation Tactics among Utah Cattle Ranchers
D. Layne Coppock*
Farmers' Perception about Voisin Management Intensive Grazing and Ecosystem Services
Juan P. Alvez*, Abdon Schmitt, Joshua Farley
Feature Mapping on Extensive Landscapes Using GPS-Enabled Computers
Stephen K. Ndzeidze*, Craig A. Carr, Adele L. Woerz, Mounir Louhaichi, Patrick E. Clark, Douglas E. Johnson
Federal Agencies and Ranchers Working Together - Keys to a Successful Partnership
TJ Mabey*, Gracian Uhalde
Field Establishment of Perennial Grass Seedlings in Cheatgrass Invaded Systems
Elizabeth Leger*, Erin Goergen, Courtney Rowe
Field Test of Digital Photography Biomass Estimation Technique in Tallgrass Prairie
Sherry Leis*, Lloyd Morrison
Fine-Scale Observations of Soil Properties in Hummocks and Adjacent Interspaces
Paul Meiman*, Mae Smith, Joe Brummer, Terrance Booth, Larry Griffith
Fire and Post-fire Soil Erosion
Lance Vermeire*, Corey Moffet
Fire Effects on Global CO2 Emissions and Soil Carbon
Jim Ansley*
Fire in the Sagebrush Biome: An Inherent Process versus Management Tool
Richard Miller*
Fire Rehabilitation Decision Making
Bruce Roundy*, April Hulet, Nathan Cline, Lean Crook, Kert Young, Matthew Madsen
Fire, Herbicide and Disking Effects on Diversifying Crested Wheatgrass Stands in the Northern Great
Plains
Lance Vermeire*
Food Habits and Diet Quality of Mule Deer Wintering on the North Kaibab Plateau of Arizona
Matthew Acton*, William Miller, Ann Steffler
Forage Kochia (Kochia prostrata): Rangeland Rehabilitator or Exotic Invader?
Erin C. Gray*, Patricia S. Muir
Forage Nutrient Availability and Reproductive Success of Semi-Wild Bison in Western Montana, USA
Kelsey Guffey*, Neto Garcia, Clayton Marlow
Forage Production and Quality, Cattle Performance, Economic Return, and Soil Health from Annual
Forages Used for Late-Season Grazing in North Dakota
Andrew Fraase*, Bryan Neville, Kevin Sedivec, Dennis Whitted, Paul Nyren, Greg Lardy
Forage Quality Dynamics of Warm Season Grasses During the Growing Season in West-Central Texas
Joel Douglas*, Homer Sanchez, George Peacock, Kenneth Spaeth, Gary Rea, James Muir
Foraging for Rangeland Information in an Unfamiliar Virtual World
Rachel Frost*, Merrita Fraker-Marble
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Forecasting Annual Aboveground Net Primary Production in the Intermountain West
Julie Finzel*, Mark Weltz, Mark Seyfried, Jim Kiniry, Karen Launchbaugh
Forest Service and Defenders of Wildlife Team Up to Implement Non-Lethal Control of Prairie Dogs
Randall L. Griebel, Shelly L. Gerhart*, Terri Harris
Fostering Healthy Lands for Small Acreage Success in South Dakota
Dusty Jager*, Penny Nester, Mindy Huberty, Roger Gates, Rebecca Bott
Functional Traits and Their Use in Plant Improvement
Jeremy James*, Tom Jones
Genetic and Environmental Influences on Distribution Patterns of Beef Cattle Grazing Foothill Rangeland
Derek Bailey*, Delyn Jensen, Milt Thomas, Darrin Boss, Robin Weinmeister, Robert Welling
Geographic Variation in Crown Structure and Foliage Biomass of Woodland Trees across the Great Basin
Robin Tausch*, Neil Frakes, Richard Miller, Bruce Roundy
Germination Prediction from Soil Moisture and Temperature Data across the Great Basin
Nathan Cline*, Bruce Roundy, Stuart Hardegree
GIS Tools, Courses, and Learning Pathways Offered by The National Interagency Fuels, Fire, and
Vegetation Technology Transfer (NIFTT)
Eva Strand*, Kathy Schon, Jeff Jones
Government Success in Partnerships: The USDA-ARS Area-Wide Ecologically-Based Invasive Annual
Grass Management Program
Brenda Smith*, Roger Sheley
Grass Seedling Demography in the Great Basin: Implications for Restoration
Jeremy James*, Tony Svejcar, Matt Rinella
Grasshoppers! Grasshoppers! Grasshoppers!
Linden Greenhalgh*
Graze Period Stocking Rate, Stock Density Affect Dietary Intake Independently
Tim J. Steffens*, Matt K. Barnes, Larry R. Rittenhouse
Grazing Distribution Patterns of Beef Bulls and Cows During the Breeding Season in Central New Mexico
Adrienne Lipka*, Derek Bailey, Steven Lunt, Milt Thomas, Morgan Russell, Shad Cox, Richard Dunlap
Grazing Management Effects on the Soil Health in Mixed-Grass Prairie within the Missouri Coteau Region
of North Dakota
Guojie Wang*, Kevin Sedivec, Paul Nyren, Anne Nyren
Grazingland and Economic Sustainability: The Balancing Act
Jeff Goodwin*
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project: A Science/Management Success
Mike Pellant*, Nancy Shaw
Growth Dynamics of Hesperostipa comata and Pascopyrum smithii in Alberta Dry Mixedgrass Prairie
Tanner Broadbent*, Edward Bork, Walter Willms
Habitat Selection by Free Ranging Feral Horses in the Alberta Foothills
Tisa Girard*, Edward Bork, Mike Alexander, Craig Demaere
Harvest Efficiency of High Stocking Density Grazing
Alexander Smart*, Jerry Volesky, Sara Winterholler, Walter Schacht, Eric Mousel, Jordan Johnson, Robert Valvala, John Madison
Healthy Rangeland Watersheds and Productive Livestock Enterprises: Why Not?
Kenneth Tate*, Leslie Roche, Theresa Becchetti, David Lile, David Lewis, Anthony O'Geen, Randy Dahlgren, Melvin George,
Edward Atwill
Herbivore Impacts on Life-Stage Transitions of an Endangered Orchid, Spiranthes parksii Correll
Carissa L. Wonkka*, William E. Rogers, Fred E. Smeins, Dirac Twidwell
Highlights of the 2010 RPA Rangeland Assessment
Matt Reeves*, John E. Mitchell (Emeritus)
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Historical Global Fire Context: Linking Landscapes and Ecosystems
Ryan Limb*
History of Crested Wheatgrass (Agropyron) in North America
Kevin Jensen*
Home Range, Habitat Selection, and Survival of Greater Roadrunners
Dean Ransom, Jr.*
Hope On The Range: A Great Basin Educational Project
Gary McCuin*, Steve Foster, Kent McAdoo, Ron Torell, Rick Orr, Margaret Orr
How Developing and Following Through with a Resource Management Plan Has Improved the Range
and Relationships with Ranchers in the Cody Wyoming Bureau of Land Management Office
Dallen Smith, Jack Mononi*, Mike Smith
How Water Development can Increase the Carrying Capacity of the Land and Improve Riparian Areas
Dallen Smith, Dee Hillberry*, Mike Smith
Hydrologic Vulnerability of Great Basin Sagebrush-Steppe Following Pinyon and Juniper Encroachment
C. Jason Williams*, Frederick B. Pierson, Patrick R. Kormos, Stuart P. Hardegree, Patrick E. Clark, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan
Hydrothermal Indices for Classification of Seedbed Microclimate
Stuart Hardegree*, Jaepil Cho, Bruce Roundy, Corey Moffet, Thomas Jones, Jeremy James, Nancy Shaw, Robert Cox
I. Trophic Cascades Involving Large Predators, Wild Ungulates, and Plants in the Western US: Do Large
Predators Have a Role?
Robert Beschta*, William Ripple
Identification of Plant Functional Groups as Indicators of Ecological Condition in Wet Meadows (Lentic
Sites) of the Sierra Nevada, California
Dave Weixelman*
II. Impacts to Riparian Biodiversity and Channel Morphology Following Large Predator Loss in Several
Ecosystems of the Western US
Robert Beschta*, William Ripple
Impact of Sheep Grazing on Demographic Parameters of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and Wild Oat
(Avena fatua) in Three Common Montana Agricultural Systems
Melissa Graves*, Jane Mangold, Hayes Goosey, Patrick Hatfield, Fabian Menalled
Impact of Wetland Restoration on Forage Productivity of Prairie Pothole Wetlands
Etienne Soulodre*
Impacts of Native and Exotic Grasses on Forb Seedling Growth and Establishment
Hilary Parkinson*, Cathy Zabinksi, Nancy Shaw
Implications for Future Research
James Dobrowolski*
Improvement in Ecological Status with Grazing Management and Range Chiseling
Matthew J. Ricketts*, Jim Jacobs, Keith Schott, Sonny Smith
Improvement of Seed Production in Utah Sweetvetch
Michael Peel*, Ivan Mott
Improving the Credibililty of State-and-Transition Models
Jamin Johanson*, Christopher Call, Shane Green
Increasing Diversity in Crested Wheatgrass Stands in Eastern Idaho
Corey Moffet*
Increasing Native Plant Diversity in Crested Wheatgrass Stands: Theory, Practice and Problems
Val Anderson*
Information Technology for Regional Collaboration in the Great Basin
Sean Finn*, Thomas Zarriello, Linda Schueck, Ruth Jacobs
Integration of Herbicides into Wildlife Habitat Restoration Programs in Southwestern Rangelands
D Chad Cummings*, Robert Masters, Greg Alpers, Vernon Langston
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Inter and Intra-State Cooperation: Nevada Partners for Conservation and Development
Lee Turner*
Interaction between Morphological Development and Burning Effectiveness in Kentucky Bluegrass and
Smooth Bromegrass
John Hendrickson*
Interagency Creeks and Communities Strategy
Laura Van Riper*
Internet Technologies for Rangeland Ambassadors
Lovina Roselle*, Cody Sheehy, Karen Launchbaugh
Investigating the Soil Microbial Community Structure Under Reclaimed Roads in North Dakota
Eric Viall*, Laura Overstreet, David Hopkins
Is Livestock Production for the Birds?: Linking Grazing Management and Grassland Birds in North
American Shortgrass Steppe and Mixed-Grass Prairie
Allison Henderson*, David Augustine, Justin Derner, Stephen Davis
Is Rehabilitation of Non-Forestlands after Wildfires Effective? - A Systematic Literature Review
David A. Pyke*, Jan L. Beyers, Troy A. Wirth
LANDFIRE Tools and Data Useful for Range Management: Explore the Past, Plan for the Future
Randy Swaty*, Jim Smith, Sarah Hagan, Jeannie Patton, Kori Blankenship
Landowner, NGO and Local Government Cooperation: The Owyhee Initiative
Chad Gibson*
Landscape Associations, Water Chemistry, Human Use, and Characteristics of Great Basin Spring-Fed
Aquatic and Riparian Communities
Donald Sada*
Land-Use Legacies Affect Species Performance Nearly a Century after Cultivation
Lesley Morris*, Thomas Monaco, Robert Blank, Elizabeth Leger, Roger Sheley, Tye Morgan
Locating Monitoring Sites in a Mixed Ownership Landscape
Edward Petersen*
Long Term Effects of Aeration and Fire on Invasion of Exotic Grasses in Mixed Brush Plant Communities
as Affected by a Wildfire
Felix Ayala-A.*, J. Alfonso Ortega-S., Timothy E. Fulbright, G. Allen Rasmussen, D. Lynn Drawe, David R. Synatzske, Andrea R. Litt
Look Closer: Time Sequence Photography of Roosters Comb in the Sheep Creek Range
Tye Morgan*, Robert Blank
Low-Cost Camera Modifications and Methodologies for Very-High-Resolution Digital Images
E. Raymond Hunt*, James Carr, W. Dean Hively
Making Good Things Happen - Working on the Ground with the Landowner
Steve Hedstrom*, Rick Caquelin
Managing CRP Grasslands: Short- and Long-Term Effects of Haying on Breeding Bird Populations in
CRP Grasslands in the Northern Great Plains
Lawrence Igl*, Douglas Johnson
Managing Fire and Fuels in the Northeast Mojave Desert: The Mojave Desert Initiative
Scott Florence*
Managing Rangelands for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: Opportunities and Tradeoffs
Mark Liebig*, Alan Iwaasa
Managing Rangelands for Multiple Ecosystem Services: Beyond Bement (1969)
Justin Derner*
Managing Rangelands for Multiple Ecosystem Services: Opportunities and Tradeoffs
Justin Derner*
Mapping Cheatgrass in the Great Basin Using 250-Meter eMODIS NDVI
Stephen P. Boyte*, Bruce K. Wylie, Collin G. Homer, Donald J. Major
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Mapping Leafy Spurge Density in Madison Country, Montana, with Hyper-Spectral-Spatial-Temporal
Imagery
Rick Lawrence*, Steven Jay, Kevin Repasky, Lisa Rew
Mechanically Shredding Utah Juniper
Kert Young*, Bruce Roundy
Mechanisms Responsible for Enhancing the Restoration of Festuca campestris into a Phleum pratense
Dominated Plant Community on a Pipeline RoW
Steven Tannas*, Doug Clark
Mesquite Seedling Disappearance Under Goat Browsing
Landon Pyle*, Cody Scott, Corey Owens
Modifying the USDA-NRCS Pasture Condition Score System to Include Weighted Indicators
Matt Sanderson*
Monitoring Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems on National Forest Service Lands
Kathleen Dwire*, Joseph Gurrieri, Christopher Carlson, Marc Coles-Ritchie, Stephen Solem, Allison Aldous, Devendra Amatya,
Trish Carroll, Barry Johnston, Linda Spencer
Monitoring of Livestock Grazing Effects on Bureau of Land Management Land
Kari Veblen*, David Pyke, Cameron Aldridge, Mike Casazza, Timothy Assal, Melissa Farinha
Monitoring Plant Species Richness When it Won't Sit Still: Handling Temporal Variability in Vegetation
Monitoring
Amy Symstad*, Robert Gitzen, Jayne Jonas
Monitoring Rangelands with Very-Large Scale Aerial Surveys: Advantages and Limitations
D. Terrance Booth*, Samuel E. Cox
Monitoring Shrub Canopy Cover Using Vegetation Charting Technique
Mounir Louhaichi, Hani Al-Homsh, Fahim Ghassali, Osama Shalouf, Douglas E. Johnson*
Monitoring the Efficacy of Biocontrol on Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) in British Columbia's
Southern Interior
Don Gayton*, Val Miller
Moving Beyond the Myths and Traditions of Fire Behavior in Rangelands
Dirac Twidwell*, William Rogers, Samuel Fuhlendorf, Charles Taylor, Jr., David Engle
Multiple Uses and Associated Values on Canadian Publicly Managed Rangeland: A Case Study of the
Federal Community Pasture Program
Brant Kirychuk*
Multiple-Paddock Planned Grazing Distributes Utilization across a Heterogeneous Landscape
Matt Barnes*, Jim Howell
Multi-Scale Mechanisms and Effects of Fire Grazing Interactions
Brady Allred*, Samuel Fuhlendorf
National Estimates of Soil Loss on Rangelands
Mark Weltz*, Leonard Jolley, Ken Speath
Native and Shrub Tolerance to Aminopyralid (Milestone® Herbicide) Applications for Invasive Species
Control
Mary Halstvedt*, K. George Beck, Roger Becker, Celestine Duncan, Rodney Lym, Peter Rice
Native Grasses Evaluation for Reseedings in Northeast Mexico
Eduardo A. Gonzalez-V.*, J. Miguel Avila-C., J. Alfonso Ortega-S.
Nature’s Engineers - Wildlife as Agents of Ecological Change
Wendell Gilgert*, Kent McAdoo, Marty Vavra
New Paradigms for Collaborative Research and Management in the Great Basin
Stuart Hardegree*
New Rangeland and Pasture Herbicide Product Formulations from Dow AgroSciences LLC.
Vernon Langston*, Pat Burch, Chad Cummings, Bill Kline, Byron Sleugh, Mary Halstvedt, Vanelle Peterson
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Non-Fee Grazing Costs: Historical Review and Implications to Public Land Grazing Fees
Neil R. Rimbey*, L. Allen Torell
No-Till Interseeding Yellow-Flowered Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. falcata) into Crested Wheatgrass
(Agropyron cristatum) Stands: Initial Establishment
Christopher Misar*, Lan Xu, Roger Gates, Arvid Boe, Patricia Johnson, Christopher Schauer
Novel Herbivores and Disturbance, Biotic Resistance, Community Structure, and Environmental Factors:
Multi-Process Control over the Invasibility of North America's Endangered Wyoming Big Sagebrush
Ecosystems
Michael Reisner*, James Grace, David Pyke, Paul Doescher
NRCS - USFWS Conference Report
Terrell Erickson*
NRCS Conservation Planning and Use of Monitoring and Business Planning Information
Gene Fults*, Chuck Stanley
NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative: Montana Example
Joe Fidel*
NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative: Overview and Structure
Tim Griffiths*
Nutritional Composition of Carex sprengelii in North Dakota
Miranda Meehan*, Edward DeKeyser, Kevin Sedivec, Jack Norland
Nutritive Value of Pasture Weeds in Oregon
Amy Peters*, Shelby Filley, Andrew Hulting
Object-Oriented Segmentation and Classification of High Resolution Imagery Evaluating Fire-Carrying
Fuel Variables of Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands in the Great Basin
April Hulet*, Bruce Roundy, Steve Petersen, Stephen Bunting, Ryan Jensen
Optimized Plant Frequency as a Surrogate Measure for Species Abundance - Potential Applications to
VHR Image
Michael DeBacker*, John Heywood
Optimizing Regional Collaborative Efforts to Achieve Long-Term Discipline-Specific Objectives
Frederick B. Pierson*, Peter R. Robichaud, Kenneth E. Spaeth, C. Jason Williams, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan
Orthorectification, Mosaicking, and Analysis of Sub-Decimeter Resolution UAV Imagery for Rangeland
Monitoring
Andrea Laliberte*, Craig Winters, Albert Rango
Overview of the Role of Fish and Wildlife in Determining Plant Succession and Directing Plant Community
Phases
Wendell Gilgert*, Jeremy Maestas
Owl Mountain Partnership
Peter Torma*
Pasture and Grazing Management in the Northwest: A New Guidebook
Glenn Shewmaker*, Mylen Bohle
Pastures of Deserted Animal Industries of Uzbekistan
T. Mukimov*, R. Haiitbaev, Sh. Sindarov
Patch Size Controls Selectivity of Sheep Grazing Grass-Clover Grasslands
Emilio Laca, Cristina Genro*, Carolina Bremm, Jairo Genro, Craig Schriefer
Patterns of Woodland Overstory/Understory Successional Changes over a Central Nevada Elevational
Gradient
Robin Tausch*, Alicia Reiner
Payments for the Provision of Ecological Goods and Services
Peter Boxall*
Peatlands: Ecology and Conservation
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Steve Shelly*
Perceptions of Targeted Grazing in the Desert Southwest
Corrine Knapp*, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez, Retta Bruegger, Larry Howery, Allen Torell, Derek Bailey
Pick the Low-Hanging Fruit First: Oregon's Strategy to Benefit Sage-Grouse by Removing Juniper
Jeremy Maestas*
Pinus ponderosa: An Examination into its Past, Present, and Future Suitable Habitat in Arizona
Matthew P. Peters*, Ward W. Brady
Plains Prickly Pear: Demography and Response to Grazing on the Shortgrass Steppe
Lynn M. Moore*, William K. Lauenroth
Plant and Animal Responses to Targeted Grazing of White Locoweed in New Mexico
Laura Jacobson*, Andres Cibils, David Graham, Lyndi Owensby, Wendy Taylor, Kirk McDaniel
Plant Materials Development for Disturbed Southwestern Landscapes
Gregory Fenchel*, Joe Aragon, David Dreesen, Danny Goodson, Keith White
Plant Materials Development in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Steve Parr*
Plant Materials Establishment and Performance on Gas Well Pads
James Jacobs*, Karen Clause, Susan Winslow
Plant Selection Strategies for Improved Plant Establishment in Saline Environments
John Lloyd-Reilley*
Planting Date Influences Germination and Seedling Demography of Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Chad Boyd*, Jeremy James
PLANTS and VegSpec - Plant Characteristics, Taxonomy, and Restoration Tools
David Pyke*
Post-Fire Soil Water Repellency, a Preliminary Report: Extent and Characteristics within the PinyonJuniper Woodlands of the Eastern Great Basin
Daniel Zvirzdin*, Matthew Madsen, Bruce Roundy
Potential Native Species for Mitigating Fire and Weed Invasion
Christine Taliga*
Potential Use of Molecular Markers for Development of Native Plants
Steven Larson*
Practical Sample Design and Selection Tools for Rangeland Monitoring and Assessment
Jason Karl*
Prairie Pothole Wetlands: Characteristics, Functions, and Values
Brian Tangen*
Predicting Direct Fire-Induced Mortality of Four Prominent Rangeland Graminoids
Kimberly Haile*, Lance Vermeire, Clayton Marlow
Predicting Nutritive Value of Desert Bighorn Sheep Forage Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy
John A. Kava*, Douglas R. Tolleson
Predicting Potential Soil Aggregate Stability and Understanding Departure from Potential: A Climate-SoilVegetation Envelope Model Approach
Michael Duniway*, Kenneth Spaeth, Jeffrey Herrick
Predicting the Spread of Invasive Plant Species Under a Rangeland Climate Change Scenario
Robbie Lee*, Gary Bradfield, Maja Krzic, Reg Newman, Brian Wallace
Predicting Wolf (Canis lupus)-Cattle (Bos taurus) Encounters and Consequential Effects on Cattle
Resource Selection Patterns
Patrick Clark*, D. Joseph Chigbrow, Kelly Crane, John Williams, Larry Larson, Douglas Johnson
Preliminary Results for Rapid Determination of Sagebrush Using DNA Recovered from Cattle Feces
Jose Alberto Perez-Amaro*, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez, Tim DelCurto, David Bohnert, Oscar Riera-Lizarazu, Chad Boyd, Jeff Leonard
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Prescribed Burn Associations: Getting Landowners to Use Prescribed Fire
John Weir*
Preserving CRP Grassland Benefits in Western Nebraska
Kristin L. Miller*, Jerrold R Spiker, Galen Wittrock, Emily Munter
Proper Grazing Management During Drought: The Difference between Making a Profit and Losing Your
Herd
Carlos Gonzalez*, Alfonso Ortega-S., Steven Lukefahr
Pyric Herbivory in Action on Boreal Rangelands? The Fire-Grazing Interaction of Wood Bison in
Northeast British Columbia, Canada
Sonja Leverkus*, Sam Fuhlendorf
Pyric Herbivory in Central Montana Sagebrush Communities: Contrasting Domestic and Native
Herbivores
Ilana Bloom-Cornelius*, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
Quantifying Wildlife Habitat for State and Transition Models Developed in the Sagebrush-Steppe of
Northwest Colorado
Willow Hibbs*, Roy Roath, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez
Rainfall Interception and Partitioning by Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma
Samuel Lossing*, Tamzen Stringham, Mark Weltz
Ranch-Level Economic Impacts of Predation in a Range Livestock System
Benjamin S. Rashford, Thomas Foulke*, David T. Taylor
Range Camp on the Western Fringe - California-Pacific Section
Julie Finzel, Marc Horney*, Cece Dahlstrom
Range Cattle Winter Water Consumption in Eastern Montana
M. K. Petersen*, Jennifer Muscha, Travis Mulliniks
Rangeland and Pasture Weed Control with Aminopyralid + 2,4-D
Vernon Langston*, Chad Cummings, Byron Sleugh, Pat Burch, Bill Kline
Rangeland Technology and Equipment Workshop: Diversification of Crested Wheatgrass Stands
Robert Cox*, Mike Pellant, Nancy Shaw
Rangeland Web Resources: Making Your Proposals More Competitive
James Dobrowolski*
Rangelands in Large-Scale: History and Future
Paul Tueller*
Rangelands of the Wakhan Corridor: Description, Issues, and Concerns
Don Bedunah*
Rangelands on eXtension: Compiling the Best of the Best for Rangelands
Rachel Frost*, John Tanaka, Lovina Roselle, Mindy Pratt
Rangelands Use Efficiency and Wool Production in the Arid Environment of Uzbekistan
E. Mamedov*
Rangelands West Goes International: Introducing Global Rangelands
Barbara Hutchinson*
Recovery of Intermountain Grasslands with Fall Grazing or Rest
Donald Thompson*
Recruiting Diverse Range Students for the 21st Century
Susan Edinger-Marshall*, Lisa Perry
Redefining Large Carnivore-Livestock Management: A Working Model for Reducing Livestock Conflicts
on Public and Private Land in the Mountain West
Timmothy Kaminski*, Charles Mamo, Joe Englehart, Sarah Dewey
Reducing Cholla Infestation in SE New Mexico, USA
Braden Johns*, Robert Cox
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Regional Economic Implications of Post-CRP Land Use
Dean Bangsund*, Larry Leistritz, Nancy Hodur
Regional Research and Management: Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project
James McIver*
Regional Research, Demonstration and Extension: The ARS Area-Wide Ecologically Based Invasive
Plant Management Project
Brenda Smith*, Roger Sheley
Rehabilitation of Medusahead and Cheatgrass Dominated Rangelands in the Boise Foothills. An
Ecologically-Based Invasive Plant Management (EBIPM) Program Research and Demonstration Project
Stuart Hardegree*, Jaepil Cho
Reintroducing Fire into Rangeland Ecosystems: Ecological Adaptations vs. Social Constraints
Samuel Fuhlendorf*, Ryan Limb
Relationships of Fire to North American Grouse
Dwayne Elmore*, Samuel Fuhlendorf, Eric Thacker
Remote Sensing of Plant Community Dynamics in a Sandhills Blowout
Barbara Kagima*, James Stubbendieck
Research and Management Priorities and Strategies for Sustaining Great Basin Ecosystems
Jeanne Chambers*
Research to Practical Use: On-the-Ground Successes
Charlie Clements*, James Young, Dan Harmon, Mark Weltz
Resource Monitoring Challenges and Technological Needs for the BLM
Robert Bolton*
Response of Juniper Woodland-Fuel Loading to Mechanical and Prescribed Fire Treatment
Christopher Bernau*, Stephen Bunting
Restoration of Downy Brome Infested Rangelands with Glyphosate and Transplanting Wyoming Big
Sagebrush to Increase Diversity
Kent McAdoo*, Earl Creech, Chad Boyd
Restoring Native Plants to Crested Wheatgrass Stands
Jane Mangold*, Valerie Fansler
Restoring Native Tallgrass Prairie and Improving Profitability on Eastern South Dakota Grasslands with
Intensive Early Stocking
Kyle Schell*, Eric Mouse, Alexander Smart
Revelations in Lentic Soils: Deciphering System Processes and Resource Conditions from Mud, Muck,
and Peat
Mark A. Gonzalez*
Riparian Forest Regeneration in the Middle Sheyenne River Watershed of North Dakota, USA
Sarah Braaten*, Edward (Shawn) DeKeyser, Joseph Zeleznik
Rodents as Agents of Ecological Change
Kent McAdoo*, Bill Longland
Role of Fire and Grazing in Conserving Grassland and Shrubland Birds in the Southern Great Plains
Craig Davis*
Sage Grouse Initiative - NRCS, Washington State
Tim Dring*
Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp Wyomingensis) Regeneration 23 Years Following Removal in South
Central Wyoming
Michael Smith*, Calvin Strom, Diane Fiedler
Seed Mixes for Diversifying South Texas Rangelands
Forrest Smith, John Lloyd-Reilley*
Seed Production of Native Plants in the Intermountain West
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Loren St. John*
Seedling Emergence of Diverse Seed Mixes in Post-Wildfire Rangelands
Robert Cox*, Nancy Shaw, Mike Pellant
Seedlings: From Seed to Establishment
Charlie Clements*, Dan Harmon, Mark Weltz
Seeing into Shadows in Resource Monitoring Images
Samuel E. Cox*, D. Terrance Booth
Selecting for Cattle That Enhance Biodiversity in the Sagebrush Steppe
Charles Petersen*, Fredrick Provenza, Agee Smith
Selling Conservation to Get Producer Buy-In
Justin Meissner*
Selling Conservation to Get Producer Buy-In
Justin Meissner*
Sentinel Plants: Diagnostic Guides for Adaptive Management
Robert Skinner*, Sam Fuhlendorf
Setting the Bar High: Using Science to Evaluate SGI Conservation Outcomes
Dave Naugle*, Tim Griffiths
Social Sciences and Public Rangelands: Perceptions of Bureau of Land Management Employees and
Stakeholders
Audie Blevins, Katherine Jensen, Stephanie Kane, Neil Rimbey, John Tanaka, David "Tex" Taylor, L. Allen Torell, J.D. Wulfhorst*
Soil Salinity and CRP in South Dakota
Stan Boltz*, Jeff Hemenway
Spatial Autocorrelation in Modeling with Very-High Resolution Imagery and Alternative Modeling
Approaches
Rick Lawrence*
Spatial Movement of Free-Roaming Cattle (Bos taurus) When in Proximity to Wolves (Canis lupus)
John Williams*, Patrick E. Clark, D. Joseph Chigbrow, Kelly K. Crane, Larry Larson, Douglas E. Johnson
SRR Ecological Assessment Indicators: Selection and Monitoring Techniques
Michael Smith*, John Mitchell
SRR Legal, Educational and Institutional Assessment Indicators
Stanley F. Hamilton*
SRR Rangeland Ecosystem Services Assessment Framework
John Tanaka*
SRR Socio-Economic Assessment Indicators
John Tanaka*
SRR Sustainable Ranch Management Assessment Project - Concepts, Goals, and Objectives
Stanley F. Hamilton*, Dick Loper
Stable Isotope Diet Reconstruction Using Tail Hairs of Feral Horses on the Sheldon National Wildlife
Refuge
Megan Nordquist*, Todd Robinson, Steve Petersen, Gail Collins
Standardized BLM and NRCS Inventory and Monitoring Protocols
Carol Spurrier*, Pat Shaver
Status and Management of Amphibians on Montana Rangelands
Bryce Maxell*
Stocking Rate Effects on Spatial Heterogeneity in Vegetation Cover in a Grazing-Resistant Grassland
David Augustine*, Terrance Booth, Samuel Cox, Justin Derner
Success Using an Interdisciplinary Approach for Watershed-Scale Land Health Assessments and
Subsequent Project Implementation
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Pat Fosse*, Brian Thrift, Ryan Martin
Successional Pathways of Wyoming Big Sagebrush Communities Historically Seeded with Crested
Wheatgrass
Tom Monaco*, Justin Williams
Survival and Growth of 8 Shrubs Transplanted into Amended Fluvial Mine Tailings
Joe Brummer*, Paul Meiman, Natasha Davis
Survival and Habitat Selection of Ring-Necked Pheasant Broods in Southwest North Dakota
Kristine Larson*, Benjamin Geaumont, Christopher Schauer, Kevin Sedivec
Sustainable Ranch Management through Business Planning and Rangeland Monitoring
John Tanaka*, Kristie Maczko, Mike Smith, John E. Mitchell, Cindy Garretson-Weibel, Doug Powell, Chuck Quimby, Gene Fults,
Chuck Stanley, Stan Hamilton, Niels Hansen, Dick Loper, J.K. "Rooter" Brite
Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SRR) Overview
Kristie Maczko*, John Tanaka, Stanley F. Hamilton
Tebuthiuron Role in Rangeland Restoration Programs
Robert Masters*, Byron Sleugh, Chad Cummings, Greg Alpers, John Jachetta, Vernon Langston
Ten Year Assessment of a Tebuthiuron Treatment of Shinnery Oak to Enhance Grassland in Eastern
New Mexico: What Did We Learn?
Charles E. Dixon*
Ten-Year Invasive Vegetation Changes on a South Texas Range
Aaron Tjelmeland, J. Alfonso Ortega-S., Jorge Molina*, Kevin Porter, Laura Bush, Forrest Smith, Marc Bartoskewitz, Fred C. Bryant
Texas GLCI - Growing Partnerships in Texas
Mark Moseley*
The Business Planning Process and Incorporation of Monitoring Information
Cindy Garretson-Weibel*
The Constant Gardener: Ecosystem Effects of Seed Dispersal by Ungulates
Mary Rowland*, Catherine Parks, Martin Vavra
The DF1 Tip Jet Personal Helicopter: An Innovative Platform for Obtaining Very-High Resolution Aerial
Images
Ricardo Cavalcanti*
The Diversification of Crested Wheatgrass Experience
Michael Schellenberg*
The Ecological Reserve El Uno - Strategies for Integral Range Management in Short Grass Prairie in the
Northwest Chihuahua, Mexico
Pedro Angel Calderón-Domínguez*, Carlos Ortega-Ochoa
The Ecology of Disturbed Ecosystems
Tom Monaco*
The Ecology of Seedling Establishment on Rangeland
Jeremy James*
The Economic Consequences of Ecological Thresholds: An Application to Ranching in the Great Basin
Mimako Kobayashi, Kimberly Rollins, Michael Taylor*
The Effect of Fairy Rings on Soil Aggregation and Rangeland Grasses
TheCan Caesar, Erin Espeland*, Anthony Caesar
The Evaluation of Ring-Necked Pheasant and Duck Production on a Multiple Land Use Management
System on Post-Contract Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands
Benjamin Geaumont*, Kevin Sedivec, Christopher Schauer
The Great Basin Landscape Conservation Cooperative: Building on Existing Collaborative Programs
Mike Pellant*
The Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project - Linking Research, Management and the
Native Seed Industry
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Nancy Shaw*, Mike Pellant
The Great Basin Research and Management Partnership: Facilitating Collaborative Solutions
Stuart Hardegree*
The Impact of Livestock Grazing at State and National Scales on US Dryland Productivity at 1-km and 8km Resolution from 1981 to 2009
Robert A. Washington-Allen*, R. Wasantha Kulawardhana, Matt C. Reeves, John E. Mitchell
The Importance of a Long-Term View of Rangeland/Fire Interactions
Tony Svejcar*
The Importance of Education in Managing Invasive Plant Species
Steve Young*, Roger Sheley, Brenda Smith, Larry Howery, Sandra McDonald, Randy Westbrooks, Becky Westbrooks, Erik
Lehnhoff
The Invasion of Smooth Bromegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass in Restored Grasslands as a Function of
Species Diversity
Andrew DiAllesandro*, Breanna Paradeis, Mario Biondini
The New Integrated Paradigm for Research, Education and Extension
James Dobrowolski*
The Power of Personal Stories to Educate
Holly George*, jesikah maria ross
The Rangeland Science Database: A Search Engine for Range Professionals
Jason Clark*
The Right Conservation in the Right Places: Using Sage-Grouse Core Areas to Target SGI Resources
Dave Naugle*, Kevin Doerty, Jason Tack, Jeff Evans
The Rise and Fall of Western USA's Great Elk Herds
David Allen*
The Role of Beavers as Agents of Ecological Change: Ecosystem Engineering and Herbivory in Lotic and
Riparian Ecosystems
Stewart Breck*
The Role of Fire in Sustainable Rangeland Ecosystems
Ryan Limb*, Samuel Fuhlendorf
The Role of Relative Size and Nitrogen (N) Availability in Competitive Interactions between Cheatgrass
(Bromus tectorum) and Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata)
Noelle Orloff*, Jane Mangold, Fabian Menalled, Zach Miller
The Socioeconomic Impact of Climate Change on Ranching in BC
Mercedes Cox*
The US Rangeland Base: A Comprehensive Geographic Analysis of the Extent of Coterminous US
Rangelands
Matt Reeves*
The Williamson Cattle Company - Florida Environmental Stewardship Award Winner 2010
Chad George*, Brandee Williams
Thirty-Year Persistence of 17 Plant Species in a Low Precipitation Zone
Mark Stannard*, Clarence Kelley, Wayne Crowder
To Graze or Not to Graze: Managing for Plant Diversity?
Karen Hickman*, Ken Belcher
Tools for Analysis of Very-High Resolution Images
Jason Karl*, Terrance Booth, Scott Schrader, Samuel Cox
Transcending Communication Borders in Range Management
Cristina Francois*, Abe Clark, Del Despain, Don McClure, Rob Grumbles
Understanding Priority Effects May Help Improve Restoration Outcomes and Establishment of Artemisia
tridentata spp. wyomingensis
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Kurt Reinhart*, Cheryl Murphy
Understory Cover in Relation to One Seed Juniper Sapling Stand Structure at a Site in New Mexico
Andres Cibils*, Terrance Booth, Samuel Cox, Brad Cooper, Richard Dunlap, Shad Cox, David Borland
Understory Responses to a Mixed-Severity Wildfire in Ponderosa Pine Forests of the Black Hills, USA
Mandi Robertson*, Paul Meiman, Frederick Smith, Tara Keyser
Ungulate Herbivory as a Chronic Disturbance to Ecosystems
Marty Vavra*, Bryan Endress, Michael Wisdom, Catherine Parks
USDA NRCS Conservation Program Financial and Technical Assistance to Support Producers in
Conservation, Assessment, and Business Planning
Mark Parson*, Dennis Thompson
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and Prescribed Burning on Non- Federal Lands
Patrick Shaver*
Use and Effectiveness of VLSA Imagery for Invasive Weed Monitoring in Rangelands
Brian Mealor*, Dana Blumenthal
Use of Direct and Indirect Estimates of Crown Dimensions to Predict One Seed Juniper Woody Biomass
Yield for Alternative Energy Uses
Santiago Utsumi*, Andres Cibils, Brent Racher, David Borland, Terrance Booth, Matthew Bobo, Samuel Cox, Shad Cox, Richard
Dunlap, Al Sandoval, Kent Reid
Use of Monitoring and Business Planning in the Context of Joint Cooperative Monitoring and Federal
Grazing Allotments
Chuck Quimby, Doug Powell*
Use of Seed Agglomeration Technology for Enhancing Seedling Emergence in the Presence of Physical
Soil Crust
Matthew Madsen*, Kirk Davies, Tony Svejcar, Jason Williams
Uses and Benefits of Consistent Indicators and Scalable, Integrated Sample Design for BLM Local-toNational Data Needs
Gordon Toevs, Jason Karl*, Jason Taylor, Matthew Bobo, Jeffrey Herrick, Carrol Spurrier, Craig Mackinnon
Using Cattle Supplementation to Enhance Range Wetland Condition
Tara Luna, Robert Welling*
Using Ecological Site Descriptions to Guide Sage Grouse Conservation
Wendell Gilgert*, Pat Shaver
Using Images to Evaluate the Relationship Between Habitat Characteristics and Sage-Grouse Lek
Counts
Jeffrey Beck*, D. Terrance Booth
Using Low-Stress, Pressure-and-Release Tactics and Attractants to Move Producers to a Better Place in
the NRCS
Tim Steffens*, Sarah Hanlon, Joel Moffett, Michael Casper, Ed Kilpatrick, Tom Werner
Using Plant Functional Groups to Create Data-Driven State-and-Transition Models
Emily Kachergis*, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez, Monique Rocca
Using Similarity Indices as a Tool for Characterizing and Monitoring Vegetation within Prairie Dog
Colonies in Southwestern South Dakota
Eric Boyda*, Jack Butler, Lan Xu
Using Small Unmanned Aerial Systems to Collect High Resolution Imagery for Site Specific Land
Management Applications
Thomas Zajkowski*
Using Social Media (BLOGS, Facebook, & Twitter) for Extending Range Livestock Information
John Harper*
Using the 15N Natural Abundance Method to Determine N2-fixation in Russet Buffaloberry in Colorado
Zoe Miller*, Mark Paschke
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Using the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to Address Rangeland Drought and Grazing Land
Management in South Dakota
Mitch Faulkner*, Shane Deranleau, Stan Boltz
Using the Sage-Grouse Initiative, Conservation Easements, and State Regulations to Address Threats to
Sage-Grouse Habitat in Wyoming
Gerald Jasmer*, Thomas Christiansen
Using VHR Imagery for Rangeland Monitoring and Assessment: Some Statistical Considerations
Jason Karl*, Jean Opsomer, Sarah Nusser, Andrea Laliberte, Michael Duniway, Robert Unnasch
Variability in Light-Use Efficiency for Gross Primary Productivity on Great Plains Grasslands
Wayne Polley*, Rebecca Phillips, Albert Frank, James Bradford, Phillip Sims, Jack Morgan, James Kiniry
Variation among SamplePoint Users with Respect to Shadows and Other Variables
Amanda L. Gearhart*, Christopher S. Schauer, D. Terrance Booth, Kevin K. Sedivec
Variation in Plasma Metabolic Indicators of Mule Deer Does on a Low Quality Winter Diet on the North
Kaibab Plateau of Arizona
Matthew Acton*, William Miller, Ann Steffler
Vegetation Structure and Composition at Greater Prairie-Chicken Nest and Brood Sites: Drivers for
Success?
Lars Anderson*, Walter Schacht, Larkin Powell, Jeffery Lusk
Vegetative Variation between Nesting and Winter Habitat of the Greater Sage-Grouse
Cheryl Mandich*
Very-High Resolution Image Registration and Mosaic Creation
James Carr*
Very-High Resolution Imaging for Resources Monitoring
D. Terrance Booth*
Water Requirements of Common Plant Species in the Owens Valley, CA
Tracie Evans*, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez, David Martin, Terry McLendon
Watershed Restoration Committee for the Upper Clark Fork River
John Hollenback*
"Wealthy Rancher" Calculator
Arnold Mattson*
Weather and Climate Applications for Rangeland Restoration Planning
Jaepil Cho*, Stuart Hardegree, Jeanne Schneider
Weather or Not: Changes in Grazed and Ungrazed Great Plains Grassland Plant Communities
Associated with Interannual Variability in Weather
Jayne Jonas*, Amy Symstad, Deborah Buhl
Weed and Brush Management in Pasture and Rangeland with Aminocyclopyrachlor
James Harbour*, Jeff Meredith, Eric Castner, Michael Edwards, Susan Rick, Craig Alford
Wetland Resources and Issues in the Prairie Pothole Region of the Northern Great Plains
Shawn DeKeyser*
What Makes for Effective Collaboration?
Nat Frazer*
Wildfire as a Process in Riparian Recovery and Stability
Clayton B. Marlow*
Will Super Juniper-Eating Sires Produce Super Juniper-Eating Offspring?
Kendall Tidwell*, Cody Scott, Charles Taylor, John Walker, Dan Waldron, Corey Owens, Micheal Salisbury
Wolf Damage Management in Minnesota
John Hart*
Wolf Diets and Depredation Patterns in Southwestern Alberta
Andrea Morehouse*
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
Wolf Management in Alberta, Canada
Mark Boyce*
Wolf Recovery: An Independent Analysis
Charles E. Kay*
Wolf Reintroduction: A Montana Perspective
Jaala Wickman*
Wolves & The Natural Law
Jim Beers*
Wolves on the Landscape
Kevin France*
Woody Plant Encroachment Following Fire Suppression in the Kansas Flint Hills
Thomas Bragg*
Working with California and Nevada Ranchers in a Coordinated Effort to Recover the Sage Grouse
Tom Moore*
Working with Private Landowners to Recover Sage Grouse Habitat and Improve Ranching Sustainability
in Nevada
Jamie Jasmine*
Working with Private Landowners to Recover Sage-Grouse Habitat and Improve Ranching Sustainability
Peter Husby*
Yield Response of Summer-Dormant and -Active Tall Fescue to Stockpiling
James Rogers*, Carolyn Young, Jagadeesh Mosali, Shawn Norton
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Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0001
Wolf Management in Alberta, Canada
Mark Boyce
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations are recovering in many parts of the world and managers from various
jurisdictions will be faced with difficult decisions as wolf populations continue to increase. Wolf
management in Alberta is achieved mostly through trapping on a registered trapline system. Wolf harvest
increased over the last 22 years relative to population increases. Most wolf harvests occurred in the
Rocky Mountains and surrounding foothills area and this pattern was consistent over time. On average,
trappers harvested <10% of the provincial population annually despite the lack of bag limits or quotas.
Harvests are spatially autocorrelated with peak autocorrelation coinciding with average home-range size
for wolves in Alberta. When wolf control actions are deemed necessary, trappers are unlikely to remove a
sufficient number of wolves over a large enough area to limit subpopulations under the registered trapline
system.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0002
Wolf Diets and Depredation Patterns in Southwestern Alberta
Andrea Morehouse
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The sharp interface between mountains and prairies in southwest Alberta means wildlife habitats overlap
prime cattle grazing lands. Consequently, a number of stakeholder groups are concerned over wolf
(Canis lupus) depredation on livestock. Producers are compensated for confirmed losses to predators,
but missing cattle remain a persistent problem. Such conflicts often result in the removal of these
predators. A lack of information about wolf diets and activity in this multi-use landscape makes
management decisions more difficult. To asses the impact of wolves on cattle we collared wolves with
GPS radiocollars programmed on a 1-hr duty cycle and analyzed these data for clusters of activity. Yearround field visits of 698 cluster sites revealed 213 kill or scavenge sites. Wolf diets shifted dramatically
from livestock during the grazing season to wild prey in the winter months, but cattle depredation
remained a year-round problem. We used kill-site locations, cattle stocking densities and age class, and
spatial layers in a GIS framework to estimate resource selection functions (RSF) and maps of these RSFs
highlighted areas of highest relative risk of wolf depredation. These "hotspot" maps represent an
important management tool in narrowing the areas of focus for wolf-livestock mitigation efforts, especially
in the grazing areas of the public forest reserve.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0003
Wolf Damage Management in Minnesota
John Hart
USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, United States
The USDA-Wildlife Services (WS) wolf depredation management program based in Grand Rapids,
Minnesota uses a variety of methods to manage wolf damage. Wolves in Minnesota regularly kill
livestock (cattle, sheep, poultry and occasionally horses) and pets, primarily dogs. While the magnitude
of damage is relatively small (1-2% of farms in wolf range), the losses to individual producers can be
significant. Minnesota wolves have expanded both their population and range in recent decades from
heavily forested and remote areas of extreme northern Minnesota into more agricultural and even
sometimes urban areas throughout northern and central Minnesota. Current estimates are of
approximately 3,000 wolves in Minnesota. This increase in wolf numbers and proximity to people has
caused an increase in wolf/human conflicts. WS investigates claims of wolf damage to livestock and pets
in cooperation with the Minnesota DNR. If damage is verified and there are opportunities for future
losses, WS may initiate wolf removal efforts near the depredation site to reduce the likelihood of
additional damage. WS also uses non-lethal methods and technical assistance to reduce wolf damage
where appropriate. In addition to resolving individual depredation situations, the WS program helps to
define the extent of wolf depredations in Minnesota, provides accurate information to livestock producers,
resource managers and other interested parties, and ultimately has assisted with wolf recovery in
Minnesota by providing a buffer between wolves and those experiencing wolf damage.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0004
Functional Traits and Their Use in Plant Improvement
Jeremy James1, Tom Jones2
1
USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Logan, UT, United States
Sustainable land management requires an understanding of how plant community composition impacts
ecosystem properties such as invasion resistance. Research has largely focused on the relationship
between species or functional group diversity and ecosystem properties. However, it is becoming
increasingly clear that species and functional group diversity are relatively poor predictors of plant
community effects on ecosystem properties. Plant functional traits, which include the physiological,
morphological and life history traits that determine how a plant affects and responds to the environment
may be better predictors of plant community effects on ecosystem properties. Here we discuss what
suite of plant traits have the greatest potential to guide plant improvement efforts for rangeland restoration
using a case study of 17 Elymus elymoides (native perennial grass) and 13 and 10 Taeniatherum caputmedusae (invasive annual grass) accessions collected from native and introduced ranges. respectively.
Using path analysis we evaluated how variation in a suite of germination, root growth, shoot growth and
nitrogen use efficiency traits contributed to variation in fitness. Early germination, root growth at low
temperature and high specific leaf area were important traits influencing variation in fitness. There was
substantial variability among accessions within a species and in some cases native plant populations had
trait values similar to the invader. Understanding what traits contribute most to variation in fitness can
help guide future plant improvement efforts and may allow managers to strategically select plant materials
most appropriate for a particular restoration scenario.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0005
Grass Seedling Demography in the Great Basin: Implications for Restoration
Jeremy James1, Tony Svejcar1, Matt Rinella2
USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Miles City, MT, United States
1
Recruitment often is a central limitation to plant community restoration. Seeding native species is a
critical tool that allows managers to overcome these limitations and positively influence plant community
assembly. However, seeding is a high-risk and expensive practice in arid systems where interannual
variation in environmental conditions can lead to large year-to-year variation in recruitment success.
Here we examine the demography of seeded grass species to determine what critical life stages may be
central drivers of seeding failures and to identify management opportunities to improve establishment.
We measured life stage transition probabilities spanning germination to 1 year survival for three years on
three grass species as well as transition probabilities following seeding of four fire complexes. Across
years, the largest bottleneck for native species was the transition between germination and emergence
but this was not necessarily true for the introduced crested wheatgrass. Across the fire complexes the
transition between germination and emergence was less than 0.1, representing a clear bottle neck to
recruitment. We discuss how these results may be used to ultimately improve rangeland restoration
outcomes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0006
Managing Fire and Fuels in the Northeast Mojave Desert: The Mojave Desert Initiative
Scott Florence
US Bureau of Land Management, St George, Utah, United States
The Mojave Desert Initiative (MDI) was established in 2007 as a forum for government agencies and
other partners to collaboratively address wildfire and invasive species issues within the NE Mojave Desert
in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. This presentation will review the process used to identify strategic goals
and actions for the MDI. The major goals of the MDI are to protect remaining unburned habitats and
restore strategically located islands, key habitat areas, and corridors. Major actions include the
development of regional guidance for fire personnel to minimize further loss of habitat and a regional
assessment used to identify priority areas of work and project ranking/selection criteria. The presentation
will review the types of projects being planned and implemented throughout the region, including
strategies to adapt to changing conditions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0007
Controlling Japanese Brome with Grazing Management in Judith Basin County, Montana
Rick Caquelin
USDA-NRCS, Stanford, MT, United States
The Porter Ranch in northeast Judith Basin County, Montana began rangeland photo monitoring in
2007. A pasture with a severe Japanese brome infestation was chosen for one monitoring location. A
grazing prescription was designed to reduce the Japanese brome density while improving the density and
production of the native grasses. Annual photo monitoring and grazing records were completed in 2008
and 2009 to document the effect of the grazing treatments. With careful management Japanese brome
growth was substantially reduced resulting in an equal increase in native grass production.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0008
Home Range, Habitat Selection, and Survival of Greater Roadrunners
Dean Ransom, Jr.
Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, Texas Agrilife Research and Extension Center, San Angelo, TX
76901, United States
The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is a common bird of arid and semi-arid rangelands in
the southwestern U.S. Conservation of this cursorial avian predator requires detailed understanding of
movements and spatial requirements which are currently lacking, especially in light of habitat
fragmentation due to human development. We describe home-range and core area sizes, overlap, and
survival of 34 roadrunners (14 M, 20 F) captured in north-central Texas using radio-telemetry and fixed
kernel estimators. Roadrunner home ranges were large and highly variable, with median home-range
and core area sizes of 90.4 ha and 19.2 ha for males and 80.1 ha and 16.7 ha for females, respectively.
Home range overlap occurred most frequently between male:female dyads, but male:male dyads
displayed the highest magnitude of overlap. Male roadrunners selected mesquite woodlands and
mesquite savanna habitat types and avoided grass/forb habitat types; females selected for mesquite
savanna and riparian woodland habitats. Annual survival for females (0.451±0.118) was twice that of
males (0.210±0.108); the highest period of mortality for males was during the spring and early summer.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0009
Estimating Prickly Pear (Opuntia) Pad Density by Line Intercept, Belt Transect, and Quadrat
Methods
David Barre1, Kurt Huffman3, Dale Rollins2, Dean Ransom, Jr1
1
Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, San Angelo, TX
76901, United States, 2Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, San Angelo, TX 76901, United
States, 3Department of Ecosystem Sciences and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station,
TX 77843, United States
Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) occurs on approximately 12.5 million ha of rangelands inhabited by
wildlife and livestock in the western two-thirds of Texas. While prickly pear has value for wildlife, it
decreases forage production for cattle and thus often targeted for control with herbicides and prescribed
fire. Common techniques of determining absolute density of prickly pear for evaluating control measures
can be time consuming and often logistically prohibitive. We evaluated utility and efficiency of the line
intercept method as an index of relative abundance in comparison to two methods (1 m2 quadrats, 100 m2
belt transects) for estimating prickly pear absolute density in reverted cropland and native rangeland.
Regression analyses of prickly pear density for all pair-wise comparisons were statistically significant.
Most importantly, relative density determined by line intercept method was significantly correlated with
absolute density determined by belt transect (rangeland: r 2 = 0.9879, df=70, P<0.001; reverted cropland:
r 2=0.9515, df=25, P<0.001) and by the quadrat method (rangeland: r 2= 0.985, df=70, P<0.001; reverted
cropland: r 2= 0.9274, df = 25, P<0.001). Standardized residual plots on fitted values indicate that the
variance of the regression line tended to increase slightly with increasing values of the independent
variable; the only exception was the comparison involving the quadrate and line intercept method. The
belt transect method took 3× longer to complete than the line intercept method. Our data suggest that the
line intercept may be a useful and efficient index for estimating prickly pear density.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0010
Comparing Two Ground-Cover Measurement Methodologies for Semiarid Rangelands
Keith Weber1, Fang Chen1, D. T. Booth2, Mansoor Raza1, Kindra Serr1, Bhushan Gokhale1
1
ISU GIS Center, Pocatello, ID, United States, 2USDA Agricultural Research Service, Cheyenne, WY,
United States
The limited field-of-view (FOV) associated with single-resolution very-large scale aerial (VLSA) imagery
requires users to balance FOV and resolution needs. This balance varies by the specific questions being
asked of the data. Here, we tested a FOV-resolution question by comparing ground-cover measured in
the field using point-intercept transects with similar data measured from 50 millimeters per pixel (mmpp)
VLSA imagery of the same locations. Particular care was given to spatial control of ground and aerial
sample points from which observations were made, yet percent cover estimates were very different
between methods. An error budget was used to calculate error of location and error of quantification.
Budget results indicated location error (0.435) played a substantial role, compared with quantification
error (0.216); however, significant quantification error was present. We conclude that: 1) while the
georectification accuracy achieved in this project was actually quite good, the level of accuracy required
to match ground and aerial sample points represents an unrealistic expectation with currently available
positioning technologies, 2) 50 mmpp VLSA imagery is not adequate for accurate ground-cover
measurement, and 3) the balance between resolution and FOV needs is best addressed by using multiple
cameras to simultaneously acquire nested imagery at two or three VLSA resolutions. We recommend
ground-cover be measured from 1-mmpp imagery and that the imagery be nested in lower resolution,
larger FOV images simultaneously acquired.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0011
Owl Mountain Partnership
Peter Torma
BLM, Kremmling, CO, United States
In 1993 the Owl Mountain Partnership was formed and became one of the first community-based
collaborative efforts to demonstrate the value of applying sound ecosystem-based management
principles within the North Platte River Basin in Jackson County, Colorado. The mission has been to
serve the economic, cultural and social needs of the community while developing adaptive long-term
landscape management programs and practices that ensure land-health. Today, the Owl Mountain
Partnership boundaries have expanded to include other counties. This diverse partnership is composed
of members from the local livestock community, private landowners, interested public, and federal, state
and local natural resource management agencies and organizations. They have successfully created a
partnership that has built trust and citizen stewardship to improve resource conditions within North Park
that has lasted 17 years. Through hard work and support of various organizations, the OMP has spent
over $1,000,000 on projects to benefit wildlife habitat for such species as elk, sage-grouse, waterfowl and
mule deer while helping to sustain our local economy which is directly connected to the land. In addition
to implementing projects, we have acted as the facilitator for numerous livestock grazing management
systems. The largest plan encompassed over 125,000 acres of private, state and federal lands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0012
Interagency Creeks and Communities Strategy
Laura Van Riper
National Riparian Service Team, Bureau of Land Management, Prineville, OR, United States
Riparian-wetland areas provide communities with a variety of ecological, economic and social benefits
even though they comprise a relatively small percentage of the total land base. Today, it is well known
that the successful management of these areas is dependent upon bringing diverse groups of people
together and building the capacity needed to confront and manage complex and contentious issues. The
interagency Creeks and Communities Strategy is designed to integrate the bio-physical and social
dimensions of riparian-wetland management in order to achieve results that benefit both creeks and the
communities that depend on them. This strategy, originally developed in 1996, works to build ownership
and commitment in those individuals who must accept and often voluntarily implement management
decisions by incorporating scientific and technical information into collaborative decison-making
processes. The objective of this presentation is to: 1) describe the interagency strategy and the
approaches and tools used to achieve its goal, and 2) to showcase the Upper Missouri River Breaks
National Monument's use of the Creeks and Communities strategy as a means to bring diverse and
conflicting stakeholders together to build relationships, increase understanding of riparian-wetland
function and maintain or enhance riparian-wetland conditions within the Monument.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0013
Changes of Some Elements in Three Species of Artemisia sieberi, Salsola rigida, and Stipa
barbata within and out of Enclosure in Two Seasons (Summer and Autumn) in Rude Shur Saveh
Rangelands
maryam saffariha, hosein Azarnivand, ali tavili
Tehran University, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
This study compared changes of some elements in three species of Artemisia sieberi, Salsola rigida, and
Stipa barbata within and out of enclosure in two seasons (summer and autumn) in Rude Shur Saveh
rangelands. Two transects with length of 300 m were placed within the enclosure and two transects with
the same length were place outside. 10 one meter square plots were collected along each transect. Aerial
and under ground tissues of three species were sampled two times during the year (summer and autumn)
only in plot numbers 1, 5 and 10 (three out of ten plots along each transect). For plant chemical
properties, included N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and C., ANOVA and Duncan test were made for data analysis.
The results indicate that quantity of carbon, Ca, Mg, Na and K were higher outside the enclosure in
autumn while the amount of P and N higher within the enclosure in summer.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0014
Changes of Some Elements in Soil of Three Species of Artemisia sieberi, Salsola rigida, and Stipa
barbata within and out of Enclosure in Rude Shur Saveh Rangelands
maryam saffariha, hosein Azarnivand, ali tavili
Tehran University, Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
This study compared changes of some elements in the soil associated with three species of Artemisia
sieberi, Salsola rigida, and Stipa barbata within and out of enclosure in Rude Shur Saveh rangelands.
Two transects with length of 300 m were placed within the enclosure and two transects with the same
length were placed outside. 10 one meter square plots were collected along each transect. Soil sampling
was performed from depths 0-30 and 30-60 cm in plot numbers 1, 5 and 10 (three out of ten plots along
each transect). The following properties of soil were determined; texture, lime, gypsum, pH, EC, OM, N, P
and K. ANOVA and Duncan test were made for data analysis. The amount of soil P outside the
enclosure was higher compared to inside. pH and all other elements tested did not show differences
between inside and outside of the enclosure.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0015
Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming - High Desert District, Rawlins Field Office, Sulphur
Springs Allotment
Andy Warren
BLM-WY-HDD-Rawlins Field Office, Rawlins, Wyoming, United States
The Sulphur Springs Allotment was originally explored by Jim Bridger and developed into an overnight
stop along the Overland Trail in the 1860s. Homesteading and ranching have occurred since then, with a
single unit put together by the Enberg-Sanger Family in the 1940s. This allotment of approximately
23,000 acres (53% public land) became one of the first allotment management plans (AMP) developed by
the BLM in 1968 with an emphasis on upland management. A revision of the AMP in 1988 focused more
on riparian management, as this allotment is located in the Upper Muddy Creek watershed which
contains the headwaters of Muddy Creek, Littlefield Creek and McKinney Creek. Through the
years, pasture fencing, upland water developments, prescibed burns, road improvements, gradiant
control and riparian plantings have been implemented. An early emphasis on the reintroduction of
Colorado River Cutthroat Trout has expanded into warm-water fish management of roundtail chub,
bluehead and flannelmouth sucker, and removal of competing non-native fish species. Monitoring
includes 3x3 plots and pace-frequency transects in the uplands, along with photo-points, channel cross
sections, macro-invertebrate and water quality sampling, and fisheries research. These efforts were only
possible by developing strong partnerships, and by consultation, cooperation, and coordination. Parties
involved besides BLM and Sanger Family include: Little Snake River and Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins
Conservation Districts, WGFD, NRCS, University of Wyoming Extension Service, WDEQ, and Trout
Unlimited. The history of the Sulphur Springs Allotment is not only about changes in livestock
management, but the broader look from a landscape and watershed perspective involving all resource
values.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0016
"Wealthy Rancher" Calculator
Arnold Mattson
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Grasses/forages are one of the least understood crops in terms of their sustainable economic value,
and goods and services they contribute to human well-being. Grasslands are the foundation to our
livestock industry and should not be taken for granted. If not corrected this lack of understanding will
continue to threaten the long-term economic and ecological contributions of these indigenous grasslands.
An economic assessment of a grazing system provides a manager with an enterprise plan that is profit
driven rather than production driven. The intent is to show net profit for the use of the land, the grass
production and the livestock. The starting point is to assess each enterprises basic unit cost, returns at a
reasonable market value, and resulting profit. With the "Wealthy Rancher" calculator all you have to do is
click on which enterprise (yearling or cow-calf) you want to work on and then enter your production
figures in the yellow area and the calculator will do the rest. The calculator divides your ranch into profit
centres, land, pasture, livestock, and gives you an estimated return for each. It will show what return you
can expect from each enterprise. Whether you are a landowner, a custom grazier, or a livestock
producer, allocating your own figures (expenses as well as revenues) in this manner can help you assess
the financial situation of any segment of your business. Just let the "Wealthy Rancher" calculator do the
work for you.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0017
Increasing Native Plant Diversity in Crested Wheatgrass Stands: Theory, Practice and Problems
Val Anderson
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States
Restoring native plant diversity to rangelands dominated by exotic annual weeds is a goal of land
managers. One approach may be to combine the earlier strategy of reclamation using crested
wheatgrass, with a subsequent infusion with native plant species. Crested wheatgrass has been
successfully established over millions of acres throughout the West and has demonstrated the ability to
competitively exclude invasive annuals to their near extirpation on a site. Unfortunately, near pure stands
of crested wheatgrass are subject to insect invasions and are limited in their value for biodiversity of other
organisms. On western rangelands, the recapture of a site with crested wheatgrass from annual plant
domination represents a shift back to a perennial ecology of resource utilization and fire frequency. Using
crested wheatgrass as a surrogate for early colonizers creates a fire resistant vegetative cover that can
suppress annuals, unfortunately, it also provides resistance to the recovery of native perennials.
Established stands of crested wheatgrass would have to be significantly disrupted to open niches for the
insertion of native species. This disruption can most effectively be achieved through the use of
mechanical or herbicide treatments. Theoretically, niche opening treatments are designed to weaken
existing stand's hold on site resources by reducing density and health of these plants while facilitating
establishment of seeded native species. Two primary questions must be addressed: 1) can crested
wheatgrass stands be sufficiently suppressed to allow insertion and establishment of the native species,
and 2) does niche opening expose sites to reinvasion by annual weeds.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0018
Cheatgrass Invasion Increases Wildfire Frequency and Size by Altering Fuel Characteristics
Kirk Davies
USDA - Agricultural Research Service - Burns, Burns, OR, United States
Cheatgrass is an exotic annual grass invading millions of acres in the western United States. Invasion by
cheatgrass is especially problematic because it can increase wildfire frequency to the detriment of native
plant communities. Fine fuel characteristic of cheatgrass-invaded plant communities differ from native
plant communities in several aspects that simultaneously promote more frequent and larger wildfires.
Fine fuel accumulations are often greater in cheatgrass-invaded compared to native plant communities.
Concurrently, fine fuel continuity is greater in cheatgrass-dominated compared to native plant
communities. More continuous fuels and increased fuel accumulations increase the probability a plant
community will burn and risk of large fires with little unburned patches in the burn. Cheatgrass also dries
out before most native grasses which elongates the wildfire season because fine fuels are dry enough to
burn earlier in the growing season. Early season wildfires are also especially detrimental to actively
growing native vegetation and this promotes the expansion of cheatgrass. Native plant communities in
close proximity to cheatgrass invaded plant communities are at an elevated risk of burning because of
fires that originate in the cheatgrass communities. Alterations to the fine fuel characteristics with
cheatgrass invasion promote its continued dominance of invaded plant communities and its spread into
other plant communities. Management to prevent the continued expansion of cheatgrass and restore
cheatgrass-invaded communities needs to focus on altering these fuel characteristics.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0019
Wolf Recovery: An Independent Analysis
Charles E. Kay
Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States
Dr. Kay will discuss various aspects of wolf recovery including - -Do wolves and other predators limit
ungulate populations to levels much lower then the habitat would otherwise support? Do wolves and
other predators reduce and/or eliminate hunting opportunities? What are the true costs of livestock
depredations? Do wolves only kill the young, the sick, or the infirm? Are wolves keystone predators that
are needed to "balance" ecosystems? Dr. Kay will also explain how the federal government has set-up
the various delisting lawsuits to lose and why delisting itself is a hollow goal. And finally, Dr. Kay will
explain why wolf recovery has actually very little to do with wolves and virtually nothing to do with
science. Instead, the entire process has been and is being driven by larger political agendas including
views of nature that are romantic, religious, and racist.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0020
Preserving CRP Grassland Benefits in Western Nebraska
Kristin L. Miller1, Jerrold R Spiker2, Galen Wittrock2, Emily Munter3
1
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sidney, NE, United States, 2South Platte Natural
Resources District, Sidney, NE, United States, 3Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Alliance, NE,
United States
The US Department of Agricultures's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has been highly successful
in western Nebraska with 382,000 acres enrolled. These grassland acres provide critical habitat for
wildlife, prevent soil erosion, improve soil health, prevent air and water pollution, and play a role in
sequestering carbon. Western Nebraska's CRP grasslands and their invaluable conservation measures
are in jeopardy. Between 2009 and 2011, thousands of acres will expire. Due to uncertainty of reenrollment, producers are faced with hard decisions for their land and operations, which have widespread
implications for natural resources. Options include converting their CRP to cropland, or to maintain their
lands in grass and implement a grazing system. This project's goal is to maintain CRP's environmental
benefits by providing producers with options to maintain acres in grassland for livestock grazing. The
project partners (including local, state, and federal conservation agencies) are assisting by providing costshare assistance for installing facilitating practices to implement a prescribed grazing system on expired
CRP, and by providing information and education on the importance of CRP grasslands and their
conservation value.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0021
Potential Use of Molecular Markers for Development of Native Plants
Steven Larson
USDA-ARS, Logan, UT, United States
Utilization of native plants for large-scale rangeland revegetation and fire rehabilitation will be facilitated
by a readily available supply of high quality seed at a low cost. However, plant breeders and land
managers are also concerned to know if the adaptation and genetic identity of native plant cultivars is
compatible with the local environment and wild plant populations. Molecular genetic markers can be used
to determine the nature of natural genetic variation across the landscape. This information can be used
to select and develop native plant cultivars with superior seed production and also capture and reflect
natural genetic diversity across the landscape.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0022
Federal Agencies and Ranchers Working Together - Keys to a Successful Partnership
TJ Mabey1, Gracian Uhalde2
1
Bureau of Land Management, Ely, NV, United States, 2Gracian Uhalde and Company, Ely, NV, United
States
The Ely, Nevada BLM District is located in east-central Nevada. It administers approximately 11.5 million
acres of public lands. Vegetation ranges from higher elevation Pinyon-Juniper/Mountain Big Sagebrush
communities in the northern half of the district to Mojave Desert shrub communities in the southern half.
Some of the major livestock management issues that we face in this district are limited water sources, the
lack of fences, high sagebrush composition and a low herbaceous composition, Pinyon-Juniper
encroachment in the valleys and lower benches, and a high number of wild horses. Range Improvement
projects are ongoing throughout the district to improve wildlife habitat, rangeland health and livestock
management. Gracian Uhalde and Co., a third-generation Nevada ranching family, manage a successful
cow-calf, and sheep operation that provides for the long-term sustainability of private and public lands in
eastern Nevada. The operation is permitted on about 422,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands as
well as holding a Forest Service permit. They have been a key partner with the Ely BLM in accomplishing
some of our goals. Gracian Uhalde and Co. has contributed labor, materials and funding on a number of
projects on thousands of acres ranging from fencing and developing water, to reducing Pinyon-Juniper
and mowing brush. Some of the keys to a successful partnership has been a willingness for both the BLM
and the operator to be flexible with the livestock operations, actively participating in livestock/range
management, and to contribute time and resources to improvement projects and maintaining a
professional trust.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0023
Ranch-Level Economic Impacts of Predation in a Range Livestock System
Benjamin S. Rashford, Thomas Foulke, David T. Taylor
Department of Agriculture & Applied Economics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United
States
Predation can impose significant costs on agricultural producers in range livestock systems. In this paper
we use a multi-year linear programming framework to evaluate the economic effects of predation on a
model ranch. In addition to a base scenario, we develop three other scenarios to capture potential
predation impacts: increased death loss of calves, reduced calf weaning weights, and increased variable
cost. The results suggest predation can have significant impacts on short-term profitability and long-term
viability; however, impacts are highly sensitive to the scenario considered. Of the three scenarios,
increased variable costs had the least effect on ranch profits. Increased death loss takes a larger toll on
profits because it erodes the ranch's core profit center, calf sales. Reduced weaning weights, however,
had the largest effect on profits. This is likely occurs because our model assumes that all calves
experience lower weaning weight as a result of predator pressure. That is, unlike death loss, where
calves are still profitable and only quantity is reduced, reduced weaning weight makes all calves less
profitable. Furthermore, as in the death loss scenario, fixed costs remain the same and must therefore be
absorbed by calves that generate lower revenues. Our model suggests that high levels of predation can
threaten the long-term viability of western ranches. The viability of these ranches is an important public
policy concern due to the many ecosystem services they provide. The relationship between predation,
ranch viability, and the ecosystem services ranches provide may justify public spending on predator
control.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0024
The Importance of a Long-Term View of Rangeland/Fire Interactions
Tony Svejcar
USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States
The impacts of fire on rangelands vary over time. I will cite three published cases where time is
important in interpreting fire effects. The first example involves a short-term fire response which may
persist for a few years following a fire. Cheatgrass in the Great Basin serves as an example. In many
cases the release of nitrogen following a fire can stimulate cheatgrass for several years, a result which
may or may not persist. My second case involves the impact of management and weather preceding a
fire. An example is a recent study at the Northern Great Basin Experimental Range, where 60 years of
management history was necessary to interpret the results of burning. And third, there are situations
where conditions (weather or management) during the years immediately following a fire can impact
vegetation trends for years to come. Big sagebrush seed is thought to be short-lived (2-3 years), does
not disperse far, and mature plants are killed by fire. The weather several years following a fire will have
a large impact on sagebrush recolonization of a site. A study conducted in one set of years may yield
very different results than the same study at another time. I've cited three specific examples where we
might misinterpret the effects of fire by viewing too short a timeframe: 1) there is a transient response to
fire, 2) conditions prior to the fire impacted the eventual outcome, and 3) conditions immediately after the
fire influences vegetation trajectory.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0025
Arguments for a Major Research Focus on Seedling Establishment and Recruitment on
Rangelands
Tony Svejcar
USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States
Understanding vegetation change is the basis for much of the rangeland management profession. Yet
we know little about seedling ecology, from the standpoint of either reseeding or natural recruitment. We
often view vegetation over long time horizons to allow changes to manifest themselves. If we lack longterm observational data, it is often difficult to make predictions about vegetation trends based on
population dynamics. Birth and death rates are used to model plant populations, just as they are with
animal populations, but in general we know little about these variables for most rangeland plants. Our
limited understanding of the factors controlling seedling establishment (and long term survival) makes it
difficult to predict: 1) the probability of seeding and restoration success, 2) the influence of management
on vegetation trends, 3) the impacts of invasive species management, and 4) the effects of climatic or
resource shifts on vegetation patterns. A comprehensive research effort in this area will require studies of:
1) life history analysis (from seed to adulthood) of both desirable and undesirable species, 2) biotic and
abiotic factors which influence survival (at different live stages), 3) weather and soil surface conditions
during the establishment phase, and 4) management efforts which will help overcome the limitations to
establishment. One caveat is that vegetative reproduction dominates some rangeland and riparian
systems and in those cases the suggested research approach would have to be modified. The suggested
research will help improve allocation of human and financial resources in rangeland reseeding and
restoration projects.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0026
Mapping Leafy Spurge Density in Madison Country, Montana, with Hyper-Spectral-SpatialTemporal Imagery
Rick Lawrence, Steven Jay, Kevin Repasky, Lisa Rew
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Leafy spurge, a designated noxious weed that has infested large amounts of land in the Northern Great
Plains states, is difficult to control and monitor. Development of an affordable technique to map and
monitor leafy spurge would contribute to the control of this aggressive species. High spatial, spectral, and
temporal imagery from a low-cost sensor was analyzed to detect and classify the amount of leafy spurge
present on an unmanaged range site. Aerial hyperspectral images were acquired with 0.3-m ground
resolution approximately every 10 days during the summer of 2009, and 50 2-m x 2-m reference areas
were surveyed for percent cover of leafy spurge as well as several other variables. Single and multiple
date classifications were performed using the random forest classifier. Leafy spurge was most accurately
detected early and late in the growing season. Significant classification accuracy increases were
observed with the multiple date classification. Single date accuracies achieved 90% overall accuracy in
early June, while multiple date classifications achieved over 96% overall accuracy.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0027
Spatial Autocorrelation in Modeling with Very-High Resolution Imagery and Alternative Modeling
Approaches
Rick Lawrence
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Mapping estimates of biophysical parameters, such as biomass or weed densities, with remotely sensed
imagery is most commonly accomplished using parametric models, such as ordinary least squares
regression. These models can have a variety of assumptions, including independent distribution of
errors. Spatial data used in these models often violate this assumption, because model residuals can be
spatially autocorrelated. Very-high resolution imagery potentially can be more prone to spatially
autocorrelated residuals, especially when accompanied by intensive sampling. Diagnostic tools, such as
semivariograms, can be used to determine the presence of spatial autocorrelation. Alternatives that do
not assume independent distribution of errors can provide appropriate models in such cases. Two such
approaches that have been used effectively with remotely sensed imagery are generalized least squares
and regression tree-based models. Regression-tree based models include single regression trees and a
variety of boosted and bagged regression tree approaches.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0028
Seed Mixes for Diversifying South Texas Rangelands
Forrest Smith1, John Lloyd-Reilley2 ,1
1
Texas A&M-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, United States, 2USDA-NRCS, Kingsville, TX, United States
Land use practices of the last century dramatically changed south Texas rangelands from their presettlement state. Severe overgrazing, unsavory oil and gas production practices, and the purposeful
planting and uncontrollable spread of exotic forage grasses all contributed to this change. In the past two
decades, increased emphasis on managing south Texas rangelands to maximize economic and
recreational potential of wildlife-related activities has influenced land managers to desire to restore
rangelands to a state dominated by native plants. Prior to 2001, no ecotypic native seed was available
for use by restorationists to attempt restoration seeding. A collaborative effort known as South Texas
Natives was begun in 2001 by the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and the USDA NRCS E.
“Kika” de la Garza Plant Materials Center to develop native seed sources for the region, and coordinate
research to develop effective restoration strategies. Plant development efforts focus on providing intraspecies diverse seed releases from a number of plant functional groups that are commercially feasible to
mass produce at reasonable cost to consumers. More than 50 species of native plants have been
evaluated resulting in 13 seed releases, including cool and warm season annual forbs, perennial forbs,
early successional perennial grasses, and dominant perennial grasses. Success rates of field plantings
using mixtures of these releases have exceeded 75%. Numerous other species continue to be
evaluated, eventually resulting in additional releases to further meet the need for high diversity native
seed mixes for use on south Texas rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0030
The Great Basin Research and Management Partnership: Facilitating Collaborative Solutions
Stuart Hardegree
USDA-ARS-NWRC, Boise, ID, United States
The Great Basin is undergoing major sociological and ecological change as a result of urbanization,
changing technology and land use, climate change, limited water resources, altered fire regimes, and
invasive species, insects, and disease. Sustaining ecosystems, resources, and human populations of the
Great Basin will require strong collaborative partnerships among research and management
organizations in the region. In November, 2006, a workshop was held in Reno, NV on the topic of
"Collaborative Watershed Management and Research in the Great Basin". A principal outcome of the
workshop was the recommendation to develop an organizational framework: to identify and prioritize
regional issues, expand and support existing collaborations, facilitate new teams to address emerging
issues, and promote information sharing among programs and people. This ultimately resulted in the
development of a MOU to form the Great Basin Research and Management Partnership which is
described in more detail on the GBRMP website: (http://greatbasin.wr.usgs.gov/GBRMP/index.html). The
website also serves as an information clearinghouse for Great Basin research and management activities
and currently includes: 1) Searchable Database of Collaborative Programs, 2) Research Catalog (The
Science Locator http://jester.wr.usgs.gov/scilocator_ims/viewer.htm), 3) Metadata Server, 4) Great Basin
Bibliography, 5) Upcoming Meetings and Links, 6) List Server, and 7) an Experts/Participants Database.
GBRMP has supported several regional collaborative efforts, and the development of working groups to
address invasive species, global climate change, science delivery, and monitoring issues.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0031
Breeding Strategies for the Development of Native Grasses
Kevin Jensen, Joseph Robins, Blair Waldron, Steve Larson
FRRL, USDA-ARS, Logan, UT, United States
Vast areas of semiarid rangelands in western USA are severely degraded and infested with troublesome
weeds such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and medusahead rye (Taeniatherum asperum (Sim.)
Nevski). Re-seeding with appropriate plant materials that are adapted to the site and competitive enough
to replace existing undesirable vegetation is often the most plausible way to reclaim such sites. Most
native grasses did not evolve under intense management or in association with species as competitive as
cheatgrass. Genetically improved germplasms and cultivars of native grasses are being developed by
the Forage and Range Research Laboratory (FRRL) of the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). These plant materials have demonstrated the potential for
increasing the genetic diversity, protecting watersheds and soil resources, and improving the habitat and
grazing potential for livestock and wildlife on semiarid rangelands. This presentation will discuss the
different strategies associated with native grass improvement. The proper choice of plant materials must
be based on objective criteria if we are to protect our lands and natural resources from further
degradation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0032
History of Crested Wheatgrass (Agropyron) in North America
Kevin Jensen
FRRL, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Logan, UT, United States
Crested wheatgrass is indigenous to the Steppe region of European Russia and southwestern Siberia. It
was first introduced into North America in 1892 by N. E. Hansen of the South Dakota Experiment Station.
Dr. Hansen obtained five accessions, designated PIs 835, 837, 838, 1010, and 1012, from Valuiki
Experiment Station near what is now Volgograd, Russia. Although original seed of these introductions
were distributed to agricultural experiment stations, no permanent plantings or seed increases were
made. A second importation, consisting of five seedlots (PIs 19537 through 19541) labeled as Agropyron
desertorum and one seedlot (PI-19536) labeled as Agropyron cristatum, was received by N. E. Hansen in
1906 from the Valuiki Experiment Station. This seed was distributed to 15 experiment stations.
Research initiated with these accessions in 1915 by the USDA-ARS at Mandan, North Dakota led to the
initial acceptance of crested wheatgrass in the northern Great Plains. The first introduction of the
Siberian form of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron fragile) was received from Russia in 1910 as PI-28307.
The contribution of crested wheatgrass was particularly notable during the early settlement of the
northern Great Plains of the United States and Prairie Provinces of Canada and is credited with salvaging
vast areas of deteriorated rangelands and abandoned cropland during the depression and "dustbowl"
period of the 1930s. Crested wheatgrass rapidly spread from the Great Plains to other semiarid regions
and has become one of the most important range grasses in North America where it is an effective
biological suppressor of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum).
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0033
Restoring Native Plants to Crested Wheatgrass Stands
Jane Mangold1, Valerie Fansler2
1
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States, 2Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United
States
Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) is often criticized for forming nearly monotypic
stands. Our objective was to determine the feasibility of restoring native plant species to crested
wheatgrass-dominated rangeland. We investigated methods for suppressing crested wheatgrass followed
by revegetation with a mix of native species. We tested five suppression treatments: undisturbed, low
rate of glyphosate (0.25X recommended rate), high rate of glyphosate (recommended rate), 1-pass
mechanical (disked once), and 2-pass mechanical (disked twice). Procedures were repeated in two trials
in separate years in southeastern Oregon. We sampled density and canopy cover of crested wheatgrass
and density of seeded species for three (Trial 1) and two (Trial 2) years. Mechanical treatments
increased crested wheatgrass density by 30 to 50%, while most other treatments were similar to the
undisturbed (6.8 plants/m2). Crested wheatgrass cover decreased in mechanical and full herbicide
treatments in Trial 1 and was variable across treatments in Trial 2. Seeded species density in all
treatments (29 plants/m2) was greater than in the undisturbed treatment (18 plants/m2) one year after
seeding in Trial 1 and was similar across treatments (26 plants/m2) in Trial 2. By the end of the study,
though, all treatments resulted in similar seeded species density (<5 plants/m2). Results suggest
suppression treatments were not effective and therefore did not improve restoration of native species in
crested wheatgrass stands. Native species establishment may require subsequent management to favor
persistence of native species and retard crested wheatgrass.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0034
Crested Wheatgrass Control and Native Plant Establishment in Utah
April Hulet1, Bruce Roundy1, Brad Jessop2, Jennifer Rawlins1
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States, 2Bureau of Land Management, Salt Lake City, UT,
United States
This research was designed to determine effective ways to reduce crested wheatgrass and establish
native species while minimizing weed invasion. We mechanically (single- or double-pass disking) and
chemically (1.1 L/ ha or 3.2 L/ha glyphosate-Roundup Original Max) treated two crested wheatgrass sites
in northern Utah followed by seeding native species in 2005 and 2006. Following wheatgrass-reduction
treatments, plots were divided into 0.2-ha subplots that were either unseeded or seeded with native plant
species using a Truax Rough Rider rangeland drill. Double-pass disking controlled wheatgrass the best
initially, decreasing cover from 14% to 6% at Lookout Pass and from 14% to 4% at Skull Valley. However,
crested wheatgrass recovered to similar cover percentages as untreated plots 2-3 yr after wheatgrassreduction treatments. At the Skull Valley site, cheatgrass cover decreased by 14% on herbicide-treated
plots compared to an increase of 33% on mechanical-treated plots. Cheatgrass cover was also similar on
undisturbed and treated plots 2-3 yr after wheatgrass-reduction treatments, indicating that wheatgrass
recovery minimized any increases in weed dominance as a result of disturbance. Native grasses had high
emergence after seeding, but lack of survival was associated with short periods of soil moisture
availability in spring 2007. Effective wheatgrass control may require secondary treatments to reduce the
seed bank and open stands to dominance by seeded native species. Manipulation of crested wheatgrass
stands to restore native species carries the risk of weed invasion if secondary treatments effectively
control the wheatgrass and native species have limited survival due to drought.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0035
Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp Wyomingensis) Regeneration 23 Years Following Removal in
South Central Wyoming
Michael Smith, Calvin Strom, Diane Fiedler
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
Sagebrush removal for the purpose of increasing forage production for grazing animals or rejuvenating
stands for wildlife has been a common rangeland management practice. The longevity of the sagebrush
removal practice has an important bearing on the economics of the practice for forage production and
efficacy for improving wildlife values. Sagebrush was removed using a 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic
acid) ground application at two pounds active ingredient per acre on one each of paired plots (plots were
about 33 m by 33m) at 20 locations distributed over a range of sagebrush abundances from four percent
ground cover to 40 percent cover in 1987. The ecological site was sandy in a 25-35cm precipitation zone.
These plots were re-examined in May 2010 to determine sagebrush ground cover that had developed
since treatment. Ground cover of sagebrush initially, and subsequent to treatment, was recorded at 100
points each on two 33m transects. With one treatment exception, sagebrush did not regain its pretreatment abundance. Where pre-treatment abundances were 28 percent cover or below, recovery of
sagebrush was 11 percent cover or less. Where pre-treatment sagebrush abundance was 32-40 percent
cover, recovery varied from 14-34 percent cover. Untreated plots paired with the treated plots had
changes varying from five percent increase to two percent decrease, with an average two percent
increase. Increases were greatest where winter drifting snow catch was greater and/or pre-treatment
understory vegetation was not perennial bunch grasses. For rejuvenating wildlife habitat values, the
recovery time following sagebrush removal may be longer than desired.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0036
SRR Ecological Assessment Indicators: Selection and Monitoring Techniques
Michael Smith1, John Mitchell1
1
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 2USDA Forest Service, Ft. Collins, CO, United
States
The techniques that a producer or land manager would select for monitoring of ecological resources will
vary with kind and characteristics of ecological sites being monitored, kind of land uses or sources of
potential impacts, level of concern about various resource condition attributes, skills and interests of the
manager, legal requirements and other variables. Characteristics of soil, water, plants and animals
comprise the ecological indicators of ranch management function. Soil indicators include bare ground and
soil aggregate stability. Water is assessed by examining timing and amount of water available including
surface and ground water sources. Plant indicators are key species composition, extent of invasive
species, extent of wildfire and prescribed fire, and extent and condition of riparian zones. Animal
populations are primarily assessed through population size estimates although management system and
productive capacity feed into economic assessments. A basic measurement tool for soil and plants is the
line point transect. This technique measures soil and plant cover, thus bare ground and species
composition are outcomes. Aggregate stability is a measure of the ability of soil surface peds to retain
their shape when exposed to water. Water is monitored with precipitation gauges or NOAA sources, flow
measurements, amounts, and presence /absence at important times or locations. Mapping and GIS
techniques are useful ways of recording presence and change in invasive plants and fire area and
locations. Greenline techniques for riparian zones. Animal populations are determined from species
specific censussing techniques that may be used by various agencies or consultants.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0037
The Power of Personal Stories to Educate
Holly George, jesikah maria ross
University of California, Davis, CA, United States
Agricultural viability, sustainable resource stewardship and preserving healthy rural Western communities
seems as American as apple pie. Yet there is a huge disconnect between the general public and many of
the policies and procedures we enact, and the men, women and children living in small rural communities
trying to make a living in the field of agriculture who are caring for the natural resources that sustain our
working landscapes. In an attempt to Amplify Rural Voices, Cooperative Extension in northeastern
California and UC Davis Art of Regional Change led a multi-media storytelling project called Passion for
The Land involving rural residents, artists and scholars to help residents engage with policymakers, local
leaders, educators and the public. Project participants (ages 26-84) chose their topic, wrote and recorded
their scripts and scanned family photos to help tell their stories. Local musicians supplied music and
Cooperative Extension/University staff co-created twelve digital stories each 2-4 minutes long. The hope
is these stories will trigger conversations among diverse audiences about important topics that are
relevant across the nation. In less than a year, stories have reached over 5,000 viewers through social
media outlets, an estimated 60,000 viewers via community television and roughly 1000 people at public
presentations. Educators, state agencies, business organizations and NGO's are distributing the DVDs
(700+) to targeted groups across the country. The Association of Natural Resource Extension
Professionals gave it the Gold Award for Mixed Media in 2010. Stories are online:
http://artofregionalchange.ucdavis.edu
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0038
Rangelands in Large-Scale: History and Future
Paul Tueller
University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States
Large-scale remote sensing images have been promoted for rangeland inventory, monitoring and
management. Results have seemed promising but development has been slow. Originally data
extraction of such images was primarily based on time-tested air photo interpretation protocols. Now it
appears that the technology base for imaging systems and platforms has been successfully developed
along with appropriate software. Images have been obtained with tripods near the ground, from fixed
wing aircraft including ultralights, from helicopters and from balloons. High quality images are now the
rule because of improved cameras and lenses. Image capture and storage is now routine and make such
data readily available; although, there is a constant need to continually upgrade and improve software
capabilities. Now, there is need to develop useful sampling protocols. Rangelands are diverse as we all
know and while there are large homogenous areas it is clear that in mountainous terrain there are
numerous ecosystems. Each slope (steepness), direction of slope and elevation presents to the sampler
a unique rangeland ecosystem. How do we successfully sample this extremely heterogeneous
landscape in a scientifically meaningful way? We must learn to economically subsample these
landscapes and then extrapolate the information to larger areas on small-scale imagery. Also, how will
the large-scale image data be used to assist in the making of important resource decisions? These
are important issues for the future.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0039
Modifying the USDA-NRCS Pasture Condition Score System to Include Weighted Indicators
Matt Sanderson
USDA-ARS, University Park, PA, United States
The Pasture Condition Score (PCS) system, developed by the USDA-NRCS, is a monitoring and
assessment tool for pastureland enrolled in conservation programs. Ten indicators of vegetation and soils
status are rated on a 1 to 5 scale and summed to give an aggregate score, which is interpreted for
management recommendations. The PCS system is used in rating pastures for NRCS cost-share
programs. The original version of the PCS system has been modified in several states to address specific
variations in vegetation and soils. One common modification of the original PCS system has been to
assign weights to the individual indicators to emphasize or de-emphasize particular attributes in specific
regions of the U.S. I used an existing data set on pasture condition scores to compare the effects of
different weighting systems on the aggregate scores and their distributions. Five regional weighting
systems (California central valley, irrigated areas and Southeast U.S., Northwest U.S., Midwest U.S., and
Northeast U.S.) were used to compute aggregate pasture condition scores from a data set of > 1200
observations of pasture condition indicators measured on five farms. Distributions of pasture condition
scores from the five systems were compared with those obtained from using the original system. Except
for a few instances, the various weighting methods did not change aggregate PCS scores compared with
nonweighted scores. In all modifications of the original PCS system, plant vigor was the most heavily
weighted indicator; whereas, plant residue was the least weighted. The indicator weights used in regional
modifications of the PCS system do not appear useful.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0040
Is Rehabilitation of Non-Forestlands after Wildfires Effective? - A Systematic Literature Review
David A. Pyke1, Jan L. Beyers2, Troy A. Wirth1
1
U.S. Geological Survey, Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, United States,
2
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Riverside, CA, United States
Substantial money is expended annually on post-wildfire rehabilitation and stabilization of non-forested
lands. Major objectives are to prevent soil erosion and to curtail spread of invasive plants; however, little
is known about effectiveness of these treatments. The most common approaches include seeding shrubs
and herbaceous species via either aerial broadcasting or ground-based drills. We compiled literature
ranging from peer-reviewed journal articles to end-of-project monitoring reports to answer two sets of
questions: 1) do seeding projects effectively control soil erosion or spread of invasive plants, and 2) do
environmental, geographic, and implementation factors change the effectiveness of the treatment? Peerreviewed literature was limited on these topics and provided mixed results. We further investigated 223
BLM end-of-project reports that included 370 treatments applied after fires that occurred between 2001
and 2006. Aerial seedings (214) were nearly double drill seedings (114). Most treatments used seed
mixtures composed of 100% native species. Preliminary data indicate that 32.9% failed, 26.0% had poor
success, and 20.6% had fair or better success. These reports and their monitoring did not directly test the
objectives but focused on seeded plant establishment. For treatments where geographic data were
available, logistic regression was performed where success (failure/poor vs. fair/good) was compared as
a binary output. Low precipitation negatively affected aerial seedings but was neutral for drill seedings. In
general, locations with higher elevation had greater success, likely due, in part, to greater precipitation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0041
Forage Quality Dynamics of Warm Season Grasses During the Growing Season in West-Central
Texas
Joel Douglas1, Homer Sanchez1, George Peacock1, Kenneth Spaeth1, Gary Rea1, James Muir2
USDA-NRCS, Fort Worth, TX, United States, 2AgriLife, Stephenville, TX, United States
1
Nutritive quality of grass is important to livestock producers as they make pasture and grazing
management decisions based on the nutritional needs of the grazing animal. Understanding the nutritive
quality of warm season grasses throughout the growing season is needed in west-central Texas to assist
livestock producers with forage management options. Our study objective is to compare nutritive
distribution of five perennial grasses native to the southern plains and one introduction from southern
Africa to determine optimum forage harvest times to meet nutritional requirements of different classes of
beef cattle. Plots of ‘Alamo' switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), ‘San Marcos' eastern gamagrass
[Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L ], ‘Earl' big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), ‘Lometa' Indiangrass
[Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash], ‘Selection 75' kleingrass (Panicum coloratum L.), ‘Haskell' sideoats
grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] and an upland switchgrass (9065018) were evaluated
every 30 days for percent in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and crude protein (CP) from April
through November in 2007-2009 at the USDA-NRCS James E. "Bud" Smith Plant Materials Center, Knox
City, Texas. Our results suggest these warm season grasses decline in nutritive quality as season and
maturity progress, but can provide the nutritive requirements of different classes of beef cattle in westcentral Texas. Switchgrasses, unlike most entries, declined in nutritive value more than others. Selection
75 and San Marcos CP (8 and 9%, respectively) remained above critical ruminant requirement thresholds
even into November, indicating promise as standing winter hay.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0042
Examining Disturbance and Environmental Mechanisms Regulating Plant Species Dynamics in
Native Festuca campestris Grassland
Steven Tannas1, Edward Bork1, Walter Willms2
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge,
Canada
1
Foothills rough fescue (Festuca campetris) grasslands are valued for their biodiversity and contribution to
livestock grazing in western Canada. Fescue grasslands are complex communities that are increasingly
under threat of invasion by non-native species. We conducted an in-situ field study in a native rough
fescue community within the foothills of western Alberta, Canada, from 2005 through 2008, in order to
assess the role of disturbance and environment in regulating plant species dynamics. A total of 16
manipulative treatments were used in an incomplete factorial design (8 replications) including: annual
nitrogen addition (100 kg/ha for the first year and 20 kg/ha thereafter), annual water addition (every 2
weeks to field capacity), one-time summer (July 2006) defoliation, one-time winter (Nov 2005) defoliation,
and litter removal (Nov 2005). All plots were monitored from 2006-2008 for both plant community (species
richness, diversity and individual species composition) and environmental measures (monthly light,
bimonthly soil, annual soil nitrogen assessment). Community responses were assessed using ordination
and MRPP to assess the specific role of defoliation and environment. Results indicated that changes in
plant community composition, including Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) abundance, were primarily
associated with the disturbance of summer defoliation and nitrogen addition. In contrast, rough fescue
was associated with soil moisture and initial litter abundance. These results have implications for the
conservation and management of rough fescue grasslands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0043
Differential Responses of Poa pratensis and Festuca campestris to Defoliation and
Microenvironment
Steven Tannas1, Edward Bork1, Walter Willms2
1
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge,
Alberta, Canada
Foothills rough fescue (Festuca campestris) is the climax species of fescue grasslands in southwestern
Alberta where it provides critical winter grazing for agriculture and habitat for wildlife. Fescue grasslands
have been increasingly under threat of invasion of non-native plants such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa
pratensis); thereby, greatly complicating their retention and conservation. Long-term data sets from this
region suggest bluegrass invasion may be tied to both disturbance history (grazing) as well as variation in
growing conditions (particularly moisture). As a result, we conducted a manipulative field study to assess
the effect of summer and winter defoliation, litter removal, and nitrogen or water addition on the growth
response of both foothills rough fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. Plots were established in 2005 using an
incomplete factorial design with 16 treatment combinations in 8 replicates and assessed over 3
subsequent growing seasons. Changes in the cover, tiller density and biomass of each species were
measured, together with environmental conditions (light availability, soil moisture and soil N availability).
Results suggest that rough fescue and Kentucky bluegrass demonstrate contrasting responses to water
and nitrogen availability, as well as seasonal defoliation. Thus, differences in species response to
disturbance and environment help explain the abundance of these species within fescue grasslands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0044
Mechanisms Responsible for Enhancing the Restoration of Festuca campestris into a Phleum
pratense Dominated Plant Community on a Pipeline RoW
Steven Tannas1, Doug Clark2
Eastern Slopes Rangeland Seeds Ltd., Cremona, Alberta, Canada, 2TransCanada Pipelines, Warburg,
Alberta, Canada
1
The fescue grasslands of the southern foothills are diverse, ecologically sensitive areas important for
agriculture, recreation, wildlife and industry. Recent pressures from industry, urban expansion and
recreation have increasingly exacerbated the effects of agriculture, culminating in destabilization of many
plant communities. Timothy (Phleum pratense) invasion has become a widespread problem in these
grasslands with or without industrial activity, but on industrial sites establishment of foothills rough fescue
(Festuca campestris) has been plagued with failures. In 2008, 10 sites were selected along a reclaimed
pipeline that had high timothy cover and presite assessments were conducted. In the spring of 2009,
1000 greenhouse grown rough fescue plugs were planted at 1plug/m2 at each site. Monitoring of 600 of
these plants occurred under 6 randomly selected sets of plugs (10 plugs) across each site. In spring
2010, 600 more plugs were planted on the opposite side of each marker. Annual timothy control was
initiated in 2009 through wick application (glyphosate), mowing and a combination of the 2 techniques on
5 sites, with 2 sets of fescue in each treatment. Another 5 organic sites received mowing treatments
(presence/absence) with the fescue divided between the treatments. Survival of rough fescue was
compared to cover, biomass species composition and historical grazing patterns. Results suggest rough
fescue survival was highly correlated with bare ground and low vegetation biomass associated with the
pretreatment conditions and grazing patterns. Mortality of fescue appeared to be associated with
competition (plant biomass) and herbivory by mice.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0045
Relationships of Fire to North American Grouse
Dwayne Elmore1, Samuel Fuhlendorf1, Eric Thacker2
1
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States, 2Agricultural Research Service,
Woodward, Oklahoma, United States
Grouse have often been characterized as umbrella species under which the biodiversity of an entire
ecosystem can be managed for. Many grouse species are in serious long-term declines which have
raised concerns about landscape management (or lack thereof) and how it might impact these species.
Further, fire is a critical process to maintain ecosystem function and biodiversity of all rangelands. While
scale, both temporal and spatial, varies between ecosystems in which grouse occur, the process of fire is
one of the most important drivers of the plant community, second only to climate and soil. The disruption
of historic fire return intervals represents one of the greatest threats to grouse persistence. In most
cases, this is due to decreases of historic fire, and in a few cases due to increased fire frequency from
historic intervals. The challenge for range and wildlife professionals is to identify the appropriate scale of
disturbance that will maintain ecosystem function and biodiversity (including grouse) and then overcome
social barriers to its application. We will examine several grouse species as case studies including: ruffed
grouse (Bonasa umbellus), greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), lesser prairie-chicken
(Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus).
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0046
Pasture and Grazing Management in the Northwest: A New Guidebook
Glenn Shewmaker1, Mylen Bohle2
1
University of Idaho, Twin Falls, ID, United States, 2Oregon State University, Prineville, OR, United States
A multi-state program of research, education, and extension for pasture-based livestock production
systems was identified as a priority at a Pacific Northwest Forage Workers Conference in 2003. A grant
proposal for professional development to the Western Sustainable Agricultural Research and Extension
(WSARE EW05-012) was awarded in 2005. The project was designed with three phases: 1) professional
development education and training; 2) research to determine the relationship of sward height and
herbage mass for forage in rotational pasture systems in the Northwest; and 3) publish a comprehensive
management guide. Pasture and Grazing Management in the Northwest is a Pacific Northwest Extension
Publication PNW 614. There are 17 chapters and a glossary by 36 authors from Cooperative Extension,
USDA Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, a livestock producer,
and a private consultant. Authors are located in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah,
and West Virginia. The 208 page document edited by Glenn Shewmaker and Mylen Bohle is published by
the University of Idaho Extension. This is the first comprehensive management guide for pastures and
grazing in the Northwest.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0047
A Quantitative Protocol to Assess the Invasive Potential of a Plant Species into a Rangeland
Ecosystem Using Camelina sativa (Gold of Pleasure, Large-seeded False Flax) as a Model
Phillip Davis, Fabian Menalled, Bruce Maxwell
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
We present a quantitative approach to assessing the invasive potential of a proposed plant biofuel
species, Camelina sativa, into rangeland ecosystems. We collected demographic data over two years to
assess the probability of C. sativa to invade rangeland ecosystems of south-central Montana, USA.
Specifically, the objectives of this study were to 1) incorporate demographic data on C. sativa in
response to different environments into a population dynamics model, thereby offering a quantitative
prediction of invasion potential, and 2) compare these results to predictions suggested by the widely
used, qualitative Australian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) system. C. sativa was found to pose a low
threat of invasion in the assessed habitats, as positive population growth (λ > 1) was not obtained using
observed data. Thresholds to create growing populations could only be achieved by combining large
increases in seed survival with large annual inputs of new seed. In contrast to our experimental results,
the WRA suggested that C. sativa should not be allowed entry into the region, thus highlighting the need
for a more comprehensive approach to assessing invasion potential of proposed biofuel species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0048
Ecosystem Services: The New Motive for Range Improvements
Allen Torell1, Neil Rimbey2, John Tanaka3
1
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 2University of Idaho, Caldwell, ID, United
States, 3University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
Economic assessments of range improvement projects have traditionally evaluated and valued the added
livestock forage and pounds of beef that the improvement practice is expected to generate. Yet, only on
the most productive rangelands is enough production added to economically justify the total expense for
many such projects. With the 2003 implementation of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project
(CEAP), headed by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), there is a renewed recognition
that range improvements and conservation practices funded with cost share monies can provide goods
and services that society values beyond the livestock products traditionally considered. Improving
rangeland health, improving watersheds, improving habitats for wildlife, releasing water for other uses,
and enhancing numerous other non-quantified ecosystem services has been the justification for many
cost share projects. We explore how economic assessments of improvement practices will need to
change if an economic value is to be placed on the ecosystem services provided by rangeland
improvements. We review the non-market valuation procedures that could be used to place an economic
value on these services while concluding that little potential exists for showing substantial economic value
for some of the ecosystem services commonly touted, including watershed benefits on arid upland
rangeland areas. In other cases, like carbon sequestration, substantial research and development of
economic markets and incentives must occur.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0049
I. Trophic Cascades Involving Large Predators, Wild Ungulates, and Plants in the Western US: Do
Large Predators Have a Role?
Robert Beschta, William Ripple
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
Large predators may help shape the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems via trophic
cascades, yet strong evidence of these "top-down" effects have not been widely reported in the scientific
literature. Herein we synthesize outcomes of recent studies assessing the presence and absence of
large predators for five national parks in the western United States, including Olympic, Yosemite,
Yellowstone, Zion, and Wind Cave. Following the extirpation or local displacement of large predators,
recently compiled age structure data for deciduous trees indicate severe declines in shrub communities
and deciduous tree recruitment (i.e., the capability of seedlings/sprouts to grow above the browse level of
native ungulates) occurred. These impacts indexed additional effects to plant communities and
ecological processes, and shifts towards alternative ecosystem states. In contrast, wolf reintroduction in
Yellowstone appears to have begun to reverse many former ecosystem impacts formerly associated with
intensive elk herbivory.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0050
II. Impacts to Riparian Biodiversity and Channel Morphology Following Large Predator Loss in
Several Ecosystems of the Western US
Robert Beschta, William Ripple
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
In several recent trophic cascades studies in the western United States, the loss of an apex predator
allowed wild ungulates to heavily impact riparian plant communities. Herein we summarize the
accompanying biodiversity changes to native plants and animals that appear to have occurred as riparian
plant communities became degraded. We also consider the general effects upon stream channels (e.g.,
streambank erosion, channel widening and incision, loss of pools) associated with these herbivoreimpacted systems. Where ungulates have significantly altered riparian plant communities in the absence
of large predators, restoring native flora is urgently needed to recover former ecosystem functions and
services.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0051
Effects of Fuel Load, Heterogeneity, and Environmental Conditions on Fire Behavior in
Grasslands - Results from a Physics Based Process Model
Eva Strand, Chad Hoffman, Stephen Bunting
University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States
The role of livestock grazing on fuel loads and fire behavior is important to land managers, land owners,
and the general public across rangelands. Livestock grazing affects the amount and spatial distribution of
herbaceous biomass, e.g. fine fuels, affecting the potential for fire spread, intensity, and fuel
consumption. In addition, environmental variables such as fuel moisture, topography, and wind influences
fire behavior. To better understand these complex interactions we conducted a modeling experiment
using the physics based model Wildland Urban Interface Fire Dynamics Simulator (WFDS). WFDS is a
coupled fire-atmosphere model governed by fluid dynamics relationships, combustion, and the thermal
degradation of solid fuel. The model is applicable to heterogeneous fuel beds and has been validated with
field experiments in grasslands. In this model experiment we reduced herbaceous fuels by 10%, 25%,
and 50%, wind speed was held at 7.2, 18.0, and 36.0 km/h, and fuel moisture was simulated at 6%, 10%,
and 17%. Fuel reduction was applied at two levels; even biomass removal and patchy biomass removal,
simulating movement of animals across the range. Under these conditions the fire rate of spread varied
between 1.8 and 7.2 km/h, increasing with higher winds and lower fuel moistures as expected. The fire
did not spread in simulations with 17% fuel moisture or in simulations with 50% biomass removal, except
at 6% fuel moisture and 36.0 km/h wind. The fire was less likely to spread when the biomass removal was
patchy compared to homogeneously applied across the grassland.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0052
Effects of Fire and Herbivory on Sentinel Species across the Landscape of Northeastern Montana
Angela Reid1, Samuel Fuhlendorf2
1
Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL, United States, 2Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
OK, United States
The use of traditional community composition methods to monitor ecosystem drivers on complex
landscapes is inefficient. Community composition alone does not provide diagnostic capabilities and
should be coupled with additional monitoring methods. Sentinel species may be used to determine
impending changes in a community due to altered ecosystem drivers. A trend of declining abundance of
palatable, fire tolerant species on the diverse landscape of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife
Refuge, Montana provides an opportunity to test the usefulness of sentinel species as indicators.
Traditional point-intercept transects were compared with newly developed sentinel transects that collect
descriptive species information. Permanent exclosures were erected and caged and uncaged plants
measured for reproductive capacity, herbivory, and growth. The transect methods each provided
generally unrelated information and neither were fully capable of evaluating rare sentinels. The sentinel
transect method found no difference in dominant sentinels including Wyoming big sagebrush between
2
burned and unburned treatments for presence in 1 (33.7 ± 5.3 and 40.0 ± 8.4) and 10 m (73.3 ± 7.2 and
83.3 ± 10.3) plots. Improvement of rare sentinels was measured only when they were protected from
herbivory and caged plants were healthier than uncaged plants for all variables measured (P < 0.05).
Overutilization of site subordinate sentinels appears to be the main management concern for these
species on the CMR compounded by effects from an altered fire regime. Sentinel species should be
evaluated for use as indicators on all landscapes for the management of ecosystem drivers.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0053
Assessing Riparian and Aquatic Habitat Using Very-High Resolution Imagery
D. Terrance Booth1, Samuel E. Cox2
USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States, 2USDA-ARS, McMinnville, Tennessee, United States
1
Monitoring is a part of sustainable resource management and is mandated by US federal law for federal
land-management agencies. Riparian- and aquatic-habitat monitoring methods are labor-intensive such
that sample intensity and distribution are limited by labor availability and cost. These limitations reduce
the effectiveness of landscape-level resource management. To test the utility of very-high resolution
(VHR) aerial surveys for these assessments, we acquired imagery (2- to 36-mm ground sample distance)
for perennial streams in the 330,000-ha Rock Creek watershed, Elko County, Nevada, and for three 3.2km stretches of the Powder River, Johnson County, Wyoming. The questions were: 1) is a reduction in
hot-season grazing allowing an increase in willow (Rock Creek), and 2) is coalbed methane well effluent
changing the in-stream habitat conditions of the Powder River? To assess the effectiveness of reduced
hot-season grazing we conducted aerial surveys in 2003, 2004 and 2006. Measurements made from the
images revealed a 3.1% increase in willow cover along channels, and a 55% increase in willow canopy
diameter between 2003 and 2006. We monitored the Powder River with 6 flights--each carrying multiple
cameras--between 2007-2009, and from that imagery measured the area of 10 types of aquatic habitat
and the occurrence / non-occurrence of salt cedar (Tamarix L.) within the channel. We found no
evidence of a methane-well effluent effect on the measured indicators. The aerial surveys of both
projects produced testable data with greater sample density and distribution, and at lower costs, than
could be obtained by conventional ground methods.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0054
Evaluation of Sand Sagebrush Control in a Southern Mixed Prairie: Implications for Lesser Prairie
Chicken Habitat Management
Eric Thacker1, Robert Gillen2, Stacey Gunter1, Tim Springer1
USDA-ARS Southern Plains Range Research Station, Woodward, Oklahoma, United States, 22Western
Kansas Agricultural Center, Kansas State University, Hays, Kansas, United States
1
Traditional management of rangelands dominated by sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) has centered
around removal of sagebrush to increase forage for livestock production. There has been both concern
and support over shrub control strategies when managing lesser prairie-chicken (LPC, Tympanuchus
pallidicinctus) habitat. The objective of this research was to determine what impacts chemical control of
sand sagebrush may have on LPC habitat values. The study was conducted in a southern mixed prairie
sand sagebrush community in western Oklahoma, pastures ranged in size from 10 to 21 ha. Five
pastures were sprayed with 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in 2003 (RECENT), 6 were sprayed
with 2,4-D before 1994 (INTERMIDIATE), and 4 received no brush control (CONTROL). Sagebrush
cover, visual obstruction (VO), forb density, basal grass cover and grass hopper density were measured
on all pastures. Sagebrush cover and VO estimates were greatest in CONTROL pastures and lowest in
RECENT pastures. Perennial Forbs important to LPC were most abundant in CONTROL pastures and
least abundant in RECENT pastures. Annual forbs important to LPC were most abundant in
INTERMEDIATE pastures; there were no differences between CONTROL and RECENT pastures. Grass
hopper densities did not differ among the 3 treatments. CONTROL pastures provided the most abundant
escape cover while providing food for LPC. These results suggest that 2,4-D reduces escape cover and
perennial forbs important to LPC. Thus, use of 2,4-D is not be appropriate for improving LPC habitat
because it reduced escape cover and important food sources.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0055
The Constant Gardener: Ecosystem Effects of Seed Dispersal by Ungulates
Mary Rowland, Catherine Parks, Martin Vavra
Pacific NW Research Station, USDA Forest Service, La Grande, OR, United States
Dispersal of seeds by ungulates, whether internally through ingestion and excretion (endozoochory) or
externally through seed attachment on animals (epizoochory), can be a major driver in establishing new
populations of plants and altering composition of existing vegetation communities. Although all orders of
terrestrial ungulates affect ecosystems through this mechanism, the primary ungulate species for which
zoochory has been reported are Artiodactyls. Zoochory has shaped plant communities, from rangelands
to forests for millennia. However, more recent introductions of non-native invasive plant species around
the world, and the facilitated spread of these taxa through seed dispersal by ungulates, may pose
substantial threats to native plant communities. Effects of zoochory on plant communities vary widely due
to a host of factors, including: 1) the ungulate species involved, 2) its abundance, size, density, digestive
physiology (e.g., ruminant or monogastric), and home range area, 3) interactions of plant phenology and
season of grazing by the herbivore, 4) susceptibility of the plant community to colonization by the
transported seeds, and 5) the scale at which effects are considered. Given the difficulty in field studies to
quantify seed dispersal by ungulates and subsequent effects on plant establishment, the role of this
mechanism in altering vegetation communities is likely underestimated. We review mechanisms by which
ungulates facilitate dispersal of seeds, highlight the most common ungulate taxa involved in zoochory,
and present several case examples that typify effects of seed dispersal by ungulates on vegetation
composition and structure.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0057
Seedlings: From Seed to Establishment
Charlie Clements, Dan Harmon, Mark Weltz
USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, United States
The necessity of resource managers to restore or rehabilitate rangelands throughout the Intermountain
West is at an all-time high. With each passing year more and more hectares are being converted from
plant communities dominated by native vegetation to plant communities dominated by the exotic and
highly invasive species cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). The objective of this paper is to describe on-theground lessons learned. Seedling emergence, mortality and establishment will be discussed in detail. We
will present data on the importance of proper timing of seed sowing and proper use of plant materials as it
relates to success of seeded species and cheatgrass supression. Seed predation is a reality; we will
present data on seed and seedling predation and how this activity can significantly affect restoration
efforts. We will present data on our techniques of seeding plots and observing these plots from the time
of seeding through five years after the seeding. For example, we seed in the months of September and
October, then observe these quadrats for seed predation, snow cover, germination, emergence, seedling
predation, mortality, and recruitment into the environment. We also monitor the periodicity of precipitation
as it relates to seedling survival. The majority of the environments we work in receive less than 23 cm (9
inches) of annual precipitation, mostly occurring in winter months; we will discuss our experiences of
success and failures as it relates to on-the-ground realities that occur throughout the various plant
communities.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0058
Extension Outreach in Tropical Range and Livestock Management for Pacific Islanders
Mark Thorne1, Jonathan Deenik1, Robert Godfrey2, Glen Fukumoto1, John Powley1, Matthew Stevenson1,
Lawerence Duponcheel3, Alejandro Badilles3
1
University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, 2University of the Virgin Islands,
Kingshill, Virgin Islands, United States, 3Northern Marianas College, Saipan, MP, Northern Mariana
Islands
High demand for product and limited land availability impose tremendous pressure on livestock producers
to maximize their productivity; often at the expense of the land resources. Improper grazing management
practices typically result in decreased forage production, animal carrying capacity, and soil fertility and
quality. Without mitigation these conditions lead to overgrazing resulting in soil erosion, weed infestations
and loss of economic viability of the operation. Outreach and assistance in grazing and livestock
management can help existing and new livestock producers acquire the necessary skills and technology
for pasture improvement, adopt better grazing management practices, and increase the profitability of
their operations. Partnering with the University of Virgin Islands, University of Guam and Northern
Marianas College, the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service secured funding to organize an
extension outreach project in tropical range and livestock management for Pacific Islanders. In the initial
phase needs-assessments were carried out utilizing rancher interviews, ranch resource evaluations, and
producer advisory groups formed to help guide the compilation and dissemination of locally important,
relevant, and useful information in range and livestock management. The program has encouraged
adoption of sustainable range and herd management practices, improvement of herd genetics, and better
marketing decisions. In addition to the contacts and ranch evaluations, this project has resulted in a
series of workshops, producer resource books, a pocket-record book specific to the islands, a project
website, and establishment of several demonstration trials across the islands. The success of the
program has lead to additional funding to continue the effort.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0059
Conquering Social and Ecological Fire Thresholds to Empower and Equip Ranchers to Manage
Rangelands
Charles Taylor1, Dirac Twidwell2, William Rogers2
Texas AgriLife Research, Sonora, TX, United States, 2Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United
States
1
The emergence of social and ecological thresholds has completely altered the application of fire in
rangelands. Historically, few thresholds constrained fire on the landscape. Natural and anthropogenic
fires were largely unrestricted and predominately shaped the distribution and abundance of vegetation,
herbivores, and wildlife. This all changed at the turn of the 19th century. Early European settlers
transformed the ecological processes governing the landscape by introducing stock-farming, domestic
livestock, and fire suppression. These practices eventually led to widespread overutilization and
degradation of rangelands, leading to catastrophic losses of the herbaceous plants needed to sustain fire,
and enabling uninhibited woody plant encroachment. As a result, the production and diversity needed to
maintain rangeland enterprises was lost as grasslands and savannas were converted to high density
woodland communities. In the 21st century, rangeland managers face a complex array of social and
ecological thresholds that dictate rangeland management techniques. Those individuals looking to use
prescribed fire face a number of social barriers associated with legislation, economics, experience,
education, labor or assistance, liability, and negative public perception. Furthermore, traditional
applications of prescribed fire in mild, "safe" conditions have been unable to overcome the resilience of
post-grassland woodland communities, causing many to suggest prescribed fire is an inefficient
management strategy in these environments. Here, we discuss a social-ecological framework involving
the use of prescribed extreme fire and prescribed burn cooperatives that enables ranchers and resource
managers to overcome the social and ecological thresholds constraining fire, leading to more effective
and profitable rangeland management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0060
Managing Rangelands for Multiple Ecosystem Services: Beyond Bement (1969)
Justin Derner
USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Cheyenne,WY, United States
Many rangelands have traditionally been managed to optimize livestock production through the use of
sustainable stocking rates. One of the seminal research papers on this subject was published by Robert
(Bob) Bement in the Journal of Range Management in 1969 (volume 22, pages 83-86). This paper,
entitled "A stocking-rate guide for beef production on blue-grama range" demonstrated the relationship
of livestock daily gains per head and gains per unit land area to stocking rate in shortgrass steppe of
Colorado, USA. High daily gains per head and low gains per unit land area occurred with low stocking
rates; conversely, low daily gains per head and high gains per unit land area occurred with high stocking
rates. Optimum livestock production was observed at the intersection of these two response curves, at a
moderate stocking rate. Findings from this paper had a profound impact on the sustainable management
of rangelands for livestock production across North America. Contemporary management of these
rangelands, however, emphasizes enhancing multiple ecosystem services from these lands. Tradeoffs
associated with changing management from traditional approaches emphasizing livestock production to
managing for multiple ecosystem services remain a research and information gap. For example, what are
the ramifications to livestock producers in terms of animal gains associated with changing management to
emphasize multiple ecosystem services? If management for multiple ecosystem services results in
lowered animal gains, what is the value of this loss of gain that can be compensated to land managers in
terms of incentives to modify management?
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0061
Assessing the Success of the UtahPCD Watershed Restoration Initiative
Curtis Warrick
Bureau of Land Management, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Over the last six years, the Utah Bureau of Land Management in cooperation with the Utah Partners for
Conservation and Development (UtahPCD) has conducted vegetative manipulations statewide within high
priority focus areas under our program entitled: The Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI). The
objectives of the treatments are three fold: 1) maximize natural biological diversity, 2) maintain and/or
improve water quality and quantity, and 3) maintain and/or improve vegetative cover, vigor, and
composition. Since the inception of the WRI, each restoration project has been designed and conducted
under the guidance and input of biologists, ecologists, local experts and land managers to best
accomplish the stated objectives. Now, six years out in some cases, participants in the WRI believe
ancedotal information suggests that the treatments are improving watershed conditions. However, aside
from a few site specific monitoring studies and long term statewide big game range vegetative trend plots,
it is difficult to assess overall progress towards our stated objectives. As such, the BLM and our partners
are working to gather more pertinent information necessary to quantify and qualify our success, and to
provide a basis to adjust our vegetative manipulation methodologies if needed.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0062
89 Years of Photo Monitoring of Resources in the Gravelly Mountains of Southwest
Montana
Arthur Hall
Beaverhead Deerlodge NF, Madison RD, Sheridan, MT, United States
While working as a Range Specialist on the Madison RD, I discovered many old photos as well as
vegetative studies taken on the district concerning the range resource. To date I have located and
rephotographed over 1200 photos since I started in 2003. The sites were located while doing
administrative checks in the pastures. I have located panoramic photos and vegetative studies
including: Vertical Photo Plots, Parker 3 Step Transects, Riparian Photo Plots, Stream Cross Sections
and general photos of resources. This long term photo monitoring shows improvement in the rangeland
resource, while showing change in the landscape. Parker 3 Step and Stream Cross Sections Transects
were reread for additional data. The data shows little change, however the photos tell a different story.
With declining budgets and manpower, Range Specialist need an easier, quicker way to do long term
monitoring. While photos won't show species composition, they will show vegetative cover, litter and bare
soil. Photos are repeatable, easy to take and anyone can understand them. Locations can be GPS'd for
repeats. Computer programs are available to analyze vertical photos. Given time these programs may
be able to discern species from photos. These photos show an improvement in the riparian and range,
and an increase in conifer encroachment and loss of aspen.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0063
Development of a Habitat Appraisal Guide for Rio Grande Wild Turkeys in South Texas
Chase Currie, Alfonso Ortega, William Kuvlesky Jr., Leonard Brennan, Stephen DeMaso
CKWRI, Kingsville, Texas, United States
The Rio Grande Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) is a large gallinaceous bird native to Texas
that requires a variety of habitats in order to maintain a stable population. The purpose of this study was
to generate a habitat appraisal guide to evaluate RGWT habitat in the south Texas plains region. The
guide will systematically evaluate current habitat conditions and determine limiting factors for RGWT. The
information provided will enable biologists to work with landowners to determine if their land is suitable
habitat for RGWT and consider management suggestions to enhance habitat. The study was conducted
in Brooks and Kennedy counties on the Encino division of the King Ranch approximately 30 kilometers
south of Falfurrias, Texas. The vegetation on the Encino division is described as a mixed brush
community. Vegetative characteristics for roosting habitat, nesting habitat, brood habitat, and feeding
habitat were evaluated in order to determine what parameters in each category are needed in order to
sustain a stable population of wild turkeys. Sixty-three hens were trapped via standard walk in traps and
fitted with backpack radio transmitters. During the spring hens were located daily in order to locate nest
and brooding sites. Feeding sites were determined based on the visual recognition of birds feeding.
Logistic regression was used to compare vegetative characteristics between initial sites and random
sites. The results will be provided to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help assess RGWT
habitat in south Texas.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0064
Research to Practical Use: On-the-Ground Successes
Charlie Clements, James Young, Dan Harmon, Mark Weltz
USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, United States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Exotic and Invasive Weeds Research
Unit services a large area that runs from southern Nevada to the Oregon border, and from northeastern
California to the Utah border. This vast array of landscapes has a variety of stakeholders who demand
help concerning sustainable agricultural practices and concerns. This paper will present three examples
of our efforts to: 1) research the problem on hand, 2) deliver practical on-the-ground practices to minimize
or eliminate the problem, and 3) improve sustainable agricultural practices. The first example will be in
the area of tall whitetop (Lepidium latifolium) control and rehabilitation. We will present information on
controlling tall whitetop in a former agriculture field using a variety methods (herbicide, mechanical,
biological) and then returning the site back to agriculture production. The second example will be on the
suppression of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
communities. We will present information on cheatgrass suppression immediately following wildfires,
and years after the wildfire has occurred. The third example will be in the area of shrub restoration,
specifically, antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata). The restoration of this critical browse species was
once forgotten due to building frustrations of resource managers and the inability to successfully seed this
species. Again, we will present on-the-ground lessons learned, and successes on restoring this critical
browse species on western rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0065
Cheatgrass Biomass and Competition: Is a Greenhouse Fight a Fair Fight?
Dan Harmon, Charlie Clements
USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, United States
Revegetation of degraded rangelands is a tremendous challenge for land managers. Crested wheatgrass
(Agropyron cristatum), a plant with the potential to compete with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), has been
a valuable tool for land managers in decreasing fire frequency and promoting assisted succession
towards native grass/shrub communities. Salt desert shrub habitats, often below the establishment
potential of crested wheatgrass, are becoming increasingly threatened by cheatgrass invasion and fire. In
response, we examined the potential for native annual forbs to suppress cheatgrass. Understanding an
annual's limitations, we initially observed the interaction between the annual's presence and cheatgrass
biomass, a fuel for fires. In a greenhouse study paired with field plots, we tested the effect of the
presence of an annual on the biomass of cheatgrass. Our results found that the greenhouse study had
more annual species significantly (P≤0.05) affecting cheatgrass biomass (10/11 species) than the field
test (2/11 species) [e.g. Greenhouse: control = 5.12g Amsinkia tesselata present = 1.39g (80%
reduction), Field test: control = 4.83g, Amsinikia tesselata = 0.62g, (87% reduction)]. Under greenhouse
conditions moisture may not be the limiting factor and nutrients become limiting. This results in
cheatgrass having less competitive advantage. However, in the field our results found that annual
species rarely established with cheatgrass competition. It is unlikely that assisted succession can occur
without the prolonged suppression of cheatgrass and the presence of the assisting plant. The
confounding results of greenhouse and field tests emphasize the requirement for on the ground "proofing"
of cheatgrass greenhouse competition research.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0066
Working with Private Landowners to Recover Sage-Grouse Habitat and Improve Ranching
Sustainability
Peter Husby
USDA-NRCS, National, United States
Sage-grouse, an iconic west-wide symbol of healthy rangeland ecosystems, have experienced significant
population declines. Approximately 30% of sage-grouse habitat occurs on privately-owned lands and this
link makes the USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) uniquely positioned to focus
agency resources to benefit sage-grouse, improve ranch sustainability, and maintain livestock grazing as
the prevailing land use. In 2010, USDA launched a new and exciting Sage-grouse Initiative (SGI) and
provided $21 million in cost-share assistance to sustain working ranches and conserve greater sagegrouse. NRCS Chief Dave White is using popular NRCS conservation programs including Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) to assist producers in
11 western states (CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY) to simultaneously improve habitat for
sage-grouse and improve sustainability and productivity of native rangelands. This symposium contains
presentations about the structure of SGI, new GIS-based decision support tools, salesmanship of
conservation, state-specific examples of how this initiative is being implemented, ecological site
descriptions, FWS conference report summary, and the current SGI assessment projects underway.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0067
NRCS - USFWS Conference Report
Terrell Erickson
NRCS, National Office, United States
The NRCS and USFWS have used the "conferencing"provisions under Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act to assess the potential benefits and adverse effects of specific NRCS conservation practices
to be implemented and maintained by landowners under the Sage Grouse Initiative. The FWS worked
closely with NRCS to determine the effects of 40 individual conservation practices, both those that will be
beneficial and those that could potentially adversely affect the birds and their habitat. Conservation
measures were developed to avoid, ameliorate or minimize the identified adverse effects that could result
from implementation of the practices prescribed in landowners' conservation plans. The conference
report lets landowners know that should the Gunnison or Greater sage-grouse species be listed at a
future date, they can continue implementing any of the report's 40 NRCS conservation practices and
associated conservation measures.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0068
The Ecological Reserve El Uno - Strategies for Integral Range Management in Short Grass Prairie
in the Northwest Chihuahua, Mexico
Pedro Angel Calderón-Domínguez, Carlos Ortega-Ochoa
Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
A range management strategy was developed for The Nature Conservancy Ecological Reserve "El Uno"
located in the Janos Valley. In this approach we allowing for the interest of the stakeholders of the area.
Thirty sampling sites were randomly distributed into the ecological reserve. For each site general
landscape characteristics were recorded to identify threats and trends. Also, the actual condition was
evaluated applying the Indicators of Range Health V.4 (BLM TR 1734-6). To asses' vegetation attributes
(e.g. structure, composition, production, invasive species cover, wildlife habitat) the line point intercept,
gap intercept, belt transect and cover pole methods were used as suggested by the USDA-ARS Jornada
Experimental Range Monitoring Manual 2005. Results showed that on average, range health is
moderate, finding sites under slight to moderate and extreme degradation condition. Threats are
represented by mesquite and tumbleweed invasions, leading more than 50% of the reserve into
desertification trend. Vegetation features indicate a range compounded by mainly four genius grasses
(Bouteloua, Aristida, Hilaria, and Sporobolus) associated with patches of mesquite, tumbleweed, and
catclaw; and areas of bare ground ranging from 25% to 80%. Recommendations include mesquite
control, prescribed burning, low stocking rate in pastures with best health condition, and high stocking
rate low frequency in pastures were the tumbleweed and mesquite are invading.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0069
NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative: Montana Example
Joe Fidel
NRCS, Montana, Bozeman Area, United States
NRCS consulted many stakeholders and developed the Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Conservation
Strategy in 2008. The plan identifies 13 core areas that collectively reduce the 27 million acres of sagegrouse occupied area in Montana to 9 million acres that contain 75% of the sage-grouse. In 2010, core
area 4 was prioritized and NRCS focused technical and financial resources to saturate this area with
conservation practices alleviating all identified threats to sage-grouse. Core area 4 covers 185,982 acres
in Golden Valley and Musselshell counties, of which 150,000 acres are privately owned rangeland.
Detailed resource inventories were completed and all threats to sage-grouse and rangeland sustainability
were identified. The findings of the inventories revealed high bare ground percentages, low plant residual
cover, and generally reduced rangeland health. Many fences were located near sage-grouse lek sites
and no watering tanks had wildlife escape ramps. These factors contribute to limitations in ranch
productivity and pose serious threats to sage-grouse survival. NRCS developed comprehensive
management plans with 9 ranches, totaling 90,000 acres. The resulting contracts remove all identified
threats to sage-grouse and improve rangeland health and productivity on roughly 50 percent of the entire
core area. In the summer of 2010, emphasis has been expanded to include Core areas 3 and 6 as well
as additional interested landowners in Core 4.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0070
NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative: Overview and Structure
Tim Griffiths
NRCS, Bozeman, Montana, United States
The NRCS Sage-grouse Initiative (SGI) capitalizes on the strong link between conditions required to
support sustainable ranching operations and habitat characteristics that support healthy sage-grouse
populations. NRCS structured SGI to be a collaborative, targeted effort to implement conservation
practices with its conservation partners throughout the West. This initiative builds off state wildlife agency
sage-grouse strategies by addressing known threats in each state and focusing resources on core areas
important to sage-grouse. SGI includes science-based evaluations carried out by reputable, independent
scientists to measure the biological response of sage-grouse populations to conservation practices, to
assess SGI effectiveness, and to improve program delivery. Additional collaboration with the US Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) ensures that listing decisions are well-informed and landowners are given
certainty that they will be able to continue with practice implementation regardless of listing
determinations.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0071
Plant Selection Strategies for Improved Plant Establishment in Saline Environments
John Lloyd-Reilley
USDA-NRCS, Kingsville, TX, United States
Over 243,000 hectares of south Texas land is affected by saline conditions. In order to solve erosion
problems and increase the productivity on saline impacted range sites, it is critical to develop plant
material that is adapted to these severe conditions. We will discuss the various plant selection strategies
that we employ at the USDA-NRCS E."Kika" de la Garza Plant Materials Center in Kingsville, Texas to
develop commercial releases for improved plant establishment in saline environments.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0072
National Estimates of Soil Loss on Rangelands
Mark Weltz1, Leonard Jolley2, Ken Speath3
1
USDA - ARS, Reno, Nevada, United States, 2USDA - NRCS, Beltsville, MD, United States, 3USDA NRCS, Ft. Worth, Texas, United States
Since 1995, an interagency group composed of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Agricultural
Research Service, and U.S. Geological Survey have worked together to develop a robust field approach
for National Resource Inventory (NRI) on rangeland. The new NRI protocols are designed to detect longterm, years to decades, changes in the condition on rangeland ecosystems, and monitor short-term
impacts which may be of immediate concern. A new process-based model was developed by Agricultural
Research Service for assessing soil erosion rates on rangelands. The Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion
Model was used to calculate runoff and erosion at the hillslope scale for over 10,000 NRI points in the 17
western states on non-federal rangelands. Nationally, 20% of non-federal rangelands generate over 65%
of the average annual soil loss. Over 72 million ac (18 %) would likely benefit if it was treated to reduce
soil loss to below 1 ton ac-1 year-1. Between 23 and 29% (92 to 106 million ac) of the nation's non-federal
rangelands are vulnerable to accelerated soil loss (soil erosion > 1 ton ac-1 year-1) if assessed as a
function of vulnerability by using the risk of a runoff event of a given magnitude (25 or 50 year return
event). Adoption of the concept of risk and vulnerability will allow land managers to be proactive in
preventing accelerated soil loss rather than concentrating on repairing degraded lands which is a far more
costly approach.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0073
Regional Research, Demonstration and Extension: The ARS Area-Wide Ecologically Based
Invasive Plant Management Project
Brenda Smith, Roger Sheley
Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, United States
The Area-wide project is a collaborative five year effort funded in 2008 by USDA-ARS that has brought
together scientists with the USDA-ARS, universities, land managers, and policy makers throughout the
Great Basin. A primary goal of the project is to develop and implement a comprehensive, regional
ecologically based invasive plant management program to address ecosystems threatened and
dominated by cheatgrass and medusahead. Among the activities of this project are landscape-scale
demonstration areas with producers in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California. Additional research
projects are filling in information gaps, with work ongoing on site history, economics, weather and climate
forecasting, seedling establishment, as well as a directed outreach component to develop curriculum,
weed prevention areas and user guidelines and support to those managing invasive grasses in the Great
Basin. Now into year 3 of the project, the Area-wide project team is making significant progress by
increasing awareness of the issue and providing solid integrated management solutions that go beyond
addressing the symptoms of annual grass invasions to the true causes of the problem. Education and
outreach are important components of the program. Successes of the project can be attributed to having
strong communication and support from principal investigators. Several key events were held at the
beginning of the project to ensure clear understanding among team members of the ultimate outcomes
for the project. Frequent communication and updates are held to keep all team members apprised of the
ongoing work on the project.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0074
Ungulate Herbivory as a Chronic Disturbance to Ecosystems
Marty Vavra1, Bryan Endress2, Michael Wisdom1, Catherine Parks1
1
Pacific Northwest Research Station, USFS, La Grande, OR, United States, 2Institute for Conservation
Research, Escondido, CA, United States
In the western United States, foraging by wild ungulates has not been recognized as an ecological force
as evidenced by the lack of its mention in land management plans. Ungulate herbivory has the potential
to influence nutrient cycling and net primary production, and act as a chronic disturbance agent, thereby
influencing ecosystem patterns and processes. Ungulates can alter forest successional pathways and
disturbance regimes as validated in recent research conducted in northeastern Oregon. Identifying how
ungulate herbivory influences composition and structure of forest understories following disturbance is
critical to successful forest management. Additionally, herbivory-induced changes in the understory may
affect productivity of native ungulate herds and the degree of interspecific competition among ungulates.
On the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range, mechanical fuels reduction treatments followed by
prescribed burning were applied to mixed conifer forest communities. Treated forests were then fenced
and grazed separately by cattle and elk at three stocking levels. Individual shrubs were identified and
tagged for monitoring as they emerged. Both shrub density and stem height were greater in the ungrazed
versus grazed treatments. There were more shrubs browsed in elk grazed treatments than in cattle
grazed treatments although the difference was negligible at the highest ungulate stocking rate. Even at
low stocking rates ungulate herbivory was intense on palatable shrub species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0075
Assessing Climate Change Effects with Indicators for Rangeland Ecosystem Goods, Services and
Core Processes
Kristie Maczko1, Daniel W. McCollum2, Jack A. Morgan3, Clifford S. Duke4, William E. Fox5, Lori Hidinger6,
Urs Kreuter7, John E. Mitchell2, John A. Tanaka8
1
Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable - University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 2Rocky
Mountain Research Station - USDA Forest Service, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 3Rangeland
Resources Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 4Science Programs, Ecological
Society of America, Washington DC, United States, 5Texas AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University,
Temple, TX, United States, 6Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ, United States, 7Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX, United States, 8Department of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming,
Laramie, WY, United States
Much debate continues about climate change. Risk, uncertainty and vulnerability are core themes in
these discussions. While there is general agreement that continued increasing concentrations of CO2
and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are altering Earth's climate, the details of how climate
change will develop at local scales remain uncertain. Connectivity among ecological, social and
economic systems is embodied in rangeland ecosystems goods and services. Therefore, to assess the
effects of a changing climate on rangelands and to develop adaptive management strategies,
standardized monitoring systems must characterize not only the critical ecological attributes of soils,
water, plants, animals, and productive capacities, but also consider attributes which encompass social
and economic outcomes, including tradeoffs resulting from climate change. Indicator selection is both an
art and a science, with indicator data driving analyses, adaptations and decision-making. Incorporating
monitoring into conservation, management, and business plans helps land owners and managers identify
and respond to change. Responses may include altered grazing season or rotation, reduction in stocking
rate, creation of grass banks, and operation diversification. To enhance understanding of complex
ecological and socio-economic interactions, the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable developed a
framework to illustrate interrelationships among social, ecological, and economic concepts. We propose
that this framework facilitates evaluation of data across time and provides a powerful analytical tool for
managers and policy-makers to consider impacts of climate change on rangelands, as well as to
elucidate climate change effects on availability of rangeland ecosystem goods and services desired by
the general public.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0076
Evaluation of the Tenderness, Size, and Marbling of Forage-Finished Ribeye Steaks Produced in
Kauai County, Hawaii
Matthew Stevenson1, Yong Soo Kim2, Glen Fukumoto3
1
University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension Service, Lihue, HI, United States, 2University of
Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States, 3University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension
Service, Kealakekua, HI, United States
Kauai ranchers finish beef cattle entirely on local forages, namely Panicum maximum, Digitaria eriantha,
and Desmodium spp. To assess local forage-finished beef quality, we collected 35 paired ribeye steak
samples available at retail. After determining ribeye area (REA) and marbling score, we cooked each pair
by water bath and grilling methods to reach an internal temperature of 71ºC. After cooling to room
temperature, we collected from each steak ten 1.3 cm diameter samples cored along the muscle grain.
We measured shear force values (SFV) of core samples using Warner-Bratzler blades attached to a
TA.XT2 texture analyzer and a G-R unit. Average SFV of samples tested on the TA.XT2 were significantly
higher than that of samples tested on the G-R unit in both grilling (p<0.004) and water bath (p<0.001)
methods: 4.4 ± 0.3 kg (x ± SEM) versus 3.8 ± 0.2 kg by grilling and 5.7 ± 0.4 kg versus 4.3 ± 0.2 kg by
water bath. Within units, grilling results were significantly lower than the water bath average (p<0.005) as
measured on the TA.XT2 only. Instruments were significantly correlated (r2 = 0.69, grilling; r2 = 0.80,
water bath) as were cooking methods (r2 = 0.64, TA.XT2; r2 = 0.40, G-R). REA averaged 10.0 ± 0.2 in2,
and the average marbling score was 450 ± 10 or Small50. The majority of ribeye steaks from cattle
finished on tropical forages in Kauai are smaller than the national average while marbling score and
tenderness appear to be within acceptable ranges compared to national data.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0077
Using Ecological Site Descriptions to Guide Sage Grouse Conservation
Wendell Gilgert, Pat Shaver
USDA-NRCS, Portland, Oregon, United States
When assisting working land owners and managers with planning and ultimately implementation of
conservation management on their ranches, decisions related to facilitation or acceleration of sagebrush
management such as brush management, prescribed burning or rangeland seeding are now often made
using Connelly et al.,'s Sage Grouse Guidelines. Because careful interpretation is required to use the
guidelines, conservationists and the ranchers must use their experience, knowledge and technical
references to navigate the path from management to implementation. Well-developed Ecological Site
Descriptions (ESDs) can be an important tool to provide a high level of certainty that the conservation
design of planned actions are science-based. ESDs provide: 1) decision support for vegetative
management and restoration, 2) performance criteria for management and restoration decisions, and 3)
risk assessment for planned accomplishments. The specific utility of ESDs for designing and
implementing sage-grouse conservation actions will be discussed more fully.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0078
Monitoring Rangelands with Very-Large Scale Aerial Surveys: Advantages and Limitations
D. Terrance Booth1, Samuel E. Cox2
1
USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States, 2USDA-ARS, McMinnville, Tennessee, United States
Rangeland monitoring is, like other scientific investigations, the orderly collection, analysis, and
interpretation of data-in this case, resource data for management decisions. Data-collection methods
determine data accuracy and inferential power. Reliable tests for ecologically-important change through
time, space, or among treatments, must have power; that is, must result from sampling adequate to the
questions being asked for the areas of interest. Aerial surveys allow economical extensions of the
sampling density and distribution of ground-based monitoring (GBM). Evidence accumulated in testing
the efficacy of aerial surveys acquiring very-large scale aerial (VLSA) imagery for uplands, riparian areas,
or whole units (allotments, watersheds), show the method is a sampling protocol capable of obtaining the
sample density and distribution needed to represent the spatial range of natural variation across
extensive areas of interest while providing detail for some key indicators, i.e., bare ground, cover by life
form of the first canopy layer. Acquired imagery can be archived for verification of measurements, for
trend analysis, and for future, and perhaps unforeseen, uses. Thus, aerial surveys will address the most
serious limitations of conventional GBM. However, aerial monitoring should be regarded as an extension
of, and not a total replacement for, GBM because: 1) GBM provides critical experience needed to
accurately interpret aerial images, 2) repeat aerial surveys recapture only a fraction of first-capture
scenes whereas, permanent-plot GBM can provide information on the temporal range of natural variation
until longer-term high-resolution image data bases are established, and 3) GBM can provide information
on understory vegetation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0079
Fire in the Sagebrush Biome: An Inherent Process versus Management Tool
Richard Miller
Oregon State University, Corvalllis, OR, United States
The sagebrush biome characterized by the A. tridentata group is a diverse landscape extending from
British Columbia to northern Arizona and New Mexico and from the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada
and Cascade Mountains to western North and South Dakota. Varying geology, topography (elevations
ranging from < 300 to > 3,000 m), and climate (ppt zones from 160-250 mm to > 1525 mm) within
sagebrush communities creates a diverse mosaic of vegetation across the region. The wide range of
vegetation and environmental variables supports a high diversity of fire regimes with mean fire return
intervals ranging from a single decade to centuries. Changes in fire regimes, initiated in the late 1800s
and early 1900s, shifted the proportion of plant communities between shrub-steppe and grassland and
shrub-steppe and woodland. Fire was and still is an inherent component in the biome, however,
thoughtful implementation of when and where to apply fire is critical in determining success or failure.
The rapid expansion of weeds across the region is closely linked to fire resulting in a significant change in
the role of fire from the past. The resilience of sagebrush communities to fire and their resistance to
weed encroachment is closely related to soil moisture and temperature regimes. Predicted future climate
conditions will result in significant changes in these soil regimes. These changes will be closely linked to
fire and other disturbances and disrupters such as, weeds, disease, insects, etc. resulting in an uncertain
future for the sagebrush biome.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0080
Social Sciences and Public Rangelands: Perceptions of Bureau of Land Management Employees
and Stakeholders
Audie Blevins2, Katherine Jensen2, Stephanie Kane1, Neil Rimbey1, John Tanaka2 ,3, David "Tex" Taylor2,
L. Allen Torell4, J.D. Wulfhorst1
1
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 2University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States,
3
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States, 4New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM,
United States
This paper summarizes the results of a telephone survey of BLM employees and clientele conducted in
2007 and 2008. The goal of the project was to determine the perceptions of employees and public land
clientele on the uses of social sciences (economics, sociology, archeology, and other disciplines) in
planning and management of BLM rangelands. The employee survey generated 1,251 completed
surveys (68% response rate). Sampling and completed surveys were stratified by office location
(field/local, state, national) to allow comparisons between those strata. Results indicate that many BLM
employees have some educational background and/or training in social sciences, though only about one
in four BLM offices currently use trained social scientists to analyze social science data. The survey of
stakeholders was stratified by position type (representing the broad categories of commercial,
environmental, and public/Tribal interests) on the Resource Advisory Councils. Results generally indicate
that stakeholders place high values on the importance of social science information as well as the critical
involvement of the public in land use planning and management of natural resources. Results also
indicate a high level of awareness about the need for social and economic research and data collection
within BLM. A major role of social scientists was identified to be identification of public land users, their
usage patterns and their beliefs and priorities for public land management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0081
Proper Grazing Management During Drought: The Difference between Making a Profit and Losing
Your Herd
Carlos Gonzalez, Alfonso Ortega-S., Steven Lukefahr
Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, United States
The objective of this paper is to report results of proper grazing and beef cattle management on
productivity and profitability of a commercial operation in south Texas in an extremely dry year in 2009.
The enterprise consists of approximately 40 cows on 146 ha of native grasses with Kleberg bluestem
(Bothriochloa ischaemum) and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon). A reduction in stocking rate was done
in 2001 (from 1 AU/1.4 ha to at least 1AU/2.3 ha) and maintained in most years from 2003 to 2009.
Forage is stockpiled in pastures following rains. Cattle are rotated using 50% of the available forage.
Cattle have not been fed hay or cereal grains in over 5 years. Between October 2008 and June 2009, 75
mm of rainfall were received. Based on the amount of stockpiled forage in October 2009, the decision
was made to lease 50 ha of additional pastures to decrease grazing pressure. Pregnancy, calving, and
weaning rates, as well as weaning weights, did not show major differences between 2008 and 2009.
Feed-related expenses increased from $41 in 2008 to $185 in 2009, equivalent to a 351% increase. Total
expenses increased from $291 in 2008 compared to $411 in 2009, and profit per cow decreased from
$252 to $199. Profit per ha decreased from $109 to $64 in 2008 and 2009, respectively. A proper grazing,
including moderate stocking rate, stockpiling of forage for winter and droughts, and the flexibility to adjust
the grazing program made the difference between making a profit and losing the herd.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0082
Wolves & The Natural Law
Jim Beers
Jim Beers, Eagan, Minnesota, United States
Wolves & The Natural Law will relate historic concepts of The Natural Law from Plato and Thomas
Aquinas to the Declaration of Independence and GK Chesterton. When applied to wolves throughout the
world today, the role of government consistent with The Natural Law should be composed of four things.
First, government should protect human life and property from wolf depredations. Second, decisions
regarding the presence or abundance of wolves should be a matter for the lowest level of government,
closest to individual communities. Third, wolves should never be imposed or forced on any communities
by far-away central governments or urban majorities that are not directly affected by the presence of said
wolves. The imposition of wolves by forced introduction is distinguishable from the management of
established wolf populations. Fourth, while it is a credit to our humanity that we are concerned about the
preservation of plant and animal species, the extension of this concern to creating a deadly threat to
humans where none exists, must never be assumed to be legitimate. Wolves kill people as well as
destroy human property that in turn ruins families and communities; this is the antithesis of legitimate
government. The concepts presented here are as applicable to UN mandates that protect and expand
elephant populations which in turn trample African children and destroy African crops as to other national
governments and the vacuous philosophies that underpin these violations of The Natural Law, such as
"Native Ecosystem Restoration", Wilderness, and "Non-Native Species" eradication programs.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0083
Wolves on the Landscape
Kevin France
Sustainable Resource Development, Alberta Government, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
It is understood that large predators such as wolves play an important role in the ecosystem, but whether
it's a positive, neutral or negative role is debated. What are the implications of these interactions with the
ecosystem? How do wolves influence ecosystem health? Can wolves co-exist on a working landscape
where management objectives include a healthy ungulate population and livestock grazing? These
questions not only complicate matters for managers trying to increase habitat quality, but encourage a
reactive approach to management of wolves that emphasizes the depth of the problem rather than the
nature of the solution. With the listing, de-listing and subsequent re-listing of Grey wolves in the USA the
issues surrounding wolf management have escalated. Are there opportunities to learn from other
jurisdictions such as Canada to assist in wolf management? This symposium is an attempt to gather key
individuals to discuss current research, ideas and possible solutions to wolf problems and hopefully direct
or assist future management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0084
Harvest Efficiency of High Stocking Density Grazing
Alexander Smart1, Jerry Volesky2, Sara Winterholler1, Walter Schacht3, Eric Mousel1, Jordan Johnson3,
Robert Valvala3, John Madison1
1
SDSU, Brookings, SD, United States, 2UNL, North Platte, NE, United States, 3UNL, Lincoln, NE, United
States
High stocking density grazing or "mob" grazing is a recent phenomenon that is being promoted by a few
practitioners, but has not undergone rigorous scientific testing. The objective of this study was to
determine the harvest efficiency of cattle grazing at high stocking densities. The study was conducted in
July and August 2010 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Barta Brothers Ranch located in the
eastern Sandhills near Basset, Nebraska and at the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Cow-calf Unit
in east-central South Dakota located near Brookings, South Dakota. The vegetation at the UNL and
SDSU sites was predominantly introduced cool-season grasses on a wet meadow and upland silty clay
loam site, respectively. Twice replicated yearling steer stocking densities of 224,000 kg of live weight per
ha were achieved in small paddocks and moved twice daily at each location. Hand-clipped vegetation
estimates of biomass pre- and post-grazing were used to calculate available forage, grazing pressure,
and harvest efficiency. Average forage available was 6100 and 4400 kg/ha and resulted in an average
grazing pressure of 40 and 55 AUD/Mg at the UNL and SDSU sites, respectively. Harvest efficiency of 35
and 40% was achieved at the UNL and SDSU sites, respectively. A linear relationship between grazing
2
pressure and harvest efficiency (16.8 + 0.43 x grazing pressure; R =0.38) was found. This equation is a
useful way to estimate daily livestock consumption for planning purposes to estimate the size of paddock
and number of daily moves required to manage high stocking density grazing.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0085
Improvement of Seed Production in Utah Sweetvetch
Michael Peel, Ivan Mott
USDA, ARS Forage and Range Research Lab., Logan, Utah, United States
Sweetvetch (Hedysarum boreale Nutt. [Fabaceae]) is sought for use in seeding for rangeland
improvement and reclamation. The use of sweetvetch is limited by poor seed production due to lack of
seed set and excessive shattering. Neither improved genetic material nor descriptions of management
practices to improve seed set and reduce shattering have been described. Seed set and shattering are
under genetic control but highly influenced by environment. Our work to increase seed production has
focused on improved seed set and reduced seed shattering through recurrent selection and management
practices including insect control and irrigation during seed maturation. Three cycles of recurrent
selection for improved seed production within a broad based gene pool has been completed. Work on
irrigation has shown that proper timing provides an increase in seed production but excessive irrigation
can be counterproductive. Insect control during seed development can eliminate infestations of
harvested seed. The combination of improved germplasm and appropriate management has resulted in
a several fold increase in seed production of sweetvetch.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0086
Breeding Strategies for the Development of Bluebunch Wheatgrass for the Great Basin
Blair Waldron, Steve Larson
USDA-ARS, Logan, Utah, United States
Bluebunch wheatgrass is an important native species used in many reseeding efforts of the Great Basin;
however, the varieties used in these reseedings usually originate from the Palouse region. The increased
interest to restore rangelands using regionally-adapted plant germplasm necessitates the development of
Great Basin ecosytem-originated bluebunch wheatgrass. However, the dramatic and substantial
degradation of this region, caused by invasive weeds and changed fire regimes, will seriously challenge
the successful use of "local" seed sources and pre-variety germplasms. This paper will discuss the
strategies being employed in the ongoing development of Great Basin-originated bluebunch wheatgrass
varieties that maintain regionally-adapted genetic diversity, but have improved seed yield, seedling
establishment, and persistence.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0087
Remote Sensing of Plant Community Dynamics in a Sandhills Blowout
Barbara Kagima, James Stubbendieck
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, United States
Nebraska Sandhills are unique to the Great Plains in that they occur in a semi-arid sand dune complex.
Presently, this complex is largely stabilized by mixed grass prairie but areas of sparse vegetation result
from various disturbances, such as improper grazing, fire, or drought. Strong winds, not uncommon to this
region, have the propensity to mobilize the sparsely vegetated dune sand, creating denuded hollows
termed blowouts. However, little is documented about the re-vegetation patterns of blowouts, the
influence of climatic variables on these patterns, and the general persistence of blowouts on the
landscape. This study determined the best approach to utilize remote sensing techniques and long-term
vegetation data to track plant community changes within blowouts. Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS)
and Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes were used in conjunction with 30 years (1981 to 2010) of ground-truth
data to determine the best spectral vegetation index to use for this system. Plant communities were
classified using a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and soil-adjusted vegetation index
(SAVI). A confusion matrix was used to determine the accuracy of plant community classification. Overall,
NDVI was the most accurate (64.9%) vegetation index for classifying plant communities within the
blowout, followed by SAVI (39.24%). Future analysis will use NDVI to track long-term, landscape scale
patterns of blowouts across the Sandhills.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0088
Sage Grouse Initiative - NRCS, Washington State
Tim Dring
NRCS, Washington State, United States
How is Washington's sage grouse habitat different from other states? The biggest difference is land use.
The Columbia Basin sub-population of sage grouse thrives on the agricultural landscape of Eastern
Washington. Sage grouse in Washington co-exist with farmers, not ranchers. According to the
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, the 2009 population estimates were at 700 birds. The 2010
estimates are over 1100. In the 1990s, Douglas County, Washington was allowed to exceed its twentyfive percent cap for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). By 2005 over half of the sage grouse
nests recorded in Washington State were on CRP. Douglas County can no longer exceed the twenty-five
percent cap of 40,000 acres of CRP. Some of the expiring CRP is being mowed, tilled and cropped. Our
goal for the Sage Grouse Initiative and additional funds through the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP) is to extend CRP contracts by paying for forgone income on expiring CRP for a period of
up to three years. After three years, we hope that much of the expiring CRP can be re-enrolled in a CRP
program administered by the State called SAFE, State Acres For Enhancement. In May of 2010, 38,000
acres of SAFE were authorized for enrollment. These acres are in addition to the acres already enrolled
through the Sage Grouse Initiative and EQIP. These two programs promise to help protect sage grouse
habitat for the next 3 to 15 years.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0089
Bison and Cattle: How Different Are They?
Brady Allred1, Samuel Fuhlendorf1, Robert Hamilton2
1
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States, 2The Nature Conservancy, Pawhuska, OK,
United States
Herbivory is an important ecosystem process recognized by both ecologists and land managers. The
Great Plains of North America evolved with significant influence from bison (Bison bison), but is presently
dominated by cattle (Bos taurus, B. indicus). While there is a variety of dogma concerning differences
between these two species, there is a lack of scientific comparisons that incorporate important ecological
variation. We developed a framework to compare bison and cattle that includes environmental
complexity; we used this framework to compare the grazing behavior of both species in tallgrass prairie.
We present this study as an example of how bison and cattle should be compared. We collared seven
bison and cattle individuals with global positioning systems and recorded location information at various
frequencies. Using resource selection functions, we estimated the importance of various environmental
factors on site selection. Both species preferred recently burned areas and avoided steeper slopes. Cattle
selected areas that were closer to water, while bison were not limited by distance to water; cattle also
preferred areas with woody vegetation, while bison avoided them. Incorporating environmental complexity
allows for an effective comparison of ecological differences between bison and cattle. There is not
enough data to confidently state that bison or cattle are better for overall conservation or biodiversity. As
more studies effectively compare grazing behavior and the effects of bison and cattle, reliable
conclusions can be made to direct conservation and management efforts.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0090
Seed Production of Native Plants in the Intermountain West
Loren St. John
USDA-NRCS, Aberdeen, Idaho, United States
The USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center (PMC) in Aberdeen, Idaho has been testing, selecting and
releasing plants to help solve natural resource issues since 1939. The PMC has developed a number of
unique methods and tools to produce seed from native species. Weed barrier fabric is used to control
weeds from select native forb and shrub seed production fields. A new harvesting machine developed by
the PMC termed the "jet harvester", quickly and easily removes ripe seed with reduced inert material and
is non-destructive to the seed-producing plant. The PMC has also developed a quick method to estimate
seed quality during seed processing using a hot plate heated by propane.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0091
SRR Rangeland Ecosystem Services Assessment Framework
John Tanaka
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, United States
Ecosystem goods and services (EGS) are those things that humans value that are derived or part of the
natural world. We define these EGS as extractable goods or tangible or intangible services. The
Sustainable Rangeland Roundtable (SRR) has developed a set of questions to narrow the list of EGSs
that should be considered when evaluating whether rangelands are being managed sustainably. The
process takes into account the "must have" criteria followed by the "wants" of society. The intent is to help
prioritize which EGS should be considered in a particular situation. Initial tests of the framework indicate
that it is a useful way to organize the important aspects of an ecosystem good or service. The process
would allow a decision-maker to rank the different goods and services according to importance, response
to management, and other characteristics.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0092
SRR Socio-Economic Assessment Indicators
John Tanaka
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
The Sustainable Rangeland Roundtable has as its mission to promote the use of ecological, social, and
economic indicators of sustainability. These "three legs of the sustainability stool" must be in rough
balance for a system to be considered sustainable. In this section, we will examine the social and
economic indicators for use in a ranch planning framework. There are only a few indicators that would
need to be measured and monitored over time. However, there are many questions that a ranch family
should ask themselves related to what their individual, family, and business goals are. The answer to
these kinds of questions provides the context within which the social and economic monitoring data can
be interpreted.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0093
Factors Limiting Use of Drought Mitigation Tactics among Utah Cattle Ranchers
D. Layne Coppock
Dept. Environment & Society, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States
Despite the importance of drought, there has been relatively little detailed research concerning drought
management and ranching. Recent work in Utah has assessed drought readiness among ranchers during
1998-2009. One finding was that 14 drought mitigation tactics appeared underutilized across the
population, but it was unclear why. Objectives for this research were to determine factors limiting further
adoption of drought mitigation tactics and how constraints might be overcome. Tactics included use of
water development, stocking rate reduction, income diversification, government programs, hay
production, hay storage, bank loan renegotiation, grass banks, forward contracting, weather forecasts,
livestock or feed insurance, and extension information. A phone and mail survey was implemented
among 456 ranchers during winter 2010 using a simple-random design. The response rate was 88%.
Except for people contemplating grass banks, substantial portions of other respondents (23 to 63%) said
they had little or no need for the remaining tactics, suggesting that most would be well under 100%
adoption regardless of incentives or outreach education. Lack of awareness—and ecological limitations—
were perceived as major constraints in some cases. Thirteen to twenty-four percent of respondents noted
cost as the major constraint for water development, stocking rate reduction, hay storage, and procuring
insurance. Weather forecasts had very low utility for drought planning (65% of respondents). Nearly onethird of respondents were retirees with little motivation to diversify incomes. In conclusion, while
subsidization or expanded outreach education might stimulate further adoption of a few tactics, in most
cases demand largely appears to have been met.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0094
Cheatgrass Dead Zones in Northern Nevada
Tye Morgan, Robert Blank, Charles Clements
USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, United States
Reports of areas of cheatgrass die-off are becoming more frequent. In 2009, we investigated cheatgrass
die off in north-central Nevada. Dead zones ranged from several to hundreds of acres in size and were
largely unvegetated and covered by cheatgrass litter with a distinct gray cast. We collected replicate soil
samples inside the dead zones and adjacent non-affected areas and analyzed for soil nutrients, and
growth of newly planted cheatgrass seeds in both control and autoclaved soils. Newly planted cheatgrass
produced statistically similar above-ground biomass after 40 days in both affected and non-affected soil
and autoclaving did not influence cheatgrass growth. Most nutrients measures were statistically similar in
and out of dead zones, but soil from dead zones has significantly greater mineral N and sulfate.
Moreover, both zones contained large germinable seedbanks of cheatgrass. At this time we cannot
explain the cause of cheatgrass die-off, but clearly this in an important process deserving of more
research.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0095
Look Closer: Time Sequence Photography of Roosters Comb in the Sheep Creek Range
Tye Morgan, Robert Blank
USDA-ARS, Reno, NV, United States
Recognizing natural landscape change is key in properly understanding rangeland ecology. Time
sequence photography allows the comparison of natural changes overtime. Photographs of Roosters
Comb were taken from the same vantage point in the spring and fall from 2004 to 2010. Annual climate
variations caused dramatic fluctuations in species composition, plant biomass, and the "look" of the
landscape. Without photographic evidence, our memories or perceptions of what we have seen could
become distorted. However, reviewing past photography before making ecological or management
decisions may contribute to different insights.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0096
The Right Conservation in the Right Places: Using Sage-Grouse Core Areas to Target SGI
Resources
Dave Naugle1, Kevin Doerty2, Jason Tack3, Jeff Evans4
1
University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States, 2USFWS, Bismarck, ND, United States, 3University
of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States, 4TNC, Boulder, CO, United States
An expanding human footprint in the West makes 'conservation triage' unavoidable, and sage-grouse
declines have partners searching for innovative ways to receive the biggest biological return on their
conservation investment. The Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) aims to target NRCS programs to landscapes
where the right conservation practices will provide the biggest benefits to sage-grouse populations. SGI's
targeting strategy is founded in range-wide sage-grouse ‘core areas' that represent locations of high
abundance population centers containing a majority of birds. We used lek-count data (n = 4,885 leks) to
delineate core areas containing 25, 50, 75, and 100% of known breeding populations. Findings show bird
abundance is highly clumped from range-wide to state-level scales. Cores contain 25% of the
populations within 4% (7.2 million ac) of the range, and 75% of birds are concentrated within 54% of their
distribution. Abundance varies by Sage-grouse Management Zones, with Zones I, II, and IV containing
83.7% of all known sage-grouse. Conservation priorities are widespread with each of 11 states
containing ≥1 cores with enough breeding birds to meet the 75% abundance threshold. Surface
ownership within 75% core areas is 44% Federal, 36% private, and 5% State lands. Cores provide a
mechanism for SGI to prioritize conservation, but risks and opportunities vary across states and
provinces. More importantly, state game and fish agencies responsible for sage-grouse management
have site scale knowledge of seasonal habitat needs outside the breeding season and other data useful
in decision-making. We encourage federal agencies and other partners to consult state agencies to
coordinate implementation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0097
Setting the Bar High: Using Science to Evaluate SGI Conservation Outcomes
Dave Naugle, Tim Griffiths
University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States
USDA leadership is committed to quantifying sage-grouse response to NRCS conservation practices
through a coordinated framework that informs adaptive management of program delivery. Rather than
focus on acres treated, SGI's approach is biologically-based and uses sage-grouse population and
habitat responses at multiple scales to evaluate program benefits. To date, we have assembled >$500K
in dedicated research funds and initiated outcome assessments in core areas in Oregon and Montana. In
south-central Oregon, SGI is reducing the fragmentation threat of encroached juniper in the state's largest
core area. Private landowners and BLM are removing post-settlement juniper on 27,000 ac over 5 years.
The University of Idaho in cooperation with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has designed a
before-after control-impact study and radio-marked sage-grouse to evaluate bird response to juniper
removal. In Montana, SGI has secured commitments with 8 producers on 70,000 ac in a core area near
Billings, to manage stocking rates commensurate with capacity and to rotate deferred grazing in 20-30%
of pastures identified as nesting habitat as part of a rest rotation grazing system. Partners from
Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the University of Montana are co-investigating
efficacy of grazing systems using vital rates of radio-marked grouse and lek counts as an index to
population size. SGI envisions ~15 assessment projects located throughout the species range where SGI
has focused its resources. SGI will compile scientific outcomes from studies into a comprehensive
assessment of range-wide contributions to sage-grouse conservation to inform Endangered Species Act
listing officials and adaptively improve SGI.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0098
Success Using an Interdisciplinary Approach for Watershed-Scale Land Health Assessments and
Subsequent Project Implementation
Pat Fosse, Brian Thrift, Ryan Martin
Bureau of Land Management, Dillon, Montana, United States
Prior to 2002, land health assessments conducted by the Dillon Field Office (DFO) grouped grazing
allotments by permittee/lessee and emphasized grazing permit/lease renewal. Since 2002, assessments
are based on fifth-level Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC 5) watersheds, include multiple programs (e.g., range,
weeds, hydrology, wildlife, fisheries, forestry, fuels, minerals, lands, wilderness, and recreation), and
focus on land health and enhancing biodiversity at the landscape level. Interdisciplinary team (IDT)
members are assigned by the field manager and the assessment dates are identified six months in
advance. This approach creates a number of efficiencies during the assessment and implementation
processes. During assessments, the IDT improves logistical efficiency by visiting multiple sites in
adjacent areas. Participation by the entire IDT results in a more thorough understanding of ecological
processes within the watershed, more intimate knowledge of other disciplines and their projects, better
cumulative impacts analysis, strong internal support of environmental assessments (EA) and decisions,
team building, and employee empowerment. Furthermore, preparing a single EA for all allotments within
the watershed better utilizes specialists' time and reduces the opportunity for appeal, allowing for more
time in the field. Between 2002 and 2010, the DFO assessed 15 watersheds, covering 363 grazing
allotments and about 750,000 BLM acres, and analyzed potential impacts from management changes
and projects in only 17 EAs. Post-decision benefits include a greater number of NEPA-compliant projects
that are ready to implement, resource accomplishments that vastly exceed the cumulative
accomplishments of individual IDT members, and a more defensible position in the event of an appeal.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0099
Rangelands West Goes International: Introducing Global Rangelands
Barbara Hutchinson
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
With funding from the NIFA International Science and Education program, a collaboration involving
members of the Western Rangelands Partnership (University of Arizona, University of California-Davis,
and University of Idaho), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and
Rangelands Australia, is in the process of developing a comprehensive Global Rangelands Online
Knowledge System (Global Rangelands). This presentation will describe the two-year project and
provide a demonstration of the results achieved so far. Specifically, the new Global Rangelands system
will provide access to international resources on sustainable rangeland management through redesign
and expansion of the current Rangelands West portal, and through the eXtension Rangelands website.
Online services will include: 1) a fully searchable international repository of full-text articles, documents,
images, and multi-media teaching, learning, and outreach materials on rangeland topics, 2) applications
to facilitate expanded knowledge of international work in rangeland research, teaching, and extension, 3)
multi-media learning modules on global rangelands, 4) synthesis documents on aspects of international
outreach practices relevant to Extension programming, and 5) a customized search interface that
improves access to critical rangelands information and encourages direct user engagement in the Global
Rangelands system.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0100
Rangelands on eXtension: Compiling the Best of the Best for Rangelands
Rachel Frost1, John Tanaka2, Lovina Roselle3, Mindy Pratt4
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States, 2University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United
States, 3University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 4Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
1
In response to the need to provide objective, science-based information via the internet, in 2009 a group
of rangeland specialists, range faculty and librarians from 19 western states came together to initiate a
"Rangeland Stewardship and Health" Community of Practice (CoP) for eXtension.org. According to
eXtension.org, a CoP is: "an evolving, virtual, customer-centered educational environment that will
provide the most current, objective, research-based information from the Land Grant University System
for anyone, at any time, on any device, and in any location." The Rangelands Stewardship and Health
Community of Practice was created to meet the educational and decision-making needs of public and
private rangeland managers, allied industry partners, extension employees, and consumers by providing
synthesized science-based information and learning opportunities. The Rangelands CoP hosts FAQs,
Ask an Expert service, a glossary of rangeland terms, a calendar of rangeland events, RSS feeds, and
content pages delivering information on a variety of rangeland topics. Articles are written for the general
public and/or land manager or rancher where the purpose is to get practical information for decisionmaking or to provide basic/introductory education. Links are provided to full text articles and peer
reviewed materials representing the "best of the best" in rangeland information from the entire land-grant
system. Countless opportunities exist for other rangeland professionals to join and participate in the CoP
to develop educational materials and learning opportunities that address the needs of all segments of the
field of rangeland ecology and management in a variety of formats.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0101
Internet Technologies for Rangeland Ambassadors
Lovina Roselle1, Cody Sheehy2, Karen Launchbaugh1
1
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 2University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
When was the last time you told someone that you work on rangelands only to have them bestow a look
of confusion in return? As a rangeland professional, you are an ambassador for these vast landscapes
that "fill the void" between urban areas, and which are often overlooked and seldom understood. An
ambassador has power to make people look on rangelands with a sense of wonder - like when they look
at the stars or the ocean. There are many internet technologies that can be harnessed to help you
introduce rangelands to anyone who is interested in learning more. However, becoming proficient with
these tools can be an overwhelming undertaking for someone who neither possesses the technical
aptitude nor the time to decipher what might be most useful and engaging for their audience. This is
particularly true when informing younger audiences because the millennial generation is fascinated with
technology and their comfort level often surpasses that of their elders. We will showcase a number of
internet-based tools and resources to explore rangeland ecosystems including virtual tours, interactive
photos, videos, Google Earth resources, and other new media technologies that engage a variety of
audiences. We will also feature resources that are available to aid you when you are asked to present
information about rangelands to a local civic organization, volunteer service group, high school
classroom, or other education setting. Internet resources about rangelands are there to help. We will
empower you with a suite of new media tools and existing presentation resources.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0102
The Rangeland Science Database: A Search Engine for Range Professionals
Jason Clark
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
Rangeland professionals are busy people that need access to the best scientific information for specific
topics quickly and easily. While Google® has changed the way we find information on nearly everything in
life, unfortunately, there is no Google Rangelands. Enter the Rangeland Science Database, a collection of
over 1,300 bibliographic citations to articles and documents focused on: riparian, weeds, rangeland,
wildlife, vegetation, and soils research. This growing collaboration between researchers is more than a
full text database, with all citations annotated by experts in the field of range management. This allows
range professionals to find relevant information quickly without becoming lost in a sea of unrelated
information. Come learn how to browse, search, and contribute to this emerging dataset.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0103
A Lifetime of Research and Observations Preserved: The August "Gus" Hormay Collection
Available Online
Bonnie McCallum
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
Take a look back into range science history via the scientific information recorded by August "Gus"
Ludwig Hormay using the quaint methods of pencil and paper. Often referred to as the "Father of RestRotation Grazing" Gus Hormay (1907-1999) developed rest-rotation grazing systems for the management
of rangelands in the Western United States during more than seventy years of work in natural resource
conservation. This special collection housed at the Montana State University Library chronicles the life
and career of Mr. Hormay. The collection features extensive outgoing and incoming correspondence, in
addition to calendars and diaries that document his daily activities. Users can access summaries and
statistics of all rest-rotation grazing allotments visited or analyzed by Hormay, and geographically
arranged record files containing information on individual allotments throughout the western United
States. Hormay's work in the national forests of northeastern California and rangelands throughout the
western region of the United States is extensively documented through his working notes and file
collection. We will take a brief tour of the online, searchable, full-text retrieval digital collection of Gus
Hormay's professional papers on rest-rotation, and his carefully recorded laboratory research, field
observations, and contribution to the knowledge base of range science.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0104
Analyzing the Effect of Slope Aspect and Phenology on Biomass Production in Western South
Dakota Grasslands Using MODIS NDVI
Matthew Rigge1, Alexander Smart1, Bruce Wylie2
1
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States, 2EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD,
United States
Remote sensing NDVI techniques have a long track record of providing timely and accurate results over
large study areas with minimal sampling effort. Assessment of rangeland productivity and phenology
using this technology provides multiple [up to weekly] measurements of vegetative productivity greatly
increasing the ability to track patterns in production as compared to traditional field sampling
measurements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of MODIS NDVI satellite data to
examine effects of slope aspect and phenology on biomass production in western South Dakota
rangelands. MODIS satellite NDVI data for 2000-2009 was obtained for the Bad River watershed in westcentral South Dakota. The study area (approximately 820,000 hectares) largely consists of rangelands
with production dominated by cool season genera such as Stipa and Pascopyrum. Sample points [pixels]
(n= 2000) were randomly placed across the study area satellite images. At each point the aspect and
growing season (April-September) average NDVI was sampled using GIS. Phenology of maximum
biomass was observed at sites (n= 50) sorted by aspect. North facing aspects displayed higher biomass
production than south facing slopes and reached seasonal peak production about one week sooner.
Drought years displayed significantly delayed (5-6 weeks later than average) peak biomass production as
warm season plants were better able to tolerate drought stress.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0105
Sustainable Ranch Management through Business Planning and Rangeland Monitoring
John Tanaka2, Kristie Maczko1, Mike Smith2, John E. Mitchell5, Cindy Garretson-Weibel3, Doug Powell7,
Chuck Quimby8, Gene Fults9, Chuck Stanley10, Stan Hamilton11, Niels Hansen12, Dick Loper4, J.K.
"Rooter" Brite6
1
Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable - University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 2Department
of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 3Wyoming Business
Council, Cheyenne, WY, United States, 4Wyoming State Grazing Board and Public Lands Council,
Lander, WY, United States, 5Rocky Mountain Research Station - USDA Forest Service, Fort Collins, CO,
United States, 6Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Bowie, TX, United States, 7Bureau of Land
Management, Washingon DC, United States, 8USDA Forest Service, Denver, CO, United States, 9Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Portland, OR, United States, 10Natural Resources Conservation
Service, Fort Worth, TX, United States, 11Idaho Department of Lands (retired), Boise, ID, United States,
12
The PH Livestock Company, Rawlins, WY, United States
This session is designed to teach conservation professionals, extension personnel and land managers
about combining social, ecological and economic monitoring with standard business planning methods for
sustainable ranch management. The workshop will discuss how selected social, ecological, and
economic indicators can be used to monitor ecological conditions as well as the socio-economic
components of a ranch business plan. The business planning process and the protocols needed to
gather necessary monitoring data will be presented. Speakers will provide an overview of sustainability
principles at the ranch level, emphasizing integration of economic, social, and economic information.
Applications on federal allotments, as well as within the NRCS conservation planning context for private
lands will be addressed. A section will deal specifically with collection of traditional monitoring data for
soils, water, plant, animals, productive capacities, economics, and relevant social, legal, and institutional
elements. A framework for evaluation of rangeland ecosystem services for alternative income streams
also will be presented. The Wyoming Business Council process for developing a ranch business plan,
including all requisite materials, will be featured. By the end of this workshop, participants should be able
to assist ranchers in developing a business plan, including monitoring necessary to support sound
decision-making for financial and natural resource related aspects of the business. Depending on
attendance, participants may be able to discuss pros and cons of ecological and financial monitoring and
business planning with ranchers involved in the process.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0106
Comparing the Impacts of Water Quality Regulations on Land Use in Two Watersheds: Lake
Taupo (NZ) and Tomales Bay, California (USA)
Sheila Barry1, Stephanie Larson1, Warren King2, Michael Lennox1
1
University of California, California, United States, 2AgResearch, Hamilton, New Zealand
Livestock grazing in the United States and New Zealand is increasingly being scrutinized for its
environmental impact. In some regions regulations intended to reduce non-point pollution have been
introduced. Regulations can impact the sustainability of livestock grazing enterprises and may have
undesirable consequences including land use change. Livestock producers in two watersheds, Lake
Taupo (New Zealand) and Tomales Bay (California), were interviewed regarding impacts of new water
quality regulations on livestock enterprise sustainability. The interviews identified motivations for
ranching/livestock grazing and incentives improving water quality while maintaining livestock grazing
enterprises. The impact of a market-based strategy to reduce and cap N leaching in the Lake Taupo
watershed seems to be resulting in fewer but more intensive livestock grazing operations. Concerns of
future sustainability have driven some producers in the watershed to sell their farms. The Tomales Bay
catchment strategy, which requires self-assessment of grazing land water quality impacts, is resulting in
most producers initiating new conservation practices with little short-term impact to sustainability.
Regulations that go beyond market-based incentives and include substantial technical assistance and
cost-share incentives may be more effective at providing opportunities for sustaining less intensive
livestock grazing enterprises and maintaining compatible watershed land uses.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0107
Historical Global Fire Context: Linking Landscapes and Ecosystems
Ryan Limb
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
Rangeland ecosystems evolved with relatively frequent fire and thus the biotic ecosystem components
are well adapted and often dependent on fire as a driver of ecosystem function. Following European
settlement, fire was suppressed and all but removed from much of the North American landscape often
altering key ecosystem properties. A number of scientists and land managers are experimenting with fire
to discover key variables that are necessary to support the use of fire on rangeland ecosystems.
However, one barrier to successful implementation of a fire regime is the view of fire as a management
tool often applied once rather than as a regime over time. This treatment view of fire suggests that is
acceptably interchangeable with grazing, herbicides and mechanical disturbance, rather than an integral
ecosystem process and keystone disturbance just as vital to an ecosystem as soil type and precipitation.
A summary of fire research reveals that much of our knowledge of fire is limited to short duration and
small or non-replicated experiments. The need for larger and longer duration studies is evident if we want
fire to be a relevant process in rangeland ecosystems.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0108
Ability to Extract Soil N at High Temperatures Allows Cheatgrass to Exclude Perennial Grasses
A. Joshua Leffler1, Thomas Monaco1, Jeremy James2
Forage and Range Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Logan, UT, United States, 2Eastern Oregon
Agriculture Research Center, USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States
1
In the Intermountain West of the USA, Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) forms dense monospecific stands
following disturbance, and establishment of native perennials into these stands is exceedingly difficult.
Performance differences between native and exotic plants is one hypothesis to explain invasive plant
success. As an invasive winter annual grass, cheatgrass may trade-off lifespan for short-term resource
capture enabling greater performance than competing native perennial species. In addition, cheatgrass
germinates in the autumn and senesces prior to hot, dry summer conditions; perennials germinate in the
spring and persist through the summer. We tested the hypothesis that a primary mechanism; whereby
cheatgrass maintains dominance and excludes native species, is through rapidly acquiring soil N in
spring. We grew both cheatgrass and perennial species under various temperature conditions
representative of spring and measured N uptake rate. We found similar rates of N uptake by cheatgrass
and perennial species at low temperatures, but exceptional uptake by cheatgrass at high temperature.
Cheatgrass was also the most plastic species in N uptake, capable of taking advantage of optimal
growing conditions when they occurred, while perennial grasses were more conservative in resource
capture. Despite cheatgrass being a winter annual, it did not perform better than perennials under cool
conditions. Rather, cheatgrass may exclude perennials by rapidly acquiring N in the late spring when
conditions are warm. Consequently, the early germination of cheatgrass does not confer a resource
capture advantage but early deployment of roots may allow rapid N uptake when soils warm.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0109
Prescribed Burn Associations: Getting Landowners to Use Prescribed Fire
John Weir
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
Landowners usually give four reasons why they do not burn when asked about conducting prescribed
fires, they are liability, lack of training, lack of equipment and lack of labor. There are several ways these
obstacles can be overcome, but more often than not it makes prescribed burning a more costly or
unattainable venture. Through the formation of local prescribed burn associations in Oklahoma, many
private land managers are able to overcome these barriers, and at the same time safely and effectively
apply fire to their land. These associations are started by involving interested citizens from the
surrounding community and allowing local extension and conservation district employees to provide
technical assistance to the group. The association elects leaders, sets goals and guidelines, along with
an area to work in. One of the main attributes of a prescribed burning association is its neighbor helping
neighbor approach. It also gives people hands-on experience along with organized training. When a
group of like minded citizens band together into an association there is more land that can be safely
burned and it creates an organization that has strength in numbers when it comes to promoting fire or
finding funding for equipment. Currently there are 16 burn associations in Oklahoma, covering 30
counties, with over 300 members. In the spring of 2008 six of these associations safely burned nearly
50,000 acres.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0110
Research and Management Priorities and Strategies for Sustaining Great Basin Ecosystems
Jeanne Chambers
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV, United States
Semi-arid rangelands across the globe are undergoing major ecological and socioeconomic changes. In
many areas, these changes have detrimental effects on the structure, composition and function of native
ecosystems and jeopardize ecosystem services. In the Great Basin of the western United States, causes
of change are highly interactive and include human population growth, past and present land uses,
climate change, altered fire regimes, and rapid expansion of invasive species. Cumulative effects include
vegetation type conversions, loss of watershed functioning, loss of native species, and diminished
economic potential. Addressing this ongoing change requires new and innovative research and
management approaches that are based on an understanding of ecological resilience to disturbance and
resistance to invasion, and that are focused on larger spatial scales and longer time frames than in the
past. Basic research coupled with large-scale assessments and effective monitoring strategies are
needed to track the ongoing changes. Prediction and modeling of alternative futures are needed that can
be incorporated into planning processes and used as a basis for adaptive management. Altering current
trajectories will require mechanisms for building consensus among all stakeholders, acquiring the
necessary financial resources and political support, and implementing effective policies and institutional
mechanisms for management actions. Strong collaborative partnerships among the region's researchers,
managers and stakeholders are essential for sustaining the ecosystems, resources and human
populations of the Great Basin.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0111
Native Grasses Evaluation for Reseedings in Northeast Mexico
Eduardo A. Gonzalez-V.1, J. Miguel Avila-C.1, J. Alfonso Ortega-S.2
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agricolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Tamaulipas, Mexico,
2
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville., Texas, United States
1
Northeast Mexico is part of the Tamaulipan Biotic Province, a semiarid sub tropical and tropical land
were beef cattle industry under grazing conditions is one of the most important enterprises. The increase
of woody vegetation on rangelands during the last century has reduced the forage production and
carrying capacity. Ranchers have established exotic grasses as buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris),
bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), angletongrass (Dichanthium aristatum), stargrass (Cynodon
plectostachyus), and guineagrass (Panicum maximum); supposedly because they produce more biomass
than native grasses. However, there is insufficient information comparing production between grass
types. On the other hand, environmentalists have concerns about the invasive behavior of exotic plants.
Considering the lack of information, a study was carried out in Tamaulipas State, Mexico to evaluate the
establishment and biomass production of native grasses. Climate is subhumid with 24oC, 900 mm
average annual rainfall, and heavy clay soils. The summer of 2009 were seeded the grasses: hooded
windmillgrass (Chloris cucullata), side oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), windmillgrass (Chloris
truncata), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and bristlegrass (Setaria macrostachia) in 4X5 m plots using a
randomized complete block design with four replications. No fertilizer or irrigation was applied. After the
first growing season an analysis of variance was conducted on variables height and yield. Differences
were found (P<0.05) with grasses of greater yield were side oats grama and windmillgrass at 3709, and
4673 kg dry matter ha-1; respectively. The highest grass was windmillgrass with 77 cm followed by
switchgrass (73 cm). So far, native grasses show potential for grasslands reseedings.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0112
Weather or Not: Changes in Grazed and Ungrazed Great Plains Grassland Plant Communities
Associated with Interannual Variability in Weather
Jayne Jonas1, Amy Symstad2, Deborah Buhl3
IAP Worldwide Services, Brighton, CO, United States, 2US Geological Survey, Hot Springs, SD, United
States, 3US Geological Survey, Jamestown, ND, United States
1
In many studies, interannual variability in plant communities not attributable to experimental treatments,
such as fire or ungulate grazing, is often attributed to the effects of weather. However, few studies have
actually examined the relationship between weather and changes in plant community composition. Using
existing datasets from grazed and ungrazed shortgrass and tallgrass prairies in Kansas, we assessed the
effects of weather on interannual variability in plant communities. We used an information theoretic
approach to examine the impacts of weather on plant species richness and diversity. We also conducted
fourthcorner analyses to assess changes in the functional characteristics (nativity, presence of horizontal
stems, season of active growth, growth form, and life cycle) of the plant communities associated with
weather. The fit of the relationships between weather and plant community composition was generally
stronger in grazed than ungrazed areas. Summer temperature was associated with changes in native
richness in both short- and tallgrass prairies, regardless of grazing. Responses of plant communities to
interannual weather was primarily due to shifts in species based on the presence of a horizontal stem
(rhizomes or stolons) or the season of active growth (cool- versus warm- season species). By altering
species composition, our results indicate that management practices, such as grazing, can also change
how the community responds to temporal variability in weather. Our results also suggest that plant
communities are affected by weather in complex ways that need further study given current and projected
changes in climate in the Great Plains.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0113
The Williamson Cattle Company - Florida Environmental Stewardship Award Winner 2010
Chad George1, Brandee Williams2
1
USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service, Okeechobee, FL, United States, 2USDA - Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Palmetto, FL, United States
The Williamson Cattle Company, located in Okeechobee, FL, is a family owned and operated agriculture
business that was started in the 1940's. Founded by Frank Williamson Sr., the business now boasts
three generations of family working on the 8,500 ac ranch. Frank "Wes" Williamson believes in being
good stewards of the land and incorporates wildlife management into all the ranch decisions. They leave
the wooded areas and plant legumes for the deer and other wildlife. The Williamson Cattle Company was
also one of three ranches to pioneer the Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project (FRESP).
This project allows a state agency to pay ranchers for providing documented water and phosphorusretention services over a fixed-term contract. This public/private partnership allows the landowner to
provide this service instead of taking the land out of the tax rolls and placing it into local/state government
control. Currently, the Williamsons manage a Brangus herd. The Williamsons husbandry of cattle does
not stop at the sale like most ranchers in South Florida, but extends throughout the animals life. The
Williamsons select all replacement heifers from within their herd to ensure good genetic traits of cattle that
can both survive and consistently raise healthy calves yearly on the ranch. The Williamsons are
constantly working on improving and lightening their impacts on the land. They are continually working
on the use of implementing better technology, newer research, and have been very outspoken in the role
of maintaining a healthy habitat not only for cattle but wildlife as well.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0114
Texas GLCI - Growing Partnerships in Texas
Mark Moseley
NRCS, Boerne, Texas, United States
The Texas Coalition of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative is an “organization of organizations” and
individuals who want to foster the stewardship of privately owned grazing lands. They are not doing it
alone. They serve a facilitating role to bring others together to get things done. To accomplish their goal
of stewardship on grazing lands, Texas has several GLCI regions to stay even more locally focused.
Most of their efforts revolve around education of not only the technical aspects of grazing lands
stewardship, but also sound economics and personal goals. The result has been increased participation
in workshops and tours. GLCI has also been asked to be a partner in an increasing number of grazing
lands resource-related events. Some of these include working with local county officials on burn ban
issues, tours, conferences, presentations, plant identification books, Texas record book, rangeland
hydrology projects, a Grazing Land Stewardship Manual and promotional material such as pasture
sticks. GLCI leads the Coastal Prairies Conservation Initiative between partners such as ranchers, Fish
and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This is an
endeavor to restore coastal prairies and re-introduce the Attwater’s prairie chickens. The Coastal Prairies
GLCI is the holder of Safe Harbor Agreements. Numerous other educational/training events include low
stress handling of livestock, prescribed burning, grazing management, brush control, enterprise
diversification, inventorying and related topics. Bringing people together to identify problems then
working toward solutions is the Texas GLCI process.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0115
Using Low-Stress, Pressure-and-Release Tactics and Attractants to Move Producers to a Better
Place in the NRCS
Tim Steffens, Sarah Hanlon, Joel Moffett, Michael Casper, Ed Kilpatrick, Tom Werner
USDA-NRCS, Colorado, United States
In recent years, management-oriented USDA-NRCS technical assistance has often been de-emphasized
in favor of a program-driven emphasis, measuring success by the number of cost-shared hardware items
installed, which may provide few ecological benefits. To break this cycle, the NRCS rangeland program in
southeastern Colorado focuses on first helping producers identify pressures on their business. Then we
use attractants like incentive payments, and a simple, goal-based process to help them identify for
themselves options for relieving that pressure through improved MANAGEMENT. The management
approach emphasizes manipulation of natural processes through grazing deferment and improved
distribution, with structural practices as the means to achieve that end. Important keys to success include:
1) use "teachable moments" to help them see possibilities, 2) start with the final product in mind, 3)
always make the right action easy, 4) ALWAYS provide multiple options, 5) ranchers learn best from other
ranchers, 7) don't just describe success, demonstrate it, and 8) there is no such thing as insignificant
progress. The result of this effort has allowed us to increase the number of contracts, reduce the number
modifications required, and increase the amount of unsolicited producer requests for management
assistance. In addition, the use of rangeland monitoring, improved grazing management strategies,
greater species and structural diversity, and improved watershed function are increasing on the land over
which we have some influence. It has also provided a "critical mass" of innovative and INFLUENTIAL
producers that are leaders in spreading the gospel of conservation-friendly management of rangeland.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0116
Effect of Management Practices on Spatial Utilization by Cattle (Bos spp.) on Rangeland in South
Florida
Brandee Williams1, MJ Williams2
USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service, Palmetto, FL, United States, 2USDA - Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Gainesville, FL, United States
1
Fragmentation of rangeland communities in South Florida by human encroachment has resulted in the
suppression or elimination of natural fire. Consequently, the remaining rangeland acreage in South
Florida can get overgrown very quickly with woody species such as wax myrtle (Morella cerifera), saw
palmetto (Serenoa repens), and fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) unless management practices are introduced
into the ecology of the site. When rangeland is overgrown, populations of wildlife species such as quail
and song birds are reduced due to loss of foraging and nesting habitat. Concomitant with such habitat
changes, utilization by cattle declines both due to a loss of palatable grass species and the physical
barrier created by woody shrub species. To reverse woody species dominance, management practices
such as roller-chopping and prescribed burning need to be employed. The objective of this study was to
quantify the effect management practices had on utilization of native rangeland in South Florida by cattle.
Changes in cattle use of a given rangeland site were inferred by changes in a distribution pattern of cows
(Bos spp., n=4) that had been outfitted with GPS collars during November 2006 to March 2007. Cattle
had access to areas of 179 acres that had not been chopped in the previous 20 yr as well as another
area of 61 acres that was chopped in 2003. The area that was chopped in 2003 showed 50 to 200%
greater utilization as determined by cattle position than those areas that had not been chopped in over 20
years.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0117
Efficient and Effective Methods for Monitoring Ecological Integrity on Grazed Lands
Laura Applegate, Linda Hardesty
Washington State University, Pullman, WA, PNW, United States
Ecological integrity is the ability of an ecosystem to maintain stability and resilience when disturbed, retain
native or natural components and processes, and remain sustainable without external inputs (Karr 1993).
Our central hypothesis is that changes in ecological integrity may be anticipated through monitoring,
allowing time to adapt management if needed to sustain ecological integrity. Because monitoring is a
complex expensive task, our research objective was to develop methods and metrics that can be used by
managers efficiently and effectively. We will collect data for five years (2006-2011) on grazed wildlife
management areas (WMAs) in southeastern Washington State. The replicated study design includes two
areas made up of six ecological sites distributed within nine pastures total. Methods and metrics are
being developed from quantitative data (cover, frequency, and species richness), qualitative data (photo
monitoring and rangeland health surveys), and desired ecological conditions based on state and
transition models and classification systems previously published for the study area. Data will be mined to
devise the most parsimonious metrics and create a model to allow managers to develop efficient and
effective methods of monitoring ecological integrity.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0118
Use of Monitoring and Business Planning in the Context of Joint Cooperative Monitoring and
Federal Grazing Allotments
Chuck Quimby2, Doug Powell1
1
Bureau of Land Management, Washington DC, United States, 2USDA Forest Service, Denver, CO,
United States
Federal grazing lands (BLM and Forest Service) are often critical components of western ranch
operations. The interplay between management of the private ranch operations and the federal grazing
allotments needs to be managed and considered in the context of the whole ranch operation. While
management on federal lands often comes with significantly different objectives and management
constraints, it is impossible to properly manage one part of the ranch operation exclusive of the other.
The Forest Service and BLM continue to be involved in and supportive of the Sustainable Ranch
Management process. A sound business plan that incorporates the special considerations associated
with a federal grazing permit can help lead to improved communication between the grazing permittee
and the agency. That communication is the foundation for a cooperative working relationship that can
support sound and sustainable resource management. Management in this context often includes a
strong emphasis on monitoring, use of that information in proposing management changes, and working
closely with the agencies to adapt to changing conditions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0119
Attitudes and Perceptions on Fire Policy and Burn Bans in Texas; A Working Model for Meeting
Today's Complex Fire Management Challenges
Mark Moseley1, Brian Hays2, Amy Hays2
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas, United States, 2Texas AgriLife Extension Service,
Texas, United States
1
The Attitudes and Perceptions on Fire Policy and Burn Bans in Texas Survey was administered in Texas
from October 2009-February 2010. The goal of the survey was to capture the qualitative thoughts,
perceptions, and attitudes related to burn bans and prescribed fire in Texas. The survey was
commissioned by the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural
Resources administered the survey. The survey was available online and was hand administered by
Texas AgriLife Extension county agents, staff from NRCS, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and other interested
partners. 412 respondents from 144 counties replied to the survey. Findings included information on
implementation of burn bans, government code, granting of exceptions, and perceptions of prescribed
burning. Outcome results of the survey were used to guide working groups in the state on areas of
concentration for outreach, policy, and education. Currently, working groups are developing tasks and
action plans to enhance the opportunities to understand, manage, and work together on rangeland
resouces in Texas.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0120
Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SRR) Overview
Kristie Maczko1, John Tanaka2, Stanley F. Hamilton3
1
Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable - University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 2Department
of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 3Idaho Department of
Lands (retired), Boise, ID, United States
The Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SRR) is an open, inclusive partnership process with a 10-year
history of developing economic, ecological and social indicators for rangeland assessment at national,
regional, and local ranch levels. The SRR also provides a forum for dialogue on rangeland sustainability
and SRR participants envision a future in which rangelands are sustainably managed to provide a desired
mix of social, economic, and ecological benefits. Participants include rangeland scientists and managers,
ecologists, sociologists, economists, policy and legal experts, environmental advocates, and industry
representatives. Past products include national indicators, an integrated concept for social, ecological
and economic information, and an assessment framework for sustainable rangelands ecosystem goods
and services. To help ranchers improve the quality of economic, ecological and social information
available for ranch sustainability assessment, an SRR working group reviewed regional and national
rangeland indicators to determine which elements should be monitored at the ranch level. Seventeen
ranch-level indicators are categorized under the same five broad criteria for sustainable rangelands used
at the national level. Assessment criteria include soil and water, plants and animals, productive
capacities, social and economic benefits, and legal and institutional frameworks. Criteria are broad
statements or categories that represent goals of sustainable development. Indicators are attributes that
can be directly measured and assessed to detect changes and trends. The ranch sustainability
assessment framework developed by the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable emphasizes use of
indicators designed to inform ranchers' business plans and track progress toward goals and objectives
that embody the ranch family's values.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0121
Managing CRP Grasslands: Short- and Long-Term Effects of Haying on Breeding Bird Populations
in CRP Grasslands in the Northern Great Plains
Lawrence Igl1, Douglas Johnson2
1
U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND, United States, 2U.S.
Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Saint Paul, MN, United States
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that is available to agricultural
producers to help protect environmentally sensitive or highly erodible land. Managment disturbances of
CRP grasslands generally are not allowed unless authorized to provide relief to livestock producers
during drought and other natural disasters, or to improve quality and performance of CRP cover. These
disturbances may have short-term (1 year after disturbance) and long-term (2+ years after disturbance)
effects on grassland bird populations. We assessed the effects of haying on 20 grassland bird species in
483 CRP grasslands in nine counties in four states in the Northern Great Plains between 1993 and 2008.
We compared breeding bird densities in idled and hayed fields to evaluate changes one, two, three, and
four years after haying. Haying of CRP grasslands had either positive or negative effects on grassland
birds depending on the species, county, and number of years after the initial disturbance. Some species
(e.g., Horned Lark, Bobolink) responded positively to haying, and others (e.g., Song Sparrow) responded
negatively. The responses of some species changed directions as the fields recovered from haying. For
example, densities for Sedge Wren and Clay-colored Sparrow declined the first year after haying but
increased in the subsequent three years. Ten species showed Treatment x County interactions,
indicating that the effects of haying varied geographically. This long-term evaluation on the effects of
haying on breeding birds provides important information on the strength and direction of changes in bird
populations following a disturbance.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0122
Food Habits and Diet Quality of Mule Deer Wintering on the North Kaibab Plateau of Arizona
Matthew Acton, William Miller, Ann Steffler
Arizona State University - Polytechnic, Mesa, Arizona, United States
Increasing concern over the habitat quality and the desire to expand the population of mule deer
(Odocoileus hemionus) on the north Kaibab winter range precipitated a three year study to determine the
diet composition, forage quality and ability of the N. Kaibab habitat to support this population. Data on
diet composition was determined using microhistological analysis of fecal material collected during three
periods, late fall (late November) mid-winter, (January and February), and late winter (mid- to late
March). Samples of all potential forage sources were collected from throughout the study area for
analysis of crude protein, gross energy and dry matter digestibility. The dominant species were big
sagebrush, cliffrose, apache plume, four-winged saltbush bottlebrush squirrel-tail, crested wheatgrass,
and western wheatgrass. Habitat quality analysis found that the digestible protein intake of mule deer
does was 2.6 times the daily requirement, while the metabolizable energy intake was as much as 450
Kcal/day below the requirements of a 55 kg doe carrying a single fawn, and as much as 625 Kcal/day
below the requirements of the same doe carrying triplets. Intake of winter forage resources and available
nutritional levels were linked to artificially low plasma metabolic indicators.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0123
Characterization of Forage Availability and Use by Feral Horses across Diverse Habitats in SW
Alberta
Tisa Girard1, Edward Bork1, Mike Alexander2
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2Alberta Sustainable Resources Development,
Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada
1
Feral horses have been present in Alberta since the early 1900's when unwanted workhorses were
released into the wild. Recent increases in feral horse populations have led to questions regarding the
availability of suitable habitat within the Upper Foothills and Subalpine Ecoregions. We characterized
forage biomass and quality (crude protein), together with horse use (pellet counts), within 5 habitat types
in the McLean Creek area during the summers of 2009 and 2010. During each year, 57 (2009) to 99
(2010) field plots situated across 2 primary (grassland meadows and adjacent shrubland) and 2
secondary (conifer forest and mixed forest) habitats, and 1 disturbed (conifer clear cut) habitat were
sampled for herbage biomass at peak growth in late July. Samples were assessed for nitrogen
concentration and converted to protein values. Preliminary results indicate that although shrublands and
grasslands provide much of the available herbage in the region, clear cuts are an important source of
herbage for feral horses across the landscape. These results are further supported by associated pellet
count data. In contrast, forested habitats, particularly conifer areas, provide little opportunity for horse
grazing due to low biomass availability. These results have implications for understanding feral horse
habitat use patterns as well as potential multiple use conflicts with other land uses within this public land
base.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0124
Habitat Selection by Free Ranging Feral Horses in the Alberta Foothills
Tisa Girard1, Edward Bork1, Mike Alexander2, Craig Demaere2
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 2Alberta Sustainable Resources Management,
Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada
1
Since their initial release feral horses have been increasing in population size within the foothills of SW
Alberta. These increases pose a potential concern to the ongoing conservation of native grasslands
given their limited spatial availability and the presence of other land uses in the region, including cattle
and wildlife grazing. Sustainable management of feral horses requires information on the inherent use of
various habitats by feral horses. We utilized spatial data from 4 radio-collared mares to assess habitat
use and preference from November of 2008 to November of 2010 within the McLean Creek area. Collars
were programmed to collect geospatial information on the location of each horse every hour during this
time and were remotely downloaded 4 times a year. Following geo-correction, spatial data were
combined with habitat maps to assess feral horse preference or avoidance for different habitat types,
including grassland, shrubland, conifer and mixedwood forest, and conifer clear cuts. Preliminary
assessment using electivity indices (adjusted for availability) indicated that horses preferred grassland,
shrubland and cutblock habitats during the winter of 2008-09, while avoiding uncut conifer forest and
mixedwood forest. Additional analyses will be done using AIC models to examine feral horse behaviour,
including their selection or avoidance of habitat features, such as topographic extremes (elevation and
slope based on a DEM), distance to cover, and proximity to roads and primary recreational trails.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0125
Variation in Plasma Metabolic Indicators of Mule Deer Does on a Low Quality Winter Diet on the
North Kaibab Plateau of Arizona
Matthew Acton, William Miller, Ann Steffler
Arizona State University - Polytechnic, Mesa, Arizona, United States
As part of the overall effort to understand the nutritional status of mule deer does on the north Kaibab
winter range, blood samples were collected in late fall from eleven to 16 hunter harvested does, and in
late winter from 22 to 26 sharpshooter harvested does over three winters (November, 2005 to March
2008). Blood samples were screened for eleven separate metabolic indicators: plasma glucose, alkaline
phosphatase, phosphate, plasma urea nitrogen, creatinine, plasma urea nitrogen:creatinine ratio,
albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides, glycerol, and free fatty acids. These values were compared with
dietary nutrient intake determined by microhistological analysis for diet composition and nutrient analysis
of selected forage species for digestible protein, metabolizable energy, and dry matter digestibility. There
was a minimal response to changes in diet quality for plasma glucose, alkaline phosphatase, and
phosphate. Plasma urea nitrogen, creatinine and PUN:Creatinine ratio were higher in late winter than
late fall. Changes in plasma triglyceride and cholesterol were insignificant between late fall and late
winter. However, plasma albumin, free fatty acid, and glycerol were significantly higher in late winter than
late fall reflecting the increased utilization of energy reserves due to prolonged intake of diets with
metabolizable energy contents significantly below nutritional requirements. Digestible protein and
metabolizable energy levels of forage resources were found to be data – point drivers of the plasma
metabolic indices.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0126
Competition of Native Grasses from Invasion Transplanted into Russian Knapweed and Canada
Thistle
Brian Sebade1, Ann Hild1, Brian Mealor1, Thomas Smith2
1
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 2U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ERDC-CERL,
Champaign, IL, United States
Invasive species negatively impact native recipient plant communities worldwide. Although individual
native grasses can persist in areas dominated by invasive species, their ability to resist or reduce
invasion is largely unknown. We assess the ability of alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.), a
native grass, to grow and reproduce in the presence of two invasive perennials, Russian knapweed
(Acroptilon repens [L.] DC.) and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense [L.] scop.). On two field sites
(Crowheart, WY and Cheyenne, WY) and in an environmentally controlled lab (ESL), we compare growth
of native grass. S. airoides differed in their community of origin (invaded plants formerly grown in
invasions versus non-invaded plants which never competed with exotics). S. airoides from the two subpopulations were monitored for longest leaf, basal circumference, and tiller production with and without
the presence of weeds. Invasive species recruitment, grass seedling germination, and establishment
were also monitored. At Crowheart, when competing with A. repens, growth of plants (longest leaf, basal
circumference, and tillers) of invaded grass was greater than growth of the non-invaded irrespective of
sampling date. At Cheyenne, invaded plants competing with C. arvense grew larger (longest leaf, basal
circumference, and tillers) than non-invaded grasses irrespective of sampling date. Flowering at
Cheyenne was greater for invaded plants than non-invaded plants near the end of the study. Lines of
native grasses collected from within historic invasions displaying strong competitive traits may be useful
for reclamation at sites exposed to the risk of invasion.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0127
Contribution of Warm and Cool Season Grasses to Seasonal Herbage Availability in Loamy and
Sandy Mixed Prairie Range Sites of Alberta
Edward Bork, Barry Irving, Tanner Broadbent
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Management of livestock in semi-arid regions requires an understanding of changes in seasonal forage
availability and how these patterns differ across environmental conditions. Previous Mixed Prairie studies
have indicated that warm season vegetation comprises a relatively small fraction of herbage on loamy
soils, but that this contribution can increase in sandy soils, leading to greater herbage. We assessed
standing biomass monthly from mid June through mid September of 2009 (inclusive) within each of 4
study sites, including two loam sites (Stipa-Agropyron-Bouteloua range type) and two sandy sites
(Calamovilfa range type). We hypothesized that herbage would be greater within sandy areas due to
greater warm season species and that total biomass would peak later in the year. At each site, biomass
within five 0.25 m2 plots was harvested to ground level at each interval, sorted to warm and cool season
grasses, forb and litter components, dried and weighed. Our results revealed similar peak herbage on
loamy (1554 kg/ha) and sandy (1439 kg/ha) sites. Peak grass biomass was in August for both locations,
although temporal patterns of warm season grass growth differed between soils. In sandy areas, warm
season grasses (mostly Calamovilfa) peaked in July (36% of grass biomass), while in loamy areas, grass
biomass (largely Bouteloua) was sparse through July (<4%) but sharply increased in August (29% of
grass biomass). These results suggest the contribution of warm season grasses to grazing in the
northern Mixed Prairie of Alberta, including sandy soils, may not be as large as in other areas.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0128
Predicting Direct Fire-Induced Mortality of Four Prominent Rangeland Graminoids
Kimberly Haile1 ,2, Lance Vermeire2, Clayton Marlow1
1
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Miles City, United States
Post-fire grass mortality is difficult to predict. We used degree-seconds, heat duration, maximum
temperature, and fuel load to predict and understand direct fire-induced grass mortality. Bouteloua
gracilis, Carex filifolia, Hesperostipa comata, and Pascopyrum smithii were collected in the field and
burned in a burn cage with native plant fuel loads of 500-9000 kg/ha, then placed in a greenhouse to
observe regrowth and mortality. Degree-seconds, duration and maximum temperature were measured
using thermocouples at the soil surface. Logistic regression was used to determine probabilities of plant
mortality. All measures of heat increased with increasing fuel load. Carex filifolia and Pascopyrum smithii
mortality were limited and not related to fuel loads or measures of heat. Logistic models correctly
predicted mortality of Bouteloua gracilis 90% of the time using fuel load, degree-seconds, or heat
duration. Maximum temperature correctly predicted mortality 74% of the time. All measures correctly
predicted Hesperostipa comata mortality 82 to 85% of the time. Severe fire conditions were required to
kill Bouteloua gracilis and Hesperostipa comata. Exceeding a 0.5 probability of mortality required fuel
loads greater than 7500 kg/ha for Bouteloua gracilis and greater than 8500 kg/ha for Hesperostipa
comata. All Bouteloua gracilis plants died with 9000 kg/ha fuel loads. Fuel load, degree-seconds, and
duration were good predictors of plant mortality for both affected species. Maximum temperature was not
a strong predictor for Bouteloua gracilis mortality. Fuel load was an easily measured predictor and could
be used as a guide to predict grass mortality after fire.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0129
Development of a Fungal Seed Bank Pathogen for Cheatgrass Biocontrol on Intermountain
Rangelands
Susan E Meyer1, Julie Beckstead2, Phil S Allen3
US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Provo, Utah, United
States, 2Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, United States, 3Brigham Young University, Provo,
Utah, United States
1
The fungal pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda is abundant in cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) seed
banks on Intermountain rangelands. It often kills a large proportion of seeds that remain ungerminated
after stand establishment each year, that is, the potential carryover seed bank. Our objective is to develop
this naturally occurring organism as a mycoherbicide that can quantitatively remove the carryover seed
bank. Such a mycoherbicide could then be used with conventional herbicides to eliminate established
stands. This could provide essentially complete control of cheatgrass prior to restoration seeding. Field
trials with provisional formulations, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, the US Fish and
Wildlife Service, and private partners, have demonstrated that this pathogen shows considerable promise
for controlling cheatgrass and red brome (B. rubens). We have completed extensive research on genetic
variation in this pathogen, and have documented variation in virulence that could potentially be exploited
for greater biocontrol. In addition, we have examined impacts on seeds of nontarget hosts and ways of
mitigating potential impacts. The current thrust of our research program is to develop delivery technology
that will make this mycoherbicide commercially viable. This includes methods to stabilize virulence and
viability in storage, and to improve carrier formulation to make the product more practical for field
application. We hope to continue to improve our formulation, in cooperation with partners from public and
private sectors, and to have a product to restoration practitioners within a few years.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0130
Effects of Changing Spatial and Thematic Scale for Mapping Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat
Virginia Harris1, Eva Strand1, Jocelyn Aycrigg1 ,2
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 2National Gap Analysis Program, Moscow, ID, United
States
1
Habitat maps and models are becoming increasingly important in conservation efforts at levels ranging
from local to global. Maps vary in spatial and thematic resolution and matching these resolutions with
conservation applications and management goals is essential. Conservation efforts in western Idaho
include a local sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) planning area, West Central Plan, that has
been set aside as part of a programmatic candidate conservation agreement with assurances (CCAA). In
2008, maps developed at 1:100,000 scale and containing only vegetation cover type data were found to
be too coarse in thematic and spatial resolution to be useful in local planning. To improve these maps, we
adjusted the thematic scale and tested the accuracy at two different spatial scales. Supported by field
data, we created two shrub cover maps with four canopy cover classes via a supervised maximumlikelihood classification, one at a 3 meter pixel size and the other at 30 meter. Combining these shrub
cover maps with vegetation based sage-grouse habitat models created by Gap Analysis Program, new
habitat maps were created. We concluded that current maps could only predict habitat based on cover
type and were not able to predict habitat for seasonal needs such as nesting and brood rearing, in which
the sage-grouse prefers certain shrub cover levels. By adding shrub canopy cover, an additional degree
of precision is available in determining habitat quality, thus improving the map suitability for local
conservation efforts. Changes in spatial scale resulted in less significant changes to map utility.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0131
Estimating Influence of Stocking Regimes on Livestock Grazing Distributions
Matthew Rinella1, Marty Vavra2
USDA-ARS, Miles City, MT, United States, 2USDA-FS, La Grande, OR, United States
1
Livestock often concentrate grazing in particular regions of landscapes while partly or wholly avoiding
other regions. Dispersing livestock from heavily grazed regions is a central challenge in grazing land
management. Position data gathered from GPS-collared livestock hold potential for increasing
knowledge of factors driving livestock aggregation patterns, but advances in gathering the data have
outpaced advancements in analyzing and learning from it. We fit a hierarchical seemingly unrelated
regression (SUR) model to explore how season of stocking and the location where cattle entered a
pasture influenced grazing distributions. Stocking alternated between summer on one side of the pasture
one year and fall on another side of the pasture the next year for 18 years. Waypoints were recorded on
cattle for 50 d each year. We focused our analysis on the pasture's 10 most heavily grazed 4-ha units,
because these units were the most prone to negative grazing impacts. Though grazing of the study units
was always disproportionately heavy, it was much heavier with the summer than fall stocking regime:
Bayesian confidence intervals indicate summer grazing of study units was approximately double the
average fall grazing value. This is our core result, and it illustrates the strong effect stocking season or
date or both can have on grazing distributions. We fit three additional models to explore the relative
importance of stocking season versus location. According to this analysis, stocking season played a role,
but stocking location was the main driver. Ostensibly minor factors (e.g. stocking location) can greatly
influence livestock distributions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0132
An Assessment of Plant Community Structure, Herbivory, Soils, and State-and-Transition Theory
on a Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata [Pursh] A.D.J.Meeuse & Smit) Ecological Site
Casey Matney1, Tamzen Stringham2
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 2University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV,
United States
1
State-and-transition models (STMs) have been successfully used to describe ecological dynamics in
woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, and several other ecosystems. Changes in vegetation and soil are
measured to gauge and predict plant community dynamics within ecological states and transitions
between alternative ecological states. Ecological states and their boundaries are defined by a range of
variability in vegetation and soil parameters. The ecological site classification system used in the United
States requires the development of a unique STM model for each defined ecological site. The foundation
of the ecological site concept is the estimation and quantification of a historical reference plant
community. Historical information, land manager experience, and scientific data are used to quantify the
historical reference plant community and gauge changes towards alternative stable states. In regards to
winterfat plant communities and the Silty 6-10 PZ ecological site, conceptual STMs have not been fully
developed or tested. The objective of this study was to develop, test, and refine a process-based, data
supported, STM for the Silty 6-10 PZ ecological site. The predominant factor of disturbance on this
ecological site for the last 100 years has been grazing by livestock. To develop the process-based STM
for the ecological site, we conducted five-year grazing exclosure study and a piosphere study centered on
a livestock watering point. Data from these studies supported the initial proposed STM for the ecological
site. States defined were a Reference Winterfat State (State 1), Sickle Saltbush State (State 2), and a
Creeping Wildrye State (State 3).
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0133
Pyric Herbivory in Action on Boreal Rangelands? The Fire-Grazing Interaction of Wood Bison in
Northeast British Columbia, Canada
Sonja Leverkus1 ,2, Sam Fuhlendorf1
1
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States, 2Ministry of Forests and Range, Fort
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
The Boreal forest is the most intact ecosystem in the world and it occupies half of the landbase in
Canada. Boreal fire is important for its creation of shifting mosaics across the landscape which contribute
to heterogeneity resulting in biodiversity and proper functioning ecosystems. Wood bison (Bison bison
athabascae) were a keystone species of the Boreal with a historical grazing interaction with fire. Wood
bison are a federally threatened and provincially red-listed species that were extirpated in British
Columbia in the early 1900's. They were re-introduced in the late 1990's, however, they currently
demonstrate a non-traditional resource selection: the right of way of the Alaska Highway. Therefore, we
are studying the Wood bison behaviour in north east British Columbia, Canada. Our specific objectives
are to determine how fire affects the grazing behaviour of the Nordquist Wood bison herd and to draw
them away from the highway right of way through the use of prescribed fire and salting. We will use GPS
collars and spatial analysis to demonstrate the amount of time the bison spend on and away from the
Alaska Highway. We have established 5 exclosures with paired plots to capture the affects of grazing in
a recent fire (Liard Fire084 in 2009). Preliminary observations suggest that the majority of time is spent
on the highway and that Wood bison do not randomly use the Boreal. A landscape level analysis is
needed in order to appropriately manage the herd and their habitat.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0134
Prairie Pothole Wetlands: Characteristics, Functions, and Values
Brian Tangen
U.S. Geological Survey, Jamestown, ND, United States
The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the Northern Great Plains covers approximately 900,000 km2 and
extends from the north-central United States to south-central Canada. This region is distinguished by its
high density of shallow depressional wetlands, often referred to as potholes. Prairie potholes span a
gradient of wetland types ranging from short-lived ephemeral sites to semipermanent basins that typically
contain water throughout the year; they are most often classified according to their vegetation
communities, water permanence, and relation to groundwater. Historically, the PPR was characterized by
short-, mixed-, and tall-grass prairie interspersed with countless pothole wetlands. Today, the PPR
consists primarily of agricultural lands, and estimates suggest that at least one-half of the original wetland
area has been lost to, or modified by human activities. The PPR is widely recognized as a globally
important region for waterfowl production, and a majority of North America's migratory birds and waterfowl
rely on the Region's remaining wetlands for breeding and stopover habitat. Further, PPR wetlands have
been attributed with providing numerous other ecosystem services, functions, and values such as
floodwater attenuation, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, and groundwater recharge.
Because of the recognized importance of PPR wetlands, many private and governmental organizations
have placed high priority on restoring and protecting these critical habitats.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0135
Monitoring Plant Species Richness When it Won't Sit Still: Handling Temporal Variability in
Vegetation Monitoring
Amy Symstad1, Robert Gitzen2, Jayne Jonas3
U.S. Geological Survey, Hot Springs, SD, United States, 2University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United
States, 3IAP World Services, Brighton, CO, United States
1
Maintaining biodiversity in rangelands requires systematic monitoring to acquire information about the
status and trends of biodiversity in these areas. In Great Plains grasslands, plant species richness is a
common measurement of biodiversity known to affect grassland productivity; however, researchers must
consider the effects of high interannual variability in temperature and precipitation and have realistic
expectations about the time necessary to detect a systematic trend. In published studies from this region,
plot plant species richness often varied 20-40% among years, sometimes exceeding variation produced
by experimental treatments or management actions. Using mixed-effects models and data collected in
national parks of the northern Great Plains, we estimated a similarly high magnitude of temporal
variability in species richness. We used the resulting estimates to compare the power of five alternative
sampling designs to detect trends in plant species richness in northern Great Plains grasslands. All
sampling designs required 8 to 30 years to detect moderate increases or decreases in species richness.
Power to detect a trend was insensitive to moderate differences in the sample design as long as the
schedule for visiting sites across time included annual temporal linkage among spatially disparate
samples. Instead, power depended on the specified magnitude of temporal variability. This suggests that
additional effort must go into understanding the causes of this temporal variability; relating fluctuations in
species richness to fluctuations in weather is one potential means for explaining temporal variability and
for increasing the power to detect trends.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0136
Multi-Scale Mechanisms and Effects of Fire Grazing Interactions
Brady Allred, Samuel Fuhlendorf
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
Fire and grazing are two important disturbances affecting a large proportion of ecosystems. The
ecological interactions between the two are critical and have a defining role across complex landscapes.
Mechanisms of fire grazing interactions are largely associated with feedbacks through broad and fine
scaled processes. We examined broad and fine scale mechanisms, specifically quantifying animal and
fire behavior, vegetation quantity and quality, light environments, and plant morphology and physiology.
Animal and fire behavior was largely influenced by the amount of time since fire (greater than all other
predictors). Vegetation quality (crude protein) was highest in areas that were recently burned and grazed
(ca. 18%) throughout the growing season and decreased in areas with greater time since fire (ca. 4%).
Vegetation quantity was lowest in recently burned areas and increased with time since fire. High light
environments were present in recently burned areas, and were maintained beyond the growing season.
Total leaf area of A. gerardii was lowest in recently burned areas (ca. 8 cm2; maintained throughout the
growing season) and increased with time since fire (ca. 80 cm2). In contrast, maximum photosynthesis of
A. gerardii was highest in recently burned and grazed areas (ca. 50 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) and decreased with
time since fire (ca. 20 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1). Fire grazing interactions are complex ecological processes and
play a significant role within the system, with a range of influence from animal behavior to plant
physiology.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0137
Orthorectification, Mosaicking, and Analysis of Sub-Decimeter Resolution UAV Imagery for
Rangeland Monitoring
Andrea Laliberte, Craig Winters, Albert Rango
USDA ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer an attractive platform for acquiring imagery for rangeland
monitoring. UAVs can be deployed quickly and repeatedly, and they can obtain sub-decimeter resolution
imagery at lower image acquisition costs than with piloted aircraft. Low flying heights result in imagery
highly suitable for mapping soil and vegetation types, structure, and pattern in great detail. Small UAVS
are commonly equipped with lightweight digital cameras due to low payload capabilities, resulting in
challenges associated with photogrammetric processing and creation of orthomosaics from large number
of small footprint images. We developed a custom, semi-automated approach that is suitable for
processing hundreds of UAV images into orthorectified image mosaics. A customized algorithm improves
the accuracy of the UAV's exterior orientation data, comprised of position (X, Y, Z) and attitude (roll, pitch,
heading) information. The corrected exterior orientation data are subsequently used as inputs for
orthorectification and mosaicking with minimal or no need for tie- and/or ground control points, greatly
reducing time and cost of processing. The workflow has been tested on 65 image mosaics (5-8 cm
resolution) of arid rangelands with few distinguishing features. Orthomosaics created using this process
have positional accuracies of 1 m in flat terrain and 1.9 m in hilly terrain. Object-based image analysis of
the image mosaics has resulted in classification accuracies of 78%-92%, depending on vegetation type
and number of classes. The results show that UAVs are viable remote sensing platforms and that quality
products can be derived from the imagery.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0138
Genetic and Environmental Influences on Distribution Patterns of Beef Cattle Grazing Foothill
Rangeland
Derek Bailey1, Delyn Jensen2, Milt Thomas1, Darrin Boss2, Robin Weinmeister1, Robert Welling1
1
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 2Montana State University, Havre, MT,
United States
A study was conducted in foothill rangelands of Montana to evaluate the effects of genotype and
environment (or early learning) on grazing distribution. Based on 5 years of observations, 5 of 180 cows
that used the highest and steepest terrain (hill climbers) and 5 cows that used the most gentle terrain
near water (bottom dwellers) were used as donor-dams for embryo transfer. A single AI sire was used in
these matings. Recipient cows were classified as hill climbers (HC) and bottom dwellers (BD) based on 4
years of observation from a separate herd of 98 cows. This resulted in 2x2 factorial study with donor and
recipient as factors and HC and BD as levels within each factor. During the summer of 2010, 24 of these
cows (5 to 7 years of age) were observed by horseback observers during the early morning in a 336 ha
pasture. Distance to water, elevation, slope and a normalized average of terrain attributes from recorded
cow locations were evaluated using repeated measures analyses. Donor and recipient classifications and
the interaction of donor x recipient classifications did not affect any measure of terrain use. However,
biological mother within donor classification appeared to influence slope use (P=0.09) and the normalized
average terrain use (P=0.02). Most cows used similar terrain as their biologic mother, but some mothers
had daughters who used terrain differently. Grazing use of foothill rangeland appears to be affected to
some degree by genetic factors, but the mechanism of this influence requires further study.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0139
Native and Shrub Tolerance to Aminopyralid (Milestone® Herbicide) Applications for Invasive
Species Control
Mary Halstvedt1, K. George Beck2, Roger Becker3, Celestine Duncan4, Rodney Lym5, Peter Rice6
1
Dow AgroSciences, Billings, MT, United States, 2Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United
States, 3University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, United States, 4Weed Management Services, Helena, MT,
United States, 5North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States, 6University of Montana,
Missoula, MT, United States
Aminopyralid (Milestone®) is a broadleaf herbicide that has reduced risk to the environment compared
with other herbicides, making it a desirable alternative for invasive weed control on wildland sites. Effect
of aminopyralid on desirable forbs and shrubs is a consideration for land managers when making
management decisions. Experiments were established at 10 locations in 4 states from 2004-2007 to
determine long-term response of native forbs and shrubs to aminopyralid and to develop a
tolerance/susceptibility ranking for native plants. Research locations were diverse plant communities with
29 plant families represented, with the greatest number of species (35%) in the Asteraceae family.
Individual tolerance rankings to aminopyralid were established for 98 native forb species and 19 shrubs.
Four ranking categories were developed: susceptible (S - 75% or more reduction), moderately
susceptible (MS - 75 to 50% reduction), moderately tolerant (MT- 49 to 16% reduction) and tolerant (T 15% or less). Of the 98 forb species categorized, 28, 17, 25, and 28 were ranked S, MS, MT, and T,
respectively one year after application. Results from second year evaluations on 68 species showed
most forbs had recovered with 77% of the species either MT or T. Shrubs were mostly tolerant to
aminopyralid with 15 of the 19 shrubs ranked either MT or T after one year. Since most native forb and
shrub species were moderately tolerant to tolerant, or quickly returned following treatment, land
managers can use Milestone to restore the plant community by controlling invasive plants while
minimizing non-target plant injury.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0140
Benefits of Fence Marking for Sage-Grouse
Bryan Stevens1, Kerry Reese2, Jack Connelly3
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 2University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 3Idaho
Department of Fish and Game, Pocatello, ID, United States
1
We estimated greater sage-grouse fence collision rates in southern Idaho breeding areas and field tested
the effectiveness of fence marking to reduce collision rates during spring, 2010. During fence collision
surveys we located 50 avian collision sites, 36 of which were known sage-grouse. Estimated collision
rates varied spatially between lek routes (0-1.428 known sage-grouse), and global collision rates were
lower during the second round of sampling (0.099-0.356 known sage-grouse). Experimental fence
marking studies were conducted using a complete block repeated measures design, with 8 different sites
as the blocking variable and 5 sampling periods from March - May 2010. Pooling data over all sites and
sampling rounds resulted in uncorrected collision rates approximately 5.74 times higher in unmarked
control than marked treatment fence segments. The peak number of collisions occurred during late
March and early April, with a decline for the remainder of the sampling periods. Future work will evaluate
spatial and temporal variation in fence marking treatment effects. These analyses will be completed as
part of a M.S. thesis in wildlife resources, and will be completed by May 2011.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0141
Pick the Low-Hanging Fruit First: Oregon's Strategy to Benefit Sage-Grouse by Removing Juniper
Jeremy Maestas
NRCS, Redmond, OR, United States
The Oregon Sage-Grouse Habitat Improvement Initiative is designed to make significant progress toward
reducing one of the primary, large-scale threats to sage-grouse in the state: juniper encroachment.
Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) has increased the area it occupies ten-fold in the last 140 years,
with the bulk of the expansion occurring in the sagebrush ecosystem. In Oregon, over 2.4 million acres of
potentially suitable sage-grouse habitat is estimated to be currently affected by juniper expansion. As
juniper invades, sagebrush declines and the plant community transitions to woodland that becomes
increasingly unsuitable for sage-grouse. Fortunately, many areas are still in the early-to-mid stages of
succession and have not yet lost key understory plant components making them relatively easy to restore
for sage-grouse. Approximately, 800,000 acres of this potential habitat affected by juniper occurs within
three miles of leks in Oregon. The Oregon Initiative focuses NRCS and partner resources on assisting
landowners with removing juniper from these priority areas near leks with the goal of increasing the
amount and quality of sage-grouse habitat. In 2010, $2.6 million of Farm Bill program funds were
obligated in contracts with 29 ranchers to remove juniper from 24,383 acres. A long-term research study
is being set up with partners to study the effects of these treatments on sage-grouse productivity.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0142
NRCS Conservation Planning and Use of Monitoring and Business Planning Information
Gene Fults1, Chuck Stanley2
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Portland, Oregon, United States, 2Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Ft. Worth, Texas, United States
1
The concept behind monitoring is to provide guide posts in decision making. Ranch monitoring is context
dependent due to the highly contingent nature of the ecological, social and economic systems that a
ranch may operate in. Each ranch will require its own unique monitoring plan. However, when monitoring
is structured and meets some degree of standardization for comparative metrics, the effort can provide
generalizations that are strong enough to make decisions on. The first phase of a conservation plan
contains a resource inventory. This is the base of an ecological risk assessment and performance criteria
for the sustainability of the ranch. The base will help place the ranch in context with the social and
economic indicators that affect the ranch at their independent scales. We will describe: 1) the significance
of ecological SRR indicators, 2) the scale, timing, and recurrence of standardized monitoring
protocols, and 3) some of the tools available through NRCS.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0143
Working with Private Landowners to Recover Sage Grouse Habitat and Improve Ranching
Sustainability in Nevada
Jamie Jasmine
NRCS, Elko, NV, United States
In Nevada, NRCS's goal is to improve working lands for the benefit of the greater sage-grouse, other
sage-obligate species, and livestock. These benefits are being achieved through voluntary conservation
and unique partnerships with other federal, state, and local agencies such as the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Forest Service (FS), US Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife,
and Nevada Cattleman's Association. For the first year of the Sage-Grouse Initiative, interest was
generated through a series of public meetings, news releases, and by word of mouth through other
federal and state agencies. As a result, several contracts were funded to help restore, improve, and
maintain greater sage-grouse habitat in Nevada. Projects include pinyon and juniper removal, marking
problem fences, meadow restoration, prescribed grazing, seeding, and brush management. Due to the
large amount of federal land ownership in Nevada it was necessary to engage the land management
agencies in the NRCS planning process. For the 2011 Sage-Grouse Initiative, NRCS is continuing to
develop and improve crucial partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies who share the goal to
promote sage-grouse conservation. Through these partnerships NRCS is strategically focusing the
Sage-Grouse Initiative funds on private and public working lands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0144
Information Technology for Regional Collaboration in the Great Basin
Sean Finn1, Thomas Zarriello1, Linda Schueck1, Ruth Jacobs1
USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, United States, 2USGS Forest and
Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, United States
1
The foundation of any successful partnership is an efficient communication network. This may especially
be true of natural resource-based collaborations where networks within science and management
communities have unique needs. Communication among researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, and
the general public requires efficiencies, sensitivities, and vocabularies that recognize the needs of each
group. The team of data managers and science communicators at the USGS Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC) has developed and maintained an information technology network
to support effective regional-scale science and science application in the Great Basin for well over a
decade. Some products, such as SAGEMAP (http://sagemap.wr.usgs.gov), are focused on providing
consistent data sets for research coordination. Management-specific support is provided by tools such as
the Sage Grouse Local Working Group Locator (http://greatbasin.wr.usgs.gov/LWG/). Additional, crosscutting resources like the Great Basin Bibliography
(http://www.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt/community/great_basin/561/great_basin_bibliography/1731) provide
easy discovery of information for a broad audience of stakeholders. As a member of the Great Basin
Research and Management Partnership (GBRMP), which promotes research, management and
technology transfer, USGS has listened to the GBRMP leadership as well as a wide spectrum of regional
stakeholders to identify, develop, and refine information tools needed to enhance broad-scale
collaboration. Tools have been developed and are delivered on the GBRMP website
(http://greatbasin.wr.usgs.gov/GBRMP/index.html). The website and its applications are built with a
combination of HTML and .NET technologies and content is supplied by state, federal, and university
collaborators. We realize that information development and delivery is a constantly evolving process and
we consider any input valuable.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0145
Density of Crested Wheatgrass and Native Perennial Bunchgrasses 12-Years after Co-Planting
Aleta Nafus, Kirk W. Davies
USDA-ARS, Burns, Oregon, United States
Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) is an introduced perennial bunchgrass that has
been successfully seeded in over 6 million ha in the United States and Canada. The competitive nature
of crested wheatgrass may exclude and displace native vegetation from areas seeded to crested
wheatgrass. A better understanding of the relationship between crested wheatgrass and native grass
recruitment and survival is needed because crested wheatgrass is often seeded after wildfires to prevent
exotic annual grass invasion. Crested wheatgrass is often selected for post-fire reseeding because it is
easily established, is competitive for soil resources and can prevent exotic annual grass establishment,
and is less expensive than native perennial bunchgrass seeding. To determine effects of co-planting
crested wheatgrass with natives, we measured the densities of perennial bunchgrasses in plots that had
specific densities of crested wheatgrass and seven native perennial bunchgrasses in 1998. We
evaluated changes in the density of crested wheatgrass and native perennial bunchgrasses 12-years
after co-planting. Crested wheatgrass density increased 40-fold and native grass densities either
remained the same or decreased. The results of this study suggest that, when seeded together, crested
wheatgrass recruits new individuals into the plant community, while native perennial bunchgrasses do
not. The decrease in some native perennial bunchgrasses suggests that crested wheatgrass may be
displacing native perennial bunchgrasses.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0146
Crested Wheatgrass Impedes the Spread of an Exotic Annual Grass
Aleta Nafus, Kirk W. Davies, Roger Sheley
USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States
Invasive plants are degrading wildlands around the globe by displacing native species, reducing
biodiversity, and altering ecological functions. Preventing the spread of invasive species has been
identified as an important strategy to protect wildlands. However, few prevention strategies have been
tested. We hypothesized that establishing competitive vegetation next to infestations would increase the
biotic resistance of the plant community to invasion and decrease the invasive species propagule
pressure beyond the competitive vegetation. To evaluate this, we established twelve competitive
vegetation barriers in front of invasive annual grass, medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.)
Nevski) infestations. The nonnative perennial grass, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum (Fisch.
ex Link) Schult), was seeded into plant communities adjacent to the infestations to create the competitive
vegetation barriers. Soil nutrient concentrations and the spread of medusahead were compared between
crested wheatgrass seeded and not seeded (control treatment) plots 3 years after treatment. Less
medusahead and lower soil ammonium and potassium concentrations in the competitive vegetation
barrier than control treatment suggest that establishing competitive vegetation increased the resistance of
the plant communities to invasion. Medusahead cover and density in the plant communities protected by
the competitive vegetation barrier (locales across the barriers from the infestations) were ~ 42- and 47fold less, respectively, than unprotected plant communities. This suggests that invasive plant propagule
pressure was decreased in the plant communities protected by competitive vegetation barriers. The
establishment of competitive vegetation around infestations may be an effective strategy to prevent or at
least reduce the spread of invasive plant species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0147
Reducing Cholla Infestation in SE New Mexico, USA
Braden Johns, Robert Cox
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States
Cylindropuntia imbricata (walking stick cholla) can be a major pest plant on rangelands in the
Southwestern US. Treatment options are be limited by the expense of chemical control and the ability of
cholla to resprout from stem fragments when treated mechanically. We studied the efficacy of
mechanical control during the cool, non-growing season, when such treatment might be most successful.
Treatments were applied after the first freeze, usually from November to March, by dragging three
railroad irons, horizontally connected to each other by steel cables, behind a John Deer 4440 tractor. We
selected pastures treated in 2006 (2 pastures), 2007 (3 pastures), and 2008 (4 pastures), as well as
untreated areas (4 pastures), for comparison of treatment effects. Four sample points were established
within each pasture, each consisting of three, 50mX4m belt transects arranged at random, but equidistant
radial degrees around the central point. Data analysis showed that treated areas averaged 40-50 plants
per ha, while untreated areas averaged over 350. Treated areas also had nearly 50% fewer cholla in the
2
<0.5m size class, indicating that resprouting of scattered stem segments was rare. No difference was
observed between areas treated in different years, indicating that effects of this treatment method persist
through time. Cholla can be a difficult rangeland pest to control due to constraints on money and time,
but, by timing mechanical treatment of cholla-infested rangelands to coincide with the cool, non-growing
season, good control may be achieved with little operating costs and substantial success.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0148
The Diversification of Crested Wheatgrass Experience
Michael Schellenberg
Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre - AAFC, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada
In the Canadian prairies, the northern tip of the Northern Great Plains, there are over 1,000,000 acres of
crested wheatgrass. A large portion was seeded in the 1930s to stabilize drifting soil. These seeded acres
have received very few inputs and productivity has declined. In addition to seeded acres crested
wheatgrass has invaded undisturbed native range. Work reported here was done to improve productivity
of crested wheatgrass and to determine methods to replace crested wheatgrass with more desirable
natives. Realizing the soil was prone to erosion if disturbed, techniques were examined which minimized
soil disturbance. Comparison of burning, simulated grazing, suppression by herbicide, and control by
herbicide found control was the only method that was effective. The grass species seeded into the sod
also was dependant on location. In other work to increase productivity by introducing a legume found that
a controlled vegetation strip of a minimum 50 cm was required. Comparison of seeders found that
seeders which disturbed the covering of dead vegetation the least were more effective in establishing
seedlings. Work is progressing to identify seeded plant communities which resist re-invasion of crested
wheatgrass. At present, complete control of the crested wheatgrass works best with seeders which limit
the amount of disturbance of dead vegetative cover. Selection of appropriate species for diversification of
the crested wheatgrass stands is still being examined.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0149
Interaction between Morphological Development and Burning Effectiveness in Kentucky
Bluegrass and Smooth Bromegrass
John Hendrickson
Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory USDA-ARS, Mandan, North Dakota, United States
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L) and smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) are two perennial
cool-season invasive grasses in the northern Great Plains and fire may be used to manage them. Fire
intensity is an important management issue in burning but less attention has been given to the
morphological development of the target species when burned. A population based growth staging
system (Nebraska System) was used to track the morphological development of Kentucky bluegrass
(POPR) and smooth bromegrass (BRIN) prior to conducting weekly spring burns between the last week of
April and the end of May in 2004 and 2005. Prior to burning, the Nebraska growth staging system was
used to develop a morphological index (Mean stage by count, MSC) of POPR and BRIN. In late July or
early August, 10 point frames were used to estimate relative species composition. Burning in late May in
both years reduced the amount of POPR in the species composition by 15 to 20 percentage points
compared to the unburned control. However, this same burning treatment increased the amount of BRIN
by approximately the same amount when compared with early burns. POPR did not progress from the
early vegetative stage (MSC = 1.1 to 1.2) during the monitoring period in either year. BRIN appeared to
be most susceptible to fire at a MSC of 1.3 which is 1 to 2 leaf stage. Understanding the interaction
between fire and morphological development can provide a tool for enhancing burning effectiveness.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0150
Applications to Current Monitoring Programs
Gregg Simonds
Open Range Consulting, Park City, Utah, United States
Summary comments with respect to current monitoring programs.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0151
Foraging for Rangeland Information in an Unfamiliar Virtual World
Rachel Frost, Merrita Fraker-Marble
Montana State University, Bozeman,MT, United States
The challenge is to find reliable resources that provide a benefit while avoiding resources that are harmful
or have no benefit. Are we talking about a herbivore trying to forage in an unfamiliar environment, or a
natural resource professional trying to find relevant information in the virtual world? Both! In this day of
unlimited information, finding the most relevant and reliable scientific information can be a real challenge.
New and improved ways to harvest and store information provide almost limitless resources to the
inquiring range manager, however, it is easy to become bogged down in "information overload".
Fortunately, there are several emerging websites, databases, and full text repositories designed
specifically for range managers. This session will transcend from the information tools of the legends of
range science and management to the modern information tools of today's range manager. It will begin
with a historical tour of the digitized collection of Gus Hormay's carefully recorded observations and his
contribution to the knowledge base of range science. The session will then introduce three newly
developed and revised web based resources relevant to a broad array of range professionals, including
students, land managers, and researchers. Additional presentations will reveal how to use these
information tools to disseminate research findings to various audiences. The session will conclude with a
panel discussion seeking input and design improvements from rangeland professionals.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0152
Collection of Very-High-Resolution Images from a Remotely Piloted Rotary Wing Vehicle:
Applications in Utah Rangeland Monitoring
D. Bracken Davis1, Scott Heath2, Jan Knerr1, Mark C. Quilter1
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Salt Lake City, UT, United States, 2Leptron Industrial Robotic
Helicopters, Inc, Ogden, UT, United States
1
Leptron Robotic Helicopters, Inc. has developed a Remotely Piloted Rotary Wing Vehicle (RPRWV) with
fully automated piloting capabilities. The vehicle has been fitted with a 21 megapixel digital camera and a
300-mm lens, which makes it capable of collecting images with resolutions better than 1mm from a 33m
altitude above ground. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has developed a method to
collect vegetation survey data using the RPRWV photography to monitor the effects of rangeland
treatments on a landscape scale. Due to the versatility and speed at which photographic data can be
collected with the RPRWV, monitoring data can span multiple spatial and temporal scales compared with
on-the-ground surveying methods. This paper describes the vehicle, its use and capabilities,
comparisons with current UDAF sampling methods, and costs associated with its use to collect range
sample sites.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0153
Stocking Rate Effects on Spatial Heterogeneity in Vegetation Cover in a Grazing-Resistant
Grassland
David Augustine1, Terrance Booth2, Samuel Cox2, Justin Derner2
USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, WY, United States
1
Spatial patterns in vegetation serve as indicators of rangeland condition and are an important component
of wildlife habitat. We illustrate the use of very-large-scale aerial photography (VLSA) to quantify spatial
patterns in bare soil of the northeastern Colorado shortgrass steppe. Using 3 pairs of pastures stocked at
moderate versus very heavy rates, we detected higher bare soil under very heavy (22.5%) versus
moderate stocking (13.5%; P = 0.05), while the coefficient of variation across pastures was lower under
very heavy (0.48) versus moderate stocking (0.75; P =.03). Spatial autocorrelation was greatest at a 2-m
separation distance under both stocking rates (Moran's I = 0.48 - 0.58). Bare soil still exhibited significant
positive spatial autocorrelation across distances of 60 - 120 m under moderate stocking (Moran's I =
0.14), while patchiness at this scale was eliminated under very heavy grazing (Moran's I = -0.05). At
scales of 120 - 480 m, we observed no spatial autocorrelation. Means and spatial patterns for bare soil
were similar when analyses were restricted to a single dominant ecological site (Loamy Plains), indicating
similar variation among versus within ecological sites. Thus, very heavy grazing did not increase bare soil
patchiness at any of the scales examined. Our approach demonstrates the utility of VLSA for analyzing
interactions between grazing pressure and other landscape features, and highlights the importance of
georeferenced sampling across broad scales (pastures) while still testing for potential shifts in patchiness
of bare soil at small (< 10 m) scales.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0154
Implications for Future Research
James Dobrowolski
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Washington, DC, United States
Summary comments with respect to what the symposium presentations mean for future research.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0155
Community Responses to Climate Variability Over 50 Years in a Subalpine Rangeland
Lafe Conner, Richard Gill
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States
Background/Questions/Methods: Proper rangeland management requires an understanding of factors
influencing rangeland community dynamics; these factors include livestock management, climate
variability, and temporal lags. Recently developed statistical methods can be used to mine historic data in
order to determine the relative importance of different climate variables in explaining inter-annual
vegetation dynamics. This work addresses two specific questions.
1) Which climate variables are most important for explaining the recruitment and survival of different
subalpine species?
2) What are the species-specific responses to environmental pulses?
To address these questions we used a mixed linear model analysis with abundance as the response
variable and combinations of temperature and precipitation parameters from spring, June, previous
annual and previous summer as fixed explanatory variables and location and year as random variables.
The analyses used historic data taken from chart quadrat drawings created by researchers at the Great
Basin Experiment Station near Ephraim, Utah between 1913 and 1960. Results/Conclusions: Based on
the analyses, it appears that species respond by varying degrees to environmental pulses that occur at
different times of the year. Vicia americana showed a positive correlation with June precipitation,
Penstemon rydbergii showed a possible positive correlation with previous annual and previous summer
temperature, Achillea millefolium also showed a possible positive correlation with previous summer
temperature, results also suggest strong correlations between average annual temperature for the
previous year and abundance of Agoseris glauca, Pseudostellaria jamesiana, and Viola praemorsa. June
temperature and precipitation show a positive correlation with the abundances of P. jamesiana and V.
americana.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0156
Working with California and Nevada Ranchers in a Coordinated Effort to Recover the Sage Grouse
Tom Moore
NRCS, Davis, CA, United States
In California, NRCS has been working cooperatively with our partners to address sage grouse resource
concerns, while simultaneously improving rangelands to sustain private ranching operations. Partners
and stakeholders for the sage grouse effort include, but are not limited to: local conservation districts,
California Department of Fish and Game, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, US Fish and
Wildlife Service, University of California Extension, California Cattleman's Association, California
Waterfowl Association, Intermountain West Joint Venture, Audubon, and local producers and
landowners. Contracts with producers address identified sage grouse threats on private lands as well as
allotments on public lands. Most projects involve juniper removal and several other structural
modifications including attachment of fence markers, installation of cross fencing, fence removal, and
other practices. The second significant effort is directed towards rehydrating upland meadows that have
been degraded because of previous management practices. Installing grade stabilization structures,
followed by planting of native vegetation in disturbed area is expected to significantly improve early and
late brood rearing areas in the Modoc Plateau and Bi-State population management units. Addressing
sage grouse resource concerns and rangeland resource concerns on private lands and the rancher's
public allotment will enhance the recovery of targeted grouse populations as well as the sustainability of
their ranching operations
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0157
Field Test of Digital Photography Biomass Estimation Technique in Tallgrass Prairie
Sherry Leis1 ,2, Lloyd Morrison2
1
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, United States, 2Heartland I&M Network, Republic, MO, United
States
Fuel loading information is important for prescribed fire planning and understanding fire effects in
grassland. Yet, fuel loads in grasslands often go unmeasured because of the time required to clip plots
and process samples, as well as limited access or proximity to a drying oven. We tested the digital
photography biomass estimation technique (Limb et al. 2007) for measuring fuel load in grasslands in two
national parks in the eastern Great Plains. The method consists of using percentage image obstruction,
as determined by digital photography, to estimate vegetation biomass (i.e., regressing dry clipped weights
against percent digital obstruction). We measured digital obstruction at two sites at Wilson's Creek
National Battlefield, Missouri US (WICR) and three sites at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas
US (TAPR). The method did not result in strong correlations at either of the two sites at WICR (site 1: r2 =
0.02; site 2: r2 = 0.32), but performed relatively well at TAPR (<1 yr since burn: r2 = 0.82; 2 yr since burn:
r2 = 0.57; 1 yr since burn: r2 = 0.88). Linear regressions for the three sites at TAPR did not differ in slope
(P > 0.05). In general, the more dense the vegetation, the weaker the relationship between vegetation
biomass of clip plots and the percentage image obstruction of digital images. The digital photography
technique may not be useful for estimating fuel loads in grasslands with relatively high biomass (>80 g/0.1
m2), digital image obstruction >50%, or large amounts of litter.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0158
Artificial Selection as a Tool to Develop Native Plant Materials for Novel Ecosystems
Thomas Jones
USDA-ARS, Logan< UT, United States
As far back as ancient times, artificial selection has been used as a tool to develop tolerance to biotic and
abiotic stresses in crop plants. Its use became more formalized with the advent of plant breeding and
later genetics as formal disciplines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, respectively. As we proceed
into the 21st century, the vegetation of our planet is faced with an onslaught of changes that may be new
to its history, e.g., climate change, invasive species, new species assemblages, and soil modifications.
These changes are catching the attention of plant ecologists, who are now referring to "novel
ecosystems" and "domesticated nature." The question arises as to how to develop native plant materials
that can function effectively in their emerging environments, which may function dramatically different
from the environments of their own evolutionary past. Artificial selection, the human-mediated
counterpart to natural selection, has promise for providing a partial solution to these problems, yet it is
considered a "deal-breaker" by those who prefer native plant materials yet regard such genetically
manipulated materials to no longer be native. This discussion will focus on how artificial selection can be
applied to native-plant populations to enhance plant performance and improve ecosystem function.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0159
A Comparison of Vegetative Responses to Prescribed Fire in Grazed and Ungrazed Tobosagrass
Flats in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Texas
Laura A. Schnapp, Bonnie J. Warnock
Sul Ross State University, Alpine, TX, United States
An understanding of different disturbance interactions and the rate at which herbaceous species diversity
and cover may change is crucial to conserving desert grasslands. We tested the homogenous
management model to a heterogeneity based model, using two different ignition patterns, and the
effectiveness of each to increase vegetative biodiversity and cover in tobosagrass (Pleuraphis mutica)
flats of desert grasslands. Prescribed fires were applied in a grazed (n = 1) and an ungrazed pasture (n
= 2). Vegetation measurements were collected pre- and postfire. Sensors were placed in the burn units
to ascertain fire behavior. Homogenous applications of fire resulted in a mean fire occurrence of 93.1% ±
3.4 SE (n = 8) and 97.5% ± 0 SE (n = 6) in the ungrazed and grazed pasture, respectively. The
heterogeneous application of fire was implemented in an ungrazed pasture and mean fire occurrence
ranged from 39.8% to 97.5% (mean = 75.1% ± 11.9 SE, n = 5). Richness increased from 11 to 18
species in the grazed treatment, while the control decreased from 7 to 6 species. Seven months postfire,
tobosagrass canopy cover in the grazed site is 42.4% (18.1% ± 2.8 SE) that of prefire conditions (42.7% ±
5.8 SE). The grazed control also experienced a decrease in tobosagrass cover. With this project we
expect to start filling in the gaps of knowledge of fire behavior and fire effects of desert grasslands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0160
Cottonwood Seedling Demography along the Upper Missouri River
Gregor Auble1, Michael Scott1, Michael Merigliano2, Chad Krause3
1
U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 2University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United
States, 3Bureau of Land Management, Lewistown, MT, United States
Within the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (UMRBNM), concerns exist regarding the
status and extent of cottonwood along the Wild and Scenic reach of the upper Missouri River. Declining,
sparse, old trees with little recruitment of new individuals and the relative importance of controlling factors
such as geomorphic setting, climate (ice), cattle grazing effects, and flow management from upstream
dams are of importance to land and water managers within the basin. Bare, moist sites that are safe from
subsequent disturbance are required for cottonwood recruitment. These requirements are most
frequently met by flow-induced channel change. The reach of the upper Missouri from Coal Banks
Landing through much of the UMRBNM is geologically young, exhibits low sinuosity, and is constrained
within a narrow valley. Cottonwood amounts are sparse compared to wider valleys of the Missouri River
where lateral channel movement created broad expanses of cottonwood forest. Results of this study
confirm that new seedling establishment is strongly concentrated within the streamside zone which is
bare and moist during seed dispersal. Seedling survivalship into following years is highest above
subsequent high water stages but decreases at the highest locations. Safe establishment sites may be
met by floods which initially establish seedlings on high and safe surfaces and subsequent vertical
accretion which moves sites higher and safer. Seedling survivalship declines with increases in grazing
intensity, and seedling to sapling recruitment rates are very low and can be completely blocked by intense
grazing.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0161
BLM New Mexico: Fostering Successful Partnerships to Restore New Mexico's Enchanting
Landscapes
Amelia Underwood, Steven Torrez
BLM, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Restore New Mexico is an aggressive partnership launched in 2005 to restore native grasslands,
woodlands, riparian areas, watersheds, and wildlife habitat to a healthy and productive condition. Since
its inception, more than one million acres of degraded landscapes have been treated to restore those
landscapes to a healthy ecological state. BLM New Mexico has been successful in its restoration effort
largely due to strong partnerships between the BLM and grazing permittees, conservation groups, the oil
and gas industry, the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD), major universities,
research institutions, county governments, and a variety of State and Federal agencies (New Mexico
State Land Office (NMSLO), New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)). Besides treating
hundreds of thousands of acres per year, the BLM is actively working to monitor the vegetative,
biological, and hydrological responses to the treatments completed with Restore New Mexico. BLM-NM
has enlisted assistance from New Mexico State University, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, NMDGF
and several other entities to design and implement monitoring studies. These monitoring efforts have
been a team effort within and outside the organization. Results from the monitoring efforts of BLM-NM are
not solely for the benefit of the BLM; they are shared with universities and research organizations to
benefit all of the partners of Restore NM.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0162
Selling Conservation to Get Producer Buy-In
Justin Meissner
NRCS, Townsend, MT, United States
We were able to promote Sage Grouse Conservation by developing a plan that was based on mutual
gain by developing a relationship base on trust and respect. To do this we worked with area rancher
outside of the standard programs and assisted with day to day ranch activities when the opportunity
arose. We are able to share our experience of working on multiple ranches in multiple states to show
what worked and what did not work. Our focus was on identifying all resource concerns and developing
alternative PRIOR to any discussion about program activities or cost share. By giving these ranches an
UN-biased inventory of their operation and making suggestions on things they might consider to improve
their bottom-line, they in turn were willing to listen to how these changes were going to improve sage
grouse habitat. Of the ranches inventoried all but two took ownership of the plan and agreed to
participate in the special initiative. There are now additional ranches located in the core area that are
interested in participating and are currently inventoried.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0163
Healthy Rangeland Watersheds and Productive Livestock Enterprises: Why Not?
Kenneth Tate1, Leslie Roche1, Theresa Becchetti2, David Lile2, David Lewis2, Anthony O'Geen1, Randy
Dahlgren1, Melvin George1, Edward Atwill1
1
University of California, Davis, CA, United States, 2University of California, Cooperative Extension,
United States
The public expects range management to provision ecosystem services such as clean water, runoff and
nutrient retention, and diverse riparian habitats. As a result, manager paradigms have dramatically shifted
from a predominant emphasis on production to a balance of conservation and production goals. For
example, practices including upland vegetation conversion to enhance water yield and forage production
have been refocused toward restoration of hydrologic function and landscape heterogeneity outcomes.
Moreover, riparian areas were once sacrificed to maximize livestock production, but now grazing is often
curtailed to conserve riparian dependent species. Several decades of management and research show
that opportunities abound to enhance rangeland watershed health. However, these opportunities often
come with livestock production tradeoffs. Stocking rate reductions and livestock movement through
herding or rotational grazing, in conjunction with fencing and drinking water developments, are commonly
required to achieve riparian area use targets and reduce fecal microbial pollutant transport during runoff
events. The cumulative enterprise costs of applying these practices are not well documented. Continued
progress toward healthy watersheds and ranching enterprises will require integrated and adaptive
management and research activities. Progress will also require the public to acknowledge the costs of
managing for multiple ecosystem services and the limited capacity of ranching enterprises to financially
support these public goals, which are by and large non-revenue generating.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0164
Using the Sage-Grouse Initiative, Conservation Easements, and State Regulations to Address
Threats to Sage-Grouse Habitat in Wyoming
Gerald Jasmer1, Thomas Christiansen2
NRCS, Casper, WY, United States, 2Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Green River, WY, United
States
1
Habitat fragmentation is widely believed to be the largest threat to sage-grouse in Wyoming. The State
of Wyoming has actively supported the maintenance and enhancement of sage-grouse habitat in
designated Core Population Areas through its regulatory and habitat programs. Such support has
facilitated the use of the NRCS Sage-Grouse Initiative (SGI), Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program
(FRPP), and Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). NRCS is targeting its resources to the Wyoming Core
Areas and is addressing habitat fragmentation in two significant ways. First, use the SGI to help keep
private ranches profitable and sustainable by implementing technically sound grazing plans that
incorporate sage-grouse and livestock needs. The SGI in Wyoming is focused on helping ranchers
manage grazing lands to improve nesting and brood-rearing habitat in or near Core Population
Areas. Resource inventory, grazing plans, and habitat and grazing monitoring are key components on
the 117,151 acres funded through SGI in 2010. Second, through conservation easements, purchase
development rights from willing ranchers. These easements can keep working lands that are currently
providing valuable habitat, working. Wyoming NRCS and its land trust partners have established more
than 85,000 acres of Conservation Easements within Core Areas.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0165
Expediting State-and-Transition Models through Sorting of Ecological Sites into Disturbance
Response Groups
Tamzen Stringham1, Patti Novak-Echenique2, Erica Freese1, Lucas Wiseley2, Patrick Shaver3
1
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States, 2USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service,
Reno, NV, United States, 3USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Portland, OR, United States
Ecological Site Descriptions (ESD) synthesize information concerning soils, hydrology, ecology, and
management into a user friendly document. A crucial component of an ESD is the state-and- transition
model (STM) that identifies the different vegetation states, describes the disturbances that caused
vegetation change, and the restoration activities needed to restore plant communities. The Natural
Resource Conservation Service estimates there are approximately 18000 ecological sites in the U.S. To
expedite development of STMs, we propose a process of grouping ESDs in each Major Land Resource
Area (MLRA) into disturbance response groups. An expert team of range and soil scientists follow a
multi-step approach to response group development: (1) review MLRA characteristics, (2) establish
guidelines for STM development, (3) sort ESDs into dominant cover type groups, (4) sub-divide cover
type groups by climate, production and soil properties, (5) evaluate response to disturbances, and (6)
define the soil-site concept for each group and select a modal ecological site. A draft STM is developed
for the modal site prior to field investigation. GIS is used to guide field visits, verify soil map units,
ecological sites and fire history. Soil scientists verify soil components, range professionals document
vegetation and rangeland health and the team determines the current state and refines the draft model as
necessary. Multiple locations for each modal ESD are visited in order to document alternate stable
states. Non-modal sites are also visited in order to describe differences in resilience from the modal
ecological site. An example from MLRA 24-Nevada will be presented.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0166
Capabilities, Challenges, and Cost of Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Natural Resources
Monitoring
Albert Rango, Andrea Laliberte
USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been utilized recently to obtain very high resolution(about 5 cm)
images for use in natural resources monitoring because of their capability to fly at low altitude. Many
small UAVs (<50 kg) are available for purchase and this category is most likely to be used for natural
resources applications in the immediate future. One needs to thoroughly weigh UAV specifications
versus the objectives of the planned monitoring work before purchase. Most current UAVs have at least
a video camera and a small consumer grade digital camera. We have found that for rangeland
monitoring, the digital camera is the most useful. Once the UAV system has been acquired, the major
challenge is to learn the regulations for flying in the FAA National Airspace System or in restricted military
airspace. The limiting factor at the moment is to learn how to fly effectively abiding by the line-of-sight
restrictions in effect today. The Jornada UAV team has developed a method for flying either in FAA or
restricted airspace, and has acquired about 15,000 images over western U.S. rangelands. Our current
UAV system including airplane, catapult launcher, and ground control station costs less that $50,000. We
are currently replacing the video camera with a multispectral camera which costs $15,000. The data we
obtain is extremely useful in determining rangeland health and can also be applied to watershed modeling
and archeological studies.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0167
Government Success in Partnerships: The USDA-ARS Area-Wide Ecologically-Based Invasive
Annual Grass Management Program
Brenda Smith, Roger Sheley
Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, United States
As new research is conducted and new methods for solving problems are developed, the USDA-ARS has
a program that allocates substantial funding to ensure these improved strategies and techniques are
adopted by those who can benefit from them. These programs are called Area-wide demonstrations. A
partnership of researchers, educators and ranchers have been implementing an area-wide project over
the past 3 years to catalyze the adoption of ecologically-based invasive annual grass management
across the western US. The program includes establishing watershed-scale demonstrations of improved
strategies, conducting critical gap-filling research, and a comprehensive outreach program linked to the
demonstrations. Landscape-scale demonstration areas have been implemented with producers in Utah,
Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California. Additional research projects are filling in information gaps, with
work ongoing on site history, economics, weather and climate forecasting, and seedling establishment.
An integral component of the project is an education and outreach program. To advance the use of
ecologically-based management, we created an entire decision-making process that guides land
managers through a series of assessments and decisions which lead to an entire invasive plant
management plan. This iterative, hands-on process uses state-of-the-art assessment with ecological
principles that allows managers to address the underlying causes of invasion to create sustainable plant
community trajectories. Managers from most western states are beginning to use the decision-making
framework.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0168
Comparing Grazed Allotments in Arizona on Their Ability to Convert Precipitation to Vegetation
Philip Heilman1, Stephen Hagen2
1
USDA-ARS SWRC, Tucson, AZ, United States, 2Applied Geosolutions, LLC, Durham, NH, United States
Public land managers find it is costly and difficult to develop a synoptic understanding of spatial and
temporal trends on rangeland. We describe a preliminary effort to provide such an understanding in
Arizona based on remotely sensed data. We created a merged GIS layer using publicly available data for
grazed allotments, primarily from the Arizona State Land Department, Forest Service, and Bureau of
Land Management. PRISM annual precipitation estimates at 800 m resolution were aggregated for the
almost 2100 grazed allotments and averaged for the 9 most recent available years (2000-2008).
Measurements of green and senescent vegetation foliar cover were fit to 30 m Landsat derived Soil
Adjusted Total Vegetation Index (SATVI) observations, and these Landsat cover estimates were scaled to
500 m MODIS observations to create estimates of total vegetation cover every 8 days from early 2000
through 2009. A linear regression of the 10 year average cover on the 9 years of average precipitation for
all allotments explained more than 70 percent of the variability in cover, though a loess relationship fit the
data better at the ends of the precipitation range. By subtracting the expected cover based on the PRISM
precipitation from the MODIS estimated cover, the impacts of factors other than precipitation, including
management, were highlighted. Using this approach, public land management agencies in Arizona can
start to develop a synoptic understanding of spatial and temporal trends in the land they manage, identify
the scope for management to increase cover, and complement field vegetation monitoring.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0169
Comparing the SamplePoint and Point Intercept Monitoring Methods
Jim Cagney1, Terry Booth2, Samuel Cox2
Bureau of Land Management, Cheyenne, WY, United States, 2Agriculture Research Service, Cheyenne,
WY, United States
1
In June 2007, fifteen professional range managers ran an identical trend transect on a sandy ecological
site in the 7-9 inch precipitation zone using two methods The SamplePoint method is an image-based
system that provides for computerized analysis of photographs to yield frequency and cover data. The
Point Intercept Method is a favored traditional method to collect similar data. The objective was to
evaluate repeatability among users. Repeatability was similar, but - excluding transportation time, which
is the same for both methods - the SamplePoint Data took only half as long to collect and analyze.
SamplePoint offers distinct advantages linked to photos providing a permanent record. SamplePoint
analysis can be re-conducted if error is suspected from the two key sources of trend data error: 1)
divergent ground rules and, 2) misidentification of plant species. The SamplePoint method also offers the
opportunity to reread the photos by different criteria if objectives change. The SamplePoint method has
two weaknesses: 1) only the top layer of the canopy can be recorded, and 2) the ground-based transect
method used in the study is only effective in low growing vegetation where a photographer can take nadir
angle photographs of the plots. However the study detected significant variation in multi-canopy data
using the Point Intercept Method. The SamplePoint method is an attractive alternative in Wyoming and
mountain sagebrush, shortgrass prairie, and salt desert vegetation types.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0170
Effects of Off-Road Vehicles on Rodents in Sonoran Desert Rangelands
Simon Reid, Ward Brady
Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona, United States
Human recreation on rangelands may negatively impact wildlife populations. Among those activities, offroad vehicle (ORV) recreation carries the potential for broad ecological consequences. A study was
undertaken to assess the impacts of ORV on rodents in Arizona Uplands Sonoran Desert. Rodents were
trapped at 5 ORV and 5 non-ORV sites in Tonto National Forest, AZ. We hypothesized that rodent
abundance and species richness are negatively affected by ORV use. Rodent abundances were
estimated using capture-mark-recapture methodology. ORV use was not correlated with overall rodent
abundance or with species richness. While abundance of Peromyscus eremicus declined with ORV use,
abundance of Dipodomys merriami increased. Abundance of Neotoma albigula and Chaetodipus baileyi
were not correlated with ORV use. Other factors measured were percent ground cover and percent
shrub cover. Overall rodent abundance increased with shrub cover and with ground cover, but no
significant correlation exists between these factors and abundance of any single rodent species. Shrub
and ground cover both decreased as ORV use increased.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0171
Pinus ponderosa: An Examination into its Past, Present, and Future Suitable Habitat in Arizona
Matthew P. Peters, Ward W. Brady
Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, United States
Ponderosa pine is currently the third most abundant tree species in Arizona based on Forest Inventory
and Analysis (FIA) records. We explore the past, present, and potential future suitable habitat of Pinus
ponderosa throughout Arizona to investigate possible range shifts during the past and next 100 years.
Details from Merriam (1895) were used to determine a potential historical range for the San Francisco
peak region, and a current distribution was generated from FIA data. Potential suitable habitat into the
future was simulated using the DISTRIB model (Prasad et al. 2006) and 35 predictor variables. Three
GCMs (HadleyCM3, PCM, and GFDL-CM2.1) and two CO2 emission scenarios (A2 (high), and B1 (low))
were used to explore the potential effects of different climate effects on Ponderosa Pine distribution.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0172
Change on the Range: Ten Years of Rangeland Monitoring on the Tonto National Forest
Jim Sprinkle, George Ruyle, Michael Crimmins
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
A collaborative rangeland monitoring program, Reading the Range, was initiated on the Tonto National
Forest in 2001. 39 grazing allotments are now enrolled in the program encompassing 398,771 ha.
Vegetation and climate have varied markedly since project inception. In 2002, a drought occurred,
equaled in severity only by the years 1904, 1773, 1685, 1664, and 1150 AD. Mid-elevation (1,219 to
1,676 m) monitoring sites have demonstrated considerable variation in vegetation attributes, including
forage production. Two locations exemplify this variability; one where a grazed site was compared to an
isolated butte on a similar ecological site which had never been grazed, and the other recording a
surprising response to grazing management. In the grazed versus ungrazed comparison, 2001 monitoring
showed perennial grass comprised 57% and 42% of the botanical composition by weight on the the
grazed and ungrazed sites. In 2003, after the extreme 2002 drought, the perennial grass composition
was 19% vs. 2% respectively, and in 2009, 55% vs 12%. In the other case, a cross fence was installed in
2001 to control concentrated livestock grazing. Before the cross fence installation, perennial grass
composition by weight was 8%, but by 2009 had increased to 40%. Given the dynamic nature of
vegetation responses to climate in the mid-elevation zone of the Tonto National Forest, it is imperative
that adaptive management be practiced.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0173
Effects of Climate/Vegetation and Level of Herbivory on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in Semi-Arid
Rangelands
Doug Tolleson, John Kava
The University of Arizona, V Bar V Ranch, Cottonwood, Arizona, United States
We examined the effects of climate/vegetation and herbivory upon soil carbon and nitrogen in semi-arid
central Arizona rangelands. Soil samples within 2 climate/vegetation types (desert shrub:DS, piñonjuniper:PJ) and 2 grazing histories (moderate-heavy:HG, none-light:LG) were collected under shrub
canopy, grass canopy, and within interspaces in winter 2009 and spring 2010. Ground cover was
obtained on 3 transects within each treatment. Treatment differences were determined by analysis of
variance. Percent bare soil was higher (P < 0.1) in HG (29.3 ± 3.7) than LG (21.2 ± 1.7). Percent litter was
greater (P < 0.01) in PJ (50.2 ± 2.4) than DS (27.2 ± 2.3). Percent carbon and nitrogen were greater (P <
0.01) for shrub (3.39 ± 0.26; 0.24 ± 0.02 respectively) than for grass (2.19 ± 0.11; 0.16 ± 0.01
respectively) or interspace soils (1.59 ± 0.15; 0.11 ± 0.01 respectively). PJ had greater percent (P < 0.05)
nitrogen (0.19 ± 0.01) than DS (0.14 ± 0.01) and had numerically higher percent carbon (2.55 ± 0.18; 2.22
± 0.15 respectively). HG had greater (P < 0.05) percent carbon (2.68 ± 0.17) than LG (2.09 ± 0.16) but
was similar for percent nitrogen (~0.18 ± 0.01). There was a grazing by position interaction (P < 0.05) for
percent carbon in that under plant canopies, HG (3.28 ± 0.26) > LG (2.30 ± 0.23), while within interspaces
LG (1.68 ± 0.27) > HG (1.49 ± 0.14). The effects of herbivory on soil nutrient characteristics should be
evaluated within the context of site and climate.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0174
Selecting for Cattle That Enhance Biodiversity in the Sagebrush Steppe
Charles Petersen1 ,3, Fredrick Provenza1, Agee Smith2
Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States, 2Cottonwood Ranch, Wells, Nevada, United States,
3
USDA/NRCS, Elko, Nevada, United States
1
It is widely recognized that historic and repetitious spring grazing by livestock in combination with altered
fire regimes has lead to increased density and abundance of big sagebrush and a corresponding
reduction in the frequency of perennial grasses and forbs on many western landscapes. Applying
disturbance ecology mechanisms in order to promote resilience can be accomplished with livestock by
making wise use of the resources that are in a given landscape in order to promote the best human and
animal outcomes while reducing our dependence on limited, foreign, and cost prohibitive energy
resources. Cattle can learn to eat sagebrush during fall and winter when big sagebrush chemistry
becomes favorable (Kelsey, et. al., 1982) and when perennial herbs are dormant. We have documented
that cow/calf pairs strategically supplemented with protein and energy, to mitigate the effects of residual
terpenes and other secondary compounds in big sagebrush, will select big sagebrush as a significant
portion of their diet. This biological approach to habitat renovation can be an alternative to landscape
manipulations with chemicals, mechanical treatments, and fire, all increasingly impractical due to
environmental concerns, the high costs of fossil fuels and the need to repeat the treatments that generally
employ an outcome based, rather than a process based, strategy. Selecting for locally adapted cattle that
are behaviorally, physiologically, morphologically, and genetically suited as disturbance surrogate vectors
will serve to make this biological approach to sagebrush steppe resiliency treatments a reality.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0175
Growth Dynamics of Hesperostipa comata and Pascopyrum smithii in Alberta Dry Mixedgrass
Prairie
Tanner Broadbent1, Edward Bork1, Walter Willms2
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, 2Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
1
Maintaining rapid and continuous growth in grasses under rotational grazing is assumed to increase
forage productivity. Limited evidence corroborating this in arid and semiarid rangelands, however,
suggests that grasses in these environments may have determinate growth characteristics. Specifically,
we hypothesized that (1) determinate growth is more characteristic of caespitose grasses because they
predominate under increasing aridity; and that (2) increased resource (e.g., moisture) availability
promotes continuous growth in rhizomatous grasses. To test this we assessed growth dynamics of
respective caespitose and rhizomatous grasses, Hesperostipa comata and Pascopyrum smithii, under a
factorial treatment combination of four defoliation and two moisture regimes (ambient rainfall and >200%
of spring precipitation) applied to plots within 2 late seral dry mixedgrass communities in Alberta, Canada
during summer 2010. We modelled aboveground biomass accumulation and quantified herbage removal
as well as tracked tiller demography. Preliminary results revealed that early spring growth was rapid (even
without moisture addition) and high intensity defoliation at this time may have enhanced relative growth
rates for both grasses. While subsequent regrowth remained highly dependent on moisture, growth rates
declined through the growing season, with H. comata producing more relative growth regardless of
moisture regime. As well, tiller longevity was greater in H. comata under defoliation while tiller turnover
was markedly greater in P. smithii, especially under ambient rainfall. Our results suggest that (1) the
caespitose growth form confers greater genet fitness and growth potential in semiarid grasslands and (2)
defoliation does not promote consistent regrowth throughout the growing season.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0176
Monitoring Shrub Canopy Cover Using Vegetation Charting Technique
Mounir Louhaichi1, Hani Al-Homsh1, Fahim Ghassali1, Osama Shalouf2, Douglas E. Johnson2
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic,
2
Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United
States
1
Plant cover is one of the most frequently used measurements for vegetation monitoring of rangelands. In
this study, we explored the utility of Digital Vegetation Charting (DVC) for monitoring shrub canopy cover.
The experiment was conducted under field conditions in Northwestern Syria, where seedlings of seven
shrub species (Atriplex leucoclada, Atriplex halimus, Atriplex lentiformis, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex
nummularia, Salsola vermiculata and Haloxylon aphyllum) were monitored for one year. The experimental
layout consisted of a randomized complete block design with five replications. Straight down images for
each plant were acquired at a fixed height using a high-resolution digital camera on three dates over time.
On the last date, aboveground shrub biomass was clipped to estimate the dry matter weight per species.
In this study, an estimate of greenness (percent green vegetation cover) was extracted by way of
mathematic algorithms from the photo time series using VegMeasure 2 software. We found that cover of
the seven species differed (<.001). A. leucoclada had the highest vegetation cover (56%), while H.
aphyllum had the lowest figure (7%). With the exception of H. aphyllum, we found strong positive
correlation between vegetation cover and biomass (DM) ranging from 0.86 to 0.93. This method provides
a reasonable estimation of canopy coverage and can indicate aboveground phytomass. We conclude that
DVC offers a rapid, reliable, and consistent measurement of shrub cover as long as shrubs have an open
architecture.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0177
Evaluation of Habitat Use by Sharp-Tailed Grouse on the Grand River National Grasslands in
Northwest South Dakota
Dean Houchen1 ,2, Benjamin Geaumont2, Christopher Schauer2, Kevin Sedivec1
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States, 2Hettinger Research Extension Center,
Hettinger, ND, United States
1
Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus; STG) utilize a mosaic of grassland resources from
warm and cool season grasses to shrub and riparian areas. For STG the height and density of cover
maybe directly related to several aspects that affect reproduction and recruitment; including nest success,
and hen and chick survival. The utilization of rangeland by livestock has varying effects on height and
density of the vegetation; therefore, likely may have some indirect effects on STG populations. Livestock
grazing is the dominant management tool used by the United States Forest Service (USFS) on public
lands throughout most of our study area. The STG is used as an indicator species in North and South
Dakota by the USFS and plays a significant role in how stocking rates are determined. We used radio
telemetry to investigate the reproductive success and habitat selection characteristics of STG on the
Grand River National Grasslands in South Dakota during the spring and summer months of 2009 and
2010. We monitored 22 and 24 nests with a Mayfield nesting success rate of 25% and 28% in 2009 and
2010; respectively. The average visual obstruction reading (VOR) at nest sites was 10.2±1.3 cm, while
the average VOR at randomly selected sites 5.6±0.5 cm in 2009. In comparison, in 2010 the average
VOR at nest sites 15.7±0.8 cm while the average VOR at randomly selected sites 13.5±1.0 cm. Our data
suggests that on average STG selected areas with higher levels of visual obstruction for nest sites
compared to the surrounding area.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0178
Grazingland and Economic Sustainability: The Balancing Act
Jeff Goodwin
USDA-NRCS, Cleburne, Texas, United States
Today's rancher is faced with numerous challenges just to stay in business. If economic sustainability of
the ranch is challenged, often the grazingland resource suffers. In 2007 the rancher led Blackland
Prairie Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative Coalition decided to mount a regional effort to promote
grazingland stewardship and education through workshops and onsite technical assistance to landowners
in the Blackland Prairie MLRA. Their recent focus has been to demonstrate to landowners the
management practices that have positive ecological and economical benefits. The Coalition then
developed a four part series of workshops based on that premise. The first was a Ranch Economics
conference designed to illustrate the economic benefits of basic management practices. The second was
a Stockmanship clinic that focused on low stress cattle handling techniques and illustrated the economic
benefits on herd health and disposition. The third was a Ranch Diversification workshop that outlined
successful methods of vertical ranch integration by making more income on the same acres. The final
workshop was a focus on Ranch Production to Profit, focusing on limiting non-profitable inputs thereby
increasing ranch profits. Over the past two years, more than 450 ranchers have participated in this
workshop series. They have been implementing many of the practices they have learned and are
reporting success. The successes can be attributed to the improvement of the rancher's economic
situation, natural resources, and self-confidence. The Blackland Prairie GLCI coalition is well on its way to
effecting positive ecologic and economic change in the region.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0179
Managing Rangelands for Multiple Ecosystem Services: Opportunities and Tradeoffs
Justin Derner
USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Cheyenne, WY, United States
Many rangelands have been traditionally managed principally for livestock production through the use of
sustainable stocking rates that optimize livestock weight gains on both a per head basis and a per unit
land area basis. Contemporary management of rangelands, however, emphasizes enhancing multiple
ecosystem services from these lands. As such, there will be opportunities available to rangeland
managers in the US and Canada to capitalize on these ecosystem services through emergent markets as
well as tradeoffs associated with changing management from the traditional approaches emphasizing
livestock production to managing for multiple ecosystem services. This symposium provides a series of
interrelated presentations addressing the opportunities and tradeoffs associated with managing Canadian
and US rangelands for greenhouse gases, water, plant diversity and wildlife habitat, as well as livestock
production.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0180
Plant Materials Development for Disturbed Southwestern Landscapes
Gregory Fenchel, Joe Aragon, David Dreesen, Danny Goodson, Keith White
USDA-NRCS Los Lunas Plant Materials Center, Los Lunas, New Mexico, United States
The service areas of the Los Lunas Plant Materials Center are primarily located in the arid and semiarid
ecoregions. These regions receive less than 13 inches of annual precipitation making it extremely
challenging to establish field plantings using traditional methods. Established in 1934, the Plant Materials
Center and its partners have been developing effective planting strategies for the arid Southwest. These
planting strategies include some type of moisture enhancement treatments which are necessary for
successful establishment in arid environments. Treatments include mulches, hydrophilic polymers, deeprooted systems, the deep-planting methods of longstems and pole cuttings into shallow groundwater,
proper timing of plantings, and the use of local populations. Case studies will be presented that will
include photos of sites with before and after examples of plantings.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0181
Biological Assessment and Monitoring of Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region
Christina Hargiss
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is one of the most wetland rich areas in the world. Wetlands in the
PPR are diverse in plant and animal life, function, stressors, and management. This diversity leads to
challenges both in how to monitor and assess wetlands, as well as how to work with landowners and
managers. A common method of assessment used across the United States is the three tiered wetland
assessment design. This design includes: 1) a landscape level assessment - Level 1; 2) a rapid
assessment - Level 2; and 3) an intense assessment - Level 3. Specific methods within this three tiered
design have been created for the PPR and North Dakota including: 1) Level 1 - geographic information
system-based Landscape Wetland Condition Analysis Model (LWCAM); 2) Level 2 - North Dakota Rapid
Assessment Method (NDRAM); 3) Level 3 - vegetative-based Index of Plant Community Integrity (IPCI);
and 4) the Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) model. This design is also being used as part of the Environmental
Protection Agency's 2011 National Wetland Condition Survey. Other assessments are used based on
agency and landowner needs for monitoring and assessing wetlands. Information from our research can
be used to make decisions about need specific, financial, and time appropriate wetland sampling
methods. Also, this information will help to inform wetland managers about the types of methods and
assessments that may be available, as well as to some of the frustrations and concerns that go along with
assessment and monitoring.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0182
The Role of Fire in Sustainable Rangeland Ecosystems
Ryan Limb, Samuel Fuhlendorf
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
Rangeland ecosystems evolved with relatively frequent fire and thus the biotic ecosystem components
are well adapted and often dependent on fire as a driver of ecosystem function. Fire was as integral to
these landscapes as soil type, climate and herbivory. Following European settlement, fire was removed
from much of the global landscape often altering key ecosystem properties. A number of scientists and
land managers are experimenting with fire to discover key variables that are necessary to support the
rangeland ecosystem (i.e. control undesirable vegetation) under livestock production conditions.
However, one barrier to successful implementation of a fire regime is the view of fire as a management
tool, interchangeable with grazing, herbicides and mechanical disturbance, rather than an integral
ecosystem process and keystone disturbance. This symposium merges historical precedence, current
evidence, and human perceptions and focuses on the contrast between fire as a brush management tool
and an inherent rangeland ecosystem component.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0183
Is Livestock Production for the Birds?: Linking Grazing Management and Grassland Birds
in North American Shortgrass Steppe and Mixed-Grass Prairie
Allison Henderson2, David Augustine1, Justin Derner4, Stephen Davis3
1
USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 2University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada,
3
Canadian Wildlife Service, Regina, SK, Canada, 4USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, WY, United States
Many grassland bird populations in the western Great Plains have declined substantially over the past
half century. Today, the majority of the remaining grassland bird habitat supports livestock production.
Since grassland bird abundance is linked to vegetation structure, and livestock grazing shapes vegetation
structure, an understanding of the ecological and socioeconomic links between grazing management and
grassland bird habitat is needed. We first present findings from the shortgrass steppe of Colorado, USA,
highlighting tradeoffs between the influence of different rangeland management strategies (via cattle
grazing, fire-grazing interactions, and prairie dogs) on grassland bird habitat versus cattle weight gains.
These studies emphasize the importance of heterogeneity in vegetation structure and management
practices to sustain the full suite of native shortgrass steppe birds. Second, we present findings from the
mixed-grass prairie of Saskatchewan, Canada, to demonstrate how variation in rangeland management
underlies variation in habitat for grassland songbirds. We discuss how management for grassland bird
conservation presents management opportunities and tradeoffs for livestock production. Management for
the recovery of grassland birds requires efforts to understand factors driving local decisions by individual
producers and managers, and to recognize the importance of landscape-scale variability in grazing
management strategies and vegetation structure.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0184
The New Integrated Paradigm for Research, Education and Extension
James Dobrowolski
USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Washington, DC, United States
Changes from the 2008 Farm Bill for USDA's extramural funding agency, the National Institute of Food
and Agriculture (NIFA), is a new opportunity/imperative to grow agricultural research. NIFA's flagship
competitive grants program, the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), will be the focus of
growth in future research support and will reflect NIFA's desire to work at meaningful scales on a discrete
set of overarching scientific issues, selected for its potential to improve people's lives. Awards will have
greater requirements for integration of research, education and/or extension (REE) than in the past.
Challenges for NIFA include: 1) creating and sustaining a culture of innovation that stimulates, reinforces,
and rewards creativity, and guides its decision-making process, and 2) experimenting with innovative
methods to finding the best REE ideas to fund must be a central feature of USDA and other federal
agencies. Biology represents nearly 27% of federal research obligations. Biological research appears to
be on the verge of a revolution, moving from simple taxonomy to research that is data driven and
engineerable. The 2009 NRC report "A New Biology for the 21st Century: Ensuring the United States
Leads the Coming Biology Revolution" proposes a national initiative to promote the New Biology. This
New Biology must focus on problem-centric, interdisciplinary research in biophysical and social sciences
to solve challenges in health, food, energy, and environment. New Biology in NIFA consists of sustaining
disciplines while blurring their boundaries, innovation as a central feature of REE, and building
collaborative relationships.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0185
Variability in Light-Use Efficiency for Gross Primary Productivity on Great Plains Grasslands
Wayne Polley1, Rebecca Phillips2, Albert Frank2, James Bradford3, Phillip Sims3, Jack Morgan4, James
Kiniry1
1
USDA/Agricultural Research Service, Temple, Texas, United States, 2USDA/Agricultural Research
Service, Mandan, North Dakota, United States, 3USDA/Agricultural Research Service, Woodward,
Oklahoma, United States, 4USDA/Agricultural Research Service, Ft. Collins, Colorado, United States
Gross primary productivity (GPP) often is estimated at regional scales by multiplying the amount of
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed by the plant canopy (PARa) by light-use efficiency (εg;
GPP/PARa). Mass flux techniques are being used to calculate εg. Flux-based estimates of εg depend
partly on how PAR absorption by plants is modeled as a function of leaf area index (LAI). We used CO2
flux measurements from three native grasslands in the Great Plains of the USA to determine how varying
the value of the radiation extinction coefficient (k) that is used to calculate PARa from LAI affected
variability in estimates of εg for each week. The slope of linear GPP-PARa regression, an index of εg,
differed significantly among the 18 site-years of data, indicating that inter-annual differences in εg
contributed to the overall variability in εg values. GPP-PARa slopes differed among years and sites
regardless of whether k was assigned a fixed value or varied as an exponential function of LAI.
Permitting k to change with LAI reduced overall variability in εg, reduced the slope of a negative linear
regression between seasonal means of εg and potential evapotranspiration (PET), and clarified the
contribution of inter-annual differences in precipitation to variation in εg. Our results imply that greater
attention be given to defining dynamics of the k coefficient for ecosystems with low LAI and that PET and
precipitation be used to constrain the εg values employed in light-use efficiency algorithms to calculate
GPP for Great Plains grasslands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0186
Grazing Management Effects on the Soil Health in Mixed-Grass Prairie within the Missouri Coteau
Region of North Dakota
Guojie Wang1, Kevin Sedivec2, Paul Nyren1, Anne Nyren1
1
Central Grasslands Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Streeter, United States,
2
School of Natural Resource Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, United States
Soil morphology, soil structure, soil components, and soil hydrology were examined to investigate longterm effects of grazing management on the soil health. The four grazing management treatments studied
(season-long moderate grazing [MG], season-long extreme grazing [EG], twice-over rotational grazing
[RG], and idle [ID]) at the landscape level (summit, backslope, and toeslope) have been imposed on
mixed-grass prairie within the Missouri Coteau Region of North Dakota for more than 20 years. The EG
soil mollic horizon was deeper than MG and RG on the summit and backslope. The EG, MG, and RG had
finer soil texture on the backslope and coarser soil texture toeslope than ID. The RG had higher soil
organic matter (SOM) content than EG and ID at the 0-5 cm soil depth on the summit, while EG higher
SOM content than ID in the 0-25 cm soil profile on the backslope. The MG had higher soil calcium
carbonate equivalent than ID at the 10-45 cm soil on the summit. Grazing increased soil aggregate size
and water retension. Grazing increased soil aggregate stability on the summit and decreased on
the toeslope. The ID had higher five-minute soil infiltration than MG, RG, and EG on the backslope and
toeslope while higher one-hour soil infiltration rate than RG, MG and EG at the whole landscape level.
The ID had higher soil saturated hydraulic conductivity than MG, EG, and RG on the toeslope. Grazing
management effects on the soil health are complex, and depend on landscape position, soil depth, and
evaluated parameter.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0187
Plains Prickly Pear: Demography and Response to Grazing on the Shortgrass Steppe
Lynn M. Moore, William K. Lauenroth
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
Plains prickly pear cactus (Opuntia polyacantha Haws.) is a key contributor to the structure and standing
crop of vegetation of the shortgrass steppe. Past research has suggested that prickly pear increases with
grazing intensity lowering the forage value of the shortgrass steppe. Recent research has shown that
prickly pear can provide a refuge for other species to reproduce and escape herbivory. However, little is
known about the demography of prickly pear and how it may respond to a change in grazing disturbance.
In 1994, several grazing exclosures on the Shortgrass Steppe Long Term Ecological Research site were
modified to protect previously grazed areas (protected treatment) and expose previously ungrazed areas
to grazing (unprotected treatment). A total of four grazing treatments resulted; grazed, ungrazed, and the
two transitional protected and unprotected treatments. In 2000, digital images were annually taken of 6,
1-meter plots in each of the 4 treatments. We converted the images to a GIS format and evaluated
cladode demography. From 2000 to 2010 cladode area increased in the grazed and protected treatments
and decreased in the ungrazed and unprotected treatments. In addition, year-to-year fluctuations of
cladode area were large and migration of individual prickly pear clones exhibited great variability.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0188
The Evaluation of Ring-Necked Pheasant and Duck Production on a Multiple Land Use
Management System on Post-Contract Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands
Benjamin Geaumont1, Kevin Sedivec2, Christopher Schauer1
1
Hettinger Research Extension Center, Hettinger, North Dakota, United States, 22School of Natural
Resource Sciences - Range Program, Fargo, North Dakota, United States
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) originated as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. At its peak
enrollment, the CRP consisted of approximately 748,971 contracts and placed roughly 14,669,854
hectares of land into a permanent cover. The CRP has been touted as the largest conservation program
ever undertaken in the United States and as such has provided habitat for numerous species of wildlife.
As part of the 2008 Farm Bill congress pledged to maintain CRP enrollment at 32 million acres. In July of
2010, the first general signup for CRP to occur in four years was announced in an attempt to fulfill this
promise. In recent years, many CRP contracts have begun to expire, and although a general signup is
currently underway, many landowners will be forced to make decisions regarding their land. Not all
eligible land will be accepted back into the program. From 2006-2010, we conducted research aimed at
evaluating the viability and sustainability of producing both agricultural and wildlife outputs on post-CRP
grasslands that are currently managed as grazing lands, no-till cropland, hayland, and idle grassland. We
located and monitored 176 pheasant and 294 duck nests during the study. The majority of pheasant and
duck nests occurred on lands devoted to permanent cover. Findings from this study will be discussed in
detail and suggest the importance of maintaining areas of permanent cover on expiring CRP lands if
wildlife outputs are a continued goal.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0189
Fire Rehabilitation Decision Making
Bruce Roundy1, April Hulet1, Nathan Cline1, Lean Crook1, Kert Young1, Matthew Madsen2
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States, 2USDA/ARS, Burns, Oregon, United States
1
We are investigating programmatic, institutional, regional, management group and individual manager
influences on fire rehabilitation practices in order to determine current and potential use of promising
seeding practices. Wildland fire rehabilitation funds are available to allow public land managers to seed
burned rangelands 1 to 3 years after a wildfire. Objectives include protection of human health and
property, as well as soil conservation and maintenance of ecosystem health. Managers must quickly
decide where, what, and how to seed, and justify their decisions in emergency stabilization and
rehabilitation plans. Interagency and agency policies, guidelines, and funding structures, as well as
executive orders guide the development and implementation of these plans. Managers may propose the
species to be seeded but their use of native seed is constrained by costs and availability. Terrain
features may limit the choice of seeding method, but may also be affected by archeological clearance and
manager bias. Site potential limitations to seedling establishment greatly affect success, but managers
are still under pressure to seed low-potential sites. There is a lack of information on what factors affect
success and why some seedings succeed and others fail. Use of native species has increased as seed
has become more available and less costly. Managers often select proven introduced species, but also
sometimes use costly unproven native species. Monitoring of past seeding projects, post-hoc research,
and establishment of a database for sharing results should better help inform managers of successful
practices.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0190
Managing Rangelands for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: Opportunities and Tradeoffs
Mark Liebig1, Alan Iwaasa2
1
USDA-ARS, Mandan, North Dakota, United States, 2Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current,
Saskatchewan, Canada
Identification of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation opportunities through improved grazing management
are needed to discern the extent of potential tradeoffs affecting livestock production. Previous research
has found many grassland ecosystems to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2), underscoring the importance
of these ecosystems to affect net global warming potential (GWP). However, clear determination of
grassland ecosystems as net sinks or sources of GHGs is limited by a lack of information regarding
management impacts on the flux of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), as well as CH4 emissions
from livestock and production-related CO2 emissions from management operations. This team
presentation will highlight research in the northern Great Plains of U.S. and Canada addressing grazing
management effects on soil carbon, GHGs, and livestock production. A broad portfolio of grazing
management systems have been evaluated in the region for their effect on factors contributing net GWP
of livestock production. Grazing management systems have included native vegetation, seeded native
and tame forages, and native+tame mixtures, each under different stocking densities. Evaluations have
been conducted across a range of spatial and temporal gradients, thereby providing information on
grazing management effects differing in resolution (sub-meter to landscape) and timescale (weeks to
decades). Completed and on-going evaluations suggest native vegetation grazed at a moderate stocking
rate may serve as a net GHG sink, implying net CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. However, tradeoffs
affecting livestock production and sources of GHGs (CH4, N2O) exist with this management system, and
should be carefully considered relative to other forms of grazing management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0191
Seeing into Shadows in Resource Monitoring Images
Samuel E. Cox1, D. Terrance Booth2
1
USDA Agricultural Research Service, McMinnville, TN, United States, 2USDA Agricultural Research
Service, Cheyenne, WY, United States
Image-based monitoring of natural resources offers benefits of speed, objectivity and a permanent record
of resource conditions; however, the information value of images is only as good as image quality.
Automatic focus and exposure controls on digital cameras often result in clear, well-lit images, but
shadows and highlights in a scene create a contrast range that often overwhelms the camera sensor,
resulting in bright and dark areas where information extraction is difficult or impossible. Histogramadjustment of raw image files with commercially-available programs can overcome some of this, and is a
good first step towards shadow/highlight mitigation. High-dynamic range (HDR) images are created by
merging several differentially-exposed images into a single image that displays a larger range of
luminance than is possible in a single exposure. To mitigate shadow effects in near-earth imagery (2 m
above ground level), we created HDR nadir images and used them to measure grassland ground cover.
HDR images showed more detail, reduced the numbers of pure black, pure white, and pixels visually
indistinguishable from black and white, reapportioned skewed luma values towards a normal distribution,
and increased the Euclidean distance between litter and bare ground RGB values-allowing increased
feature separation. All of these facilitated an increase in real feature classification through manual image
analysis. Drawbacks to the method included decreased image sharpness, increased time requirement,
and more difficult image acquisition. We conclude that HDR imagery can provide more accurate
measurements of bare soil for ecosystem monitoring and assessment.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0192
Stable Isotope Diet Reconstruction Using Tail Hairs of Feral Horses on the Sheldon National
Wildlife Refuge
Megan Nordquist1, Todd Robinson1, Steve Petersen1, Gail Collins2
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States, 2USFWS, Lakeview, OR, United States
Many claims have been made concerning the impact of wild/feral horses on rangeland vegetation and
ecological processes. Unfortunately, relatively little scientific research has been done to substantiate
these claims. Through a deeper understanding of feral horse ecology including habitat selection and
vegetation impacts, difficult decisions regarding feral horse management will be more informed and more
effective. In order to learn more about impacts, we used stable isotopes (δ 13C and δ15N signatures) from
tail hairs to reconstruct selection preferences of feral horses on the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge,
Nevada. Tail hairs show an isotopic chronology and as such, seasonal dietary variations can be
observed through time. Tail hairs were collected from feral horses as well as random vegetation samples
from various vegetation classes on the Sheldon NWR in order to show dietary variation through time.
Also, tail hair samples were collected from horses in various reproductive categories (studs, dry mares,
wet mares, and foals) showing dietary differences between various reproductive categories of feral
horses. The knowledge of dietary selection will enhance our understanding of feral horse impact on
rangelands which will in turn aid administrators in difficult decisions regarding management of feral horse
populations.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0193
Increasing Diversity in Crested Wheatgrass Stands in Eastern Idaho
Corey Moffet1 ,2
1
USDA-ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, ID, United States, 2Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation, Ardmore, OK, United States
Crested wheatgrass stands are often monocultures that resist native plant reestablishment. Attempts to
increase diversity in these stands require treatment to reduce crested wheatgrass. This study was
conducted to determine whether 1) crested wheatgrass is reduced with disking, herbicide, or a
combination; 2) treatments increased seedling success over 2 growing seasons; and 3) treatments affect
cheatgrass density and ground cover. Factorial combinations of treatment year, disking, and glyphosate
application were randomly assigned to plots and a random half was seeded with native shrubs, forbs, and
grasses. Line-point intercept and density of seeded species, crested wheatgrass, and cheatgrass were
measured in 2 growing seasons after treatment and seeding. Disking and early herbicide application in
2008 reduced crested wheatgrass density in 2009, but differences were not detectable in 2010. Disking
and late herbicide application in 2008 reduced Sandberg bluegrass density in 2009. Cheatgrass density
in 2009 was generally less than 6 m-2 regardless of 2008 treatment. Early herbicide applications reduced
cheatgrass density below 2 m-2. Density of seeded grasses exceeded 25 m-2, irrespective of treatment,
but undisked plots had greater than 30 m-2. Treatments in 2008 did not affect forb and shrub seedling
densities in 2009, which were less than 1 m-2 and 0.01 m-2, respectively. Suppression of crested
wheatgrass followed with seeding enhances grass, but not forb and shrub, diversity within a few years.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0194
Forage Production and Quality, Cattle Performance, Economic Return, and Soil Health from
Annual Forages Used for Late-Season Grazing in North Dakota
Andrew Fraase1 ,2, Bryan Neville1 ,3, Kevin Sedivec1 ,2, Dennis Whitted1 ,2, Paul Nyren1 ,4, Greg Lardy1 ,3
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States, 2School of Natural Resource Sciences, Fargo,
ND, United States, 3Department of Animal Sciences, Fargo, ND, United States, 4Central Grasslands
Research Extension Center, Streeter, ND, United States
1
Annual forages utilized for extending the grazing season can be used to improve late-season forage
quantity and quality for grazing livestock, and soil health in the Northern Plains. A grazing study was
initiated that compared three annual forage treatments at the Central Grasslands Research Extension
Center in south-central North Dakota from 2007-2010. Our primary objective included testing three annual
forage treatments and late-season rangeland grazing on forage production and quality to compare cattle
performance. The secondary objectives were to determine treatment differences in soil health and
economic costs. Our study design was a split-plot randomized complete block design with three
replicates. Native rangeland paddocks served as our control with three replicates selected randomly from
12 paddocks. Annual forage treatments were turnip, foxtail millet and cocktail mix. Foxtail millet averaged
the greatest amount of forage production at 4000 kg/ha, while turnips were highest in nutritional content
with an averaged 15% crude protein and 87% IVDMD in mid-October. The average cost to graze foxtail
millet was $0.90/d/cow, the lowest among all treatments. The average cost was $1.14/d/cow for native
range. From 2009 to 2010, soil bulk density decreased by >10% at the 0-3 cm depth and decreased 8%
at the 5-8 cm depth for all annual forage treatments. Additionally, average total organic carbon level of the
soil increased 12% on the annual forage treatments. Grazing annual forages was an economical
alternative to winter feeding beef cattle and winter grazing beef cattle on range in the Northern Plains.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0195
Overview of the Role of Fish and Wildlife in Determining Plant Succession and Directing Plant
Community Phases
Wendell Gilgert, Jeremy Maestas
USDA-NRCS-WNTSC, Portland, Oregon, United States
Jump-started by a 2007 Wildlife Ecological Site Description (ESD) workshop sponsored by the Society
for Range Management and The Wildlife Society, the fish and wildlife elements embedded in ESDs are
expanding to capture roles and impacts fish and wildlife with determining trajectories of succession in
plant communities. In addition, use of fish and wildlife as early indicators of vegetative transitions and
crossing vegetation thresholds are being explored for use and inclusion in ESD data collection and site
interpretation. This presentation will provide an overview of the recent and planned inclusion of fish and
wildlife indicators and plant community phase drivers in state and transition models and in the ecological
dynamics narratives in ESDs.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0196
Carbon Offsets for Utah Cattle Ranchers? Sequestration Potential of Deeded Lands and
Implications for Policy and Management
D. Layne Coppock1, Zhao Ma1, Thomas Monaco2, Donald Snyder3, Helga Van Miegroet4, Grant Cardon5
Dept. Environment & Society, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States, 2USDA-ARS Forage
and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, Utah, United States, 3Dept. Applied Economics, Utah State
University, Logan, Utah, United States, 4Dept. Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah,
United States, 5Dept. Plants, Soils & Climate, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States
1
Enhancing carbon sequestration on grazing lands may help mitigate effects of greenhouse gas emissions
and facilitate the development of carbon-offset protocols and carbon markets. The Intermountain West,
however, is notable for a lack of information concerning carbon sequestration potential. Our goals were to
assess awareness and attitudes of ranchers toward carbon sequestration initiatives and the potential
scope for carbon sequestration on a whole-ranch basis considering the acreage and condition of various
land types. The latter effort involves use of an LP model that integrates survey data with site-relevant
carbon sequestration values from literature review and expert opinion. The phone and mail survey was
implemented among 456 Utah cattle ranchers during winter 2010 using a simple-random design. A
response rate of 88% was obtained. About 30% of respondents were aware of carbon sequestration
issues, while 35% had a positive attitude towards carbon sequestration initiatives. Many needed more
information. The average private land holding was 1,371 acres, divided into five categories including
irrigated cropland (8%), irrigated pasture (4%), non-irrigated cropland (5%), wet meadow (1%), and
rangeland (82%). The rangeland was further subdivided into lower foothill, upper foothill, and desert
components. These were scored by respondents into one of four grazing condition classes (excellent to
poor) using criteria in the survey that were based on the relative abundance of cheatgrass or woody
encroaching species. Our assessment suggests that opportunities for carbon sequestration on a wholeranch basis are affected by the size of land holdings, condition of different land types, and associated
investment costs.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0197
Survival and Habitat Selection of Ring-Necked Pheasant Broods in Southwest North Dakota
Kristine Larson1 ,2, Benjamin Geaumont2, Christopher Schauer2, Kevin Sedivec1
1
School of Natural Resource Sciences - Range Program , North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
58103, United States, 2Hettinger Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Hettinger,
ND 58639, United States
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands have provided increased habitat for many wildlife
species including ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). The ring-necked pheasant provides
southwest North Dakota an economic stimulus due to its popularity with hunters as an upland gamebird
species. In recent years, CRP contracts have begun to expire, resulting in many large, contiguous land
areas converted back to agriculture. Government agencies and conservation groups alike have
expressed their concerns over what the potential loss of CRP habitat may mean for wildlife species. As
CRP grasslands are converted to agriculture, ring-necked pheasant is one species that may be negatively
affected due to the potential loss of valuable habitat. From 2008-2010, radio telemetry was used to
evaluate brood survival and habitat use by ring-necked pheasant on-post CRP lands currently managed
as grazing lands, no-till cropland, hayland, and continued CRP program . A total of 63 broods were
monitored over the three years; 33, 18, and 12 in 2008, 2009, and 2010, respectively. We collected
habitat measurements and sampled insect populations at 156 locations used by broods and 181 random
locations throughout this study. The majority of broods spent their first 17 days of life in areas of
permanent cover including season-long grazing pastures and idle CRP. In 2008, 55% of monitored
broods had at least one chick survive to 17 days, while in 2009 and 2010, the apparent survival rate was
68%, and 42%, respectively. Brood habitat must be maintained to sustain the current ring-necked
pheasant population numbers.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0198
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project: A Science/Management Success
Mike Pellant1, Nancy Shaw2
1
Bureau of Land Management, Boise, Idaho, United States, 2USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Boise, Idaho, United States
This multi-state, collaborative research project was initiated in 2001 by the USDI BLM’s Great Basin
Restoration Initiative and the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station to improve the availability of native
plant materials and the technology to successfully restore rangelands across the floristic Great Basin.
More than 20 federal, state, and private cooperators are working together to: 1) increase the availability
of native plant materials, particularly forbs, for restoring disturbed Great Basin rangelands, 2) provide an
understanding of species variability and potential response to climate change, 3) develop seed
technology and cultural practices to improve native seed production by private growers in concert with the
appropriate seed regulatory agencies, 4) develop application strategies and technologies to improve the
establishment of native seedings, especially where exotic invasives are present, and 5) develop
demonstration areas, manuals, popular publications and websites to facilitate management application of
research results. The emphasis of the project is now shifting to improving the technology and strategies
to successfully establish native plants by initiating studies on adapting seeding strategies to climate
change, increasing native plant diversity in established crested wheatgrass seedings, and improving
seeding equipment to better establish hard to distribute native plant seeds. This research/management
partnership has strengthened collaboration among scientists, involved the native seed industry in being
part of the solution, and increased awareness of agency specialists of science-based strategies and
native plant materials available for the restoration of Great Basin rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0199
Wetland Resources and Issues in the Prairie Pothole Region of the Northern Great Plains
Shawn DeKeyser
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
The Prairie Pothole Region of the Northern Great Plains is a young landscape left behind upon the retreat
of glaciers approximately 10,000 years ago. The region covers approximately 900,000 km2 of what was
primarily grassland intermixed with a substantial density and diversity of shallow wetlands of different
sizes, shapes, and hydroperiods. This keystone habitat is essential for a large population of biota (e.g.
waterfowl) whose life-cycles have adapted to the cycles of these wetlands. Since European settlement of
the area, many of the wetlands of the region have been drained or otherwise altered. The southeastern
portions Prairie Pothole Region have experienced over a 90% loss of the original wetland and grassland
acreage, whereas the far north and western portions still have a large percentage of wetland and
grassland acreage left. The loss of rangeland and wetland habitat, and the dominance of agricultural
habitats, raises serious issues about the future of this unique ecosystem and its wildlife and human
inhabitants. The increase in awareness of these issues have led federal, state, and tribal governments,
as well as private groups to assess and monitor wetland biologic, chemical, and physical attributes to try
to get a handle on the effects of current land management. These assessments will aid the current
generation in identifying the numerous services that the regions wetlands provide, and future generation
data detailing the gain or loss of the integrity of these wetlands due to current conservation and
restoration practices.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0200
A Focus on Lentic Riparian/Wetland Ecosystems
Lou Hagener
srm, Havre, MT, United States
The biological communities associated with standing water ecosystems are important for a variety of
ecological reasons. This two session symposium is designed to provide information on the resource
values of these lentic wetland communities, how these communities are being
classified/inventoried/monitored/assessed, how they function, and what work is ongoing in these areas.
Presentations are offered by personnel from various agencies, universities and other groups working in
the intermountain and prairie pothole areas of the US. Attendees of this symposium can get a better
understanding of what lentic communities are and how to address them in planning for responsible
management of landscapes containing these communities.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0201
Vegetative Variation between Nesting and Winter Habitat of the Greater Sage-Grouse
Cheryl Mandich
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are a landscape species with annual ranges that can
span 1000 mi2 (2700 km2). They are sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) obligates, requiring a mosaic of
sagebrush habitat throughout their life span. Data collected from April 2008 through March 2010 as part
of a radio-telemetry study was analyzed to determine the seasonal habitat distribution and migratory
status of a population of sage-grouse in Western Natrona County, WY. Habitat use for nesting and early
brood rearing has been well documented in prior studies, but minimal winter habitat work has been
conducted. As lack of suitable winter habitat may have detrimental effects on greater sage-grouse
populations, microhabitat features were collected at nesting/early brood rearing and winter grouse
locations to facilitate detailing vegetative variation between seasonal ranges. These variables were then
associated with Geographic Information System (GIS) layers to design a predictive model for sage-grouse
seasonal habitat on a macro-habitat (landscape) scale. Male and female grouse locations were collected
via aerial and ground telemetry and incorporated into GIS for spatial analysis. GIS technology was
utilized to provide a visual display and geo-referenced data. Combined with the microhabitat data
collected, the information will assist land and wildlife managers in making decisions with regards to
conservation and management of the Greater Sage-grouse.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0202
The DF1 Tip Jet Personal Helicopter: An Innovative Platform for Obtaining Very-High Resolution
Aerial Images
Ricardo Cavalcanti
Avimech International Aircraft, Inc., Tucson, AZ, United States
Tip jet helicopters have flown since 1950 when the Hiller HJ-1 Hornet used ramjets mounted to rotorblade tips instead of the large engine, gearbox, and tail rotor of conventional helicopters. The U.S. Army,
Navy, and NASA all experimented with the concept, as did Sud-Ouest in France. Twelve earlier tip jet
helicopters have been designed, but only Sud-Quest's Djinn was commercially produced. No such aircraft
have been built since the mid-1960's. Tip jet helicopters were never accepted by customers because of
their short range, noisy interiors, and undesirable autorotation characteristics. However, Avimech
International Aircraft, Tucson, AZ, now markets a recently designed, small tip-powered helicopter, called
the DF1. The DF1 overcomes some of the earlier obstacles through lighter, hydrogen peroxide-powered
jets, a light tubular airframe, and blade modifications that increase lift. The tip jets convert hydrogen
peroxide to steam and oxygen in the presence of a metal catalyst, generating 14.5 kg of thrust from each
jet (equivalent to 204 HP). The airframe weights 100 kg. A hand control directs all maneuvers making it
simple to fly. It cruises at 64 km/h (40 mph) and has a maximum climb rate of 2,300 ft./min. Endurance is
50 minutes or more, depending on fuel-tank size. The DF1 has been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration. It debuted at the 2010 Experimental Aircraft Association's Oshkosh national fly-in. Its
stability in windy conditions, cruise speed, and hovering capability, potentially, make it an attractive
platform for acquiring very-high resolution rangeland imagery.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0203
Multiple-Paddock Planned Grazing Distributes Utilization across a Heterogeneous Landscape
Matt Barnes1, Jim Howell2
1
Shining Horizons Land Management, Cimarron, Colorado, United States, 2The Howell Ranch, Cimarron,
Colorado, United States
We use multiple-paddock planned grazing where a herd of livestock are moved through a series of
paddocks over the course of the grazing season to manage the spatial and temporal distribution of
grazing. This contains elements of both rotational grazing and rotational rest, and is adaptively managed
rather than a rigid grazing system. Planned grazing has improved the spatial distribution of utilization on
the Howell Ranch with shorter grazing periods, higher stocking density, and smaller paddocks than the
extensive management practiced previously on the ranch and currently on many ranches. Cattle
regularly graze steep mountainsides and plants often considered unpalatable, without damaging riparian
areas, at moderate overall utilization, while maintaining good animal performance. Steep areas
dominated by Thurber fescue (Festuca thurberi), a bunchgrass which becomes rank and avoided if not
frequently grazed, comprise most of the land and much of the forage base of the ranch. If steep
areas were not utilized the ranch would sustain a much lower grazing capacity; and if they were only
utilized when preferred, areas and plant species would be overgrazed, and rangeland health and
livestock performance would suffer. The Howell Ranch is a commercial scale case study corroborating
recent experimental evidence that well-planned and adaptively managed multiple-paddock grazing can
improve the distribution of livestock grazing across a heterogeneous landscape and across plant
species. This central benefit of multiple-paddock planned grazing may have been lost in previous grazing
studies where paddock size and diversity were minimized, and thus resolves much of the debate over
grazing management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0205
Downwind Rangeland Smoke: Flint Hills Case Study
Brian Obermeyer1, Kristen Hase2
The Nature Conservancy, Cottonwood Falls, KS, United States, 2National Park Service, Cottonwood
Falls, KS, United States
1
The Flint Hills landscape of Kansas and Oklahoma is the largest remaining tract of tallgrass prairie left in
North America. Early cattlemen recognized that burning Flint Hills pastures improved cattle weight gains
and the condition of their pastures. Large areas in the Flint Hills, particularly in pastures grazed by
transient cattle, were burned in early spring on a frequent basis despite academic warnings against the
practice. Today, the practice of pasture burning, typically in late March or early April, is common
throughout the Flint Hills, but is especially prevalent where intensive early stocking (IES) is done (IES =
twice the number of stocker cattle graze for half the season). Average daily weight gains in IES pastures
are commonly 15 percent higher, resulting in a strong economic incentive to annually burn. Analyses of
satellite imagery indicate that some areas are receiving more fire than is ecologically necessary and
others not nearly enough. Weather conditions sometimes force land managers to burn within a narrow
window of time, causing air quality problems, particularly ozone levels, for communities down wind. EPA
is proposing to make air quality standards more stringent, which will make it more challenging to burn
without impacting EPA air quality standards. As a result, the state of Kansas is developing a Smoke
Management Plan to address issues related to Flint Hills prescribed fire.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0206
Monitoring the Efficacy of Biocontrol on Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) in British
Columbia's Southern Interior
Don Gayton1, Val Miller2
1
FORREX, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada, 2British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range,
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) is a serious problem on low elevation, Crown-owned native
rangelands of British Columbia's southern Interior, causing economic and biodiversity losses. Beginning
in 1971 and continuing to the present, a series of biological control insect species were released and
subsequently redistributed in an effort to control the weed. To determine the efficacy of this biological
control effort, ten older (1983-1998) vegetation monitoring sites, which contained knapweed in the first
sampling, were identified across southern British Columbia. In 2010, the monitoring sites, representing a
range of elevations, aspects and grazing histories, were relocated and remonitored for vegetative cover,
and the data compared. Knapweed biological control release locations were superimposed over the
vegetation monitoring site locations, and the current status of the biological control agents' populations
was measured at each monitoring site. In all cases knapweed declined from the earlier sampling, in some
instances precipitously. Potential alternate causes for the decline (changing climatic patterns, changing
grazing practices) are discussed. This metadata analysis points to a successful biocontrol effort, and
suggests that the release of multiple types of insect agents (seed feeders and root feeders) may have
had a synergistic effect.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0207
The Great Basin Landscape Conservation Cooperative: Building on Existing Collaborative
Programs
Mike Pellant
Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID, United States
The floristic Great Basin has a long history of collaboration between management entities and more
recently among land managers and the scientific community at a regional scale. These collaborative
efforts have often focused on common issues in the Great Basin including, but not limited to, invasive
species, wildfires, development, and climate change. The Bureau of Land Management, the largest land
manager in the Great Basin, established the Great Basin Restoration Initiative in 1999 to address
flammable exotic grasses and wildfires on public lands. More recently, the Great Basin Science and
Management Partnership and Great Basin Environmental Program were established to address science
serving management and restoration funding in this region. In 2009, the Department of Interior initiated
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) to better integrate science and management to address
climate change and other landscape scale issues. LCCs are applied conservation science and
management partnerships between the Interior Department bureaus, as well as other federal agencies,
states, tribes, non-governmental organizations, universities and stakeholders. The Great Basin LCC is
one of twenty LCCs being set up across the US and corresponds to the widely accepted floristic Great
Basin Boundary. The challenge in organizing the Great Basin LCC is connecting the existing regional
partnerships and their value into a new organization that will be self-governing and supported by a DOI
agency staff. The key to connecting the efforts of these four regional partnerships is communication and
compromise.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0208
Communicating Effectively with Livestock Producers
Fee Busby2, Rick Caquelin1, Steve Hedstrom3, Justin Meissner1, John Hollenback3
1
USDA-NRCS, Montana, United States, 2Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States, 3Rancher,
Montana, United States
This session will focus on improving communication skills of agency personnel who interact with
producers or ranchers - probably the most important skill in the toolbox. The program will emphasize
success stories of ranchers and agency personnel who have worked together to improve management of
grazing lands for the benefit of the resource and the financial stability of the ranch. Larger scale
endeavors that would include watershed and multi-ranch level planning will also be examined to show
examples of communication strategies that have been successful. Speakers will also discuss tactics
about how to build trust and rapport with individuals as well as with groups or organizations to meet
specific objectives. Ranchers will discuss: 1) what they expect from a working relationship with a range
specialist or a conservation planner, 2) topics important to the rancher that an inexperienced range
specialist may not initially consider, 3) the importance of ranch economics, 4) what not to say, and 5) how
to build trust and rapport from the rancher's point of view. Range Specialists or conservation planners will
speak about how they have been able to sell conservation and sound range management principles to
producers during their careers. This session is primarily focused on an audience of newer government
employees who have little to no experience working with ranchers, but more experienced employees will
benefit from the session as well. Even though USDA-NRCS employees are the only agency speakers,
other agency personnel who work with landowners should acquire information that they can use in their
daily jobs.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0209
Demonstration of Restoration Approaches on a Wetland Reserve Project
Kathy Pendergrass1, Dean Moberg1, Joe Williams2
1
USDA-NRCS, Portland, Oregon, United States, 2USDA-NRCS Corvallis Plant Materials Center, Corvallis,
Oregon, United States
Currently, restoration of prairies in the Willamette Valley of Oregon is an art rather than a science.
Restoration professionals disagree about best techniques to restore diverse prairie plant communities.
There is even lack of agreement about whether grasses or forbs should be seeded first or whether all
should just be seeded together and left to develop. Much of the land being restored to prairie habitats is
retired agricultural land with varying histories of crops and weed species. Seeding a grass-only plant
community allows for continued use of broadleaf-specific chemicals for several years to control weed
infestations before forbs are re-intoduced. In other projects, generally where sites have been planted in
grass seed crops and broad-leaved weeds have been controlled for many years, restorationists contend
that seeding the forbs first is the best approach. In this study, we wanted to test what seeding approach
would give us the most cost-effective, yet diverse plant communities over time at a new restoration of a
wetland reserve project just south of the city of Forest Grove, Oregon. During Fall, 2007, nine 1-acre
rectangular treatment plots were established and seeded to three different, randomly assigned
"treatments", with three replications of each treatment. The seeding treatments were 1) grass-only, 2)
forbs-only, and 3) grasses and forbs together. These treatment plots have been monitored during the
growing seasons of 2008, 2009, and 2010. During Fall, 2010, grass will be seeded into the forb-only plots
and forbs will be seeded into the grass-only plots.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0210
Rangeland Web Resources: Making Your Proposals More Competitive
James Dobrowolski
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Washington, DC, United States
From the 2008 Farm Bill, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) represents a new
opportunity and imperative to grow and sustain support for agriculture research, education, and
extension. Both this year and into the future more competitive awards, including NIFA's flagship program
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), will require greater representation of education and/or
extension components. Most of the NIFA requests for applications (RFAs) include a general suggestion
to link newly funded projects and eXtension, but no specific reference to existing web-based rangeland
science and management resources is indicated. Proposals to NIFA for integrated competitive funds with
new education/extension components to the Rangelands West (GROKS) web site, directed to rangeland
science and management professionals, and the Rangeland Stewardship and Health Community of
Practice (RSHCoP) site within eXtension with a more public audience, could be considered a valid budget
expense. These efforts might include developing webcasts, webinars, online tutorials, and/or on-line
curricula integral to either the Rangelands West or the RSHCoP eXtension web sites. Product
development and implementation could count towards NIFA's requirements for integration of research,
education and extension, if the appropriately skilled co-project directors are included on the proposal.
Rangeland scientists need to be aware of RSHCoP eXtension and Rangelands West as potential
partners in their extension and education efforts to make their proposals more competitive, and in turn,
help support these web resources.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0211
A Historical Perspective on the Development of the Ecological Site Concept
Joel Brown1, Jack Alexander2, Justin Derner3
1
USDA NRCS, Las Cruces NM, United States, 2Synergy Resources, Bozeman MT, United States, 3USDA
ARS, Cheyenne WY, United States
The dominant disciplines in natural resource management, forestry and range, have developed over the
past century with the "site" concept as a core principle. Forest managers employed a site concept
focused primarily on the influence of a specific set of climate and soil factors on forest production; in
particular on the selection of appropriate species for replanting after burns and timber harvest.
Pioneering range scientists adapted the site concept with an emphasis on the control climatic and
edaphic factors exerted on plant community composition and sustainable forage production. The
rangeland application used the concept of ‘regional climax' modified by variations in soil development
factors at finer scales to predict species composition and production and served as the basis for
management interpretations. Recent advances in ecology have forced some rethinking in the basic
principles of site description. While contemporary multi-stable state views plant community dynamics
have been relatively well accounted for by employing state and transition models, the shift in emphasis
away from similarity of a climax community as a way to group soil units requires reconsideration of
organizing principles. Rather than a characteristic plant community, ecological dynamics provide more
appropriate criteria for grouping land units into ecological sites. Within a specified climatic regime,
landscape position and static soil properties are the best predictors of ecological dynamics in response to
changes in management. The shift from climax vegetation to soil properties as an organizing basis for
delineating landscape components will likely require a reconsideration of the design of ecological sites.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0212
Long Term Effects of Aeration and Fire on Invasion of Exotic Grasses in Mixed Brush Plant
Communities as Affected by a Wildfire
Felix Ayala-A.1, J. Alfonso Ortega-S.1, Timothy E. Fulbright1, G. Allen Rasmussen1, D. Lynn Drawe1,
David R. Synatzske2, Andrea R. Litt1
1
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, United
States, 2Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Artesia Wells, Texas, United States
The presence of exotic grasses may be affected by disturbances such as mechanical treatments and
prescribed burning, additionally, wildfires may exacerbate these effects. This study was conducted to
determine the long term effect of aeration and prescribed burning on the invasion of exotic grasses as
affected by a wildfire. Four treatments were evaluated in 2007 and in 2008 after a wildfire: aeration in
1999 or 2000, aeration in 1999 or 2000 followed by a warm season burn in 2005, warm season burn in
2005, and control (only wildfire in 2008). A randomized complete block design with four replicates was
used. We examined changes in percent canopy cover of exotic grasses, native grasses, forbs, litter, and
bare ground, as well as woody and succulent plants. There was a multivariate effect in the absolute
canopy cover of exotic grasses, native grasses, forbs, litter, and bare ground in 2007 among treatments,
namely cover of litter and native grasses. After the wildfire in 2008 there was a multivariate effect in the
absolute canopy cover of exotic grasses, native grasses, forbs, litter, and bare ground in 2008 among
treatments, namely cover of exotic grasses which were higher in the control than in the other treatments.
Exotic grasses percentage in the control increased from 37% in 2007 to 78% in 2008 after the wildfire.
Our results do not suggest that aeration and/or prescribed burning increase exotic grasses 7-8 years after
the initial treatment and as affected by the wildfire, except in the non-treated areas.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0213
Effect of a Wildfire on Old Aerated and Prescribed Burned Sites: Vegetation Diversity and Exotic
Grasses
Felix Ayala-A.1, J. Alfonso Ortega-S.1, Timothy E. Fulbright1, G. Allen Rasmussen1, D. Lynn Drawe1,
David R. Synatzske2, Andrea R. Litt1
1
Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, United
States, 2Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Artesia Wells, Texas, United States
Vegetation diversity may be affected by disturbances such as mechanical treatments, prescribed burning,
and wildfires. This study was conducted to determine the effect of a wildfire on the invasion of exotic
grasses on previously aerated and prescribed burn sites. The study was conducted at the Chaparral
Wildlife Management Area in the western south Texas plains. Four treatments were evaluated before and
after a wildfire of spring 2008: aeration in 1999 or 2000, aeration in 1999 or 2000 followed by a warm
season burn in 2005, warm season burn in 2005, and control (only wildfire). Within a randomized
complete block design with three replicates, we examined changes from 2007 to 2008 in percent canopy
cover of exotic grasses, native grasses, forbs, litter, and bare ground, as well as woody and succulent
plants. There was a multivariate effect of the wildfire in the absolute canopy cover of exotic grasses,
native grasses, forbs, litter, and bare ground among treatments (Wilks' Lambda F 15, 143.95 = 2.21, P =
0.0084), namely canopy cover of exotic grasses (F 3, 56 = 3.66, P = 0.0176) which were higher in the
control than in the other treatments. Exotic grasses percentage in the control increased from 37% in 2007
to 78% in 2008 after the wildfire. The wildfire and the disturbances are not the only factor influencing
these results, soil properties and precipitation also play an important role in the establishment or
propagation of either native or exotic species after a disturbance by fire or mechanical means.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0214
Planting Date Influences Germination and Seedling Demography of Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Chad Boyd, Jeremy James
USDA-ARS, Burns, Oregon, United States
Establishment of perennial grasses from seed in post-disturbance Wyoming big sagebrush communities
has met with only limited success, due partly to a severe lack of knowledge of the seedling ecology of
perennial grasses. Here we examine the influence of planting timing on germination and seedling
demographics of bluebunch wheatgrass. Our study site was located near Burns, OR. In 2008 - 2009 we
planted seeds monthly, September - December, in 1m2 plots (500 seeds/plot) using a randomized block
design with five replications. Germination timing was assessed using seed bags pulled at 2-week
intervals in fall and 1-month intervals in spring. Seedlings were marked in March-June of the year
following planting; seedlings remaining in July were considered established. Planting in September and
October had up to 80% germination prior to winter whereas December plantings germinated mainly in
spring and at reduced rates (15-35%). Seeds planted in September and October emerged earlier
(March-April) and November/December plantings emerged later (April-May). Emergence of germinated
seeds was highest for September/October plantings but seedling survival was highest for later plantings.
Density of established seedlings was lowest for November plantings in year one and highest for
September plantings in year two. Relatively poor establishment of fall-germinated seeds suggests that
delaying germination until spring may improve establishment success. Our data indicate that the critical
stages of seedling development are affected by month of planting. While emergence was limited in all
treatments, seedling survival was higher with later planting date (e.g., December) but germination was
higher with September/October plantings.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0215
Rangeland and Pasture Weed Control with Aminopyralid + 2,4-D
Vernon Langston, Chad Cummings, Byron Sleugh, Pat Burch, Bill Kline
Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Aminopyralid is a systemic herbicide developed by Dow AgroSciences specifically for use on rangeland,
permanent grass pasture, such as Conservation Reserve Program acres, and wildlife management
areas. GrazonNext® herbicide is a liquid formulated product containing 40 g ae/L (0.33 lbs ae/gal)
aminopyralid + 320 g ae/L (2.67 lbs ae/gal) 2,4-D. Labeled broadcast use rates of this herbicide product
range from 1.2 to 3.1 L/ha (1.0 to 2.6 pints/acre). Broadleaf weeds reduce rangeland and pasture carrying
capacity by competing with forage grasses and desirable forbs. The control of later emerging weeds can
lead to improved access to forage by grazing animals. GrazonNext provides broad spectrum control
required to manage weed species complexes in rangeland and pastures. GrazonNext controls many
weeds in these complexes including musk thistle (Carduus nutans), plumeless thistle (Carduus
acanthoides), horsenettle (Solanum carolinense), annual broomweed (Gutierrezia dracunculoides),
western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), spiny amaranth
(Amaranthus spinosus), wild carrot (Daucus carota), buckhorn plantain (Plantago coronopus), woolly
croton (Croton capitatus), and bitter sneezeweed (Helenium amarum). GrazonNext provides suppression
of several woody species, including huisache (Acacia farnesiana) , mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and
blackbrush (Acacia rigidula).
®
Trademark of Dow AgroSciences - GrazonNext is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact
your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state.
Always read and follow label directions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0216
ESD Development Technical Workshop
Jamin Johanson, Shane Green, Sarah Quistberg, Jacob Owens
USDA-NRCS, UT, United States
Ecological site descriptions (ESDs) are being developed throughout the United States as a means of
classifying and describing land types according to soil-geomorphic, climatic, and vegetation patterns.
Individuals tasked with writing these documents often have difficulty obtaining and summarizing all of the
information required for ESD production. Without a standardized method for ESD development nationally,
many new and innovative tools have been developed by individuals seeking to produce ESDs as
accurately and efficiently as possible. This workshop provides the training necessary to write an ESD by
allowing the creators of ESD development tools to share their methods in a classroom setting. Part one
will focus on obtaining useful information from commonly-available data sources to create site extent
maps, extract and analyze soil and physiographic data, interpret site-specific climate data, and fill out the
hydrologic features and growth curves sections of the ESD. Part two will focus on integrating information
from various sources to produce ecological site keys, state-and-transition models, and interstate
ecological site correlations. This workshop is not intended to endorse specific ESD development tools,
but to exhibit useful methods and facilitate the exchange of ideas among ESD development
professionals.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0217
The Invasion of Smooth Bromegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass in Restored Grasslands as a
Function of Species Diversity
Andrew DiAllesandro, Breanna Paradeis, Mario Biondini
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
This study investigated the relationship between plant diversity and susceptibility to invasion by smooth
bromegrass (Bromus inermis) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) in experimentally restored
grassland plots. This study was conducted on 610 plots in two locations; 400 plots were located in
southeastern North Dakota representing the northern tallgrass prairie and 210 plots were located in west
central North Dakota representing the mixed-grass prairie. The 400 plots in southeastern North Dakota
were planted with 100 different species mixtures and fertilized with nitrogen or phosphorus, at high or low
levels. The 210 plots in west central North Dakota were planted with 70 different species mixtures and
fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus, or no fertilizer. Results from this experiment indicate that Bromus was
inversely correlated with the number of seeded species, seeded species biomass, total number of
species, and total biomass at the southeastern plots. The presence of Poa was unrelated to the number
of seeded species or total number of species, however, Poa presence was positively correlated to seeded
biomass and total biomass at the southeastern plots. At the west central plots, the presence of Bromus
was inversely correlated to the number of seeded species and seeded biomass, while unrelated to the
total number of species and the total biomass. The presence of Poa at the west central plots was
unrelated to the number of seeded species, total number of species, seeded biomass, or total biomass,
but was inversely affected by treatment when crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) was a covariant.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0218
Cattle Grazing and Yosemite Toad (Bufo canorus Camp) Occupancy across a Hydrologic Gradient
of Sierra Nevada Mountain Meadows
Leslie Roche, Andrew Latimer, Danny Eastburn, Kenneth Tate
Department of Plant Sciences University of California, Davis, Davis, Ca, United States
With mounting evidence of global population declines, amphibian conservation is gaining considerable
attention. In the Sierra Nevada, the Yosemite Toad (Bufo canorus Camp) has disappeared from much of
its historic range. Cattle grazing is thought to degrade the quality, and thus reduce occupancy, of meadow
breeding habitat critical to Yosemite Toads. However, there is little quantitative information correlating
cattle use, meadow breeding habitat quality, and toad use of breeding habitat. We surveyed 24 meadows
to: 1) identify meadow biotic and abiotic factors influencing cattle utilization and Yosemite Toad
occupancy; and 2) identify meadow types preferred by both cattle and toads to help direct grazing
management and conservation efforts. During 2007 and 2008, cattle utilization (herbaceous use, fecal
loading), plant community (species composition, forage quality, biomass production), and hydrologic
condition (water table depth, spatial and temporal extent of surface flooding) data were collected from 5
sites within each meadow. Whole meadow toad surveys were conducted both years. A Bayesian
structural equation model approach was used to test a priori hypothesized relationships between cattle
grazing, Yosemite Toad occupancy, and meadow biotic and abiotic factors. Our results show that
hydrologic condition, and not cattle grazing intensity, significantly influences toad meadow occupancy.
Main findings include: 1) cattle use and toad occupancy are inversely related to meadow hydrology; 2)
toads prefer habitats associated with relatively wet meadows; 3) cattle select nutritious diets associated
with drier meadows; and 4) cattle grazing and toad occupancy primarily overlap in moderately wet
meadows.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0219
Economic Flow-Model for Western Rangelands: Using Economic Principles to Guide the
Allocation of Conservation Resources
Michael Taylor, Kimberly Rollins, Laine Christman
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
We present a directional flow-model to help public land managers efficiently allocate scarce resources
between competing projects. This model will provide a thought process to incorporate economic concepts
and current information on the economic benefits and costs of treatments (fuels removal, weed
management, etc.) on western rangelands into land management decision-making. The model has four
steps. First, the land manager must define the desired outcome of each treatment and the probability of
the planned action reaching this outcome. Second, the land manager must identify the categories of
benefits from each treatment (i.e., livestock, recreation, flood control, etc.). Each category of benefits will
have a corresponding sub-module that will assist the land manager in the calculation of the estimated
economic benefits in the category resulting from the treatment. Third, the land manager must calculate
projected treatment costs. These include the costs of labor, materials (herbicide, etc), hiring contractors,
and depreciation of equipment. Fourth, once benefits and costs are calculated for each treatment, the
land managers will rank the treatments in terms of their benefit-cost ratios (the benefits of a treatment
divided by the costs). An efficient allocation of agency resources is achieved by prioritizing projects in
order of their benefit-cost ratios. This research is conducted as part of the USDA ARS's "Area-wide Pest
Management Program for Annual Grasses in the Great Basin Ecosystem."
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0220
Ten-Year Invasive Vegetation Changes on a South Texas Range
Aaron Tjelmeland1, J. Alfonso Ortega-S.1, Jorge Molina1, Kevin Porter2, Laura Bush1, Forrest Smith1,
Marc Bartoskewitz2, Fred C. Bryant1
1
Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, United States, 2King Ranch, Kingsville, Texas,
United States
Invasive grasses introduced to South Texas to improve forage production for cattle have invaded much of
the rangelands in the region. Invasive grasses often displace native vegetation while reducing the quality
of wildlife habitat. In 2009, we performed 21 vegetation transects that had also been performed in 1999,
2002, and 2004. When grouped together, all exotic grasses appeared to steadily increase in composition
over the 10 year period. This trend was likely due to the large component of KR/ Kleberg bluestems in the
exotic grass group. KR/ Kleberg bluestem steadily increased throughout the 10 years. Tanglehead and
Kleberg bluestem increased (P<0.05) from 1.4 and 1.8% in 1999 to 2.7 and 3.6% in 2002 and then to 8.1
and 9.4% in 2009, respectively. Values for native grasses and forbs were 60.8 and 32.7%, 80.8 and
7.6%, and 49.4 and 26.4% for the same three year periods, respectively. Buffelgrass remained a
relatively low portion of the vegetation during the survey period in the study area, probably due to less
suitable soils. Likewise, guineagrass never composed more than 0.1% of the vegetation. While KR/
Kleberg bluestem remain the most invasive species in the area, tanglehead has increased in more recent
years. Although heavily grazed on the study area, invasive grasses have continued to increase over the
ten year period. As these grasses continue to increase, it may become necessary to adjust wildlife
management practices to address the impacts of the invasion on habitat.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0221
Rangeland Technology and Equipment Workshop: Diversification of Crested Wheatgrass Stands
Robert Cox1, Mike Pellant2, Nancy Shaw3
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, United States, 2Bureau of Land Management, Boise, United States,
3
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, United States
1
The Rangeland Technology and Equipment Council (RTEC) is an informal organization of land
managers, engineers, academia, and private industry representatives interested in developing new
rehabilitation equipment and strategies. The roots of RTEC go back to 1946 when the need for new site
preparation and seeding equipment to increase forage production on western USA rangelands was a
priority. Today RTEC emphasizes innovative technology and strategies to improve land treatments on
western rangelands through the supporting functions of equipment development and application of
innovative technology. The theme for this year's workshop is "Diversification of Crested Wheatgrass
Stands". Invited speakers will discuss basic ecology, completed and ongoing research, and practical
experience, and will review successes and failures in seeding native species into established crested
wheatgrass stands. At the end of the workshop a short RTEC organizational meeting for the 2012 SRM
meeting will be held.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0222
Riparian Forest Regeneration in the Middle Sheyenne River Watershed of North Dakota, USA
Sarah Braaten, Edward (Shawn) DeKeyser, Joseph Zeleznik
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
There is a concern by federal, state, local, private, and non-profit groups about the lack of regeneration of
riparian hardwood forest communities of the Middle Sheyenne Watershed in N.D. Historically, the
dominant tree species native to this watershed include bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), American elm
(Ulmus americana), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Both bur oak and American elm have been
found to a lesser extent in the past forty years, with the latter species experiencing mortality due to
disease. However, today seedlings of these species are sometimes present, yet apparently short lived.
It is not known whether the observed reduction in seedling recruitment in bottomland forest riparian areas
is directly related to grazing or browsing by herbivores, or rather if the lack of natural tree regeneration
may be due to other factors. It is hypothesized that land management allowing utilization of seedlings by
herbivores maybe playing a significant role in reduced seedling survivability in forested riparian areas,
whether planted or naturally regenerating. Our study incorporates browsing by white-tailed deer
(Odocoileus virginianus) and/or grazing by cattle as treatments. Local tree plantings demonstrate the use
of possible exclosure methods, including electric and non-electric fences or cages. Exclosures were also
placed in riparian areas with naturally occurring seedlings, to help determine seedling survivability and
recruitment. The results of this research will aid in deciding the appropriateness of restoration plantings
in this ecoregion.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0223
Seedling Emergence of Diverse Seed Mixes in Post-Wildfire Rangelands
Robert Cox1, Nancy Shaw2, Mike Pellant3
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States, 2Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho,
United States, 3Bureau of Land Management, Boise, Idaho, United States
1
Although rangeland seeding is common, it most often includes only a few species. Seeding diverse seed
mixes could help to improve diversity of disturbed rangelands, but is a challenge because the different
size, shape, appendage type, and sowing requirements of each species necessitate special handling.
We evaluated emergence of a diverse seed mix seeded by a standard rangeland drill and by a newer
"minimum-till" drill that was designed to drill and broadcast/press seed in alternating rows. The seed mix
included grass, forb, and shrub species, and was seeded at two seeding rates plus a control of no seed.
Both drills were evaluated at two different seeding locations in a replicated RCB design. Large-seeded
species that were placed into the soil by the seed drills displayed up to 220 individuals per m2, and no
differences were observed between the drill types, although seeding rate and seeding location were
significant. In the first year following seeding, small-seeded species that were either broadcast or
pressed onto the soil surface had greater density in the areas seeded with the minimum-till drill (up to 27
seedlings per m2), as compared to the standard rangeland drill (about 11 seedlings per m2), which was
not different from the unseeded areas. However, such differences largely disappeared by the second
year post-seeding. Success in seeding such diverse seed mixes will require careful attention to the
ecological requirements of each species, and machinery that can actually handle the seeds.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0224
BLM and the Pollinator Partnership
Laurie Davies-Adams2, Carol Spurrier1
1
Bureau of Land Management, Washington DC, United States, 2Pollinator Partnership, San Francisco CA,
United States
Pollinators are critical for maintaining the biotic capacity and integrity of rangelands. Although grasses
are wind pollinated, the forbs and shrubs that make our rangeland plant communities unique often
depend upon native insects (and in some places, birds or bats) for the transfer of pollen required for plant
reproduction. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Pollinator Partnership (P2) have been
working together at a national level since 1997 to protect pollinators and pollinator habitat. In this talk we
present information on many of the successful partnerships and projects that BLM and P2 are involved
with nationally and explore opportunities to increase pollinator conservation, education and management
projects in Field Offices. We will also present standard operating procedures and best management
practices for managing and maintaining pollinators through vegetation management projects.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0225
Applications of Molecular Tools for Rangeland Ecology and Management
Melanie Murphy1, Chris Funk2
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States, 2Colorado State University, Fort Collins,
Colorado, United States
1
Molecular tools are becoming commonly available and are frequently applied in management of natural
resources. These applications are increasing due to the development of new technology, cross-training of
professionals and reduction in laboratory costs. However, how can molecular tools be applied to answer
questions in rangeland ecology and management? These tools can be very effectively applied to meet
production goals, address rangeland assessment, monitor wildlife populations, develop landscape-level
planning tools, and inform adaptive management. We give concrete examples of these applications,
discuss the type of molecular data needed, and best practices for collecting/analyzing those data.
Production goals may be more effectively met by identifying plant strains that are drought tolerant.
Molecular methods can be used in rangeland assessment to identify presence of cryptic species and
quantify genetic diversity within a species. Wildlife species of concern can be monitored for presence,
genetic diversity, and movement within a management area. Ability of wildlife to move through a
managed landscape can be difficult to assess. Genetic connectivity data can be applied on a landscape
level to evaluate ability of species to move through the current landscape and evaluate potential future
landscapes under alternative management plans. We conclude with a case study on chorus frogs
(Pseudacris maculata) in mixed land ownership (Larimer County, Colorado), evaluating the effect of
alternative land management strategies. We find that connectivity is higher in areas with active ranch land
use compared to alternative lands uses.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0226
Optimized Plant Frequency as a Surrogate Measure for Species Abundance - Potential
Applications to VHR Image
Michael DeBacker1, John Heywood2
1
National Park Service, Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network, Republic,MO, United States,
2
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, United States
Assessment of the effects of specific rangeland management practices requires long-term monitoring of
species abundance. Foliar cover is the most commonly used measure of plant species abundance.
However, cover may respond strongly to short-term environmental fluctuations, particularly in grasslands
where aboveground biomass is regenerated annually and grazing intensity can be highly variable. Plant
frequency is a pragmatic surrogate for plant density. Frequency estimates are based on
presence/absence data from plots of fixed size. Using a combination of statistical models and computer
simulations, we have identified sampling designs that maximize statistical power for detecting changes in
underlying plant density based on the analysis of plant frequency. The optimal plot size for collecting
frequency data decreases with increasing spatial variation in local density (spatial structure). We used
spatially nested arrays of plots to simultaneously estimate the frequencies of 27 species at Tallgrass
Prairie National Preserve, Kansas, based on a nearly-optimal plot size for each species. Of the nine
perennial grasses in this group, five exhibited significant interannual variation. When the
presence/absence of foliage is recorded from plots on a VHR image the resulting frequency estimate
converges on foliar cover rather than plant density. Despite this loss of density information, foliar
frequency estimated from plots will be more reliable than foliar cover estimated by point sampling to the
extent that presence/absence inferences are more reliable when made from clusters of pixels (plots) than
when made from individual pixels.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0227
Predicting Wolf (Canis lupus)-Cattle (Bos taurus) Encounters and Consequential Effects on Cattle
Resource Selection Patterns
Patrick Clark1, D. Joseph Chigbrow2, Kelly Crane2, John Williams3, Larry Larson4, Douglas Johnson5
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Boise, ID, United States, 2University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United
States, 3Oregon State University, Enterprise, OR, United States, 4Oregon State University, La Grande,
OR, United States, 5Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
1
The gray wolf population in Idaho has grown dramatically from the original 35 reintroduced individuals in
1995-1996 to 94 documented packs and a minimum population of 835 individuals in 2009. Wolf
depredation on livestock has also increased dramatically with this population growth. Substantial
spatiotemporal variability in wolf predation risk likely exists within large livestock grazing areas (e.g.,
public land grazing allotments) but this variability, its driving factors, and its consequences to livestock
resource selection patterns have never been evaluated. Beef cattle and wolf resource selection patterns
were evaluated using Clark GPS tracking collars logging locations every 5 min (cattle) or 15 min
(wolves). Potential wolf-cattle encounters were determined based on wolf-cattle GPS location pairs that
occurred within 500 m and 15 min of each other. Wolf scat locations were also surveyed and geolocated weekly along standardized routes. Potential wolf rendezvous sites were identified from a
predictive wolf resource selection map. Potential wolf-cattle encounters were highly correlated to the
location and timing of fresh wolf scat detected on survey routes. These encounters were also highly
correlated with predicted wolf rendezvous sites. Although confirmation is needed, scat routes and wolf
resource selection maps appear to be very useful tools for livestock producers and natural resource
managers to assess the spatiotemporal variability of risk to wolf depredation on large livestock grazing
areas. These tools have the potential to provide an early warning prior to or during the grazing season,
perhaps allowing livestock management to be adjusted before serious depredation losses take place.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0228
Response of Juniper Woodland-Fuel Loading to Mechanical and Prescribed Fire Treatment
Christopher Bernau, Stephen Bunting
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
Juniper woodlands have been expanding at an unprecedented rate over the past 130 years. As a result,
rangelands have experienced changes in fire hazard as juniper density and cover has increased. The
occurrence of large crown fires has subsequently increased in some areas. To mitigate this problem
many land owners, both public and private, have undertaken juniper control programs utilizing a variety of
techniques. This study analyzes the fuel reduction effectiveness of two common techniques, prescribed
fire, and mechanical cutting with chain saws. Fourteen sites across the Intermountain West were
selected to represent western juniper, Utah juniper, and pinyon-juniper woodlands in the Great Basin.
Data reported are from two years after treatments were implemented. The study found an increase in
herbaceous biomass in both treatments. Dead woody fuels (10hr, 100hr, and 1000hr) increased
significantly in the prescribed fire and mechanical treatments. Increases in these fuels indicate that while
fuel treatment is effective in reducing tree density, it may not be as effective in reducing overall fuel from
the site in the short term.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0229
New Paradigms for Collaborative Research and Management in the Great Basin
Stuart Hardegree
USDA ARS Northwest Watershed Management Research Center, Boise, ID, United States
Current trends in research and management in the natural resources require the formation and
maintenance of large, multi-disciplinary, multi-organizational, and regional research and management
partnerships. The evolution of this regional-cooperative paradigm, however, has outpaced the
development of tools and infrastructure to support and sustain these efforts. A regional workshop to
address these issues was held in Reno in 2006, that led to the formation of the Great Basin Research
and Management Partnership, which was formalized in 2010 with the establishment of an MOU between
Federal and State agencies and Universities in the Great Basin. The purpose of this symposium is to
examine the current state of large-scale, cooperative programs in the Great Basin, and to discuss
mechanisms to foster and strengthen these efforts in the future. The morning session will discuss the
overall picture of Great Basin issues, the current collaborative paradigm, and GBRMP. The afternoon
session will focus on some current Great Basin collaborative efforts, their successes, and challenges to
implementation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0230
Mechanically Shredding Utah Juniper
Kert Young, Bruce Roundy
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States
Juniper species are taking over thousands of hectares of sagebrush steppe. In absence of fire, juniper
density increases thereby decreasing understory vegetation while increasing canopy fuel loads and the
potential for catastrophic wildfire. To reduce canopy fuel loads, the Bureau of Land Management is
mechanically shredding Utah juniper on hundreds of hectares annually in Utah. The expectation is that
converting canopy fuels into surface fuels will reduce the rate of fire spread and allow better control of
wildfire. Juniper is shredded by a large rotating drum with hardened spikes that is mounted on a large
articulating tractor. This treatment leaves patches of shredded fuels over preexisting canopy litter and
interspace soil. Trees were shredded at 4 locations in Utah. At each location we measured fuels in five
30-m transects in each of 14-16 subplots. Total shredded fuels roughly doubled from areas of low juniper
dominance to high juniper dominance. Depth of shredded fuels was a good estimator of shredded fuel
loads (Adj R2 = 0.92) and permits relatively efficient sampling of shredded fuels compared to destructive
sampling. Mechanically shredding juniper converts canopy fuels to surface fuels, which is expected to
decrease the rate of fire spread. However, shredded fuels may increase flame lengths by increasing fuel
surface area and elevated soil heating associated with longer fire line residence in high bulk density fuels.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0231
Grasshoppers! Grasshoppers! Grasshoppers!
Linden Greenhalgh
Utah State University, Tooele, Utah, United States
For the last three years Tooele County has had serious grasshopper infestations. Hot, dry weather and
large areas of rangeland and uncultivated arable land create ideal conditions for insect development.
Rangeland forage and agricultural crops can be damaged or disappear when large insect infestations
develop. In late summer of 2008 large numbers of grasshoppers were reported in a small portion of the
Tooele Valley. No control efforts were implemented because grasshoppers were already mature;
however, that set in motion plans for the following season. Tooele County commissioners asked the USU
Extension agent to coordinate control efforts. In March of 2009 a public meeting was held with
representatives from APHIS, UDAF, USU Extension and Tooele County. Landowners were informed
about the expected problems and assistance available from the agencies. Grasshopper monitoring began
in April. Threshold numbers were noted in early May and increased through June. With help from UDAF
and APHIS spray timing was determined to affect the greatest number of grasshoppers. Nearly 18,000
acres were aerially treated Dimilin 2L, an insect growth regulator. The cost of the aerial application was
$46,000. UDAF reimbursed Tooele County for 90% of the cost; the balance was paid by private
landowners and the county. In 2010 grasshopper development was delayed nearly one month compared
to 2009 and localized in the western part of the Tooele Valley around Grantsville and in Rush Valley.
Nearly 10,000 total acres were sprayed, 3000 acres of rangeland with Dimilin 2L and 7,000 acres of
irrigated cropland with Malathion.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0232
Revelations in Lentic Soils: Deciphering System Processes and Resource Conditions from Mud,
Muck, and Peat
Mark A. Gonzalez
Bureau of Land Management, Prineville, OR, United States
Soils are libraries of environmental information from contemporary to prehistoric time. They are the
synthesis of chemical reactions, physical and geologic processes, and biological activities. Lentic soils
are a subset of soils in which the presence of water and riparian plants creates a distinct suite of soil
properties and conditions. Lentic soils provide clues to the processes that act on the landscape and the
land-management activities that alter their character. Lentic soils are also witnesses of environmental
change and barometers of land management. Soil investigations can document insidious declines or
subtle improvements in resource conditions from recently implemented land management. Soil
investigations can provide a long-term context to interpret processes that might span or exceed the
careers of individual professional scientists and land managers. Examples of soil properties and
conditions in lentic systems will be used to illustrate short- and long-term processes, to differentiate
natural and human-induced changes to the landscape, and to contrast the effects of good from poor land
management. The goal is to illustrate ways in which lentic soils can be used to reconstruct natural
processes and to inform land management practices.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0233
Spatial Movement of Free-Roaming Cattle (Bos taurus) When in Proximity to Wolves (Canis lupus)
John Williams1, Patrick E. Clark2, D. Joseph Chigbrow3, Kelly K. Crane4, Larry Larson5, Douglas E.
Johnson6
1
Oregon State University, Enterprise, OR, United States, 2USDA/ARS Northwest Watershed Research
Center, Boise, ID, United States, 3University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 4University of Idaho,
Twin Falls Research & Extension Center, Twin Falls, ID, United States, 5OSU Ag. Program, Eastern
Oregon University, LaGrande, OR, United States, 6Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
In 1995 and 1996, 31 wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and 35 in central Idaho.
These populations have grown to more than 1,500 with more than 835 in Idaho. As wolf populations
have grown, so has predation on livestock, complicating cow and ranch management. Our study was
designed to document cow spatial behavior with and without wolves. The study site covers approximately
173 km2 (67 mile2) of pastures located in western Idaho. Ten randomly selected cows from a herd of 450
were collared with GPS trackers that recorded positions every 5 minutes from 1 April to late November
2009. A 43 kg (95 lb.) male grey wolf was tracked every 15 min with a GPS collar from 22 May to 18
December 2009. The wolf was part of a pack that contained 12 individuals which were involved in
livestock depredation. Each position logged was tagged with the animal number, latitude and longitude,
date, time, velocity, and fix quality information. Collared cattle first encountered (proximity < 500m) the
collared wolf on 23 June 2009. Over the next 137 days collared cattle encountered this wolf 783 times at
distances less than 500 m and 53 times at distances less than 100 m. Wolf encounters were typically at
night. Cow daily travel distances prior to and during periods of wolf encounters are compared as is cattle
spatial behavior.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0234
Graze Period Stocking Rate, Stock Density Affect Dietary Intake Independently
Tim J. Steffens1, Matt K. Barnes2, Larry R. Rittenhouse3
USDA-NRCS, Springfield, CO, United States, 2Shining Horizons Land Management LLC, Cimarron, CO,
United States, 3Colorado State University (ret), Ft. Collins, CO, United States
1
Livestock diet selection over time is driven by graze period stocking rate and quantity and variability of
plant quality in a paddock relative to animal requirements. The mathematical relationships among the
foregoing factors presented here do not support the assumption that paddock subdivision and increased
stock density invariably reduce nutrient intake, diet quality and animal performance, nor do they
necessarily increase uniformity and intensity of utilization. Though rate of forage disappearance increases
with stock density, when graze period decreases faster, proportionally, than stock density increases, the
proportion of total forage on offer that animals can mix to meet their requirements over time can increase
compared to management with longer graze periods at lower stock density, but with the same seasonal
stocking rate. The relationships among stock density, time, and forage quality mean that graze period
utilization and nutrient intake change quicker at higher stock density, but can be manipulated in any
desired direction. Increased paddock numbers with short graze and adequate recovery periods can
either increase or decrease heterogeneity of utilization and diet quality over time and space. Animal and
plant community responses will occur quicker at higher stock densities. The direction of responses is
determined by how time, stock density, and plant diversity at paddock and landscape scales are
managed relative to each other. For these responses to reliably move the operation toward landscape
and livestock performance goals will require monitoring and adaptive management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0235
Classification of Lentic Riparian Areas: Challenges and Opportunities
Linda Vance
University of Montana, Helena, Montana, United States
Lentic riparian habitats are often grouped on the basis of characteristics such as vegetation, soils, habitat
suitability, function, value and/or hydrology to achieve specific purposes, e.g., mapping, mitigation,
regulation, assessment, probabilistic sampling, etc. Unfortunately, multiple classification schemes have
been devised and are in use across the country: the Cowardin classification system (USFWS), the
Landfire/Ecological Systems classification (USFS, Natureserve), the HGM method (ACOE and many
state DOTs). This presentation will provide an overview of these three main classification methods, and
will discuss the advantages and limitations of each in differing contexts. It will also demonstrate how the
Montana Natural Heritage Program uses a combination of vegetation-based classification (the Cowardin
system) and hydrogeomorphic modifiers to provide information-rich maps that managers can "mine" for
information. Finally, it will show how we use this combined classification approach to profile wetlands
across large landscape areas, and how these profiles can be used for management, mitigation and
restoration planning.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0236
An Algorithm for Approximate Rectification of Digital Aerial Images
Stephen K. Ndzeidze1, Kipp E. Johnson1, Michael D. Johnson2, Mounir Louhaichi3, Patrick E. Clark4,
Douglas E. Johnson1
1
Department of Rangeland Ecology & Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United
States, 2Department of Physics, University of California/Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States,
3
ICARDA, P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic, 4USDA/ARS Northwest Watershed Research
Center, Boise, ID, United States
High-resolution aerial photography is one of the most valuable tools available for managing extensive
landscapes. With recent advances in digital camera technology, computer hardware, and software, aerial
photography is easier to collect, store, and transfer than ever before. Images can be automatically taken
from aircraft at high frequency with cameras pointed vertically downward and stored on a laptop
computer. The challenge in using this technology is the considerable time spent determining photo
locations and subsequent geo-referencing so images can be used for spatial analysis. We coupled lowcost GPS loggers to track aircraft/camera position, altitude, and bearing with high spatial/temporal
accuracy, and computer software to automatically provide rough geo-positioning of collected images. A
Canon XSi digital camera, synchronized to Universal Time by photographing the US Naval Observatory's
Master Clock webpage is mounted pointed vertically downward in the belly of an aircraft. Our program
takes the time when the image was taken, finds the position and elevation of the aircraft, rotates the
image to account for aircraft direction, and rough positions the images automatically based on lens
characteristics and height above the ground. The process creates a world file which provides coordinate
and scale information and a projection file that specifies the geographic projection and datum used. Our
algorithm can be used to batch process files leading to extremely fast coarse geo-referencing of aerial
photos which were generally accurate to 100 meters when tested at 5 locations in Oregon. This is close
enough to make further correction, if needed, quick and easy.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0237
Feature Mapping on Extensive Landscapes Using GPS-Enabled Computers
Stephen K. Ndzeidze1, Craig A. Carr2, Adele L. Woerz3, Mounir Louhaichi4, Patrick E. Clark5, Douglas E.
Johnson1
1
Dept. of Rangeland Ecology & Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States,
2
Crooked River Watershed Council, Prineville, OR, United States, 3Global Geomatic Solutions, Oviedo,
FL, United States, 4International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo,
Syrian Arab Republic, 5USDA/ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, ID, United States
Landscapes in the western United States are vast yet managers are called upon to know them intimately
so they can respond to natural events such as fire, insect outbreaks, and invasive species and
anthropogenic disturbance. These landscapes are not static and naturally change with season and
ecosystem succession or retrogression. To better understand dynamic landscapes, managers have
relied heavily on USGS quadrangles and aerial/satellite imagery, often heavily annotating paper maps.
Because so many maps, images and databases are now available in digital format, we have begun using
full-feature GIS software on GPS-enabled laptops. Laptop systems are preloaded with Digital Elevation
Models, Digital Raster Graphics, Digital Orthophotographic Quadrangels, NAIP imagery, digital vegetative
maps, and other spatial data covering the area of interest. When we go to the field, the GPS finds our
location and shows it on the computer screen along with whichever background information we choose;
traditional map or aerial images. In addition to the benefit of knowing where we are on the map, we can
also digitize feature points, lines or polygons and save them to the database. Collected digital information
such as photographs, sound files, and notes can be tagged to specific locations. We have found realtime, mobile, field-based, GIS useful for mapping vegetation and weeds, wildlife survey, stream and
spring mapping and for updating older digital databases. This technology is adaptable to fixed-wing
aircraft, helicopters, trucks and all-terrain vehicles. Mobile GIS mapping directly to the computer is an
innovation that we find saves us time and money.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0238
Identification of Plant Functional Groups as Indicators of Ecological Condition in Wet Meadows
(Lentic Sites) of the Sierra Nevada, California
Dave Weixelman
US Forest Service, Nevada City, CA, United States
An objective for management of mountain meadows is healthy plant communities that function properly
while meeting objectives of resource managers such as wildlife habitat, healthy streams, forage for
livestock, resilience to weed infestation, water yield from mountain watersheds, and biological diversity to
name a few. Functional classification of the diverse plant species that occur in meadows provides a
means to assess the condition of these meadows. In this study, wet meadows (lentic sites) in the
montane zone of the Sierra Nevada, CA were sampled that ranged from degraded to little disturbed. The
meadow plants were categorized (including 198 meadow species) into three primary functional groups,
ruderals, matrix and interstial species which we subdivided into a total of eight species guilds. The
functional classification obtained is consistent with Boutin and Keddy's model for wetlands. These
functional groups were identified using CCA (Canonical Correspondence Analysis) and two-way indicator
species analysis (TWINSPAN) according to seven functional traits: life span, life form, dispersal
mechanism, potential height, root morphology, root length density, and N-fixation. The matrix functional
group which included tall, clonal, deep-rooted sedges was more abundant in the less disturbed
meadows. The ruderal functional group which included short, annual or perennial, tap-rooted forbs was
more abundant in the highly disturbed meadows.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0239
Very-High Resolution Image Registration and Mosaic Creation
James Carr1 ,2
Falcon Scan, Greenbelt, MD, United States, 2Carr Astronautics Corp., Greenbelt, MD, United States
1
Remote sensing of the environment can be successfully done from low altitude aircraft using inexpensive
camera equipment. However, there are several challenges to surmount to create a product of good
scientific quality. Large survey spaces must be covered by many photographs that can be assembled
into mosaics. Geo-registration error, terrain parallax, and sun-object-camera scattering geometry all
contribute to create apparent tile boundary errors in mosaics. The variation of scattering geometry across
the mosaic and across individual photographs, in particular, renders such mosaics difficult to interpret
relative to satellite data for which the scattering geometry is effectively constant. This paper discusses
technology that is being commercially employed by Falcon Scan today to overcome these challenges.
The Falcon Scan technology produces giga-pixel NIR and visible mosaics at resolutions from 10cm to
1m, with one meter geo-registration errors. Deeply layering such mosaics enables multiple look angles to
common ground sites to be represented in the dataset, and reflectance to be modeled as a function of
scattering geometry. The latter potentially unlocks new information for classification and analysis.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0240
Alternative Uses of CRP Lands: The Use of Livestock Grazing to Enhance Vegetation and Wildlife
Biodiversity
Timothy DelCurto
Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Oregon State University, Union, Oregon, United States
The Conservation Reserve Program was designed to protect natural resources by creating perennial
vegetation on marginal, at risk, farm land that demonstrated high potential for erosion and, as a result,
sedimentation of our nation's water. While habitat for wildlife is mentioned as a priority, management of
these lands in the past 25 years has not focused on wildlife or vegetation diversity. This paper
will discuss the use of livestock grazing to enhance vegetation and wildlife diversity. When cattle grazing
is viewed as a "disturbance tool," managers may be able to use grazing to drive vegetation successional
change, as well as create habitat for desired, at risk, and/or endangered wildlife species. From Oklahoma
to Oregon, recent research has suggested that cattle grazing with the appropriate timing, duration and
intensity of use can create habitat diversity for a variety of species. For example, past research has
demonstrated that cattle grazing can change the quality and quantity of forage available for big game. In
fact, recent research suggests that prior cattle grazing may improve subsequent diets for elk grazing
mixed conifer rangelands. Likewise, recent research suggests that beef cattle dietary preferences can
be compatible with long-term vegetation needs of big game populations. Likewise, recent research in
Oregon has suggested that insect and ground nesting bird biodiversity is modified by beef cattle grazing
with nonuse and excessively high use corresponding to the lowest diversity estimates. Finally, the use of
CRP lands to buffer seasonal shortages of livestock forage may help the conservation of all arid Western
Rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0241
Peatlands: Ecology and Conservation
Steve Shelly
USDA Forest Service, Missoula, Montana, United States
Peatlands are generally defined as wetlands with waterlogged substrates and an accumulation of organic
matter (peat) as a result of incomplete decomposition. Because the rate of peat accumulation exceeds
the rate of decomposition in these habitats, they are considered autogenic (self-creating). In the northern
Rocky Mountains, peatlands are represented by fens, which are influenced by both precipitation and
groundwater (as distinguished from bogs, which receive water input from precipitation only). The two
primary types of fens in this region are basin fens (with peat accumulation occurring in shallow to deep
pond or lake basins) and flow-through or slope fens (with peat accumulating on gently sloping terrain).
Bedrock geology strongly influences the chemistry and nutrient status of fens that develop in a particular
area. Well-developed fens are uncommon in the northern Rocky Mountains, and are occupied by a large
number of rare plant species and communities. Because they are influenced by groundwater derived
from larger landscapes, fens are susceptible to land uses in surrounding areas. Conservation of these
habitats thus depends on sound management of both the fens and the adjacent uplands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0242
Rainfall Interception and Partitioning by Pinus monophylla and Juniperus osteosperma
Samuel Lossing1, Tamzen Stringham1, Mark Weltz2
1
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States, 2USDA Agriculture Research Service, Reno,
Nevada, United States
This study investigated canopy interception of simulated rainfall by singleleaf piñon (Pinus monophylla)
and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) in central Nevada. Research has shown that although piñon
and juniper occurred historically throughout the western United States, the infilling of woodlands and
expansion into sagebrush steppe has caused a degradation of understory vegetation communities
leading to increased surface runoff and soil erosion. We hypothesize that canopy interception of rainfall
plays a significant role in the degradation of understory plant communities by reducing available soil
water. For our study, four storm sizes 2.5, 7.6, 12.7 and 19.1 mm were applied to trees of various sizes.
Interception was quantified using total precipitation applied minus stemflow and throughfall. Results of
this study indicate that singleleaf piñon and Utah juniper partition throughfall and stemflow differently.
Additionally, the most typical central Nevada rainfall event of 2.5 mm was almost entirely absorbed by the
tree canopy. These results show canopy interception is a critical part of piñon and juniper’s ability to
dominate site resources. Analysis of Variance will be used to partition differences between species and
storm sizes. A predictive model, determined through regression analysis, of interception as a function of
tree species and allometrics is currently being developed. Results will be presented.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0243
Estimating the Cost of Replacing Forage Losses on California Annual Rangeland
Theresa Becchetti1, Neil McDougald2, William Frost3, James Sullins4
1
University of California Cooperative Extension, Modesto, CA, United States, 2University of California
Cooperative Extension, Madera, CA, United States, 3University of California Cooperative Extension,
Davis, CA, United States, 4University of California Cooperative Extension, Tulare, CA, United States
Valuable forage is often lost on annual rangelands because of wildfires, cultivation, road construction, and
excavation. Estimating the cost of such losses cannot be based upon traditional grazing rental rates for
livestock because the impact on forage production is more far reaching than the impact of grazing. All
residual dry matter is removed and, except in the case of fire, the soil profile is disturbed. In addition to
the loss of current year's forage, forage production, length of adequate forage-growing periods, and
species composition are affected for the next two years. Information is readily available through the
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to estimate normal production through Soil Survey data
or Ecological Site Descriptions. Data from UCCE research documents forage reductions the first and
second growing season after fire. This data and data from NRCS, is integrated to provide a data based
procedure to determine the financial cost of replacing loss forage. An Excel® spreadsheet was created to
be layman friendly, needing only basic information to be entered, such as normal production data, and
acres affected within different range sites. Calculations are based on up-to-date residual dry matter
estimates, utilization estimates adjusted for slope and range type. Total tons of forage lost in the effected
area over the ensuing three years is calculated. By entering an appropriate dollar value for replacement
feed per ton delivered, a total dollar value is calculated for purchasing and feeding replacement feed.
Utilizing data based procedures reduces probability of over or under estimating losses.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0244
Plant Materials Development in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Steve Parr
Plant Materials Program -NRCS, Meeker, Colorado, United States
The development of native plant materials has historically followed a systematic process where testing of
multiple collections or accessions of a given species at multiple locations has been the driving force for
selection and release. However, resource needs of various land management agencies coupled with
concerns of long term genetic alteration of indigenous populations has led to the production of many
source specific products that are largely untested. Observed phenotypic attributes of a given accession or
release are sometimes deemed less important than origin of source. The complexities involved in native
plant material development require the right match of product growth and expansion to fit customer
needs. The success of the development process is tied directly to initial planning between the developing
party and the end user. The benefits and shortcomings of four different native plant material development
processes that are currently being conducted at the Upper Colorado Environmental Plant Center are
presented.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0245
Ten Year Assessment of a Tebuthiuron Treatment of Shinnery Oak to Enhance Grassland in
Eastern New Mexico: What Did We Learn?
Charles E. Dixon
Wildlife Plus Consulting, Alto, NM, United States
During September, 2000, pre-treatment vegetative surveys were conducted in Southeastern New Mexico
on both the Weaver Ranch (treatment area) and the adjacent North Bluit Prairie Chicken Area (control
area) owned by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to determine if differences existed in the
vegetative composition of the two land parcels. No significant differences were observed. During October,
2000, tebuthiuron was applied to approximately 1600 ha of the Weaver Ranch at the rate of .66 kg/ha
(0.6 of the labeled rate) to suppress shinnery oak (Quercus harvardii) and restore grasses to their former
dominance. No tebuthiuron was applied to the dune areas that were historically dominated by dense
shinnery oak mottes. Following the treatment there was a reduction in shrub occurrence, specifically
shinnery oak, and a corresponding increase in grass occurrence. The increase in grass occurrence was
primarily a result of the expansion of grasses present before the treatment. Soil moisture has been higher
on treated than non-treated areas each time soil moisture was measured. Forb occurrence and diversity
has consistently been greater on treated than non-treated areas after year one. The resultant landscape
is a mosaic of grasslands and shinnery oak, similar to historic conditions. Following treatment, the treated
area produced more forage, grass seed and forbs than did the control area and forage quality was similar
on both areas. Lesser Prairie Chickens have nested and reared broods successfully on treated area and
been observed on all treatment areas during all periods of the year.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0246
Preliminary Results for Rapid Determination of Sagebrush Using DNA Recovered from Cattle
Feces
Jose Alberto Perez-Amaro1, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez1, Tim DelCurto2, David Bohnert3, Oscar RieraLizarazu1, Chad Boyd4, Jeff Leonard1
1
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States, 2Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center,
Union, OR, United States, 3Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, United States,
4
U.S.D.A.-ARS, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, United States
We designed a feeding trial in order to validate the sensitivity of sagebrush detection in hand-fed diets of
known composition by using DNA analysis. Five crossbred steers fitted with a permanent ruminal cannula
were used in a replicated 5 x 5 latin square with 21-d periods. Dietary treatments consisted of different
hay:sagebrush ratios (% DM base): 1OO:O; 99.5:0.5; 99: 1; 97:3; and 91:9. Sagebrush leaves and
mineral and vitamin supplements were mixed with the rumen content and fed immediately before all
animals received hay. This was done to ensure that steers had only two different plant-family components
in the diet. Total DNA was extracted from about 100 mg of dried feces. Shorter, multiple copy sequences
from the chloroplast genome that survived digestion were successfully amplified and differentiated based
on its length and Guanine and Cytosine content. The melting profile of sagebrush PCR products were
used for DNA sequence matching utilizing saturating dyes that fluoresce in the presence of doublestranded DNA. This technique distinguished samples with 100% accuracy. Results returned perfect
matches with the respective controls in diets containing sagebrush. The DNA melting profile makes
possible to quickly and accurately determine whether DNA sequences match, providing a useful option
for studying plant animal interactions. In conclusion, we present a novel and robust approach to
characterize mixed and highly degraded DNA samples such as those often-encountered in ecological
studies. As this is a proof of concept study, more work will be done to further test the limits of the
procedure.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0247
Assessment and Demonstration of Ecologically-Based Medusahead and Cheatgrass Management
in Jordan Valley, Oregon
Edward Vasquez1, Anna-Marie Chamberlain2, Brenda Smith3, Roger Sheley3
1
Wyoming Wildlife Consultants, LLC, Laramie, WY, United States, 2Oreson State Extension, Ontario, OR,
United States, 3Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, United States
Medusahead was first noted in Jordan Valley, OR approximately 25-30 years ago. It has significantly
expanded within the last 10-20 years. As part of the USDA-ARS Area-wide project for invasive annual
grasses, landscape scale demonstration plots were established with five cooperating ranches in
2008 with the objective to demonstrate the potential of using the single-entry (one-pass herbicide/seed
application) strategy to rehabilitate annual-grass infested rangelands across large heterogenous
landscapes and determine those abiotic and biotic factors that are most important in influencing the
success and/ or failure of the rehabilitation effort. Treatments included one-pass imazapic application
and seeding, imazapic only, seeding only and a control. Imazapic was applied at 3.5 oz/ acre and the
seeding mix was crested wheatgrass and Sandberg's bluegrass at 20 lbs/ acre. Seedling establishment
was unsuccessful in 2008 and treatments were reapplied in fall of 2009. Initial data collected in June
2010 indicates that seedling establishment was more successful.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0248
Artemisia Population Dynamics Under Different Climate Change Scenarios
Sarah Swope, Sabrina McCue
ARS, Reno, NV, United States
This study will examine Artemisia tridentate spp. tridentata population dynamics across an elevational
gradient from the high Sierra where the plant is at its physiological limit to the heart of its range in the
western Great Basin. We will include a treatment at each site in which we manipulate snowfall totals
using snow fences to create zones of increased and decreased, as well as, ambient snow accumulation
to make predictions about how A. t. tridentata populations will respond to climate change. We will use
matrix projection models to describe the growth rate of each population × snowfall treatment and elasticity
analyses to quantify the importance of each vital rate to population growth. These analyses will also allow
us to determine if A. t. tridentata populations are behaving differently across the elevational range and
how changes in snowfall totals might affect each differently.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0249
Role of Fire and Grazing in Conserving Grassland and Shrubland Birds in the Southern Great
Plains
Craig Davis
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
Grassland bird populations as well as some shrubland bird populations have experienced some of the
greatest declines of any North American bird guilds, with the predominant cause of these declines being
extensive loss and degradation of native grassland and shrubland ecosystems. Traditional rangeland
management practices based on the paradigm of increasing and sustaining livestock production through
reducing the inherent and disturbance-driven variability that historically occurred in grasslands and
shrublands have also contributed to the declines of these birds. An alternative approach to this
homogeneous management paradigm is an approach that attempts to restore a shifting mosaic of
disturbance patches across the landscape through the spatial and temporal interaction of fire and grazing
(i.e., pyric herbivory). Application of pyric herbivory increases overall habitat heterogeneity of grassland
and shrubland ecosystems which is likely a critical factor in maintaining and enhancing grassland and
shrubland bird populations. In this paper, I describe the responses of grassland and shrubland birds to
pyric herbivory in a tallgrass prairie and a sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolium) ecosystem in Oklahoma
and discuss the implications of pyric herbivory for conserving these imperiled bird species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0250
Monitoring of Livestock Grazing Effects on Bureau of Land Management Land
Kari Veblen1, David Pyke1, Cameron Aldridge2, Mike Casazza3, Timothy Assal2, Melissa Farinha3
U.S. Geological Survey, Corvallis, OR, United States, 2U.S. Geological Survey, Ft. Collins, CO, United
States, 3U.S. Geological Survey, Dixon, CA, United States
1
Public land management agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are charged with
managing lands throughout the western U.S. for multiple uses including livestock grazing and
conservation of sensitive species and their habitats. Effective management of these multi-use landscapes
may be aided by data and information on the condition and trends of these rangelands, particularly with
respect to effects of livestock grazing. We therefore investigated the availability of BLM livestock-related
monitoring data and the status of Land Health Standards across the region and then sought input from
university and federal rangeland scientists about how best to prioritize rangeland monitoring activities.
Our preliminary findings show that monitoring data most commonly existed for actual use (permitteereported livestock numbers and season-of-use), followed by permanent photo point, forage utilization,
and finally, vegetation trend measurements. Preliminary analyses of the BLM’s Land Health Standards
data indicated that BLM found 67% of allotments to be meeting standards. For those not meeting
standards, livestock were considered the causal factor in 45% of cases (about 15% of all allotments). Our
data inspections, as well as conversations with BLM personnel, indicated a need for greater emphasis on
collection of grazing-related monitoring data. We highlight commonalities between BLM monitoring
approaches and rangeland scientist suggestions, present ideas for making the most of existing historical
data, and finally discuss emerging ideas for rangeland monitoring.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0251
Water Requirements of Common Plant Species in the Owens Valley, CA
Tracie Evans1, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez1, David Martin2, Terry McLendon3
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States, 2Los Angeles Department of Water and Power,
Bishop, CA, United States, 3Ecological Consultant, Fort Collins, CO, United States
1
This study addressed the issue of how much water is required for above-ground biomass production of
important plant species in the Owens Valley, CA. Plants were grown in the field as a garden study in 2.4
m x 2.4 m plots and irrigated at different monthly rates: low (12 mm), middle (25 mm), and high (37 mm)
during 2009 and 2010. In general, higher irrigation rates produced higher biomass, but for the three
grasses investigated (Distichlis spicata, Leymus triticoides and Sporobolus airoides) the low and middle
irrigation levels did not produce significant differences in biomass production. Throughout the spring and
summer of 2009 S. airoides was the most efficient grass; it required about 3.5 liters of water to produce
one gram of biomass. In the same period of time, water requirements of D. spicata and L. triticoides were
2.6 and 9.5 times larger than those of S. airoides. Water requirements were lower in shrubs than in
grasses; Artemisia tridentata was the most efficient shrub with 1.2 liters of water used per gram of
biomass produced. However, water requirements at the onset of the spring season in 2010 were much
lower than during the spring-summer of 2009: S. airoides required 0.6 liters to produce one gram of
biomass while D. spicata and L. triticoides required 0.9 liters. Water requirements included evaporation
and transpiration losses and adjustments for ground cover need to be considered. Results can be used to
better estimate water usage of the different types of vegetation in Owens Valley.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0252
The Economic Consequences of Ecological Thresholds: An Application to Ranching in the Great
Basin
Mimako Kobayashi, Kimberly Rollins, Michael Taylor
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
The spread of invasive annual grasses and the resulting increase in the frequency and severity of
wildfires pose a significant threat to the ecology and rangeland-based economy of the Great Basin.
Adding to the urgency of the problem is the fact that in many circumstances the conversion of rangeland
to annual grasses is either impossible or prohibitively expensive to reverse. Given the presence of these
irreversible thresholds, resilience becomes an important property of the ecosystem, where resilience is
defined the ability of the ecosystem to recover from a disturbance (e.g., wildfire, overgrazing). In this
paper we construct a bio-economic model of rancher decision making that is subject to the dynamics of
herd-size adjustments, wildfire fuels accumulation, and probabilistic transition between ecological states.
We use this model to analyze how the presence of irreversible ecological thresholds and stochastic
wildfire influence a calf-cow producer's herd management and fuels treatment decisions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0253
Rodents as Agents of Ecological Change
Kent McAdoo1, Bill Longland2
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Elko, NV, United States, 2USDA Agricultural Research
Service, Reno, NV, United States
1
Rodents have the potential to exert a wide array of ecological pressures in any given ecosystem. The
negative impacts to plant communities in general, especially cultivated crops, are typically cited as
examples of rodent grazing pressure. Indeed, calculable economic damage can be inflicted, especially
during cyclic population highs. Considerable research has been conducted on the negative impacts of
prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and pocket gophers in particular. On the positive side, and often ignored,
are the ecological benefits that rodents provide. Even the group of species described above can impact
rangelands positively, by decreasing soil compaction and increasing soil aeration, fertility, and waterholding capacity. Rodents also transport mycorrhizae associated with range plants and therefore can
potentially establish plant species and their mycorrhizae on denuded range sites. Many species of desert
rodents disperse seeds, and the seed caches of these rodents are a major source of plant recruitment.
This is especially true for unrecovered caches because seeds left in shallow subsurface caches are in a
favorable environment for germination and early seedling survival. For example, kangaroo rats are the
key to the establishment of Indian ricegrass, a desirable perennial species. Research by the authors has
shown that this native grass requires manipulation and caching by these rodents to ensure germination
and ultimately the maintenance of Indian ricegrass stands. Seed germination is greatly enhanced by the
rodents' removal of seed coverings (lemma, palea, and pericarp) that induce dormancy. Emergence of
seedlings from rodent caches is the primary means of ricegrass stand renewal.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0254
Using Small Unmanned Aerial Systems to Collect High Resolution Imagery for Site Specific Land
Management Applications
Thomas Zajkowski1 ,2
US Forest Service, Salt Lake City, UT, United States, 2RedCastle Resources, Salt Lake City, UT, United
States
1
The United States Forest Service (FS) is looking at Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to augment our
current manned platforms in niche applications that suit the attributes of UAS platforms. While most of
our focus is on wildland fire support missions it is apparent that small UAS can be used to collect high
resolution imagery for site specific land management applications including Forest Inventory and Analysis
plot locations, timber sales, rangeland, and law enforcement applications. Traditionally, the FS has used
manned aircraft to collect this imagery. While effective, it is costly and at times logistically difficult if the
project area is relatively small. Several pilot projects conducted by the FS have shown that small UAS
are able to acquire imagery over plots autonomously, and that the image quality is equal to traditional
methods. Near term developments in aviation regulations will allow researchers and land managers to
conduct site specific surveys quickly and efficiently.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0255
Digital Charting Technologies and their Applications on Rangelands
Patrick Clark1, Douglas Johnson2, Michael Johnson3, Mounir Louhaichi4
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Boise, ID, United States, 2Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR,
United States, 3University of California, Santa Barbara, United States, 4International Center for Agricultural
Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic
1
Airborne and satellite remote sensing can provide extremely useful information or just pretty pictures.
The difference between these two outcomes is due largely to the quality and quantity of ground-truthing
data collected to support the remote sensing effort. Collecting an adequate amount of high quality
ground-truthing data, however, is difficult and very expensive using traditional field techniques. We
developed a ground-based photography system for "digitally charting" vegetation characteristics by
acquiring geocoded, nadir imagery with a typical field plot-sized, 1-m2 footprint and sub-millimeter ground
sample distance (GSD). This system consists primarily of off-the-shelf components including a
consumer-grade digital camera, monopod and head, GPS logger kit, compass, and bulls-eye level. We
also developed custom software to support the photography system. GeoAlbum compiles, scales, and
geocodes raw imagery while VegMeasure2 performs several innovative image classification analyses
optimized for near-earth photography. Use of digital charting technologies allow rapid ground-truth
sampling of vegetation cover, plant density, and species frequency for hundreds of plot areas per day
across extensive landscapes. Digital charting thus reduces the large field personnel requirements typical
of traditional ground-truthing campaigns. Use of these technologies also shifts the time costs of groundtruthing from the field to the office where image processing and analysis tasks can be conducted on a
schedule not dictated by field conditions. Combined, the advantages of digital charting make rigorous
ground-truthing possible where it was previously cost-prohibitive.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0256
Range Camp on the Western Fringe - California-Pacific Section
Julie Finzel1 ,3, Marc Horney1, Cece Dahlstrom1 ,2
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States, 2US Navy NAVFAC SW,
San Diego, CA, United States, 3University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
1
The California-Pacific Section's Range Camp is a 27-year institution on the West Coast. It began in 1985,
initiated by section members who were staff of the US Navy's Naval Facilities Engineering Command,
Cooperative Extension, federal agencies (SCS, USFS), and in private business (ranching, consulting).
The week-long experience in natural resource science and management continues to be a wellcoordinated activity with support of many partners brought together within the section. This poster will
focus on developments over the camp's history, present learning objectives and assessment methods, its
curriculum and activities, and the primary challenges the camp staff and steering committee are presently
addressing (increasing student numbers; improving outreach to tribal youth, urban youth, and underserved rural areas; managing and developing sponsors).
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0257
Use and Effectiveness of VLSA Imagery for Invasive Weed Monitoring in Rangelands
Brian Mealor1, Dana Blumenthal2
University of Wyoming, Dept. of Plant Sciences, Laramie, WY, United States, 2USDA-ARS, High Plains
Grassland Research Station, Cheyenne, WY, United States
1
Spatial monitoring of weed infestations is important for studying and managing invasive weeds in
rangelands. Tools such as very large scale aerial (VLSA) imagery have the potential to increase the
efficiency of data collection by allowing users to assess a large area quickly. Here we discuss the use of
VLSA imagery for collecting data on two morphologically distinct weed species, Dalmatian toadflax
(Linaria dalmatica) and downy brome (Bromus tectorum, cheatgrass), in rangeland plant communities.
Aerial cover determined from VLSA imagery was highly correlated (R2 = 0.94) with aboveground
phytomass of Dalmatian toadflax. VLSA was also useful in documenting post-fire population changes of
downy brome at high elevations. Time expended acquiring data from images is directly related to the
complexity of information needs, i.e. presence/absence is more quickly ascertained than aerial cover by
species. Image quality has improved from earlier data collections (circa 2003), thereby enhancing our
ability to determine target species. Aerial imagery provides weed managers the opportunity to expand
their search for new weed infestations into remote areas with limited vehicular access. Effectiveness of
current-generation VLSA imagery for management of invasive weed populations is restricted by
incomplete coverage and scale of observation, which limit its utility as a comprehensive survey and
mapping tool. However, it is useful for research that requires rapid, quantitative measurements of plant
species richness or cover. As technology continues to improve, the logical progression from VLSA
imagery meeting the needs of weed researchers to providing useful information for weed managers is
likely.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0258
Forecasting Annual Aboveground Net Primary Production in the Intermountain West
Julie Finzel1, Mark Weltz2, Mark Seyfried3, Jim Kiniry4, Karen Launchbaugh1
1
University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States, 2USDA, ARS, Reno, NV, United States, 3USDA, ARS,
Boise, ID, United States, 4USDA, ARS, Temple, TX, United States
For many land managers annual aboveground net primary production, or plant growth, is a key factor
affecting business success, profitability and each land manager's ability to successfully meet land
management objectives. The strategy often utilized for forecasting plant growth is to assume every year is
an average year and make changes and adjustments to management as needed. This strategy leaves
little time or opportunity for land mangers to plan ahead and prepare for below average years, or take
advantage of above average years. This study tested the accuracy of plant growth forecasts from two
computer models: Agricultural Land Management Alternatives with Numerical Assessment Criteria
(ALMANAC) and the Soil Ecohydrology Model (SEM). ALMANAC is a physiologically based crop
production model designed to quantify key plant-environment interactions that influence productivity. SEM
is a capacitance parameter model that uses a water-balance approach to simulate soil moisture and the
DeWitt equation to forecast yield. Model forecasts of plant growth were compared to field collected yield
data. Preliminary results indicate that ALMANAC forecasts provide reasonably accurate yield numbers
when input criteria are properly calibrated for each site while SEM forecasts are not consistently accurate.
A special emphasis was placed on soil moisture expressed as volumetric water content as a model
calibration tool. Both ALMANAC and SEM forecast soil moisture as a part of the plant growth forecasting
process. Soil moisture was chosen over other variables that affect plant growth because it is a direct way
to measure plant available water, a common plant growth limiting factor.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0259
GIS Tools, Courses, and Learning Pathways Offered by The National Interagency Fuels, Fire, and
Vegetation Technology Transfer (NIFTT)
Eva Strand1, Kathy Schon2, Jeff Jones3
1
University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States, 2USDA Forest Service, McCall, Idaho, United States,
3
USDA Forest Service, Whitefish, Montana, United States
Technological advances in the area of fuel and wildland fire management have created a need for
decision support tools and effective training in the use of these tools and technologies. The National
Interagency Fuels Coordination Group has chartered a team of professionals to develop science-based
fire and fuels assessment tools, and to provide online training and technology transfer, to help managers
implement fuels, fire, and vegetation management technology for fire risk mitigation and ecosystem
restoration. The team is called the National Interagency Fuels, Fire, and Vegetation Technology Transfer
(NIFTT). NIFTT has created and maintains seven GIS tools and has developed user resources for these
tools, including user’s guides and tutorials. The learning tools include the Fire Regime Condition Class
Mapping Tool, First Order Fire Effects Model Mapping Tool, LANDFIRE Data Access Tool, Area Change
Tool, and the Fire Behavior Assessment Tool. NIFTT offers several online courses that facilitate the
learning and implementation of these tools, in addition to courses focusing on fuels and fire related topics
in forests and rangelands. Six courses are currently available, with several more in development. To
assist independent student learning, NIFTT has developed “Learning Pathways” that provide easy-access
to related learning materials in an order designed for optimal learning efficiency, currently featuring the
concepts of fire behavior, fire effects, and fire regimes. Additional information and registration for these
courses and detailed descriptions of the Learning Pathways are available at www.niftt.gov. This poster
will provide information on the available NIFTT learning tools, courses, and learning pathways.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0260
Comparing Methods of Rangeland Measurements: Proper Design and Statistical Analysis
Corey Moffet1 ,2
USDA-ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, ID, United States, 2Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation, Ardmore, OK, United States
1
Rangeland scientists and managers have interest in adopting new, more efficient, rangeland sampling
methods, but, before new methods are adopted, they should be validated. Within the range science
literature, there is no standard for conducting method comparison experiments and reporting the results.
Approaches vary from correlation, paired t-tests, and regression analysis. Often, the results are
ambiguous as to how well the new method agrees with an established method. The primary aim of a
method comparison study is to determine whether the new method agrees with a conventional method
sufficiently to be used interchangeably. The objective of this paper is to: 1) introduce the Bland and
Altman approach to the method comparison problem, 2) demonstrate limitations of other approaches, and
3) suggest reporting standards that addresses how well a new method agrees with established methods.
Example datasets were used to demonstrate the analysis and which results should be part of a standard
report. The analysis and reporting standards are borrowed from the medical literature where
establishment of method comparison standards are gaining prominence. By adopting these methods and
reporting standards the validity of new methods will be communicated with greater clarity.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0261
Assessing Sagebrush Steppe Rangelands with VLSA Imagery
Corey Moffet1 ,2, J. Bret Taylor1, D. Terrance Booth3
1
USDA-ARS, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, ID, United States, 2Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation, Ardmore, OK, United States, 3USDA-ARS, High Plains Grasslands Research Station,
Cheyenne, WY, United States
Many conventional rangeland sampling methods are inefficient and have precluded rangeland managers
from obtaining statistically adequate samples that are needed to guide rangeland management. Very
large scale aerial (VLSA) photography is a remote sensing method that is useful and cost effective. We
present uses of VLSA imagery in sagebrush steppe, describe some of its limitations, and suggest some
remaining research questions. Our first experiments were designed to compare VLSA measurements of
bitterbrush, horsebrush, and sagebrush cover with ground-based measurements. Methods were
developed to georeference imagery and determine aircraft-based location error rates and to ensure that
paired comparisons were made. Experiments were conducted to determine relationships between time
since last burn (TSLB) and bitterbrush, horsebrush, and sagebrush cover. Studies have been conducted
to measure invasive weed and non-native plant density and cover. Currently, experiments are being
conducted to validate herbaceous cover measurements from various height and lens focal length
configurations. For bitterbrush, horsebrush, sagebrush and shrub cover, agreement between methods
was equal to ground-based method repeatability. VLSA imagery is a suitable method for sampling large
areas, but image placement in not sufficiently accurate to efficiently acquire repeat imagery of small plots,
especially for small 4 m by 3 m field of view VLSA images. VLSA imagery provides much detail about
plant communities that other remote sensing methods lack, while remaining cost effective. Methods that
use VLSA imagery are likely to play an important role in helping rangeland managers and scientists
obtain useful measurements on sagebrush steppe rangeland in the future.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0262
Changes in Relic Plant Communities in Utah over 60 Years
Shane Green1, Keith Wadman2
USDA NRCS, Salt Lake City, UT, United States, 2Great Basin Consulting, Utah, United States
1
During the 50's and 60's, the USDA SCS employees H.B Passey and Vern K. Hugie, Range
Conservationist and Soil Scientist, worked together to locate and record relic vegetation communities in
the sagebrush steppe region of Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming. Recently discovered records of
several of their sites in Utah including origonal photography were used to attempt to re-locate their sites
and repeat the data collection they undertook in order to make comparisons and detect changes that
have taken place on these plant communities during the past 60 years. Several of the sites remain
relatively unchanged, while others have undergone drastic changes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0263
Resource Monitoring Challenges and Technological Needs for the BLM
Robert Bolton
Bureau of Land Management, Washington D.C., United States
The Bureau of Land Management is facing monitoring challenges including reduced budgets and staffing,
more complex workloads, methods challenged in courts, and a responsibility to report on public rangeland
condition. Effective strategies on why, what, and how we monitor are critical. Accurate, repetitive, and
credible monitoring data, together with the application of statistical science for testing the questions for
which data are collected, are fundamental to making court-defendable management decisions. The BLM
collects a significant amount of data on paper annually that is driven by permits and projects. The use of
remote sensing data and technologies will be a vital component for the BLM's monitoring programs for
permits and projects and for eco-regional assessments, aquatic and riparian resources, disturbances and
treatment effectiveness at multiple scales, and vegetation occurrence, condition and trend across scales.
Challenges for remote sensing include: 1) refine tools to interpret remotely sensed data- need accuracy
for on-the-ground management, 2) insufficient classes of land cover for shrub and grasslands, 3) expand
dialogue between remote sensing community and land managers about remote-sensing detectable landhealth indicators, and 4) institutionalize use of remotely sensed data into ongoing monitoring programs.
One approach BLM developed to address the challenge is the AIM (Assessment, Inventory and
Monitoring) Strategy. Preliminary results of the AIM Strategy has determined a need to: 1) improve land
cover mapping through Landfire as a land use planning tool, 2) inventory springs and springbrooks in
riparian/aquatic environments, and 3) integrate monitoring imagery to measure cover, bare ground,
composition and intercanopy gaps.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0264
Evaluation and Use of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) at the Manhattan Plant Materials Center
(PMC), Manhattan, Kansas
P. Allen Casey, Richard L. Wynia, John M. Row
USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas, United States
Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is an annual tropical legume that was identified in the 1930's as a green
manure and cover crop. Sunn hemp is very sensitive to frost and does not produce seed above 28
degrees north latitude; therefore, it has little potential to become a weed problem in the continental U.S.
Until recently, sunn hemp has not been an ideal forage for livestock because it contains high levels of
poisonous alkaloids. The variety ‘Tropic Sun', released cooperatively by the University of Hawaii and the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Ho'olehua
Hawaii Plant Materials Center, produces very low amounts of alkaloids, making sunn hemp a viable
option for livestock forage, and giving it potential for use as a cover crop that can also be grazed. Studies
have been initiated at the PMC to evaluate sunn hemp. Plantings using different seeding rates and
different planting dates were established and measures of above ground biomass, forage quality,
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) through the canopy, germination percentages, and frost dates
were recorded. During the 2009 growing season, 30 days after planting, mean plant height was 7.7
inches and above-ground biomass ranged from 155 to 413 pounds per acre. At 60 days after planting
mean plant height was 70.7 inches and above-ground biomass ranged from 1.8 to 4.3 tons per acre.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0265
Establishment and Persistence of Native Grass in Wyoming's High Desert
Susan R. Winslow1, Karen J. Clause2, James S. Jacobs3
USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Bridger, MT, United States, 2USDA NRCS, Pinedale, WY, United
States, 3USDA NRCS, Bozeman, MT, United States
1
There is a critical need to identify native grass species that establish well and persist on disturbed sites
on sagebrush-steppe communities important to wildlife such as mule deer, antelope and sage-grouse.
Our objectives were to compare the establishment and persistence of grass accessions and cultivars
native to the Rocky Mountain region. In October 2005, 32 entries of 15 native grass species were drillseeded in single-species plots in a randomized complete block design with four replications on a
reclaimed well-pad site near Pinedale, Wyoming. Plant density and height were recorded in each of the 5
years post-seeding, whereas biomass sampling began in 2008. Analysis of variance indicated plant
counts depended on seeded entries. In 2010, plant densities of ‘Sodar' streambank wheatgrass (46
plants/m2) were greater than all other grasses. Densities of the other top performers were ‘Critana'
thickspike wheatgrass (31 plants/m2), P-24 bluebunch wheatgrass and L-46 basin wildrye (26 plants/m2),
‘Rodan' western wheatgrass and Washoe basin wildrye (22 plants/m2), ‘Trailhead' basin wildrye (18
plants/m2), and Salina wildrye and ‘Continental' basin wildrye (17 plants/m2). In general, rhizomatous
grass densities increased over time while densities of bunchgrasses remained constant or decreased.
Mean plant height was species-specific, with basin wildrye exceeding 84 cm, while Sandberg bluegrass,
bottlebrush squirreltail, and Indian ricegrass were 13 cm. The demonstration planting indicates there is
great need to improve availability of adapted forb species. Results suggest currently selected plant
materials provide good options to restore disturbance, improve soil stability, contribute to ecosystem
function, and enhance wildlife habitat.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0266
Comparing Seed Mixes and Seeding Techniques for Restoring Plant Communities in Wyoming's
High Desert
Karen J. Clause1, Susan R. Winslow2, James S. Jacobs3
USDA NRCS, Pinedale, WY, United States, 2USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Bridger, MT, United
States, 3USDA NRCS, Bozeman, MT, United States
1
There is a need to restore native plant communities critical to wildlife habitat on Wyoming's high elevation
sagebrush steppe disturbed by development. This demonstration addressed two important factors
influencing plant community establishment: species selection and seed placement. Species selection was
examined using two seed mixtures - one with a high proportion of shrub (36% grasses, 13% forbs, and
53% shrubs) and the other with a high proportion of grass (72% grasses, 23% forbs, and 5% shrubs).
Seed placement was examined by seeding method - drilled or broadcast. Treatments were evaluated by
counting plants per species within 20, randomly placed, 0.89 m2 hoops, in the 0.2 ha broadcast and in
the 0.41 ha drill plots. After five years, composition in the shrub mix was 72% grass and 28% shrubs, with
less than 1% forbs where seeds were broadcast; and 64% grass and 36% shrubs, with less than 1%
forbs where seeds were drilled. Community composition of the grass mix was 91% grass, 2% forbs, and
7% shrubs where seeds were broadcast; and 95% grass, 2% forbs, and 3% shrubs where seeds were
drilled. Where the shrub mix was broadcast, the small-seeded Poa secunda was the predominant grass,
while large-seeded grasses were most common where the grass mix was drilled. The demonstration
planting indicates there is great need to improve availability of adapted forb species. Our observations
suggest plant community development can be enhanced by increasing seed density and percentage
composition of desired species and using seeding methods that optimize seed placement to facilitate
germination and establishment.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0267
Nutritional Composition of Carex sprengelii in North Dakota
Miranda Meehan, Edward DeKeyser, Kevin Sedivec, Jack Norland
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
While developing an ecological site description for the riparian ecosystems of the Middle Sheyenne River
in eastern North Dakota, we found Carex sprengelii to be the dominate understory forage species in
shrub and woodland communities, accounting for up to 95% of the understory production. In 2009,
research was established to study the nutritional status of Carex sprengelii. Carex sprengelii plants were
collected every two weeks beginning in mid-May when riparian sites became accessible and continuing
until fall freeze up, which was mid-October in 2009. Five samples were collected at two sites, a grazed
and ungrazed site. Plant tissue was analyzed for crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral
detergent fiber (NDF), in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), calcium, and phosphorus. CP and IVDMD
were highest in May and reduced throughout the growing season at both the grazed and ungrazed
clipping locations, while ADF and NDF were lowest in May and increased throughout the growing season
at both locations. Calcium and phosphorus remained constant throughout the growing season at 0.430.65% and 0.19-0.41%, respectively. The CP content ranged from 24% in May, 13.9-17.3% in June,
12.2-15.8% in July, 13% in August, 12.2-13.3% in September, and 11.7-12.5% in October. IVDMD
content ranged from 80% in May to 40.2-44.4% in October. ADF content was between 19.4% and 22.1%
in May and increased to between 32 and 33.8% in October. NDF content was 44.5-46% in May,
increasing to 62.3-63.1% in October. There were no differences in nutritional composition between the
grazed and ungrazed clipping locations.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0268
Effects of Prescribed Burning and Litter Type on Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Release in
Mixed-Grass Prairie in Eastern Montana
Kurt Reinhart, Aaron Roth, Lance Vermeire
USDA-ARS, Miles City, MT, United States
Fire can affect litter decomposition and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Here, we examined the
effect of summer fire and three litter types on litter decomposition and litter C and N dynamics in a
northern mixed-grass prairie over a 24 month period starting ca. 14 months after fire. Over all sampling
dates, decomposition and nutrient mineralization (C and N) rate constants varied by litter type (alfalfa >
grassland > straw) and burning treatment (burn > unburned). Litter type explained most of the variation
and corresponded with differences in: C:N, % C and N, and total C and N. Over the entire study, burning
had a significant but relatively small effect on decomposition rate constants. This single estimate of
decomposition; however, masks temporal variation among treatments. Initially (0 to 12 months) litter
decomposed slower in burned than in unburned plots and may affect how litter pools are restored. This
relationship reversed from 12 to 24 months. Litter in burned plots also had lower total C and N and % C
and N between 6 to 24 months suggesting a transformation in litter chemistry during the first 6 months of
the study which then persisted. Decomposition in recovering burned plots lagged behind those in
unburned plots but functioning appeared to be restored after ca. 2.5 years post-fire.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0269
Development of a State-and-Transition Model for the Middle Sheyenne River
Miranda Meehan1, Jeff Repp2, Edward DeKeyser1, Kevin Sedivec1, Joseph Zeleznik1, Jack Norland1
1
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States, 2NRCS West National Technology Support
Center, Portland, OR, United States
The geology of the Middle Sheyenne River Valley located within Eddy and Nelson Counties in Eastern
North Dakota is dominated by alluvial terraces and flood plains, characteristic of valley type VIII as
described by Rosgen. Valley type VIII supports stream types C, D, E, F, and G. Nine cross-sections
were sampled to identify stream type using Rosgen's classification of natural rivers. Classification of
these cross-sections resulted in eight C5/6 and one E5/6 channels. The results of our stream
classification lead us to conclude that stream type succession scenario one is most appropriate for the
Middle Sheyenne River. In scenario one, the stable reference reach is an E channel, when stability is lost
it first becomes a C channel, which is transformed into a Gc channel, followed by an F channel, as it
begins to stabilize it becomes an entrenched C channel, and finally it becomes an entrenched E channel.
In the state-and-transition model the E and C channels, the potential natural channels, make up state
one. State two is comprised of the Gc and F channels, which are unstable as the stream is actively
downcutting and widening. State three is comprised of the entrenched C and E channels that have
restabilized forming a stable analog. We identified five major community components including; 1) the
greenline, 2) a forested community, 3) a shrub community, 4) a grassland community, and 5) a wetland
component. The proportion and composition of community components is subject to alterations in
channel morphology and management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0270
Regional Research and Management: Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project
James McIver
Oregon State University, Union, Oregon, United States
SageSTEP is a regional research and management project that is monitoring the long-term effects of
treatments designed to reduce fuels and restore sagebrush ecosystems in the Great Basin. The project
is evaluating the effects of standard fuel management treatments (fire, mechanical thinning, and
herbicide) on the recovery of sagebrush ecosystems threatened by cheatgrass invasion and pinyon and
juniper tree encroachment. Treatments implemented between 2006 and 2009 are being monitored over
gradients of cheatgrass invasion or woodland encroachment at 21 different sites. An inter-disciplinary
approach is being used in which nearly 100 variables describing treatment effects on vegetation, soils,
wildlife, and fuels will be analyzed to provide information on treatment effectiveness. Project results are
being used to develop recommendations and guidelines for fuels management and for maintaining and
restoring sagebrush ecosystems. These results also will be useful for landscape-level strategic planning
and for understanding the implications of climate change.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0271
Forage Nutrient Availability and Reproductive Success of Semi-Wild Bison in Western Montana,
USA
Kelsey Guffey1, Neto Garcia2, Clayton Marlow2
1
McNair Scholars Program, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States, 2Animal and
Range Sciences Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Conservation concerns have heightened due to sudden declines in calf recruitment rates of approximately
250 American Bison (Bison bison) of the pure Pablo herd lineage occupying the National Bison Range
(NBR) in Moiese, MT. Understanding bison foraging behavior and habitat selection could provide insight
for the dynamic ecological management of the bison and their range. Foraging sites directly selected by
bison at the NBR were determined by ocular observations and spatial data collections in an investigation
of the Upper Pauline, Alexander Basin, and Mission Creek pastures from June through August 2010.
These summer pastures range from riparian to steep topography and contain a variety of landform and
vegetation types. All selected sites were assessed to determine dominant plant populations, foraging
patterns, and landform utilization. Chemical profiles of forage collections and fecal samples yielded crude
protein and digestible energy values available in selected forage. Changes in observable behaviors,
forage selection, and grazed stubble height, as well as, declining nutrient availability give evidence to
suggest that the forage production of these sites is potentially inadequate to meet the increased energy
demands of lactating bison cows. Ensuing nutrient deficiencies impair timely regain of body condition for
reproduction in the year following a successful live birth.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0272
Impact of Sheep Grazing on Demographic Parameters of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and Wild
Oat (Avena fatua) in Three Common Montana Agricultural Systems
Melissa Graves, Jane Mangold, Hayes Goosey, Patrick Hatfield, Fabian Menalled
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and wild oat (Avena fatua) are problematic weeds in Montana agricultural
systems spanning from rangeland to cropland. The primary focus of this project is to investigate how the
incorporation of sheep grazing into agricultural systems impacts grassy weeds. Specifically, we
evaluated the impact of incorporating sheep grazing into cropping systems on cheatgrass and wild oat
populations at a large-scale replicated field experiment located at the Fort Ellis Research Farm near
Bozeman, Montana. Demographic parameters including seedbank decay, seedling recruitment, seedling
survival, and plant fecundity were obtained in three agricultural systems commonly used in Montana:
continuous spring wheat, continuous alfalfa, and a 3-year (wheat, pea-hay barley, summer fallow)
rotation. Two sets of paired quadrats were located within each plot and 5,150 seeds/m2 cheatgrass and
2.120 seeds/m2 wild oat were planted in each quadrat in fall 2009. Rotation plots were subjected to
chemical or grazing treatment. Dicamba and/or glyphosate were applied at label rates in summer fallow
chemical treatment plots. Stocking rates on summer fallow grazed plots ranged from 134 sheep days/ha
to 537 sheep days/ha. Summer fallow plots were treated either two or three times respectively based on
weed densities. Weed seedling emergence, survivorship, and seed production were monitored
throughout the 2010 season. Preliminary data indicated grazed fallow plots showed 95% less weed
biomass when compared to chemical fallow plots. Information gained from this study will be used to build
a population growth model allowing producers to incorporate grazing into agricultural management
practices.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0273
Rehabilitation of Medusahead and Cheatgrass Dominated Rangelands in the Boise Foothills. An
Ecologically-Based Invasive Plant Management (EBIPM) Program Research and Demonstration
Project
Stuart Hardegree, Jaepil Cho
USDA ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, ID, United States
The Boise, Idaho foothills have had a long history of human use, are currently grazed by livestock and
wildlife, and are a principal area for diverse recreational use. Sagebrush-grass rangelands in the Boise
Front have undergone frequent wildfires that have resulted in extensive type conversion to annual
grasses, and enhanced risks from catastrophic runoff and erosion. Small-plot treatments are being
evaluated on a churning-clay ecological site, currently dominated by medusahead wildrye, to investigate
the utility of imazapic (0, 4, 6, 8 oz/ac), prescribed fire, seeding rate (2X, 5X, 10X base rates), and
alternative seed mixes (native/non-native) for restoration of these areas. Replicate treatments were
applied in the fall of 2008 and 2009 and will be continued for two additional years to evaluate year
effects. Landscape scale demonstration plots were treated with 8 oz/ acre imazapic in the fall of 2008
and replicate blocks seeded in mid winter (2010) with a high-rate native or non-native seed mix. In the
spring of 2009 and 2010, native shrub seedlings were planted in the area. Initial examination of data
found excellent control of medusahead and cheat grass by plateau which varied with application rate and
use or non-use of prescribed fire. Initial establishment of planted species was extremely poor across the
board in 2008, but significantly improved in 2009.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0274
Mapping Cheatgrass in the Great Basin Using 250-Meter eMODIS NDVI
Stephen P. Boyte1, Bruce K. Wylie2, Collin G. Homer2, Donald J. Major3
SGT, Inc.( Contract G10PC00044) USGS EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD, United States, 2USGS
EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD, United States, 3BLM NIFC-Great Basin Restoration Initiative, Boise,
ID, United States
1
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive annual grass that expanded into the Sagebrush-Steppe
communities of the Great Basin and other western United States ecosystems. Historically, periods of
multi-year drought resulted in large die-offs of cheatgrass. In recent years, cheatgrass die-off has been
documented during non-drought periods and in patterns not easily explained by weather in northern
Nevada. Remotely sensed vegetation indices can quantify the abundance and activity of green
vegetation, so to map historical cheatgrass extents, we used the enhanced Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (eMODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at 250-meter spatial
resolution. Based on the finding that cheatgrass green-up and senescence periods are distinct from other
Great Basin vegetation types, we calculated the difference from integrated spring and summer NDVI
values and created annual cheatgrass maps from 2000 to 2010. We compared and contrasted these
maps and identified areas where cheatgrass coverage is stable or variable, including areas with
increasing cheatgrass dominance or die-off. Die-offs of cheatgrass create large extents of bare ground
that can lead to accelerated soil erosion and land degradation, but the phenomenon can also provide
opportunities for native grass and shrub restoration. We used 794 random points collected from our 2001
2
cheatgrass map and Peterson's cheatgrass map to perform a linear regression (R = 0.65). Identifying
cheatgrass in the Intermountain West enhances predictive models and analytical tools that can help
explain causes of cheatgrass die-off, assist in the subsequent development of weather-based predictions
of cheatgrass productivity, and inform current and future management of cheatgrass.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0275
Effects of Liquid Smoke on Seed Germination of Shortgrass Prairie Plant Species
Yifang Chou, Robert Cox
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
In fire-prone regions, some species may germinate better when receiving fire cues such as smoke and
heat. We examined the germination responses of 11 species native to the southern high plains to smoke,
heat, and their interaction. Smoke treatments were applied by soaking seeds in 1:5, 1:10, or 1:100
"Regen 2000®" smoke solution for 22 hours. Heat treatments were applied by placing seeds in a warm
oven at 50°C or 80°C for 5 minutes. A mix of grasses, forbs, and shrubs were tested. Salvia reflexa
responded to the 1:10 smoke solution by increasing germination percent (p< 0.001). Likewise, Gutierrezia
sarothrae seeds exposed to the 1:5 smoke solution displayed an increase in germination percent (p=
0.0007). However, G. sarothrae also experienced slower germination in both the 1:5 and 1:10 smoke
solution treatments. High concentration smoke solution (1:5) significantly inhibited 7 species in either
germination%, mean germination time, or both.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0276
Hydrothermal Indices for Classification of Seedbed Microclimate
Stuart Hardegree1, Jaepil Cho1, Bruce Roundy2, Corey Moffet3, Thomas Jones4, Jeremy James7, Nancy
Shaw5, Robert Cox6
1
USDA ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, ID, United States, 2Brigham Young
University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Provo, UT, United States, 3The Noble Foundation,
Ardmore, OK, United States, 4USDA ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT, United
States, 5USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID, United States, 6Texas Tech
University, Department of Natural Resources Management, Lubbock, TX, United States, 7USDA ARS
Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR, United States
The microclimatic requirements for successful establishment of rangeland species are much more
restrictive than those required for maintaining mature plant communities. We used a 45-year weather
record to parameterize a seedbed-microclimate model for estimation of hourly temperature and moisture
at seeding depth for three soil types at the Orchard Field Test Site in southwestern Ada County, Idaho.
Hydrothermal-germination response was measured in the laboratory for multiple seedlots of cheatgrass,
bluebunch wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, Sandberg bluegrass, thickspike wheatgrass, Idaho fescue
and sagebrush. Germination response models were developed to estimate potential germination rate for
every hour of the entire seedbed simulation period. Seedbed microclimate was assessed for each month,
year, and season and for each site and seedlot by integrating germination rate estimates into an
ecological index of relative favorability for initial germination and growth. This index showed consistent
patterns among seedlots for different years, and provides a relatively sensitive index for interpreting
favorability of seedbed microclimate among diverse and variable weather conditions. This index could be
combined with field data to define minimum weather thresholds for successful establishment of alternative
plant materials, in conjunction with weather forecast models for making restoration and fire-rehabilitation
management decisions for dormant-fall planting, and evaluation of potential climate-change impacts on
plant community trajectories and future restoration/rehabilitation management scenarios.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0277
Uses and Benefits of Consistent Indicators and Scalable, Integrated Sample Design for BLM
Local-to-National Data Needs
Gordon Toevs4, Jason Karl1, Jason Taylor3, Matthew Bobo3, Jeffrey Herrick1, Carrol Spurrier2, Craig
Mackinnon2
1
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States,
2
Bureau of Land Management, Division of Rangeland Resources, Washington, DC, United States,
3
Bureau of Land Management - NOC, Branch of Assessment and Monitoring, Denver, CO, United States,
4
Bureau of Land Management, National Riparian Lead, Washington, DC, United States
Management of U.S. public lands must address multiple objectives at various geographic extents while
responding to a continuously increasing number of issues including invasive species, endangered
species, climate change, exurban development, wildland fire, wildlife habitat, recreation, livestock grazing
and energy development. In order to provide actionable information to support decisions in this
increasingly complex environment, robust monitoring and assessment programs must be developed and
implemented. However, given resource constraints and the sheer number of monitoring needs, it is no
longer possible to implement individual monitoring and assessment plans for each identified use or threat.
Across the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), there is a pressing need for consistent, yet flexible, fieldbased monitoring and assessment activities that incorporate multiple management objectives at various
geographic extents or scales. We describe an approach for monitoring and assessment that includes
three components: 1) consistent indicators of key ecosystem attributes and methods to measure them; 2)
a scalable and integrated approach to sample design; and 3) integration of remote-sensing into
monitoring and assessment programs. In this paper we present details and applications of the first two
components, and lay out a framework for making remote sensing an operational and integral part of
rangeland monitoring and assessment. Using examples from BLM field offices, we illustrate how these
components can be used to benefit management of public lands at multiple scales and for multiple
objectives.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0278
Weather and Climate Applications for Rangeland Restoration Planning
Jaepil Cho1, Stuart Hardegree1, Jeanne Schneider2
1
USDA ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, ID, United States, 2USDA ARS Great Plains
Agroclimate and Natural Resources Research Unit, Boise, ID, United States
Rangeland ecosystems generally have an arid or semi-arid climatology, and are characterized by
relatively high variability in seasonal and annual patterns of precipitation. Weather variability during
seedling establishment is universally acknowledged as a principal determinant of rangeland seeding
success, but restoration planners generally only use weather information retrospectively to qualitatively
explain seeding failure. Current state-and-transition models acknowledge that there are a limited set of
potential trajectories for moving between undesirable and desirable vegetation states. Current ecological
site descriptions include general climate information such as annual precipitation ranges, average
monthly temperature minima and maxima, seasonality, and growing-season characteristics but do not
address the probabilities associated with transition pathways that are influenced by weather and climate
variability. Inclusion of site-specific information on weather and climate variability may improve the utility
of these site descriptions and models for rehabilitation and restoration planning. We present sources of
weather information for Great Basin rangeland restoration planning, modeling approaches for interpreting
interactions between weather variables and the ecological processes driving succession, and general
approaches for understanding how weather variability, per se, can be incorporated into alternative
planning scenarios for historical, forecast and alternative future climatic regimes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0279
Rangelands of the Wakhan Corridor: Description, Issues, and Concerns
Don Bedunah
University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States
During 2006-08 I initiated a rangeland reconnaissance of much of the Wakhan Corridor in northeastern
Afghanistan. The Wakhan Corridor is known as a Silk Road route used by earlier travelers including
Marco Polo and for explorations by British and Russian agents during "The Great Game" in the late 19th
Century. Marco Polo remarked of the value of the Wakhan's high pastures for livestock and wildlife and
today the rangelands continue to provide habitat for wild species and for a pastoral economy. Wildlife
such as Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon), ibex (Capra ibex), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), wolves (Canis
lupus), and brown bears (Ursus arctos) are present and parts of the corridor have been proposed as
protected areas to conserve the wild species, the rangelands and the pastoral lifestyles using these
areas. The two major pastoral groups using the Wakhan are the Wakhi and the Kirghiz. I identified 12
major vegetation land classes and on sites varying in elevation from 3465 m to 4690 m. The major land
classes were named Artemisia Steppe, Artemisia Cold Desert, Alpine steppe, Wetland Meadow, Sedge
Meadow, and Low Sage. Mean standing crop (kg/ha) varied from a 1509 kg/ha for the wetland land class
to 131 kg/ha for the Low Sage land class. Rangeland degradation was associated with shrub use for
fuels, overgrazing, and use of wetlands as a source of peat for fuel. This presentation will discuss the
rangelands, the people and the values and concerns regarding conservation of the area and its pastoral
systems.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0280
The Role of Beavers as Agents of Ecological Change: Ecosystem Engineering and Herbivory in
Lotic and Riparian Ecosystems
Stewart Breck
USDA-WS-National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States
Beavers (Castor canadensis, C. fiber) are commonly presented as a classic example of a keystone
species, i.e., their impact on ecosystems is large relative to their biomass within the system. A beaver's
impact results from two distinct pathways: as ecosystem engineers and as agents (herbivores) in trophic
dynamics of important riparian plant species. I review the role of beavers as agents of ecological change
in riparian and aquatic ecosystems by comparing and contrasting beavers in ecosystems across North
America, South America, and Europe. My objectives are to: 1) review the impact of beavers on abiotic
and biotic components of aquatic and riparian ecosystems across riverine and riparian systems in a
variety of ecosystems, and 2) explore how the interaction strength of beavers (i.e., their impact on a
system) varies across systems depending upon a hierarchical set of factors that may dictate their
importance in a system (e.g., stream order, plant productivity, plant population dynamics, ecosystem
resilience). In pursuing this second objective, it is necessary to frame the discussion within concepts of
ecosystem engineering and trophic dynamics. For example, stream order will dictate the influence of
beavers in a system primarily by limiting their ability to build dams. Throughout my talk I will discuss the
role of beavers within the context of management scenarios to enhance their positive impacts and
minimize potential conflict.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0281
Rangelands Use Efficiency and Wool Production in the Arid Environment of Uzbekistan
E. Mamedov
Uzbek Research Institute of Karakul Sheep Breeding and Desert Ecology, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
This study examined the effect of different levels of protein supplemented fodder on wool production and
range use efficiency in the arid environment of Uzbekistan using field and laboratory investigations. Fifty
experimental animals were divided into four groups according to age, development stage, and body
condition. Animals in the second and third groups received 25% and 35% more supplemented protein,
respectively, than animals from the first and fourth groups. On the basis of three years research it was
possible to show that animals from both groups with extra supplemented fodder had higher wool quality at
both the spring and fall shearing. Wool growth was registered for animals in the second group. Absolute
length of spring wool was equal to 12.6 cm, which is 29.8% longer than the wool length of animals in the
other groups. The analysis of wool yield of the different experimental groups showed that the animal
groups which were raised in the best conditions of the arid rangelands had higher indicators of wool
efficiency. Thus, the results testify that a level of protein within 112.5-121.5 g in autumn and 125-135 g in
winter are optimal for obtaining the highest wool yield with better quality.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0282
Fire, Herbicide and Disking Effects on Diversifying Crested Wheatgrass Stands in the Northern
Great Plains
Lance Vermeire
USDA-ARS, Miles City, MT, United States
Disturbance and seeding techniques were evaluated on grazed and long-term livestock-excluded sites
dominated by Agropyron cristatum (Agcr) to identify methods diversifying Agcr with native species. Nongrazed sites were burned, disked, burned then disked, or sprayed with glyphosate then disked. Grazed
sites received the same treatments plus burning and glyphosate, or burning, glyphosate and disking.
Fires were in May 2008 under moderate fire conditions when Agcr was growing at a 3-leaf stage and
about 25 cm tall. Glyphosate was applied mid-June at 0.9 L a.i./ha and disking occurred early August.
Subplots were broadcast seeded in November with a mixture of three C3 grasses, three C4 grasses, all
grasses plus three forbs, or remained unseeded. Fire plus disking initially reduced Agcr density on
livestock-excluded plots, but doubled density and increase biomass 72% by the second year. Nontreated plots had similar Agcr density and biomass as those receiving fire or disking alone. Glyphosate
plus disking caused a lasting reduction in Agcr density, but did not reduce biomass and produced nearly
10 times the annual grass biomass. All treatments reduced Agcr density in grazed plots compared to fire,
with glyphosate plus disking and fire plus glyphosate and disking reducing density 77 and 82% and
biomass 71%. Annual grasses produced 982 kg/ha in the most effective treatments for reducing Agcr,
whereas they were nearly absent in burned plots. Seeded species established poorly, but did best with
fire plus glyphosate and disking. Effective treatments were intensive, indicating further refinement is
required for less intrusive techniques.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0283
Germination Prediction from Soil Moisture and Temperature Data across the Great Basin
Nathan Cline1, Bruce Roundy1, Stuart Hardegree2
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States, 2USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed Research
Center, Boise, ID, United States
Preventing cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dominance associated with frequent wildfires depends, in part,
on successful establishment of desirable species sown in fire rehabilitation and fuel control projects. We
tested the effects of fire, herbicide applications, and mechanical treatments on predicted germination of
five cheatgrass collections, six bunchgrasses, and three forb species using near surface (1-3 cm) soil
moisture potential and temperature at 28 sites in the Great Basin. Sites included grasslands (Elymus
spp. and Agropyron spp.) and sagebrush stands (Artemisia spp.) either invaded or not invaded by
woodland species (Juniperus spp. and Pinus spp.). Potential germination was estimated using wet
thermal accumulation models developed in the laboratory for each seed collection. These models were
constructed in previous studies by exposing seeds to a range of constant temperatures and calculating
the degree hours above a base temperature threshold required to germinate 50% of germinable seeds.
Thermal accumulation and progress toward germination in field seedbeds was calculated from field soil
temperatures when soil was wetter than - 1.5 MPa as measured by thermocouples and gypsum blocks.
Treatments had much less effect on surface soil moisture and temperature and predicted germination
than did site or year. Successful germination for most species was predicted on many sites in spring.
Seedling establishment may be more limited by seedling survival than germination. This approach to
modeling germination could be used for ranking potential species success and developing more
performance-based selection of revegetation species for rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0284
An Overview of the Research and Studies on Diversifying Crested Wheatgrass Seedings
Mike Pellant
Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID, United States
Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum sensu amplo[L.] Gaertn.) is an introduced, caespitose grass
that has been seeded on millions of acres of Western rangelands. In some important wildlife habitat
areas, the reduced plant diversity of crested wheatgrass seedings has stimulated interest in restoring
native species. Crested wheatgrass seedings are also seen as an intermediate step in converting
cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dominated rangelands to a functional, desired plant community. The first
step in improving plant diversity in crested wheatgrass seedings is to reduce the competition from live
crested plants and its seed bank given the strong competitiveness of live plants and this plants ability to
produce seed that contributes to a persistent seedbank. These characteristics hinder treatments to
reduce its influence and improve conditions for establishing desirable species. Herbicides, burning,
mechanical treatments, livestock grazing, droughts, and combinations of these are effective to varying
degrees in reducing crested wheatgrass competition. Results from past research and studies will be
summarized in this presentation to set the stage for current efforts to improve plant diversity in crested
wheatgrass seedings.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0285
Plant Materials Establishment and Performance on Gas Well Pads
James Jacobs1, Karen Clause2, Susan Winslow3
USDA - NRCS, Bozeman, Montana, United States, 2USDA - NRCS, Pinedale, Wyoming, United States,
3
USDA - NRCS, Bridger, Montana, United States
1
Restoring native forbs and shrubs important for wildlife habitat to disturbances is challenging. Our
objective was to evaluate native forb and shrub species establishment on a high elevation sagebrush
steppe disturbance. In October 2005, on a well-pad near Pinedale, Wyoming, 23 native forbs and 16
accessions of 12 native shrubs were drill-seeded in single species plots in a randomized complete block
design with 4 replications. Establishment was evaluated by counting species densities annually from
2007 through 2010. Differences among accessions and years were analyzed using ANOVA. In general,
forb densities were low indicating poor forb establishment and persistence. No differences among
species were detected except fewer Cleome serrulata plants (less than one plant per square meter)
compared with other species in 2008 and 2010. The trend over time was decreasing forb density. There
were no differences among shrub accession densities over time. In 2010, 'Wytana' Atriplex x aptera had
the greatest density (395 plants/ha) followed by 'Snake River Plains' Atriplex canescnes (197 plants/ha)
and Grayia spinosa (110 plants/ha). These densities are satisfactory for wildlife food and cover on this
site. Densities of other shrub accessions present were similar to each other and ranged from 101 to 21
plants/ha. Broadcast seeding may have improved establishment of forbs and shrubs. Our results
suggest shrub cultivars can be used to restore wildlife habitat on disturbed sites. However, the forb
results suggest more work is needed to develop establishment technologies and seed sources of forb
species important for wildlife habitat.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0286
Classification and Expansion Detection of Western Juniper Using Historical Aerial Imagery
Nathan Cline1, Timothy Deboobt2, Micheal Fisher3, Steven Petersen1
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States, 2Oregon State University, Crook Extension Service,
Prineville, OR, United States, 3Central Oregon Community College, Bend, OR, United States
Historical aerial photographs can provide a chronological record of juniper (Juniperus spp.) expansion
into sage-steppe ecosystems. Unsupervised (ISODATA) and ENVI's Feature Extraction classification
techniques were used to delineate juniper tree cover using a georectified 1951 black and white aerial
photograph. This was compared with tree cover delineated from 2005 NAIP imagery, used to measure
the extent of expansion in this area. The extracted tree shape files were compared by year for slope,
aspect, and solar radiation. Slope, aspect, and solar radiation estimates were calculated using ArcMAP
Spatial Analyst (ESRI 2009). Results indicate that total juniper canopy cover increased between 1951 and
2005. North-facing, 5 to 22% slopes and areas that receive low relative exposure to solar radiation have
the largest increases in juniper relative cover. Historical imagery provides evidence of temporal
vegetation change; however, photo quality may impede classification accuracy. Multiple classification
methods may strengthen accuracy of conclusions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0287
Effects of Patch Burning and Livestock Grazing on Grasshopper Populations in Northern Mixed
Prairie in Eastern Montana
David Branson1, Lance Vermeire2
USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Sidney, MT, United States, 2USDA, Agricultural Research Service,
Miles City, MT, United States
1
Experiments are lacking in the northern Great Plains that examine the effects of fire and grazing on
grasshopper population dynamics, especially during population increases. Interest in fire stems from its
use as a management tool and unplanned events; however, there is increased interest in using fire to
shift grazing animal distribution and to increase the structural heterogeneity of rangelands. As part of a
larger study examining patch burning effects on plant community dynamics, animal performance, grazing
distribution and foraging efficiency in northern mixed prairie at the USDA, ARS, Livestock and Range
Research Lab in Miles City Montana, we examined how patch burning and livestock grazing affects
grasshopper population dynamics from 2007 through 2010. Homogenous and heterogeneous
management treatments were assigned to six pastures, with heterogeneity created by burning 25% of
each treatment pasture in a given year. Total grasshopper density was estimated by counting the number
of grasshoppers within a series of 60, 0.1 m2 aluminum wire rings in each plot, with sweep net samples
used to establish grasshopper community composition. Patch burning effects on grasshopper populations
differed significantly between years, likely due to differences in the timing and intensity of fire. However,
grasshopper populations were strongly reduced following fire in some years, including a large reduction
following fire in 2009.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0288
Estimating Desert Rangelands Forage Production with High Spatial Resolution Satellite Imagery
and Vegetation Indices
Ahmed Mohamed, Jerry Holechek, Derek Bailey
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Determination of rangeland forage production is usually expensive and time consuming. Remote sensing
data have been used to estimate net primary productivity over large-scale landscapes. The objective of
this study was to determine if vegetation indices derived from high spatial resolution satellite imagery
could accurately estimate aboveground biomass in the arid rangelands of the Chihuahuan Desert
Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) in south-central New Mexico, USA. QuickBird ortho-ready satellite
imagery with spatial resolution of 2.4 m in multispectral bands and panchromatic resolution of 0.6 m for
the study area was obtained on November 20, 2008 at the end of the monsoon and associated active
growing season. We measured forage production (kg/ha) during November, 2008 on 10 permanent
transects in each of four extensive pastures at CDRRC. Shrubs were masked out of the satellite image.
We identified 24 x 60 meter plot for each transect (n = 40) from the image. Transformed Normalized
Vegetation Index (TNDVI) and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) were calculated for each plot
associated with each transect. Regression was used to estimate the relationship between actual
aboveground biomass and TNDVI and SAVI. Aboveground biomass was linearly related to TNDVI and
2
SAVI indices (R = 0.74 and 0.82, respectively). These results indicate that vegetation indices derived
from high spatial resolution satellite imagery can be a useful tool for estimating annual forage production
on arid desert rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0289
Fostering Healthy Lands for Small Acreage Success in South Dakota
Dusty Jager, Penny Nester, Mindy Huberty, Roger Gates, Rebecca Bott
South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States
The number of small acreages in South Dakota (1-49 acres) increased 27% from 2002-2007. While this
growing sector may be well-intentioned, in many cases resource management and conservation are
deficient due to a lack of experience. The land use by small acreage owners is often intense, leading to
erosion, degradation of water and air quality, and the spread of invasive species both on small acreages,
as well as, throughout the communities in which they reside. Traditionally, programming efforts by South
Dakota Cooperative Extension Service (SDCES) have focused on range improvement education
targeting farms and ranches in South Dakota. In response to this increase in small acreages, SDCES
created an issue-based team in 2009 to address natural resource management of small acreages in the
state. Initial program topics at workshops and on-site demonstrations included animal care and
stewardship of land resources, with a focus on carrying capacity and weed control within the Black Hills
region. The use of animal care education, particularly horses, was to draw the intended audience into
programming on improving range condition among small acreage owners. Small acreage owner
participation grew 43% between 2009 and 2010. Subsequent programming topics have been driven by
audience surveys. Changes in programming topics have taken a comprehensive approach to encompass
both the aesthetic and production values small acreages in the Black Hills possess.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0290
Bird Activities that Expand Existing Plant Community Ranges
Anne Bartuszevige
Playa Lakes Joint Venture, Lafayette, CO, United States
Perhaps the best studied form of biotic seed dispersal is that done by birds. Birds have informed
hypotheses regarding explanations of why plants form such energetically expensive propagules. Birds
have been hypothesized to contribute to the long-distance dispersal of plant seeds after the retreat of the
glaciers in the last ice-age, thus expanding the range of plants faster than would have otherwise
occurred. Ducks have been hypothesized to disperse seeds among wetlands thereby creating
communities of plants that provide suitable food resources. Finally, models of seed dispersal shadows
can help to identify habitats where seeds are likely to be defecated. However, the ability to track direct
changes in plant communities due to seed dispersal by birds has lagged mostly due to the difficulty in
obtaining data. To document such changes, observation of multiple events is required – the bird eats the
fruit with the seed, the bird travels x distance away, the seed is defecated in a new area, the seed is
viable, and the seed grows to form a new reproductive plant. The sheer number of seed dispersal events
that would need to be observed precludes this kind of documentation/evidence/results. Often, the results
of such a study are inconclusive. Therefore we are often relegated to making correlations between
observations of seed dispersal and vegetation community. In this talk we will explore the evidence for
birds as plant community architects despite the difficulty in obtaining direct observations.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0291
Developing and Implementing a Strategy for the Conservation of Shrub Steppe/Rangelands in
South Central Washington
Julie Conley
South Central Washington Shrub Steppe/Rangeland Partnership, Yakima, WA, United States
The South Central Washington Shrub Steppe/Rangeland Partnership is a group of government agencies,
non-profits and other cooperators that have come together for the mutual purpose of conserving and
restoring the shrub steppe/rangeland landscape in Benton, Yakima, Grant, and Kittitas Counties in
Washington State. Formed under an MOU in 2006, the group has 15 formal member entities including all
major federal rangeland owners in the region, Yakama Nation, State Department of Fish and Wildlife,
NRCS, Conservation Districts, and environmental NGO's. In Sept. 2009, the group funded a coordinator
and set to work developing a regional strategy for the conservation of shrub steppe/rangelands. This
strategy was completed in August of 2010 and the group is now probing deeply into the feasibility of
needed actions and opportunities; identifying key players and the tasks they are committed to assisting in
or completing. This presentation will describe the rangeland setting of South Central Washington, the
conservation targets that are the focus of the Partnership's work, the critical threats identified and ranked
by the group, and the broad strategies to be pursued by the Partnership to ensure longterm conservation
of shrub steppe/rangelands. It will further discuss current and future projects planned for implementation
of the strategy and lessons learned as a partnership. The group's priority strategic action is to reduce the
amount of fire in key habitat areas and buffers through improved prevention and suppression efforts in
predominantly dry, low elevation Wyoming big sagebrush communities. Challenges and progress in this
area will also be discussed.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0292
Variation among SamplePoint Users with Respect to Shadows and Other Variables
Amanda L. Gearhart1 ,2, Christopher S. Schauer2, D. Terrance Booth3, Kevin K. Sedivec1
1
North Dakota State University, School of Natural Resource Sciences, Fargo, ND, United States, 2North
Dakota State University, Hettinger Research Extension Center, Hettinger, ND, United States, 3USDAARS, High Plains Grasslands Research Station, Cheyenne, WY, United States
SamplePoint is an image-analysis program that is used to classify true color, very large-scale aerial
(VLSA) imagery. SamplePoint works by overlaying a grid of a user-defined number of cross-hairs over an
image. In this trial, we used 100 cross-hairs on an image with a 4 x 3-m field-of-view. Each cross-hair
has a center pixel that is the sample point from which observations are recorded. We employed 4 people
(users) ranging in age from 18 to 40 years, and having different amounts of field training, and image
analysis experience. The users analyzed 150 images from the Grand River National Grasslands for 20
independent variables. Variables included bare ground, litter, rock, shadow, life form, and several
individual species including crested wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, blue grama, and needle and
thread. SamplePoint automatically writes a user's observation / classification to an Excel file in real time.
User measured cover variables, such as shadow, were similar (same general trend, Kendall W statistic).
However, there were significant differences (P<0.05) among the four judges (ANOVA). This is consistent
with other findings of among-user variability for SamplePoint. We believe these differences relate to
individual users' visual perceptions (ophthalmological differences) and mental interpretations of image
variables. The implication is that if data sets will be compared over time, an individual user must analyze
the complete data set so that change-over-time detection is not confounded by among-user variability.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0293
Understanding Priority Effects May Help Improve Restoration Outcomes and Establishment of
Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis
Kurt Reinhart, Cheryl Murphy
USDA-ARS, Miles City, MT, United States
Priority effects, where an earlier growing species affects the establishment, growth, and reproduction of a
later growing species, may have lasting effects on the dominance of the system and should be
considered when developing a restoration plan. Here, we explore the effect of soil pre-conditioning (i.e.
soil legacies-a mechanism for priority effects) by nine to ten mixed-grass prairie species on growth of
Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis using a plant-soil biota feedback experiment designed to detect
soil biota effects (i.e. microbial effects) while controlling for nutrient effects. Soil inocula for this study
originated from two mixed-grass prairie sites in eastern Montana. Beneficial effects of soil preconditioning
(i.e. feedback) on A. tridentata spp. wyomingensis growth were detected when soil was pre-conditioned
by Artemisia frigida, Koeleria macrantha, and Sphaeralcea coccinea. Negative effects were observed for
soil conditioned by Hesperostipa comata, Poa secunda, Sphaeralcea coccinea, and Vulpia microstachys.
Effects varied with soil origin (i.e. site effects) suggesting some conditionality of results. Although not
conclusive, this work has identified some species that may inhibit A. tridentata spp. wyomingensis via
changes in soil biota and other species that may promote its establishment via changes in soil biota.
Incorporating knowledge of soil feedback effects (i.e. soil legacies) and priority effects may ultimately help
inform decisions related to assembling species mixes and/or successive planting strategies. Restoring
systems that naturally develop over successional time is challenging and outcomes are often uncertain,
added knowledge of priority effects will increase the odds of establishing relevant species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0294
The Role of Relative Size and Nitrogen (N) Availability in Competitive Interactions between
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata)
Noelle Orloff, Jane Mangold, Fabian Menalled, Zach Miller
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
Reestablishing native perennial grass species such as bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata)
is one management tool for restoring lands dominated by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), an exotic
annual grass. Yet, reseeding perennial grasses is often unsuccessful due to cheatgrass' early
emergence time and ability to preempt and quickly utilize resources. We conducted a greenhouse study
investigating the role of relative size and nitrogen (N) availability in competitive interactions between
cheatgrass and bluebunch wheatgrass, with the intent of improving rangeland revegetation practices. We
hypothesized that cheatgrass growth is more responsive to increased N than bluebunch wheatgrass and
that competitive ability of bluebunch wheatgrass seedlings increases with seedling size relative to
cheatgrass. In an addition series experiment, we combined four densities of each species, three size
cohorts of bluebunch wheatgrass (seeds, two-leaf, and four-leaf seedlings), and two N treatments
(ambient and high) for a total of 96 experimental units replicated four times. For both species, we
predicted individual average biomass as a function of densities of each species, bluebunch wheatgrass
size cohort, and N treatment. Cheatgrass responded to added N by accumulating more biomass than
bluebunch wheatgrass. As predicted, when the species were planted simultaneously cheatgrass
suppressed bluebunch wheatgrass growth, but cheatgrass had little effect on larger bluebunch
wheatgrass seedling biomass across both N treatments. Furthermore, the larger bluebunch wheatgrass
seedlings suppressed cheatgrass growth. These results suggest that techniques that allow perennial
grasses to achieve a size advantage over cheatgrass may increase the chance of reseeding success,
even when resource availability is elevated.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0295
Use of Direct and Indirect Estimates of Crown Dimensions to Predict One Seed Juniper Woody
Biomass Yield for Alternative Energy Uses
Santiago Utsumi1, Andres Cibils1, Brent Racher2, David Borland3, Terrance Booth4, Matthew Bobo3,
Samuel Cox4, Shad Cox5, Richard Dunlap5, Al Sandoval3, Kent Reid6
1
Department of Animal and Range Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United
States, 2Restoration Solutions, LLC, Corona, NM, United States, 3USDI-Bureau of Land Management,
Santa Fe, NM, United States, 4USDA-ARS High Plains Grasslands Research Station, Cheyenne, WY,
United States, 5Corona Range and Livestock Research Center, New Mexico State University, Corona,
NM, United States, 6New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute, Las Vegas, NM, United
States
Throughout the western United States there is increased interest in utilizing woodland biomass as
alternative bioenergy source. A pilot study was conducted to predict juniper (Juniperus monosperma)
chip yield from tree-crown dimensions measured on the ground or derived from Very Large Scale Aerial
(VLSA) digital imagery. The study was conducted in January 2009 at the Corona Range and Livestock
Research Center in central New Mexico. We harvested 57 individual trees from a 0.10 ha plot and 17
tree clumps (72 individual trees) from a neighboring site which had been surveyed with VLSA digital
imagery. We recorded crown and stem measurements on all trees shortly before the harvest date. A
timber extractor and a Vermeer grinder with a 10 cm screen were used to harvest and grind
trees. Juniper chips from trees were collected and weighed to determine green weight. Random grab
samples were extracted from each tree to determine dry matter content of chips which was 67.1 % (±
0.04; n=156). Overall, tree crown dimensions accounted for >70% of the variation in chip yield and were
better predictors of chip yield of tree clumps in aerial images than of individual trees measured on the
ground. Longest tree clump crown diameter was the best predictor of tree clump chip yield (y=81.4x2
1,137.8;R =0.94). We conclude that VSLA image-derived measurements are strong predictors of juniper
chip yield for alternative bioenergy use.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0296
Diversifying Crested Wheatgrass Seedings in Northern Nevada
Kent McAdoo1, John Swanson2, Nancy Shaw3
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Elko, NV, United States, 2University of Nevada, Reno, NV,
United States, 3USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID, United States
1
Because it can be reliably established to compete against cheatgrass invasion, crested wheatgrass is
often seeded in lower elevations burns of northern Nevada. Once these sites have been secured against
weedy monocultures, the opportunity for diversifying with native species may exist. The study area,
formerly dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush, was seeded to crested wheatgrass during the 1970s.
Objectives of this research were to determine the effect of various control methods on crested
wheatgrass and the effect of redcuing crested wheatgrass on establishing seeded species. Treatments
for crested wheatgrass reduction included herbicide (glyphosate) applications of spring and spring + fall
spray, 3-way disking, and combined spring spray + 3-way disking. A mixture of site-adapted native
species was seeded during October 2008 with a Truax rangeland drill. First year analysis showed the
following (at p<0.05): 1) herbicide treatments were more effective than disking in reducing crested
wheatgrass cover and density, 2) there were no significant differences in effectiveness among the 3
herbicide treatments in reducing crested wheatgrass cover and density, and 3) disking increased crested
wheatgrass density. Seeded species that have established to date include basin wildrye, bluebunch
wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, Indian ricegrass, needle-and-thread grass, western yarrow, Lewis
flax, Munro globemallow, and Wyoming big sagebrush. Seeded native grasses germinated on plots with
and without crested wheatgrass control, but were much taller and more robust in plots where crested
wheatgrass was suppressed. Additional plots were established during 2010 to test for differences
between years, and to compare additional herbicide treatments.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0297
Herbivore Impacts on Life-Stage Transitions of an Endangered Orchid, Spiranthes parksii Correll
Carissa L. Wonkka, William E. Rogers, Fred E. Smeins, Dirac Twidwell
Texas A&M University, Texas, United States
Herbivory disrupts the life cycle of Spiranthes parksii Correll, an endangered orchid of east-central Texas.
Disruption of the life cycle at different stages has the potential to negatively impact the fitness of an
individual, and the effect of individual loss of fitness on S. parksii population dynamics is not well
understood. We experimentally manipulated herbivory by excluding large mammalian browsers (rabbitsized or larger) from half of our experimental units. We treated half of the protected and half of the
unprotected plots with prescribed fire to explore the interaction between fire and herbivory. We collected
demographic data to quantify stage transitions for each treatment group. Mammalian browsers had a
large impact on the transition from flowering stalk to flower production. All herbivory had a significant
impact during rosette production, potentially reducing fitness by removing biomass. However, there were
significant increases in leaf area in protected plots. Our data demonstrate major disruption of S. parksii
life-stage transitions by large mammalian browsers. Continued data collection is necessary to determine
the consequences of this disruption for S. parksii populations.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0298
Vegetation Structure and Composition at Greater Prairie-Chicken Nest and Brood Sites: Drivers
for Success?
Lars Anderson1, Walter Schacht1, Larkin Powell1, Jeffery Lusk2
1
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States, 2Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,
Lincoln, NE, United States
Greater Prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnata) are a grassland species of conservation
concern. Although prairie-chickens have experienced decline over much of their range, the Nebraska
Sandhills has one of the few stable remnant populations in North America. In 2009 and 2010, we studied
prairie-chickens on private rangelands in Rock and Brown Counties. We fitted 25 hens in 2009 and 65
hens in 2010 with radio collars to locate nest and brood sites and to determine nest and brood success
rates. Hens were trapped on leks during the breeding season and monitored throughout the summer
using pickup-mounted and handheld telemetry systems. Nests were considered successful if ≥ 1 egg
hatched and broods successful if ≥ 1 chick survived. At nest sites and brood rearing-sites, we collected
vegetation structure and composition data. Plant composition was estimated by functional groups using a
quadrat method and vegetation structure was measured using the Robel pole and coverboard. Apparent
nest success was 60% in 2009 and 31% in 2010. Brood success at 21 days post-hatch was 57% in 2009
and 50% in 2010. For nest locations in 2009, hens tended to select patches with relatively dense cover
(15.34 cm VOR) compared to random points (6.26 cm VOR). Overall, vegetation structure and
composition appeared to have mixed effects on reproductive success.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0299
Using VHR Imagery for Rangeland Monitoring and Assessment: Some Statistical Considerations
Jason Karl1, Jean Opsomer3, Sarah Nusser2, Andrea Laliberte1, Michael Duniway1, Robert Unnasch4
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States,
2
Department of Statistics, Center for Survey Statistics & Methodology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA,
United States, 3Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 4The
Nature Conservancy, Idaho Chapter, Boise, ID, United States
1
The availability of very-high-resolution (VHR) imagery and the development and validation of techniques
for processing those data into indicators of ecosystem status and function has opened the door for VHR
imagery to be used in rangeland monitoring and assessment. However, VHR imagery can be expensive
in a larger study and, like any survey measurement, studies that rely on VHR-image-based indicators will
be subject to various forms of survey error that can lead to biased results or inflated standard errors. We
will discuss the use of VHR imagery from the perspective of minimizing survey error in estimates. In this
paper, we discuss survey errors in the context of VHR-image-based methods in rangeland monitoring and
assessment. Our discussion will include the importance of probability sampling to generate scientifically
credible estimates, including two-phase sample designs to minimize costs; measurement errors in VHRderived indicators; and model-assisted estimation to integrate data from multiple sources, improve
precision and adjust for sources of errors. We demonstrate the effects of these statistical considerations
using example datasets where VHR imagery and concurrent, comparable field data were collected.
Finally, we propose practical ways to conduct statistically-sound rangeland monitoring and assessment
using VHR imagery.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0300
Regional Economic Implications of Post-CRP Land Use
Dean Bangsund, Larry Leistritz, Nancy Hodur
North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, United States
The uncertain future of the Conservation Reserve Program has created substantial interest for agricultural
producers, rural businesses, community leaders, sportsmen, and wildlife organizations. Many regions of
the upper Great Plains have participated heavily in the CRP as evidenced by program acreage reaching
land enrollment limits; however, current enrollment and re-enrollment criterion are expected to
substantially reduce CRP acreage in many parts of the Great Plains. The divergence of interests
between pursing post-CRP lands for agricultural production versus retaining the wildlife habitat and
wildlife populations supported on CRP lands presents land owners and agricultural producers with
important land management decisions over the next several years. This research attempts to examine
the regional economic implications of post-CRP land use among traditional agricultural uses, wildlife
production, and multiple-use practices. Of particular interest is whether multiple-use management on
post-CRP lands can produce similar returns to landowners and producers as traditional land uses, and
determine the effects of multiple-use management on post-CRP lands on regional economic output.
Direct economic impacts are estimated for each land use designation as land changes from active CRP
to post-CRP management. A scenario driven approach was used to reflect potential regional adoption of
various land management options for post-CRP land. The results from each scenario are used with the
North Dakota Input-Output Model to examine the indirect and induced economic effects on the regional
economy stemming from various land management alternatives for post-CRP land use.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0301
Impacts of Native and Exotic Grasses on Forb Seedling Growth and Establishment
Hilary Parkinson1, Cathy Zabinksi1, Nancy Shaw2
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States, 2Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID,
United States
1
To improve degraded habitats for species like the sage-grouse and to increase species diversity of
restored plant communities, land managers are using a growing number of forbs in revegetation
mixtures. More information is needed on forb seedling response to competition with native and exotic
grasses, especially for revegetation of areas infested with Bromus tectorum, an annual grass throughout
the Great Basin and observed increasing in Montana. We conducted two experiments: the first in a
greenhouse to assess the impact of two native grasses and B. tectorum on the biomass and relative
growth rates of five native forbs; and the second a field experiment to assess the effect of B. tectorum
densities on the biomass and survival of four native forbs. Forbs differed in their response to grasses,
both native and exotic. Native grasses reduced the growth rates of two forbs, but B. tectorum reduced
biomass and growth rates of all forbs by 50-96%. In the field experiment, three of four forbs had
reductions in biomass of more than 90% at densities greater than 80 B. tectorum plants m-2, while one
was reduced by slightly less at densities greater than 200 plants m-2. Traits such as contrasting root
morphologies, emergence dates and smaller biomass may be used to select species that are better able
to establish and grow in the presence of B. tectorum.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0302
Effects of Weed Induced Alteration of Plant Composition on Patterns of Vegetation Recovery
Following Herbicide Control of Leafy Spurge
Stefanie Wacker, Jack Butler
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Rapid City, South Dakota, United States
Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an aggressive invasive plant that is widely distributed throughout the
Northern Great Plains where it is well recognized for having wide ecological tolerances and broad
competitive effects on local species distribution and abundance. Herbicides have been effective in
reducing cover and frequency of leafy spurge in a variety of situations. However, information regarding
the relatively long-term patterns in vegetation recovery following successful suppression is limited. We
used long-term permanent plots to monitor overall efficacy of herbicide control and general patterns of
vegetation response, and to evaluate the potential effects that altered floristic composition may have on
patterns of recovery. Permanent plots were established in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND. Plots
were evaluated immediately prior to herbicide application in 1992 and monitored every 1 to 3 years until
2009. Within 2 years following herbicide treatment (1994), foliar cover of leafy spurge was reduced 85 to
95%; however, no response in total vegetation cover was observed until 2000 when total cover increased
40 to 100% compared to pre-treatment values. Non-hierarchical cluster analysis using pre-treatment
foliar cover values indicated that plots could be grouped into 4 clusters based on the abundance of 2
dominant species (Hesperostipa comata and Carex filifolia). Post-treatment analyses of the 4 clusters
over the 17-year study period indicated that initial floristic composition did influence patterns of recovery,
but not in ways that we predicted. The results suggest that altered competitive hierarchies interact with
other abiotic and biotic factors to influence patterns of vegetation recovery.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0303
Alfalfa Hay Supplementation Increases Ponderosa Pine Browsing by Goats in Winter
Brent Roeder1, Jeffrey Mosley1, Rachel Frost1, Tracy Mosley2
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States, 2Montana State University, Livingston, MT,
United States
1
Conifer encroachment into foothill rangeland reduces forage production for livestock and wildlife, reduces
grassland bird habitat, and decreases the flow of water from springs and creeks. Our previous research
determined that targeted goat browsing is a potential tool for suppressing ponderosa pine encroachment.
Goats supplemented with small amounts of protein and energy will eat large amounts of ponderosa pine
(> 30% of their winter diets), and goats fed a low-cost supplement (alfalfa pellets) consume similar
amounts of ponderosa pine as goats fed a high-cost supplement (Sheeplix). We hypothesized that alfalfa
hay may be an even more effective, and less expensive, supplement because the roughage might buffer
the toxins in ponderosa pine and enable goats to browse the trees more heavily. A 4-year grazing trial
was conducted in west-central Montana. For one week in late winter 2007-2010, six 0.5 ha pastures
were grazed at a high stock density with 18 female goats per pasture. Goats in 3 of the pastures were
supplemented daily with alfalfa hay, and goats in the remaining 3 pastures were supplemented daily with
barley-based pellets. Results indicate that goats supplemented with alfalfa hay inflicted more browsing
damage to ponderosa pine trees than goats receiving the pellets (P < 0.05). Goats fed hay averaged
36% browse utilization of the trees, whereas goats fed the pellets averaged 27% browse utilization of the
trees. There was no difference in the percentage of terminal leaders removed by goats supplemented
with hay versus the pellets, averaging 8% terminal leaders removed.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0304
An Invasive Grass Alters Tallgrass Prairie Fuelbed Characteristics and Reduces Burn Probability
Devan McGranahan1, David Engle2
1
Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States, 2Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
Rangeland fire ecologists have long sought to understand the effects of fire on invasive species, but fire
ecologists more recently have turned their attention to alteration of rangeland fire regimes by invasive
species. Invasive woody plants have drawn comparatively more attention than invasive herbaceous
plants, including grasses. Determining that an invasive species fire regime has been established includes
three steps: 1) demonstrating altered fuelbed characteristics, 2) demonstrating that the spatial and/or
temporal distribution of fire has been changed due to fuelbed alteration by the invasive species, and 3)
demonstrating a shift in community composition to the dominance of the invasive species that "fueled" the
new fire regime. We present evidence focused on the first two steps, suggesting that a cool-season
grass, tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) might alter the fire regime of native tallgrass prairie in which it
invades. We report field data on the spatial pattern of tall fescue invasion with respect to altered fuelbed
characteristics. We also present the results of a spatially-explicit model of burn probability under different
invasion scenarios, with respect to altered distribution of fire in invaded landscapes. We discuss these
results in the context of prescribed fire management and invasive species control.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0305
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and Prescribed Burning on Non- Federal Lands
Patrick Shaver
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Portland, OR, United States
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service is a technical assistance agency that provides assistance
to non-federal landowners through local Soil and Water Conservation Districts. This assistance is aimed
at meeting the land manager's objectives and the needs of the soil, water, animals, plants, air and human
resources available on the unit. These objectives are achieved through a conservation planning process
with the land manager. The planning process revolves around an inventory of the available resources on
the land unit. On rangelands the basic unit of inventory is the ecological site. The ecological site
descriptions provide a valuable tool for supporting decisions, measuring progress toward objectives, and
assessing risk. The state-and-transition models in the ecological site descriptions discuss the role of fire
as a vital part of the disturbance regime needed to maintain the resilience of many rangeland ecological
sites. As this information on the role of fire gets incorporated into the ecological site state-and-transition
models, the acceptance of prescribed burning as part of a disturbance regime necessary to maintain a
sustainable range/livestock enterprise is increasing. Understanding the relationship of fire to other
ecological processes is essential to develop a conservation plan that results in incorporating needed
conservation practices and management actions to achieve short term objectives and long-term goals.
Prescribed burning is a conservation practice and management action that can be incorporated into
conservation plans to meet those stated objectives and goals.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0306
Environmental Influences on Structural Characteristics of Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)
Charles Sloane, Clayton B. Marlow
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is commonly described as an invasive, winter annual grass. Such
grasses are characterized as expending most of its energies on seed production and little energy on root
production. Perennial grasses are characterized as either a bunch or rhizomatous with energies
directed to root production. We have observed that cheatgrass is markedly varied in its phenologic
appearance and life-growth style and such variance is manifested in response to differences in ecological
environment and encountered stresses. Phenologic measurements of tiller number, tiller length and root
mass ratios of glass house grown cheatgrass are compared to those of cheatgrass growing in arid
undisturbed, arid-heavily grazed and mowed-irrigated environments. Initial studies of cheatgrass grown
in the glasshouse environment reveal 52 of 60 weighed seeds germinated at one week and 58 seeds
ultimately germinated. In a subset of 10 plants harvested at 8 weeks, average numbers of tillers per plant
were 20.8 (14-29) and average tiller length was 15.5 cm (12.5-19.2). New tiller formation was
noted throughout the observation period. However, no tillers produced seed. End of season, twice
mowed, irrigated cheatgrass averaged 15 (3-31) tillers, average tiller length was 12.6 cm (98-161)
with seeded/unseeded tiller ratio of .56 (.33-1). Preliminary measurements of field grown material
document significant structural variance with emphasis on root production and
that production facilitates ongoing tiller growth until seed is produced. We believe these results explain
why overgrazing, i.e. tiller control, will not limit cheatgrass invasion because sufficient root mass is
maintained to produce shorter tillers capable of producing seed. Efforts for cheatgrass control should
emphasize root mass reduction with germination prevention.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0307
Reintroducing Fire into Rangeland Ecosystems: Ecological Adaptations vs. Social Constraints
Samuel Fuhlendorf, Ryan Limb
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, United States
Rangeland ecosystems evolved with relatively frequent fire and thus the biotic ecosystem components
are well-adapted and often depend on fire as a driver of ecosystem function. Following European
settlement, fire was suppressed and all but removed from much of the North American landscape often
altering key ecosystem properties. A number of scientists and land managers are experimenting with fire
to discover key variables that are necessary to support the use of fire on rangeland ecosystems.
However, one barrier to successful implementation of a fire regime is the view of fire as a management
tool often applied once rather than as a regime over time. A summary of fire research reveals that much
of our knowledge of fire is limited to short duration and small or non-replicated experiments. Limited large
scale and long-duration studies, suggest that ecosystems are well adapted to frequent fire, and the reimplementation of fire is largely limited by social constraints.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0308
Ecological Sites: Organizational Tool for Outcome-Based Land Management
Justin Derner1, Joel Brown2, Jack Alexander3
1
USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Cheyenne, WY, United States, 2USDA-NRCS Jornada
Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 3Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc, Belgrade, MT,
United States
Managing for sustained ecosystem services from rangelands involves complex interactions among soils,
plant communities, topography and the prevailing environmental conditions across different land forms
from local patches to entire landscapes. This complexity has contributed to prior difficulties in organizing
information (both experimental and experiential) on ecological processes at scales appropriate for
implementation of management practices, monitoring, and reporting on the societal benefit regarding
conservation effects. The contemporary adoption of ecological sites descriptions by land management
agencies, and the associated information contained within these descriptions [physiographic and climatic
features, soils, plant communities (state-and-transition models, composition, production, growth curves),
animal communities, wildlife interpretations, hydrologic functions, and recreational uses] provides the
foundation for an effective organizational tool that can be implemented for outcome-based land
management. Use of the ecological site as an organizational tool permits efficient accountability of
implemented land management practices for the desired outcome(s), permits the assessment via proper
monitoring of the effectiveness of the management practice for the desired outcome(s), and provides the
infrastructure for reporting on conservation efforts at the individual site level as well as the ability to scale
to regional and national efforts.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0309
Can Targeted Sheep Grazing or Mowing Suppress Sulfur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) on
Rangeland?
Rachel Frost, Jeffrey Mosley, Brent Roeder, Rodney Kott, Duane Griffith
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) is a long-lived perennial weed that is a prolific seed producer and
adapted to nearly every soil type and vegetation complex in the western U.S. Previous research has
demonstrated that defoliation may be an effective tool for suppressing sulfur cinquefoil. The purpose of
this 3-year study was to assess the effectiveness of defoliation by mowing and sheep grazing on
suppression of sulfur cinquefoil on foothill rangeland in northwestern Montana. Treatments were mowing
to a 15-cm stubble height and sheep grazing with and without protein supplementation. Treatments were
applied within 0.5-ha pastures at two timings: late June (sulfur cinquefoil in flowering stage) and mid-July
(sulfur cinquefoil in early seedset stage). Percent cover of sulfur cinquefoil was used as a covariable in
the data analysis. Initial results indicate that sheep readily consume sulfur cinquefoil and can suppress
reproduction of the plant. Relative utilization of sulfur cinquefoil averaged 59% for grazing treatments
compared to 37% for mowing (P<0.05). Both grazing and mowing reduced the number of buds and
flowers of sulfur cinquefoil by 98% compared with controls. Neither protein supplementation nor timing of
grazing influenced the botanical composition of sheep diets. Sheep diets averaged 45% sulfur cinquefoil
and 28% perennial grasses. Sheep selected diets higher in crude protein (CP) in June than July and
unsupplemented sheep selected forage higher in CP than supplemented sheep. Yearling ewes were not
able to meet CP requirements from forage alone and need protein supplementation to maintain
production on sulfur cinquefoil-infested rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0310
Object-Oriented Segmentation and Classification of High Resolution Imagery Evaluating FireCarrying Fuel Variables of Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands in the Great Basin
April Hulet1, Bruce Roundy1, Steve Petersen1, Stephen Bunting2, Ryan Jensen1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States, 2University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
1
We utilized remote sensing and GIS technologies to assess the relationship between fire-carrying fuel
variables sensed remotely, and field-based measurements collected as part of the Sagebrush Steppe
Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP). Fuel variables were evaluated for fuel-reduction treatments,
including prescribed fire, tree cutting, and shredding of pinyon-juniper trees. Imagery was collected in
June of 2009 using a turbocharge Cessna 206 aircraft equipped with a Vexcel UltracamX digital camera
producing 6.1 cm digital color imagery. eCognition Developer 8 software was used for object-oriented
image segmentation and classification that included spectral, spatial, and contextual parameters. We
investigated three hierarchical classifications of fuel variables that include cover, density, and biomass
measurements. Classification level 1 included vegetation, bare ground/rock, and down woody debris;
level 2- trees, shrubs, herbaceous vegetation, and litter; and level 3- dominate vegetation by species for
trees and shrubs, perennial bunchgrass, annual grass, and fuel load size class. The multiresolution
(scale, shape, and compactness) segmentation parameter that distinguished the greatest spectral
differences (scale) between fuel variables using hue, saturation, and intensity was 400 which produced
the smallest sized objects evaluated. A lower shape value (0.5-0.8) resulted in objects more optimized for
spectral heterogeneity across all fuel variables while compactness remained constant (0.5). Further
segmentation and classification parameters are being evaluated to more accurately estimate remotelysensed fuel variables.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0311
How Water Development can Increase the Carrying Capacity of the Land and Improve Riparian
Areas
Dallen Smith, Dee Hillberry, Mike Smith
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States
Dee Hillberry, a cattle rancher out of Thermopolis, Wyoming, has developed a ranch in foothill terrain that
covers from 7 inches to 20 inches precipitation. The ranch has about 800 breeding cows. Hillberry has
fenced and developed water for livestock to have 28 pastures including private, State and Bureau of
Land Management lands. He has installed 20 miles of pipeline and 31 stock tanks to disperse the cattle
throughout his rangeland. In his rotational plan, those pastures that are used for spring use during the
critical growing period are typically not used until fourteen months later. He generally does not graze the
pastures the previous year that they use for spring turn out. Dee has seen an increase in desirable
vegetation in the riparian areas. Willows, cottonwoods, sedges and rushes have increased. Riparian
areas and streambanks have improved in condition. In a significant change from typical livestock
production systems, Hillberry uses irrigated meadows to winter cattle so that they are grazing pasture
year round. This saves the formerly big expense of machinery, fuel and labor that was required when the
meadows were hayed.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0312
Comparison of the Effects of Fire on Sagebrush Steppe 3-Dimensional Structure and Biomass
using Fusion of Terrestrial Scanning Laser and Airborne Digital Photography
Robert A. Washington-Allen1, Vincent Mendieta1, D. Terrance Booth2, W. Eric Limbach3, Sorin Popescu1
Dept. Ecosystem Science & Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States,
2
USDA-ARS High Plains Grasslands Research Station, Cheyenne, WY, United States, 33USDI-Bureau of
Land Management, Pocatello Field Office, Pocatello, ID, United States
1
Weed invasions, fire, and anthropogenic land use have led to habitat loss and fragmentation, contributing
to candidate listing of sage-grouse as threatened species. Past studies have demonstrated the
association of increasing avian species richness with increasing complexity of 3-dimensional (3-D)
vegetation structure. We hypothesize that recently burned or degraded shrubland should exhibit less 3-D
complexity than intact landscapes. However, 3-D structure in shrubland and grasslands is understudied
because they fall within the ranging error (± 0.15-m to 1.5-m) of most airborne RADAR and LIDAR
systems. Consequently, this study has the objectives of using a terrestrial scanning laser (TSL) with ± 2mm range accuracy to: 1) characterize and compare the 3-D vegetation and soil structure of four ~40-m
diameter plots [two crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum)- and two big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata) sites] in the Curlew National Grasslands, Idaho and 2) use data fusion techniques to link the 2cm-spaced TSL data to very-high resolution (1-mm and 8-mm) digital aerial photography (30-m AGL) for
enhanced visualization of sage-grouse habitat. We virtually and automatically derived height and foliar
diversity, leaf area index, vegetation cover and bare ground, biomass, and surface roughness in each plot
and compared this data to coincident field data. We found similarity in 3-D structure between the big
sagebrush sites. These findings demonstrate that TSL has important utility for detecting structural
characteristics of vegetation and soil at grains of 2 to 15-cm that are important to biodiversity and habitat
and fire fuel quality.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0313
Post-Fire Soil Water Repellency, a Preliminary Report: Extent and Characteristics within the
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands of the Eastern Great Basin
Daniel Zvirzdin, Matthew Madsen, Bruce Roundy
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States
In pinyon-juniper (PJ) systems the reestablishment of desirable species following fire may be hampered
by the presence of a water repellant soil layer that alters natural hydrologic and nutrient cycles. While this
effect has been shown in several instances, the extent of this condition is not well understood. To better
understand the spatial extent of water repellency (WR) we selected several fires across the state of Utah
for WR sampling. Within the boundaries of each fire, soil pH, clay and organic matter content, Heat Load
Index, and annual precipitation GIS data were acquired and used to randomly select sites. These
variables were selected due to their documented influence on soil water repellency in other ecosystems
and availability in GIS format. At each site the presence, severity and thickness of WR was determined.
These data were then related to PJ biomass, trunk diameter, and burn severity data collected at the site,
and PJ canopy cover and various topographic and precipitation data that were extracted remotely. Soil
WR was found at 40% of all points sampled and its presence was directly correlated to PJ canopy cover
2
measurements (slope = 0.84, y-intercept = 0.05, and R adj = 0.68). Where found, soil WR averaged 1.55
cm thick, Water repellency severity is still being analyzed. Main effects models indicate that soil organic
matter, tree biomass, and burn severity are also significantly correlated with WR and the inclusion of
these variables with tree cover results in a stronger model with a 0.79 R2adj.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0314
How Developing and Following Through with a Resource Management Plan Has Improved the
Range and Relationships with Ranchers in the Cody Wyoming Bureau of Land Management Office
Dallen Smith, Jack Mononi, Mike Smith
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States
Jack Mononi and the rest of the staff in the Cody Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field
office has taken a difficult situation and turned it into a positive situation. The Cody Field Office Resource
Management Plan (RMP) provides for grazing on public lands. The livestock grazing management
objective is to improve forage production and ecological condition for the benefit of livestock use, wildlife,
and watershed resources. Livestock grazing will also be managed to provide for the protection or
enhancement of other resources. Livestock grazing will continue on public lands, but not at the sacrifice
of other resources. The 1990 RMP identified 55 high priority allotments that had major conflicts with other
resources and the current livestock grazing management. The Cody Field Office made it a priority to
improve this situation and have changed the grazing management at least one time on the high priority 55
allotments and on approximately 90% of the 235 allotments in the field office. Shortening the grazing
period and changing the time of use were some of the changes made. Results have been good with
most rangelands showing an upward vegetative trend and/or are meeting or making progress towards
meeting site-specific resource objectives. The Cody Field Office was able to implement their RMP
without a lot of conflict with their permittees. They did not have one single lawsuit through the process.
Because of their efforts they were awarded the Rangeland Stewardship Through Collaboration award
from the Department of Interior in 2008.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0315
Multiple Uses and Associated Values on Canadian Publicly Managed Rangeland: A Case Study of
the Federal Community Pasture Program
Brant Kirychuk
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
The multiple uses and benefits of the world's rangelands are now more recognized, as well as receiving
increased pressure from a variety of users. Private rangeland managers are just now realizing the
challenges and opportunities in dealing with the multiple users of rangelands. Most publicly managed
rangeland has a mandate to consider all users of the rangelands. For the most part the benefits to
society and value of these benefits have not been recognized or quantified. Grazing is the most
commonly associated use with rangelands, but there are also a number of values to society provided by
these lands related to water quality, biodiversity and soil conservation, plus others. This has put increased
pressure on these lands, and also increased the interest in understanding the value to society as a whole.
This paper explores the multiple uses and values of one sector of public land in Canada, the Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada Community Pastures. These are public lands managed both for conservation and
livestock production purposes. The costs covered by all users, and benefits afforded public and private
interests were valued for these lands. It was determined that the 930,000 hectare community pasture
program had an annual value of $54.9 million to all users. There are direct beneficiaries that pay costs
associated with the financial benefit they receive, but there are public benefits which are managed for and
thus can rationally be supported with public sector funds.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0316
Range Cattle Winter Water Consumption in Eastern Montana
M. K. Petersen1, Jennifer Muscha1, Travis Mulliniks2
USDA-ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT, United States, 2New
Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
1
Water consumption and dry matter intake interact to alter range cow productivity. Winter, air and water
temperature may influence water consumption. Objectives of this study were to determine influences of
water and air temperature on quantity and pattern of water intake. Six paddocks (average area 320 ha)
were grazed from December 2009 through February 2010 by 79 pregnant range cows at the USDA-ARS
Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory. Three paddocks provided "cold" (2.4˚C) and
three "warm" (7.2˚C) stock water delivered in Ritchie© waters. Days were categorized by daily high
temperature: warm (>-3º C), cool (-9.5º to -3º C), and cold days (< -9.5ºC). Water temperature, daily high
temperature and their interaction were evaluated and analyzed as a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of
treatments. Daily water intake per cow was affected by water and daily high temperatures (P < 0.05).
Cows in warm water paddocks drank more (22.0 ± 1.1 L/d) than cows provided cold water (15.5± 1.1
L/d). On warm and cool days, cows drank more (avg 19.7 ± 1.1 L/d) than on cold days (15.5 ± 1.5 L/d).
Cows in warm water paddocks came to water later (P=0.005) in the day on cold days (average 1303
hours) than cool or warm days. On any given day, thirty-six percent of cattle did not come to water. Water
and air temperature during winter grazing affect drinking behavior.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0317
Collaborative Partnerships for Grassland and Prairie Habitat Restoration Projects with
Aminopyralid
Byron Sleugh1, Mary Halstvedt1, Vanelle Peterson1, D. Chad Cummings1, Dean Gaiser2, Jerry Benson3,
Mike Finch4, Robert Wilson5, Scott Nissen6, Roger Becker7, Mike Moechnig8, Mark Renz9
1
Dow AgroSciences, Indiana, United States, 2Eco-Logical Management, Washington, United States, 3BFI
Native Seeds, Washington, United States, 4Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Washington, United
States, 5University of Nebraska, Nebraska, United States, 6Colorado State University, Colorado, United
States, 7University of Minnesota, Minnesota, United States, 8South Dakota State University, South
Dakota, United States, 9University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, United States
Aminopyralid is a new herbicide developed by Dow AgroSciences for managing noxious and invasive
plants in range/pasture and other non-cropland sites (such as wildlife openings, wildlife management
areas, wildlife habitat, trails, and campgrounds). Registered under US EPA's Reduced Risk Pesticide
Initiative, aminopyralid is a broadleaf herbicide with reduced risk to the environment compared with other
available herbicides, making it desirable for invasive weed control. Aminopyralid controls over 60
herbaceous broadleaf plants including yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), Canada thistle (Cirsium
arvense), and spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe). Aminopyralid effect on desirable native forbs and
shrubs, replant interval of desirable species after treatment, and the impact on established or newly
seeded grasses is considered by land managers when making decisions about controlling invasive
plants. Research and demonstration projects were initiated with private land owners, university, local,
State, and Federal Agency collaborators utilizing aminopyralid as a tool in integrated management
programs designed to restore grasslands across diverse environments from the Pacific Northwest to the
Southeastern US. Aminopyralid has been used successfully to control noxious and invasive weeds in
sites that are being invaded and sites that have been highly degraded with weed invasions in order to reestablish a variety of cool- and warm--season, native and introduced grasses. In addition, land managers
can use aminopyralid in restoration programs by controlling invasive plants while minimizing non-target
plant (grass and forb) injury. With these non-industry partners, we are able to provide site-specific
vegetation management prescriptions to better meet land manager objectives.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0318
To Graze or Not to Graze: Managing for Plant Diversity?
Karen Hickman1, Ken Belcher2
1
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States, 2University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, Canada
Rangelands have traditionally been managed with moderate grazing primarily to provide the necessary
forage resource for production of livestock sold in agricultural commodity markets for private benefit to the
rangeland manager. Historically, the optimal management of these rangelands has focused on
maintaining vegetation communities that best suit the seasonal grazing requirements of the livestock
herds-typically, moderate stocking. These lands are being increasingly viewed as important providers of
other goods and services valued by society, including a wide range of ecosystem services. However, as
the demand for a wider range of ecosystem goods and services increase there may be pressure to
change the vegetation communities across these rangelands by shifting management practices to the
extremes (e.g. ungrazed, heavy grazing). Using results from studies conducted in the tallgrass and
shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains, we will highlight how management changes (e.g. stocking rate,
grazing system) may be implemented to meet the demand for goods and services that depend on altered
plant community composition. The influence of these management changes on the economic and
ecological productivity of subject rangelands will be discussed with a focus on the inherent tradeoffs. In
addition, we will present what impact these changes in vegetation patterns will have on invasibility and
rangeland productivity for livestock and other goods and services.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0319
Do Cultivation Land-Use Legacies Affect Rangeland Seeding Success?
Lesley Morris1 ,2, Thomas Monaco1 ,2, Roger Sheley3, Justin Williams1
USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Logan, Utah, United States, 2Utah State University, Logan, Utah,
United States, 3USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Burns, Oregon, United States
1
When the dry farming boom of the early 1910s buckled under pressure of falling wheat prices and
drought, millions of acres of cultivated rangelands were abandoned. Natural recovery of the native plant
cover on previously cultivated sagebrush ecosystems can take well over a century. Many of these
abandoned farms were later reseeded with introduced grass species, like crested wheatgrass, in an
attempt to improve forage production. We hypothesized that the cultivation legacy from dry farming
inhibits the success of these seedings. To test this hypothesis, we compared perennial grass density and
all plant species cover and composition in rangeland seedings that overlapped with previously dry farmed
areas in two different ecological sites in northern Utah. We found patterned differences in grass density,
cover, and species composition between seeded areas that were dry farmed, and those that had only
been seeded. These results indicate that historical land uses such as dry farming can have a lasting
impact on the success of future revegetation efforts. Unfortunately, the role of site history is rarely
explicitly examined within the context of current management objectives for revegetation and restoration.
Consequently, historical land uses, which are often unrecognized, could be limiting the management
strategies that seek to alter the future trajectories of these landscapes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0320
Predicting Potential Soil Aggregate Stability and Understanding Departure from Potential: A
Climate-Soil-Vegetation Envelope Model Approach
Michael Duniway1, Kenneth Spaeth2, Jeffrey Herrick1
USDA ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 2USDA NRCS, Fort Worth,
TX, United States
1
Conservation of soil and water resources in rangelands is a crucial step in stopping desertification
processes. The formation of water-stable soil aggregates reduces soil erodibility and can increase
infiltration capacity in many soils. Soil aggregate stability is highly variable at scales ranging from
individual aggregates to bioclimatic regions due to complex interactions of soil texture, soil organic matter,
soil organisms, vegetation and surface disturbance. Measurement of soil aggregate stability is a routine
part of many national and regional monitoring and inventory efforts. Nearly all soils have some potential to
form water stable aggregates. However, there are some systems where aggregate stability is nearly
always high due to a combination of factors that provide a high level of resistance and resilience to
degradation. In these situations, measuring soil aggregate stability as part of routine monitoring might not
be necessary or cost effective. We utilize an extensive soil aggregate stability data set from across the
western United States to quantitatively investigate the static and dynamic factors that govern soil
aggregate stability. We use an envelope model approach to predict potential aggregate stability based on
static properties including texture, landscape position, and climate. We then evaluate the mechanisms
responsible for deviation from potential using dynamic plant and climate properties. Results demonstrate
soil-climate-landscape combinations where soil aggregate stability is nearly always high, and situations
where soil aggregate stability cannot be accurately predicted. The models developed in this study can
provide guidance on when measurement of soil aggregate stability is necessary for understanding
ecosystem processes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0321
Farmers' Perception about Voisin Management Intensive Grazing and Ecosystem Services
Juan P. Alvez1, Abdon Schmitt2, Joshua Farley1
1
University of Vermont, Burlington VT, United States, 2Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina,
Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
This study analyzes the perception of dairy farmers who adopted Voisin management intensive grazing
(MIG) in relation to ecosystem services and wellbeing. MIG provides the cows with lush, nutritious grass
for a limited amount of time until they are moved into a fresh pasture. This allows plants time to re-grow
before they are re-grazed. Ecosystem services are benefits essential to society obtained from healthy
environments. This study was carried out in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Data came from 60 family farms
scattered around 14 municipalities. Preliminary production results showed that after adopting MIG the
average daily production improved 102%, productivity per cow increased 9%, the number of milking cows
rose 11% and the number of heifers more than doubled 104.5%. All these indicators were statistically
significant (p= 0.00). Also, after MIG adoption production costs dropped from 66 to 34%, labor time fell
50% and 67% of the interviewed farmers felt an increase in their quality of life. Among the environmental
benefits of adopting MIG, 29% of the farmers reported improvements in water quality, 59% said that MIG
decreased the animal access to the rivers due to appropriate fencing and 22% saw an increase in their
riparian areas. Eighty seven percent perceived an increase in soil cover and 93% manifested
enhancements in soil quality, These main findings show that MIG increases dairy production and the
number of cows without significantly increasing the original pasture area. By protecting ecosystem
structure, MIG restores essential ecosystem functions which enable the flow of ecosystem services.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0322
Hydrologic Vulnerability of Great Basin Sagebrush-Steppe Following Pinyon and Juniper
Encroachment
C. Jason Williams1 ,3, Frederick B. Pierson1, Patrick R. Kormos2, Stuart P. Hardegree1, Patrick E. Clark1,
Osama Z. Al-Hamdan1 ,3
1
USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, Idaho, United States, 2Boise State
University, Boise, Idaho, United States, 3University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States
Extensive woodland encroachment into sagebrush-steppe has altered vegetation structure and hydrologic
function of Great Basin rangelands. Tree encroachment elicits a vegetation pattern of tree dominance and
spatially well-connected sparsely-covered intercanopy area. These changes coarsen the cover structure
that, under pre-encroachment conditions, conserves water and soil. Similar transitions have occurred in
the Desert Southwest with grassland-to-shrubland conversions and intercanopy vegetation degradation
on persistent woodlands. Coarsening cover structure has been linked to amplified overland flow and soil
erosion. We evaluated relationships in cover reductions and hydrologic response for multiple Great Basin
sagebrush-steppe rangelands encroached by pinyon and juniper. Runoff and erosion from rainsplash,
sheetwash, and concentrated flow processes were significantly greater from intercanopy than canopy
areas across small- (0.5 m2) to large-plot (13 m2) scales. Runoff and erosion were dictated by the type
and quantity of ground cover. Litter protected the soil surface from raindrop impact, provided rainfall
storage, mitigated soil water repellency, and promoted aggregate stability. Surface runoff and sediment
yield increased exponentially where bare soil and rock cover exceeded 50%. Sediment yield was linearly
correlated with runoff, but varied among sites based on site-specific erodibility. Measured runoff and
erosion rates suggest that while tree encroachment creates stable canopy patches, reduced shrub and
herbaceous cover promote overall cover coarsening and amplify runoff and erosion across at least 30 m2
areas. Results indicate overall hydrologic vulnerability of sagebrush-steppe following woodland
encroachment depends on the potential influence of tree dominance on bare intercanopy expanse and
connectivity and site-specific erodibility of intercanopy soils.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0323
Land-Use Legacies Affect Species Performance Nearly a Century after Cultivation
Lesley Morris1 ,2, Thomas Monaco1 ,2, Robert Blank3, Elizabeth Leger4, Roger Sheley5, Tye Morgan3
USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Logan, Utah, United States, 2Utah State University, Logan, Utah,
United States, 3USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Reno, Nevada, United States, 4University of Nevada
Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States, 5USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Burns, Oregon, United States
1
A dry-farming boom swept across the western US in the early 1900s as Americans rushed to plow up
sagebrush valleys and plant winter wheat. Within a decade, most of the dry farms failed leaving millions
of acres of abandoned agricultural fields. This land-use legacy can still be seen in aerial photos and the
cover and composition of vegetation within these old fields is different from surrounding non-cultivated
areas. We hypothesized that the legacy of cultivation affected soil fertility, and that differences in soil
fertility affect plant performance. To test this hypothesis, we compared N, P, Ca, Mg, and K levels inside
and outside of these old fields in two different soils. In addition, we compared performance of an invasive
grass (Bromus tectorum L.), two native grasses (Elymus elymoides [Raf.] Swezey and Achnatherum
hymenoides [Roem. and Schult.] Barkworth), and a native forb (Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia [Hook. and
Arn.] Rydb) grown in field-collected soils from two historically cultivated and non-cultivated areas in the
greenhouse. Grasses generally performed better outside of historic cultivation but this affect was not
consistent across both soil types. The native forb, S. grossulariifolia, had contrasting responses in and out
of old fields that were dependent upon soil type. Potassium levels were higher in soils inside old fields
and had a negative correlation with plant performance, suggesting that this nutrient most strongly affected
plant performance. Our findings indicate that land-use legacies from dry farming can last for nearly a
century.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0324
Ecophysiological Role of Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) in the Semi-Arid Grasslands of the
Nebraska Sandhills
Jessica Milby, Adam Yarina, Walter Schacht, Tala Awada
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
Deeply-rooted shrubs are common components of many grassland ecosystems. This study investigated
the ecophysiological role of leadplant (Amorpha canescens) on a sands ecological site at the
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory near Whitman, Nebraska. The predawn and midday water potentials
of leadplant and 6 herbaceous species were measured using a pressure chamber (PMS Instrument,
Albany, OR) at 2-week intervals from mid-June through mid-August 2010. The herbaceous species
included 2 cool-season grasses [needleandthread (Hesperostipa comata) and prairie junegrass (Koeleria
macrantha)], 2 warm-season grasses [sand bluestem (Andropogon hallii) and prairie sandreed
(Calomovilfa longifolia)], and 2 forbs [western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) and stiff sunflower
(Helianthus pauciflorus)]. On each sampling date, measurements were taken of each of 5 randomly
selected shrubs and of individuals of each of the 6 herbaceous species growing in the immediate vicinity
of the shrub. And in a similar area free of leadplant, measurements were taken of each of the 6
herbaceous species in 5 randomly selected sites. The midday water potential of leadplant ranged from 1.15 to -2.8 MPa. The water potential of the herbaceous species ranged from -0.4 to -4.6 MPa, with the
lowest water potentials recorded for cool-season grasses. Needleandthread and prairie junegrass tended
to have less negative water potentials when growing in association with leadplant. Water potential of the
other herbaceous species was not affected by the presence of leadplant. Preliminary results indicate that
the presence of leadplant did not have a consistent effect on the water status of associated herbaceous
plants.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0325
Using Similarity Indices as a Tool for Characterizing and Monitoring Vegetation within Prairie Dog
Colonies in Southwestern South Dakota
Eric Boyda1, Jack Butler2, Lan Xu1
Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States,
2
US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Rapid City, SD, United States
1
At the landscape level, prairie dog colonies contribute substantially to the heterogeneity of grassland
ecosystems while serving as critical habitat for several listed and candidate endangered species.
However, vegetation associated with prairie dog colonies is often described as early successional without
addressing variation within and among colonies. We used Similarity Indices (SIs), as described by the
Natural Resource Conservation Service state-and-transition models, to evaluate the spatial and temporal
vegetation characteristics of prairie dog colonies in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands of southwestern
South Dakota. Thirteen prairie dog colonies were selected within Clayey (six colonies) and Loamy
(seven colonies) Ecological Sites of the Western Great Plains Range and Irrigated Region-Pierre Shale
Plains region (060A MLRA) and represented a range of ecological conditions. Colonies were sampled
over a two year period (2009-2010) that included sampling select sites in both spring and summer within
a year, and both years. Sample sites were stratified into interior, edge, and off-colony areas. Biomass
and canopy cover of major species and plant functional groups were collected and used to generate SIs
with respect to two reference plant communities (Historic Climax Plant Community and Buffalograss/Blue
Grama Sod). SIs ranged from 8% to 76% relative to the Historic Climax Plant Community and 5% to 76%
relative to the Buffalograss/Blue grama Sod Community. Considerable vegetation overlap was observed
between reference plant communities when SIs were <25% for both communities. Spatial and temporal
differences varied among colonies and were driven by a few major species and plant functional groups.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0326
A Conservation Partnership at Work in Western South Dakota
Matt Stoltenberg
RESPEC Consulting, Rapid City, SD, United States
Conservation partnerships are an effective method of addressing resource concerns at a watershed
scale. The Belle Fourche River Watershed Partnership (BFRWP) is a group of local people and
organizations that work together to coordinate available resources to address concerns associated with
the Belle Fourche River Watershed. To date, much of their work has been centered around improving
water quality by reducing total suspended solids (TSS) in the river. The four dominant land types in the
watershed include farmland, both dryland and irrigated; forest land; municipal; and native rangelands.
Native rangelands are by far the largest category covering approximately 74 percent of the watershed.
Most of this land is privately owned and managed by livestock producers. The BFRWP has invested U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 319 funds as part of an ongoing implementation project in the
watershed to provide cost share on range riparian improvements practices and to provide technical
assistance for ranchers developing improved grazing systems. In addition to the EPA 319
implementation project, the BFRWP was awarded a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cooperative
Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) grant in 2009 that provides targeted Environmental Quality
Incentive Program (EQIP) funds for range improvement practices in the watershed. In the past 5 years,
the BFRWP enabled ranchers to treat over 400,000 acres of native rangelands in western South Dakota.
The BFRWP's success has been through forming a strong relationship that communicates ideas between
private agriculture producers; local, state, and federal agencies; and the general public.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0327
Restoration of Downy Brome Infested Rangelands with Glyphosate and Transplanting Wyoming
Big Sagebrush to Increase Diversity
Kent McAdoo1, Earl Creech2, Chad Boyd3
1
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Elko, NV, United States, 2Utah State University, Logan, UT,
United States, 3USDA Agricultural Research Service, Burns, OR, United States
As part of the USDA-ARS Area-wide project for invasive annual grasses, large-scale demonstration plots
were established in 2009 to demonstrate and assess the effectiveness of reduced rates of glyphosate for
control of downy brome and determine the utility of the treatments in stimulating establishment of desired
species. An additional component of this research includes determining the survival of sagebrush
transplants as related to plant source, site, planting year, and reduction of herbaceous competition.
Study sites were established at each of 3 locations: (1) a cheatgrass monoculture, (2) a monoculture
crested wheatgrass seeding, and (3) a native post-fire grass-forb community. At each site, treatments
were arranged in a randomized block design with 5 replications. Each block included 8, 5 x 5m plots
representing factorial combinations of herbicide treatment (glyphosate), no herbicide treatment, planting
year, and plant source (wildling transplant or nursery stock), with 10 sagebrush planted in each plot.
Interim (2009) results for the spring-planted trials showed that significantly more (p<0.05) nursery stock
survived than wildling transplants in each of the 3 plant communities where herbaceous cover was
reduced with herbicide. In all plant communities combined, mean survival rate of nursery stock was
54.7%, compared with 16.7% for the wildling transplants. Surviving wildlings and nursery stock were
significantly (p<0.05) taller and hence more vigorous within each plant community in plots where
herbaceous cover had been reduced with herbicide. The treatments detailed above were repeated during
spring of 2010.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0328
Aminocyclopyrachlor: A New Herbicide for Pasture and Rangeland Weed Control
Craig Alford, Jeff Meredith, Eric Castner, Michael Edwards, Susan Rick, James Harbour
DuPont Crop Protection, Lakewood, CO, United States
Aminocyclopyrachlor, an exciting new class of auxin herbicide from Dupont, is under development for
range, pasture and invasive weed control. In research trials conducted across the United States since
2005, aminocyclopyrachlor has demonstrated excellent activity on a number of important species such as
thistles, leafy spurge, knapweeds, ironweed, and brush such as mesquite, and rubber rabbitbrush.
Aminocyclopyrachlor has exhibited a number of positive stewardship attributes with very low impact to
mammals and the environment.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0329
Survival and Growth of 8 Shrubs Transplanted into Amended Fluvial Mine Tailings
Joe Brummer, Paul Meiman, Natasha Davis
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
Mine tailings have been fluvially deposited in riparian zones throughout the West. These areas of
deposition are often completely devoid of vegetation and erosion of the tailings into streams and rivers
impacts water quality. The most economical method of restoring these areas is to amend the tailings in
situ to create a growth media that will support plant growth and then reestablish the native, riparian
vegetation. The objective of this study was to evaluate survival and growth of 8 shrubs planted into mine
tailings amended with lime and composted biosolids. In late June 2007, a site located along the
Arkansas River south of Leadville, Colorado was amended and the following shrub species transplanted:
gray alder (Alnus incana), silver sage (Artemisia cana), dwarf birch (Betula nana), redosier dogwood
(Cornus sericea), golden currant (Ribes aureum), Booth's willow (Salix boothii), Drummond's willow (Salix
drummondiana), and sandbar willow (Salix exigua). Dogwood did not survive and was replaced with
shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) in August 2008. In August 2009, golden currant had the highest
survival at 89% and exhibited the most vigorous growth. Survival of shrubby cinquefoil averaged 86%
after one growing season. Survival of Booth's, Drummond's, and sandbar willow averaged 16, 21, and
32%, respectively, while silver sage averaged only 5%. None of the alder or birch plants survived. Of the
species evaluated, golden currant was the most promising shrub for restoration of amended mine tailings,
but the young plants were very susceptible to herbivory by elk.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0330
Ecologically-Based Land Management on Bromus tectorum Invaded Great Basin Shrublands: An
Ecosystem Assessment
Beth Fowers1, Merilynn Hirsch1, Thomas Monaco2, Chris Call1
Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States, 2USDA-ARS Forest and Range research lab, Utah
State University, Logan, UT, United States
1
Demonstrating the merits of ecologically-based invasive plant management (EBIPM) for reducing Bromus
tectorum (cheatgrass) at large, operational scales is an effective means to assist the adoption of this
holistic framework. This framework helps managers identify ecological principles and processes
responsible for plant invasions, and develop strategies that ultimately influence causes of succession, i.e,
site availability, species availability, and species performance. We established two ~ 48-hectare
demonstration sites in fall 2009 in northwestern Utah to evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed fire and
pre-emergence herbicide to reduce cheatgrass abundance and facilitate the establishment of a diverse
mix of grasses. We used a split-plot design with factorial arrangements of fire (whole plot factor, none or
burn) and herbicide applied to 12-hectare plots (split plot factor, none or imazapic, 105 g ai/ha), with two
replicates per site. Density of cheagrass and the seeded grasses were sampled in spring and summer
2010. In the absence of fire, the herbicide treatment significantly reduced cheatgrass density by 41%.
However, in burned plots, cheatgrass density was reduced by 58%, yet the herbicide treatment did not
provide a significant level of additional cheatgrass reduction. The fire treatment also more than doubled
seeded grass establishment. In the absence of fire, herbicide significantly reduced cheatgrass density,
yet more so at the site where cheatgrass was most abundant. These results indicate that both fire and
herbicide effectively reduce species availability of cheatgrass and improve species performance of
seeded grasses. In addition, these results obtained at large scales corroborate with smaller-scale
published results.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0331
The Impact of Livestock Grazing at State and National Scales on US Dryland Productivity at 1-km
and 8-km Resolution from 1981 to 2009
Robert A. Washington-Allen1, R. Wasantha Kulawardhana1, Matt C. Reeves2, John E. Mitchell3
Dept. Ecosystem Science & Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States,
2
USDA-Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT,
United States, 3USDA-Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO, United States
1
Mismanagement of grazing has been implicated in dryland degradation, yet the global extent of this
phenomenon is unknown with an uncertainty range of 70%. To address this problem, we derived the
forage available for grazing from 1-km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) net
primary productivity (NPP) and 8-km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer annual summed
normalized difference vegetation index (∑NDVI) data for Texas and US rangelands from 1981 to 2009.
We compensated for grazing impacts on the MODIS NPP algorithm by comparison of the NPP trend for
National Wildlife Reserves by ecoregion to that of rangelands. We hypothesized that Reserves would
have greater biomass than grazed areas and thus could be used to calibrate the grazed areas to
maximum potential biomass. However, we observed that most rangelands had greater production than
Reserves suggesting a grazing lawn effect on rangelands due to low to moderate levels of livestock
grazing or a confirmation at the national-level of the observation that National Parks and Reserves were
established on sites of low fertility and rugged terrain. This suggests a need for further stratification. We
derived the forage required by livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats) at the county and State spatial scales
from annual agricultural census records from 1981 – 2009. Hotspots (livestock appropriation of NPP =
Forage available – Forage required), the areas impacted by livestock, were detected in 12% of Texas at
the county scale, primarily in the panhandle, and 19% of the US at the state spatial scale, primarily in
southwestern Arizona.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0332
Expiring CRP: Alternative Management Systems to Sustain Wildlife Habitat Values
Ben Geaumont
NDSU, Hettinger Research Extension Center, Hettinger,ND, United States
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has provided valuable habitat for a variety of wildlife species
and in doing so may have aided in stabilizing and or increasing populations of some species. Increases
in the populations of some species of waterfowl and pheasants have provided many states an added
economic stimulus due in part to the expenditures of sportspeople on land and room rentals, guides, and
other outdoor related products. In recent years, numerous CRP contracts consisting of millions of
hectares of grassland habitat have begun to expire with many more contracts scheduled to expire in
upcoming years. Given the current market it is likely that many of these expiring CRP hectares will be
returned to crop production potentially having a negative effect on wildlife species. However, it is likely
that some landowners will search for management strategies that allow them to gain income off of the
land, while maintaining habitat for the propagation and conservation of wildlife. The thought behind this
symposium is to discuss some of the benefits CRP has provided certain wildlife species, dive lightly into
the economics of expiring CRP land use, and to outline some potential management options that may
provide for some agricultural outputs while continuing the propagation of wildlife species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0333
Weed and Brush Management in Pasture and Rangeland with Aminocyclopyrachlor
James Harbour, Jeff Meredith, Eric Castner, Michael Edwards, Susan Rick, Craig Alford
DuPont Crop Protection, Lincoln, NE, United States
In research trials conducted in pasture and rangeland across the United States since 2005,
aminocyclopyrachlor has demonstrated excellent activity on a number of important species such as
thistles, leafy spurge, knapweeds, ironweed, and brush such as mesquite, and rubber rabbitbrush.
Aminocyclopyrachlor has exhibited excellent weed control at low use rates and across a wide application
window.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0334
Using Plant Functional Groups to Create Data-Driven State-and-Transition Models
Emily Kachergis, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez, Monique Rocca
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
Ecosystem structure and function are both included in state and transition model concepts, but they
are not always both addressed in model construction. We use plant functional groups to integrate a
process-based understanding of ecosystem dynamics into data-driven state-and-transition models. We
sampled 36 plots with different management histories on a mountain big sagebrush ecological site in
northwestern Colorado. We measured plant species composition in each plot and categorized species
into distinct functional groups as a proxy for a broad range of ecosystem functions. We identified
potential states using hierarchical cluster analysis on plant species cover by functional group, and
explored their relationship to site history using logistic regression. We found that some potential states
based on functional group composition were related to management and disturbance history. Aerial
spraying and wildfire within the past two decades predicted occurrence of shrublands dominated by
snowberry, a re-sprouting shrub. Lack of disturbance was associated with high cover of non-resprouting
shrubs, including mountain big sagebrush. Relationships between site history and potential states
defined by functional groups appear to be related to those functional groups' responses to disturbance.
These findings suggest that plant functional groups are a useful way to identify potential states and
construct data-driven state and transition models.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0335
Quantifying Wildlife Habitat for State and Transition Models Developed in the Sagebrush-Steppe
of Northwest Colorado
Willow Hibbs, Roy Roath, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
We propose a simple, cost-effective method for including wildlife habitat information into state and
transition (S-T) models. Netweaver software was used to develop fuzzy logic, empirical-based models to
provide a quantitative indication of forage, cover, and overall (forage and cover integration) habitat
quality for elk, mule deer, and sage grouse for states in alkali sagebrush-claypan (CP) and mountain big
sagebrush- mountain loam (ML) ecological sites. Fuzzy logic provides a metric that describes the degree
to which a variable belongs to a set and it can be used to build models for complex systems where
parameters are defined by pre-existing knowledge. The information for these models came from peerreviewed literature. Values were analyzed using a general linear mixed model in SAS (9.2). Integrating
values across species and life stage by a limiting factor weighted average shows that reference states for
both ecological sites have significantly (p<0.05) higher forage values than degraded, eroded, or
sprayed sites. Quality cover values are more associated with ML ecological sites. Within the ML site, the
dense shrub state provides higher cover values than the reference state but there is a corresponding
decrease in forage quality in this state. Our results indicate that for these species, managing for
reference states is important on CP sites for forage quality and on ML sites for cover and forage
quality. The inclusion of such information in ecological site S-T models increases the applicability of these
tools to land managers. The habitat values are also input for an integrated ecological-economic
model developed by our team to provide land managers with an indication of the costs and benefits of
managing for quality wildlife habitat and other important ecosystem services.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0336
No-Till Interseeding Yellow-Flowered Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. falcata) into Crested
Wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) Stands: Initial Establishment
Christopher Misar1, Lan Xu1, Roger Gates2, Arvid Boe1, Patricia Johnson2, Christopher Schauer3
1
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States, 2South Dakota State University West River
Ag Center, Rapid City, SD, United States, 3North Dakota State University Hettinger Research Extension
Center, Hettinger, ND, United States
Stands of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) are common in the northern Great Plains. However,
use of these stands for livestock production and provision of ecosystem goods and services is often
limited because of low plant species diversity. Locally-adapted yellow-flowered alfalfa (Medicago sativa
subsp. falcata) has been considered as a suitable forb species for complementing crested wheatgrass. A
study was initiated in August 2008 to determine the feasibility of no-till interseeding yellow-flowered alfalfa
into crested wheatgrass stands. Four locations were selected for this study: Newcastle, WY, Fruitdale,
SD, Buffalo, SD, and Hettinger, ND. Three factors were evaluated at each location for two growing
seasons: seeding date (late-summer vs. spring), sod suppression (1 L clethodim ha-1 vs. untreated
control), and seeding rate (0.56, 1.12, 3.36, 5.60, and 7.84 kg Pure Live Seed ha-1). Dependent variables
were seedling frequency, seedling height, and below canopy photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).
Initial establishment of alfalfa interseeded in August 2009 and May 2010 was affected by precipitation,
grasshoppers, and competition. Seedling frequency generally increased as seeding rate increased.
Chemical sod suppression significantly (P < 0.05) increased seedling frequency, seedling height and
below canopy PAR measurements compared to the untreated control. Crested wheatgrass canopy cover
explained 95.5% of the variation in below canopy PAR measurements of the untreated control. Our
results should be interpreted on the basis that initial alfalfa establishment is dynamic. Long-term success
or failure is therefore difficult to determine at this time.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0337
Grazing Distribution Patterns of Beef Bulls and Cows During the Breeding Season in Central New
Mexico
Adrienne Lipka, Derek Bailey, Steven Lunt, Milt Thomas, Morgan Russell, Shad Cox, Richard Dunlap
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Although cows have been tracked with global positioning system (GPS) technology in extensive
rangelands, few studies have examined bull and cow movement patterns during the breeding season.
Locations of 7 Angus bulls (2 to 4 years of age) and 14 of 110 mature Angus and Angus x Hereford cows
were recorded every 10 minutes with GPS collars during a 64-day breeding season (mid May to mid
July). Cows were tracked for 9 weeks in a 1601 ha pasture with one water source and 1 week in a 721 ha
pasture with 2 water locations. Tracking data were successfully collected from the bulls for a minimum of
8 days and a maximum of 46 days. Slope use was similar for bulls (3.47% ± 0.08 SE) and cows (3.55% ±
0.06 SE). Mean distance from water for bulls was 1379 m ± 99 SE, and it was 1639 m ± 51 SE for cows.
Bulls traveled 10.0 km · day-1 ± 0.7 SE, while cows traveled 7.0 km · day-1 ± 0.2 SE. Distance traveled by
bulls per day varied among days of the breeding season (P = 0.02), but there was no consistent pattern
during the season. Overall, bulls used similar areas of the pastures as cows and remained at water for
only 5.8 hours· day-1 ± 0.4 SE.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0338
Accuracy of Cattle Grazing Distribution Patterns Recorded by Horseback Visual Observers During
the Early Morning
Steven Lunt, Derek Bailey, Adrienne Lipka, Milt Thomas, Morgan Russell
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Global positioning system (GPS) technologies accurately record cattle grazing patterns in extensive
pastures; however the number of animals that can be tracked is limited due to collar cost. Our objective
was to evaluate accuracy of cattle grazing distribution patterns recorded by horseback visual observers
that were simultaneously tracked with GPS collars. Locations of 6 mature cows within a herd of 110 cows
were recorded every 10 minutes with GPS collars for 64 days during mid-May to mid-July in central New
Mexico. Horseback observers recorded cow locations from 0630 to 0930 hours for 10 days. Elevation
and slope of visually recorded positions were similar (P > 0.50) to GPS locations. Distance to water for
visual observations was greater (P < 0.01) than GPS locations. Distance between visual locations and
corresponding GPS locations varied among the 5 observers (151 m ± 27 SE to 772 ± 128 SE). After
removing data from the least accurate observer, distances to water of visual and GPS locations were
similar (P = 0.21). Slope, elevation, and distance to water of early morning visual locations were similar
(P > 0.05) to the mean of positions recorded from preceding evening (1900 hours) to the following midmorning (1000 hours). Mean distance of GPS locations recorded during this 15-hour period was 408 m ±
32 SE from the locations recorded during early morning. With sufficient training, locations recorded by
horseback observers during the early morning can accurately estimate grazing movements of cows
during their evening and morning grazing bouts.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0339
Improving the Credibililty of State-and-Transition Models
Jamin Johanson1 ,2, Christopher Call1, Shane Green2
1
Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States, 2USDA-NRCS, UT,
United States
Ecological sites and state-transition models (STMs) have become an acceptable means of summarizing
plant community dynamics on distinctive types of rangeland. Though STMs are generally affixed to an
ecological site, they are usually developed solely from expert opinion rather than site-specific data due to
a general lack thereof. However, if STMs are to gain credibility among users, there must be some level of
data to back them up. We present three levels of data with STM development applications. The first level
consists of photographs, GPS coordinates, rangeland health, production and step-point cover estimates
for each state. Level one data is low cost, fast and easy to collect. It has applications in developing sitespecific STMs, documenting existing states, hypothesizing drivers of state change and locating study
locations for future research. The second level is similar to level one, but replaces production and cover
estimates with multiple transects consisting of line-point intercept, double-sampling, and gap-intercept for
each state. Level two data requires more time and training than level one, but yields more reliable and
repeatable data conducive to statistical interpretations. Level three data seeks to identify the drivers of
state change by quantifying ecological processes over space or time through controlled experiments,
opportunistic studies or space for time substitutions. Level three data is expensive, time-consuming, and
may not be necessary to gain the trust of STM users. Still, it is recommended for studies seeking to
understand true drivers of state change. Each level has useful applications for improving the credibility of
STMs.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0340
Experimental Comparison of Pre-Emergence Herbicides for Reducing Annual Grass Emergence in
Two Great Basin, USA Soils
Merilynn Hirsch1, Thomas Monaco2, Corey Ransom1, Christopher Call1
1
Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Logan, UT, United States
Great Basin ecosystems have been severely impacted by the prolonged invasion of exotic annual
grasses, the most notable being cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.). Incorporating the use of preemergence herbicides into a weed management plan provides a valuable tool to reduce annual grass
dominance and improve the establishment of desirable species. However, herbicide efficacy on semiarid
rangelands has been variable across ecological sites with differing soil types, often resulting in poor longterm control. We applied two herbicides, rimsulfuron (Matrix ®) and imazapic (Plateau ®), to two
rangeland soils collected in sagebrush and salt desert ecosystems, and compared seedling emergence,
growth, and survival of cheatgrass, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), and bottlebrush squirreltail
(Elymus elymoides) in a 30-d greenhouse experiment. Generally herbicides had similar effects on
cheatgrass in both soils; however, rimsulfuron reduced both seedling emergence and growth, whereas
imazapic reduced only seedling biomass, and allowed emergence. Herbicides also significantly reduced
shoot growth of crested wheatgrass, but not the native bottlebrush squirreltail. These fundamental
differences in herbicide impact of cheatgrass suggest that rimsulfuron will likely yield better preemergence control. In addition, variable injury to the perennial grasses is likely unavoidable, and
herbicides should be applied post-emergence if crested wheatgrass is seeded. In practice, we advocate
applying these herbicides in the summer, prior to cheatgrass germination, while postponing the seeding
of revegetation grasses until late in the fall, when the likelihood of germination and injury is minimized.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0341
Successional Pathways of Wyoming Big Sagebrush Communities Historically Seeded with
Crested Wheatgrass
Tom Monaco, Justin Williams
USDA-ARS, Logan, Utah, United States
We sought to identify the factors responsible for potential community assemblages of 35 Wyoming big
sagebrush communities historically seeded with crested wheatgrass. Species richness, diversity,
vegetation cover, and soils were measured in four 20 x 5 m intensive Modified Whittaker plots per
community. Hierarchical clustering analysis of indicator plant species cover identified that the 35
communities clustered in four distinct assemblages. Assemblage 1 was dominated by crested
wheatgrass and had the lowest species richness and big sagebrush cover. Assemblages 2 and 3 had
intermediate amounts of crested wheatgrass cover, but Assemblage 2 had higher native grass cover, but
lower sagebrush cover than Assemblage 3. Assemblage 4 was dominated by big sagebrush and had the
lowest cover of crested wheatgrass and other herbaceous species. The four assemblages also differed
significantly (P < 0.05) for soil texture, soil nitrogen, and ground cover characteristics. Bare soil was
nearly two-fold greater on loam-textured soils, and clay loam texture soils had higher rock and native
plant cover. Communities previously cropped occurred on coarser textured soils, had six-fold lower native
species cover, and two-fold greater exotic herbaceous and crested wheatgrass cover. Cropping occurred
on favorable, non-rocky, fine textured soils, the same soils that favored crested wheatgrass cover and low
recovery of native species. These results reveal a broader understanding of successional pathways and
potential management opportunities, and may assist with developing resilience-based management
models for communities with similar histories.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0342
The Ecology of Disturbed Ecosystems
Tom Monaco
USDA-ARS, Logan, Utah, United States
Revegetating disturbed ecosystems in the Intermountain West requires a fundamental understanding of
key principles and processes that ultimately determine whether efforts end in success or failure. When
disturbance regimes change substantially from the historical patterns required for native species to
persist, invasive species often become dominants, and new ecological processes govern how lands yield
ecosystem services including watershed capacity, agricultural productivity, and wildlife habitat. Managing
within this context may best be accomplished through ecologically-based invasive plant management
(EBIPM), a holistic framework that integrates ecosystem health assessment, knowledge of ecological
processes, and adaptive management to form a step-by-step model. The core of this framework is a set
of ecological principles that guide decision-making. We briefly introduce a set of disturbance principles
that are linked to ecological processes, which not only affect the causes of plant community change, or
succession, but also greatly assist applying tools and strategies for revegetation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0343
Effect of Landform Position on Mesquite Growth Patterns
Fredrich Schrank1, Roger Wittie1, Carol Thompson1, R. J. Ansley2
Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas, United States, 2Texas A&M AgriLife Research &
Extension, Vernon, Texas, United States
1
Honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr.) may provide a significant opportunity for supplying
renewable feedstock for bioenergy production in the south central U.S. This research evaluated mesquite
growth rates and stand characteristics during different stages of development to quantify site productivity
and yield potential across different landforms. We assessed individual tree basal area, height, canopy
coverage and age on the Smith Walker Research Ranch in Vernon, Texas. Comparisons were made
relating structural characteristics and growth of virgin and regrowth tree type and stem density. Prediction
of stand behavior and yield was analyzed observing individual tree behavior. Information obtained may
lead to management practices never considered before on rangelands, which may include site
management to optimize mesquite yield to produce a sustainable supply for bioenergy feedstock.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0344
Barriers to Collaborative Grazing Planning across Multiple Ownerships to Maintain Open Space
and Wildlife Habitat in Washington Shrub-Steppe Ecosystems
Tipton Hudson
Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
This case study examines a group of stakeholders and interested publics in Kittitas County who used the
Coordinated Resource Management process to develop a grazing plan that would protect plant
communities and improve forage quality for elk on a checkboard ownership landscape. This group's
objective was to develop and implement a single, unified, scientifically sustainable grazing management
plan with all of the landowners in the CRM boundary that would maintain or improve elk habitat.
Rangeland technicians conducted a comprehensive survey of the area to ground truth soils data and
prepare a grazing plan. Following completion of an Environmental Impact Statement for the public land
that had not been grazed recently the Western Watersheds Project filed a lawsuit against the State. The
utility company implemented the grazing plan as proposed and has installed range improvements to
facilitate proper livestock distribution. The game department, having prepared a sound grazing plan and
acting within their authority to implement it, now must wait for a civil judge to evaluate the merits of the
applied science and make the final decision of whether to graze or not graze. Groups set to oppose
grazing are opposed to grazing even when there is monitoring data and scientific background sufficient to
prove that the grazing, as applied, is doing no harm. The social component of sustainability must be a
primary focus when grazing livestock on public lands. Early and frequent communication with the most
vociferous opponents may be an uncomfortable but necessary course of action prior to implementation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0345
Woody Plant Encroachment Following Fire Suppression in the Kansas Flint Hills
Thomas Bragg
University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Changes in woody plant cover in Kansas Flinthills tallgrass prairie were evaluated on various soiltopographic complexes using a series of 10 by 10 meter plots situated in areas from which fire had been
excluded for from 15 to 75 years. Fifty-five years without burning resulted in woody plant encroachment
exceeding 72 % cover on all soils, ranging from 56% on clayey uplands to 98% in lowlands and loamy
rock outcrops of slopes. Grass cover on uplands decreased from 91% to 78%, declining to 18% in areas
not burned for 75 years. Similarly, grass cover decreased from 78% to 13% on outcropping slopes and
from 86% to 53% on non-outcropping slopes. In long-unburned areas (estimated at > 125 years), grass
cover averaged 7% and 4% respectively. Grazing use of the soil-topographic complexes, subjectively
measured, declined as total woody plant cover increased. Temporal changes in woody species
composition varied by soil-topographic complex but generally were initially dominated by roughleaf
dogwood (Cornus drummondii), coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus), and smooth sumac (Rhus
glabra) with eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and some elm (Ulmus spp) dominating later seral
communities. Slopes of long unburned wooded areas, with and without rock outcrops, were dominated
largely by chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) whereas those adjacent to streams or on lower slopes,
were dominated by hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) and elm. These variations in encroachment rate and
species composition of post-fire seral stages emphasize the importance of considering site-specific soil
and topographic conditions when assessing land management issues.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0346
Recruiting Diverse Range Students for the 21st Century
Susan Edinger-Marshall, Lisa Perry
Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, United States
Publicly funded universities have struggled to maintain small and specialized programs to meet workforce
demands for well-prepared rangeland management professionals. The Range Science Education
Council has obtained funding to examine range curricula at the undergraduate level, but how do we bring
students through our doors, or should we say ‘portals'? This talk will summarize best practices from the
college recruitment literature, including insights for diverse students and specialized science disciplines.
Best practices include simple handouts pointing to well-designed websites, personal contacts,
scholarships, and summer research opportunities. Students join degree programs because of promising
careers. We will offer specific strategies for recruiting well-prepared students to undergraduate range
programs based on what we have learned from a web-based survey of existing range students and
students from allied fields nationwide.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0347
Fire Effects on Global CO2 Emissions and Soil Carbon
Jim Ansley
Texas AgriLife Research, Vernon, TX, United States
There is increased interest in the use of prescribed fires to restore degraded rangeland ecosystems, but
information is needed concerning fire effects on ecosystem carbon emissions and sequestration, and how
this might affect carbon mitigation policies. Fire initially releases CO2 into the atmosphere and
temporarily increases atmospheric CO2 in the region of the fire. However, post-fire increases in
vegetation leaf area and photosynthesis may off-set these initial increases in atmospheric CO2 in many
rangeland ecosystems. Regarding soil C responses, most rangeland fires have little initial effect on soil C
loss. Some immediate gains in soil C may occur through increases in black or inert C from ash deposits.
This paper will present data from research conducted in the southern Great Plains where woody plants
such as mesquite (Prosopis) have invaded grasslands once dominated by C4 midgrasses and prescribed
fire is used as a management tool to reduce woody encroachment rates and shift grass species
composition to more productive grasses. In these ecosystems, woody encroachment has increased total
C stocks, although grass composition has degraded to less productive species. Prescribed fire typically
increase grass production and grass root mass in shallow soil layers but decrease above ground mass
from woody plants. Net effects on ecosystem C storage are poorly understood. Several examples of fire
effects on C storage in different rangeland ecosystems will be presented.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0348
Recovery of Intermountain Grasslands with Fall Grazing or Rest
Donald Thompson
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamloops/BC, Canada
Degraded mid elevation grasslands were switched from spring to spring grazing and recovery was
compared with exclosures. Fall grazing was applied were to about 70 % utilization to determine if a
switch in season of grazing alone could allow noticeable recovery. The grasslands are a mosaic of
different plant associations including: Bluebunch wheatgrass/ Big sage (BBS), Big sage/Kentucky
bluegrass (SKB), and mountain rough fescue (RF). Changes from 0 to 8 years are reported here. In
BBS bluebunch wheatgrass cover increase similarly with fall grazing (+92%) or rest (+87%). Sandberg's
bluegrass increased with fall grazing (+59%) but not with rest (+10%). Big sage increased more with rest
(+113%) than with fall grazing (+76). In SKB, big sage increased with fall grazing (+87%) but much more
so with rest (+188%). The cover of Kentucky bluegrass decreased with fall grazing (-87%) and rest (72%). This was due to a drought event in the fourth year as well as increased competition from big sage
in following years. In RF switching to fall grazing resulted in only a slight (+22%) increase in rough fescue
cover while rest resulted in dramatically increased (+183%) cover. Cover of bluebunch wheatgrass with
fall grazing (+ 78%) but didn't change with rest (-2%). Sandberg's bluegrass increased with fall grazing
(+25%) but decreased with rest (-39%). Most species are dormant in the fall, so differing recovery with
rest depends on litter accumulation. Rough fescue benefited most from litter accumulation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0349
Novel Herbivores and Disturbance, Biotic Resistance, Community Structure, and Environmental
Factors: Multi-Process Control over the Invasibility of North America's Endangered Wyoming Big
Sagebrush Ecosystems
Michael Reisner1, James Grace3, David Pyke2, Paul Doescher1
Oregon State University, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Corvallis, OR, United States,
2
United States Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR,
United States, 3USGS National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, LA, United States
1
Ecosystem invasibility is controlled by a causal network of factors and processes including: resistance of
natives and non-native species to disturbance; biotic resistance; community structure; and propugale
pressure. We conducted a study in Bromus tectorum invaded Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis
communities. We sampled 75 sites spanning a wide range of factors predicted to be important
determinants of community invasibility (cattle grazing disturbance, landscape orientation, soil physical
properties). We found gradients of decreasing resilience and resistance evidenced by declines in native
bunchgrasses and soil stability, increases in B. tectorum and bare soil, and shifts in community structure.
These were associated with increasing cattle grazing, heat loads, and water stress. We identified three
community states with significantly different composition and structure. Structural equation modeling
assessed the relative importance of these factors and processes. Preliminary results show cattle
trampling decreased soil biological crust abundance, which directly decreased biotic resistance and
increased invasibility. We found no evidence that cattle increased B. tectorum propugale pressure, or that
cattle grazing decreased invasibility by directly reducing B. tectorum abundance. Decreases in
bunchgrass abundance by grazing, increases in sagebrush abundance, coarser textured soils, and heat
stress increased the size of and connectivity between basal gaps in perennial vegetation. These shifts in
community structure increased resource availability and invasibility. These findings provide important
insight into the role of cattle grazing as a determinant of invasibility and place it in the context of the
invasibility causal network. Absent restoration, fire may trigger a catastrophic regime shift converting 45%
of our sites to B. tectorum grasslands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0350
Fire and Post-fire Soil Erosion
Lance Vermeire1, Corey Moffet2
USDA-ARS, Miles City, MT, United States, 2Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK, United States
1
Erosion is a natural process that drives geomorphic change on rangelands. Soil erosion is affected by
numerous variables controlling soil resistance to movement and the forces applied to the soil. Fire can
interact strongly with many of the controlling factors, but affects erosion primarily through changes in
vegetation structure and ground cover. Increasing completeness of combustion reduces impediments to
wind and water surface flow and increases the probability of large erosion events. However, change in
vegetation structure and cover after fire does not always translate into increased erosion. These changes
have a passive role in determining erosivity, whereas storm duration and intensity play an active role and
are unfortunately difficult to predict. The degree of change in vegetation structure and the duration of
recovery after fire will affect the overall likelihood of excessive erosion. Timing of fire relative to the
growing season and temporal distribution of rain and wind storms strongly affects erosion potential.
Long-term fire exclusion may predispose a site to more severe and long lasting fire effects and increased
likelihood of excessive erosion. Alternatively, approximating natural fire regimes ensures vegetation is
capable of rapid recovery and should minimize exposure to destructive erosive events and excessive
erosion.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0351
Use of Seed Agglomeration Technology for Enhancing Seedling Emergence in the Presence of
Physical Soil Crust
Matthew Madsen1, Kirk Davies1, Tony Svejcar1, Jason Williams2
1
Agricultural Research Service, Burns, OR, United States, 2Agricultural Research Service, Boise, ID,
United States
Vesicular soil crust decreases reseeding success in many semi-arid regions of the world. The objective
of this study was to determine if seedling emergence could be improved by agglomerating multiple seeds
into a single pellet, so that the seedlings from the pellet will generate sufficient force to penetrate the soil
crust. Seed treatments were applied to bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) and crested
wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum). Agglomerations were formed using a rotary seed coater, in
combination with a water sensitive polyvinyl alcohol binder and diatomaceous earth. Evaluations were
conducted in the greenhouse, within a randomized block split-plot design, with five replications. Subplots
consisted of 0.2 m2 containers that were filled with either clay-loam or sand soil. Each container
contained a factorial combination of the two species and three seed treatments: uncoated control, single
seed coating and agglomeration coating. Starting seed density was constant across treatments. After
seeding, 1.5 cm of water was applied using an oscillating-arm rainfall simulator, with an application
intensity of 24.7 mm·hr-1. Results indicate that early emergence of crested wheatgrass may minimize
impacts from a rapidly forming soil crust. Coating treatments had no influence on crested wheatgrass
seedling emergence. However, seedling density of bluebunch wheatgrass was at least 50 % higher with
agglomeration relative to other seed treatments in the clay-loam, and both coating treatments were nearly
double the control in the sand. These results indicate that seed coating improves bluebunch wheatgrass
emergence in non-crusting soil, and agglomeration technology further enhances emergence in a crusting
soil.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0352
Dryness and Desperate Measures: A Political Ecology of Ranching in the Rocky Mountain West
Kristin Gangwer, William R. Travis
University of Colorado - Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
Ranchers in the Rocky Mountain West navigate a complex land-tenure system comprised of deeded,
leased, and public grazing lands. Severe droughts create management challenges for ranchers across
their land holdings and impose physical, social, and economic impacts on the ranching system and rural
communities. However, research remains ambiguous on how public-lands grazing affects ranchers’ ability
to cope with drought (Vásquez-Leon, West, and Finan 2003; Eakin and Conley 2002). And research
specifically focusing on the relationship between land tenure and drought has thus far looked
internationally (Liverman 1990, Western and Manzolillo Nightingale 2003,Toni and Holanda Jr. 2008).
Through semi-structured interviews with ranchers in northwest Colorado, northeast Utah, and southwest
Wyoming, as well as Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Farm Service Agency
employees in the three states, this project explores the implications of land tenure on ranchers’ drought
coping and resilience. How does the land-tenure system in the Rocky Mountain West function during
drought? How do ranchers’ drought experiences and management strategies differ across land holdings?
What role do institutions play? How adaptable is the system in the face of potential climatic changes?
Results will also be considered within a broader political-ecology framework.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0353
Potential Native Species for Mitigating Fire and Weed Invasion
Christine Taliga
USDA NRCS, Denver, Colorado, United States
Western water-limited sites left barren by large-scale fires or other disturbances are increasingly
vulnerable to invasion by invasive plant species. Tackling the re-establishment or restoration of such
sites is particularly challenging in areas of low and/or inconsistent precipitation. Do these sites have
mixed establishment results due to restoration methods and techniques or do the seed mixes adequately
represent the appropriate ecological site description? Within the Natural Resources Conservation
Service Plant Materials Program, plant species are not chosen for the particular species but to solve
or address specific conservation or ecological restoration problems. Utilizing the commonly understood
ecological tenet that plants grow in habitats to which they are adapted, and accepting the corollary, if you
change the habitat, so to the inhabitants change, may be the first in a twelve step process to select the
appropriate native species and establishment techniques for the restoration of disturbed western
landscapes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0354
Deleterious Composition and Quality of Pronghorn Diets in Southern Arizona
Clare Mix, William Miller
Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona, United States
Fawn recruitment appears to be the main factor precipitating the decline of pronghorn (Antilocapra
americana) populations in Arizona. Pronghorn biologists have recently speculated that nutritional
deficiencies may contribute to poor recruitment. This study compared the diets of pronghorn in two game
management units (GMUs) in southern Arizona; one location with chronically poor recruitment (GMU
36B), and one with higher recruitment (GMU 34B). The objectives of this study were to evaluate and
compare the diet compositions, to evaluate and compare the diet qualities, and to perform nutrient
analysis on forage for energy and protein values. We described diet composition using microhistological
analysis of fecal samples corrected for differential digestibility during four biological periods (late
gestation, parturition, peak lactation, and conception) over two years (2003 and 2004). Concurrently, we
conducted nutrient analysis of composited diets yielding values for dry matter digestibility (DMD),
digestible protein (DP), and metabolizable energy (ME). We used these data to evaluate the adequacy of
the diet to meet protein and energy requirements during each biological period. We determined if
significant differences existed in the diets between GMU 34B and 36B. GMU 34B had a significantly
higher species richness both years (23.8 and 24.69 vs. 21.1 and 19.5, for 2003 and 2004 respectively).
Forbs were the dominant forage class (62.7 to 97.2%) across all biological periods and years. Significant
differences in diet composition were detected between years and GMUs. Dietary analysis confirmed
protein and caloric intake in both locations were insufficient to meet nutritional requirements.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0355
Nutritive Value of Pasture Weeds in Oregon
Amy Peters1, Shelby Filley2, Andrew Hulting3
1
Oregon State University, Myrtle Point, OR, United States, 2Oregon State University, Roseburg, OR,
United States, 3Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
Forage quality was determined for fourteen weed species collected in western Oregon. Collection sites
were randomly sampled for three consecutive years during spring, summer, and fall. Weed species
analyzed included: bog rush (Juncus effuses), sedge (Juncus spp), spotted knapweed (Centaurea
maculosa Lam.), diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa), Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius L.), French
broom (Cytisus monspessulanus), bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), yellow
starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.), meadow knapweed (Centaurea pratensis ), gorse (Ulex europaeus
L.), Himalaya blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), Portuguese broom (Cytisus striatus), and Italian thistle
(Carduus pycnocephalus L.). Forage quality was quantified for the following plant developmental stages:
rosette/vegetative, bolt, and early bloom/boot. Weeds were analyzed for crude protein (CP), acid
detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, total digestible nutrients (TDN), and mineral content. For three
weed species (French broom, bull thistle, and Italian thistle), CP content differed (P<0.01) over the
seasons, while TDN was not different. Nutritional value of weeds was compared to requirements of beef
cattle, sheep, and goats throughout the production cycle. Quality was generally high, often meeting
livestock protein and energy needs. Many weed nutrient profiles were similar to desirable forages.
However, some weed mineral profiles indicated possible livestock health problems. Several weed
species had high levels of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and copper at some stages of plant
development. This information can be used to more accurately meet livestock nutritional needs while
grazing weed species. Further research of weed species used as forage is needed to quantify antiquality factors and palatability.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0356
Predicting Nutritive Value of Desert Bighorn Sheep Forage Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy
John A. Kava, Douglas R. Tolleson
University of Arizona, V Bar V Ranch, Rimrock, Arizona, United States
The objective of this study was to develop near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) calibrations for forage
quality in desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) and to test a mobile laboratory concept. We
used 576 samples of plants known to be consumed by desert bighorn, collected throughout their range in
Arizona between 2002 to 2005. Spectra (325 to 2500 nm) were collected on dry ground samples. Forage
quality was determined by traditional wet chemistry techniques for crude protein (CP), acid detergent
(ADF) and neutral detergent (NDF) fiber. NIRS calibrations were developed by multiple regression
techniques with 75% of samples and validated by simple regression with the remaining 25%. Calibration
multiple coefficient of determination (RSQ) and standard error of cross validation (SECV) were 0.64;5.43,
0.73;5.43, and 0.73;5.43 for CP, ADF, and NDF respectively. Validation simple RSQ and SE of validation
were 0.411;0.79, 0.58;14.57, and 0.58;19.78 for CP, ADF, and NDF respectively. Protein calibration
results were less than expected. The inclusion of trees, shrubs and succulents along with the grass and
forbs may have adverse affects on high quality calibrations. Fiber calibrations were deemed useful for
initial forage quality determinations in a field lab setting. Further calibration development separated by
plant type, i.e. grass, shrubs, forbs, trees and succulents may be necessary for accurate in-field
predictions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0357
Non-Fee Grazing Costs: Historical Review and Implications to Public Land Grazing Fees
Neil R. Rimbey1, L. Allen Torell1
1
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States, 2New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United
States
This presentation details the economic theory behind the comparisons of public and private land non-fee
grazing costs, particularly as they relate to federal grazing fees and provides an historical overview of
these costs. Items such as lost animals, labor, horses and vehicle use in activities such as moving
livestock to and from grazing allotments and leased pastures and management while on the lease are
critical in the comparison of public and private grazing costs. In 1966, the fee that would have equalized
total public and private grazing costs was $1.23/Animal Unit Month (AUM). Evidence from a 3 state study
in 1992 indicates the equalization fee should have been $0.13/AUM. Recent developments suggest that
public land grazing costs may now exceed comparable private land grazing costs. We hypothesize that
the cost structure has changed significantly since 1992, with substantial increases in vehicle operating
costs, predation losses, increased herding, labor expenses and other factors, citing examples from
around the western states.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0358
LANDFIRE Tools and Data Useful for Range Management: Explore the Past, Plan for the Future
Randy Swaty, Jim Smith, Sarah Hagan, Jeannie Patton, Kori Blankenship
The Nature Conservancy, Marquette, MI, United States
LANDFIRE, also known as the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project, is a
five-year, multi-partner project producing consistent and comprehensive maps and data describing
vegetation, wildland fuel, and fire regimes across the United States. LANDFIRE products include tools
and data that allow users to explore reference conditions, understand historic disturbance, assess
ecological conditions and plan for the future across political boundaries within the United States. Here we
will introduce LANDFIRE, illustrate potential uses, and demonstrate two key LANDFIRE tools, the Data
Access Tool and the Fire Regime Condition Class Mapping Tool to help workshop participants imagine
use on landscapes of interest. We will also discuss future project plans to improve or update the products
with assistance from the field, limitations of the products, and methods to adapt or adjust the models and
spatial data for local use.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0359
Effects of High-Density, Short-Duration Planned Livestock Grazing on Soil Carbon Sequestration
Potentials in a Coastal California Mixed Grassland
Kristina Wolf1 ,2, Brent Hallock1, Robert Rutherford1, Marc Horney1, Anthony O'Geen2 ,1, Royce Larsen3
1
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States, 2University of California, Davis,
United States, 3University of California Cooperative Extension, Templeton, United States
Planned grazing management in rangelands may improve carbon sequestration potential of soils by
increasing plant biomass and the rate of nutrient cycling, which might mitigate global warming. The
effects of high-intensity, short-duration planned grazing on several soil quality indicators (total nitrogen,
organic carbon, labile and recalcitrant carbon, bulk density, plant species composition and percent
vegetative cover) are being investigated on a non-irrigated coastal grassland in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Sheep grazing was applied at two sites: a rangeland site previously rested from grazing for 40 years, and
an adjacent site grazed for the previous six years. The objective of this study was to determine if planned
grazing would change soil carbon levels on these sites. Data from the first year showed significantly
higher soil organic carbon in samples collected from the grazed site, with an average of 0.60% more soil
organic carbon at a depth of 0-3 cm when compared with the rested site. There was no difference in total
nitrogen. Soil pH was significantly lower at the grazed site by an average of 0.63 at a depth of 0 to 3 cm,
and 0.81 at a depth of 3 to 6 cm. We hypothesize that planned grazing at similar stock density, duration,
and timing will improve soil physical, chemical, and biological indicators and increase soil carbon
sequestration in the rested site. As rangelands cover 50% of the world's terrestrial surface, even a small
increase in soil organic carbon could result in greater sequestration of excessive atmospheric carbon.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0360
Perceptions of Targeted Grazing in the Desert Southwest
Corrine Knapp1 ,2, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez2, Retta Bruegger4, Larry Howery4, Allen Torell3, Derek
Bailey3
1
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, CO, United States, 2Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United
States, 3New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 4University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ,
United States
There has been increased interest in the possibility of using goats and sheep to control invasive species,
yet few studies have considered using cattle to improve ecosystem services. We conducted focus groups
and interviews with over 45 ranchers and natural resource professionals to assess land managers'
perceptions of benefits of and barriers to targeted grazing (TG) with cattle as a way to improve wildlife
habitat and reduce the risk of unwanted wildfires. We used an iterative coding process to analyze focus
group and interview transcripts. We found that land managers had minimal prior knowledge about TG as
defined by researchers. Once it was explained, most ranchers believed they had practiced TG in some
form and saw its primary benefits as utilization of underutilized areas, control of specific species and
restoration, while agency employees were more likely to cite improvement of wildlife habitat and fire
mitigation. We found that ranchers in the desert southwest face real constraints to implementing and
adopting TG practices as defined by researchers unless: 1) economic incentives are available to balance
the additional time and labor invested in TG, 2) land management agencies provide the flexibility and
support needed to implement TG practices, and 3) safety issues in border communities are resolved. We
plan to use the results of this baseline study to design research that will assess ecological benefits of TG
and to create outreach materials that address potential barriers to implementing TG.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0361
SRR Sustainable Ranch Management Assessment Project - Concepts, Goals, and Objectives
Stanley F. Hamilton1, Dick Loper2
1
Idaho Department of Lands (retired), Boise, ID, United States, 2Wyoming State Grazing Board and Public
Lands Council, Lander, WY, United States
Concepts. The Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SRR) is developing a program that marries the
social, economic, and ecological aspects of ranch sustainability into a user friendly program that family
ranches can use to evaluate their ranch business operations - using 17 indicators to track the progress of
core ranch enterprises. Goals. Encourage interested ranchers to develop business plans and resource
monitoring and management plans - using the 17 SRR developed indicators -- to assess whether or not a
ranch business is sustainable over the long term. Objectives. 1. Urge family ranches develop a
business plan that promotes the long term economic sustainability of their ranch. 2. Use science-based
indicators and field protocols to measure changes in the social, economic, and ecological aspects of the
ranch business. 3. Encourage the BLM, the USFS, and state land agencies to work with ranchers to
develop joint monitoring programs on federal allotments. 4. Urge universities to develop outreach
educational programs and technical and financial assistance for business planning and monitoring
programs for ranch businesses. 5. Encourage ranchers to obtain detailed guidance and assistance as
necessary to support the business planning and the monitoring processes from organizations such as
NRCS, state and local agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, and private consultants including
lawyers, accountants, and range consultants.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0362
SRR Legal, Educational and Institutional Assessment Indicators
Stanley F. Hamilton
Idaho Department of Lands (retired), Boise, ID, United States
The Sustainable Rangeland Roundtable (SRR) has developed five criterion and 64 indicators that
collectively may be used to determine whether U.S. rangelands are being used in a sustainable manner.
Why use criteria and iindicators to assess rangeland sustainability? Rangeland ecosystems are fragile
and subject to wildfire, drought, climate change, invasive species, and conversion to other land uses such
as subdivision development. Changes occur rapidly. Without monitoring and measuring affected
processes, we cannot manage the land for long term sustainability. Ten indicators are included within the
Legal, Institutional, and Economic Framework Criterion. Many of the indicators associated with this
criterion represent abstract concepts to a far greater degree than indicators related to the other
SRR criteria. The 10 indicators developed by the Framework Criterion Group portray the wide range of
the factors that affect rangeland sustainability. A summary list of rangeland indicators developed by the
Framework Criterion Group are as follows: 1) Land Law and Property Rights, 2) Institutions and
Organizations, 3) Economic Policies and Practices, 4) Public Information and Public Participation,
5) Professional Education and Technical Assistanc, 6) Land Management, 7) Land Planning,
Assessment, and Policy Review, 8) Protection of Special Values, 9) Measuring and Monitoring and
10) Research and Development.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0363
Development of Most Similar Neighbor (MSN) Polygons for use with the Burning Risk Advisory
Support System (BRASS) on Fort Hood, Texas
Edward Rhodes1, William Shaw1, R. Loren Naylor1, Timothy Brown1, Wayne Hamilton2, J. Richard
Conner2, Jason Jones3, Jay Angerer1
1
Texas AgriLife Research, Temple, TX, United States, 2Department of Ecosystem Science &
Management, College Station, TX, United States, 3Jones-Heroy & Associates, Inc., Lampasas, TX, United
States
Rangeland communities located on Fort Hood in central Texas are under constant threat of wildfire due to
military training activities. In order to help manage and mitigate losses to life and property, a Burning Risk
Advisory Support System (BRASS) is being developed to help decision makers understand fire risks, and
model wildfire behavior. The BRASS system provides near-real time burning risk data derived using
BEHAVE algorithms, and fire movement through a modification of FARSITE that utilizes custom fuel
loads produced from the Phytomass Growth Simulator (PHYGROW). In this study, it was our aim to test
our ability to model herbaceous fuel production on locations not previously sampled. In 2010, 39 of 180
long term sites were sampled, along with 39 (extrapolated) MSN sites. Herbaceous standing crop and
litter were collected from ten, 0.25m2 frames. ANOVA and Fisher's LSD were used to test for differences.
MSN polygons were derived from: 1) vegetative cover from 10m SPOT Imagery, 2) woody vegetation
polygons digitized from aerial imagery, 3) tank trails/roads layer, 4) ecological sites created from the
SSURGO database, and 5) Fort Hood training area/land use polygons. Herbaceous standing fuel loads
did not differ statistically between long-term sites (1836.60 kg/ha ±281.75), and MSN sites (1921.05
±336.65 P=0.72), nor did litter (Long Term: 1815.03kg/ha ±374.84, MSN 1653.40 ±389.93, P=0.42). This
suggests that our MSN polygons are sufficient at modeling remote-sensed areas with proper inputs.
MSN may be a viable way to aply attributes to areas with remote sensing.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0364
Evaluation of Freeze-Thaw Dynamics in Hummocked Wetlands
Mae Smith, Paul Meiman, Joe Brummer
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
Hummocks in riparian and wetland areas are relatively small mounds that create uneven ground. The
presence of hummocks is often used as an indicator of degraded riparian or wetland condition which
influences land use management. However, this assumption may or may not be valid and more
information is needed concerning hummock formation. Hummock formation processes are not well
understood but one predominant theory for formation is differential frost heave. This theory relies on the
coincidence of freezing temperatures and standing water in the interspaces. The objective of this study
was to evaluate the temperature regimes in hummocks and interspaces along with presence of water and
freezing air temperatures. Four hummocked wetland sites in North-central Colorado were selected for
sampling. At each site, four monitoring locations were randomly selected. Each monitoring location was
equipped with soil temperature sensors in the interspace, at the base of the hummock and at 2/3rds of
the height of the hummock. A water sensor was used to determine when there was standing water in the
interspace. An air temperature sensor was placed at each site. These sensors were connected to
loggers programmed to record hourly data. The temperature for October through December at the top of
the hummock was colder and more variable (Mean=1.3°C, SD=4.1) than the hummock base and
interspace (Mean=1.9°C, 2.3°C, SD=3.6, 3.4, respectively). Results indicate the coincidence of standing
water in the interspace, freezing air temperatures and unfrozen hummocks, suggesting that freeze-thaw
processes may be related to hummock formation and maintenance.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0365
Understory Cover in Relation to One Seed Juniper Sapling Stand Structure at a Site in New Mexico
Andres Cibils1, Terrance Booth1 ,2, Samuel Cox1 ,2, Brad Cooper1, Richard Dunlap1, Shad Cox1, David
Borland1 ,3
1
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 2USDA-ARS High Plains Grasslands
Research Station, Cheyenne, WY, United States, 3USDA Forest Service, Tallahassee, FL, United States
Overstory-understory interactions have been extensively studied in mature juniper woodlands, but little is
known about these interactions during the sapling stage of juniper encroachment. We determined
herbaceous understory cover, and sapling dimensions and density, from 177 VLSA (very large scale
aerial) photos systematically arranged on a 150 x 600-m grid covering an area of approximately 3,500
acres at the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center in central New Mexico. The survey area
included three soil associations, elevations ranging from 1,784 to 1,967 m, and slopes between 0 and
8%. Photo-location distance from water and roads ranged from 16 to 3,599 m and 1 to 1,460 m,
respectively. The area is managed for mule deer and antelope pronghorn habitat and is moderately
grazed by livestock year-round. Twenty-three juniper sapling- and environment-related predictors of
understory cover were included in the analysis. The best model (Cp=9.01; R2 0.4; P<0.01) included size
(crown diameter) of focal sapling, distance to first and second closest neighbor, size of first and second
closest neighbor, vegetation type, elevation, slope, and distance from water. Our results suggest that
sparse stands with > 2 m between small saplings (< 1-m crown diameter) may facilitate an increase in
understory herbaceous cover at this site. Conversely, stands with < 2 m between individuals, or large
saplings (>2.5 m-crown diameter) may be associated with decreasing understory cover. We conclude
that there is a forage-production benefit derived from sparse stands of small saplings and a forage loss to
larger or denser stands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0366
Moving Beyond the Myths and Traditions of Fire Behavior in Rangelands
Dirac Twidwell1, William Rogers1, Samuel Fuhlendorf2, Charles Taylor, Jr.3, David Engle2
1
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States, 2Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK,
United States, 3Texas AgriLife Research Center, Sonora, TX, United States
A wide array of social practices and ecological services in rangelands rely on a detailed understanding of
fire behavior. Choosing effective fire suppression tactics, safely conducting and controlling prescribed
fires, and understanding how fire influences plants, animals, nutrients, hydrology, and human activities all
hinge upon the degree to which we can characterize fire behavior and apply that knowledge in practice.
This is particularly important in modern resource management. Wildfires are globally increasing in size,
frequency, and severity in human populated environments, prescribed fires are being conducted in some
regions in wildfire-type conditions, and numerous ecosystem-level models and policies have been created
that simplify fire behavior and its role in shaping ecosystem dynamics. As a result, researchers and
practitioners must move beyond the long-established myths and traditions of fire in rangelands that were
created by searching for general, correlative linkages among fuels, weather, topography, fire behavior,
and fire effects. While this type of approach has enhanced our understanding of fire in rangelands,
current and future management objectives demand a more robust, mechanistic interpretation of
rangeland fire behavior. Here we present empirical and theoretical research from post-grassland Ashe
juniper and mesquite woodlands that illustrate how a mechanistic framework can move the field beyond
traditional generalizations in fire science and application. We highlight how this approach provides a
quantitative link that spans theoretical and applied domains, thereby connecting scientists and
landowners, and how it may prove useful in the future study, design, and creation of state-and-transition
models in rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0367
Tebuthiuron Role in Rangeland Restoration Programs
Robert Masters, Byron Sleugh, Chad Cummings, Greg Alpers, John Jachetta, Vernon Langston
Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, United States
Tebuthiuron is an herbicide used over the past 3 decades to facilitate western US rangelands
restoration. Depending on rate applied, tebuthiuron can selectively control woody plants, grasses, and
herbaceous broadleaf invasive plants. Tebuthiuron use rate range is 0.56 to 4.4 kg active ingredient per
hectare. Woody species controlled include post, blackjack, and sand shinnery oaks, creosote bush,
tarbush, sagebrush, whitebrush, and others. Grass and forb species will recover following release from
competition with woody plants controlled with tebuthiuron. Dry formulations of tebuthiuron (20 % pellet
and 80% dry flowable formulations) preclude drift and minimize off-site movement. Tebuthiuron
formulations disintegrate with rainfall, move into the soil where root uptake occurs, and is then
translocated to plant stems and leaves where it inhibits photosynthesis. Woody plant response is slow
and death occurs after carbohydrate reserves are exhausted. The herbicide is particularly effective in arid
and semi-arid environments where erratic rainfall and weather conditions often reduce reliability of foliarapplied herbicides. In Great Plains grasslands tebuthiuron can be used to rapidly shift species
composition by controlling exotic cool-season grasses and releasing native remnant warm-season
grasses. Tebuthiuron reliably provides a high degree of root kill of target woody plants and herbaceous
plants with a single application, rapidly alters plant successional trajectory, facilitates recovery of
desirable herbaceous species, and extends duration of plant control. Beneficial effects of plant control
with tebuthiuron have been observed to persist for more than 10 years in high rainfall environments and
much longer in semi-arid and arid environments.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0368
Understory Responses to a Mixed-Severity Wildfire in Ponderosa Pine Forests of the Black Hills,
USA
Mandi Robertson, Paul Meiman, Frederick Smith, Tara Keyser
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
In late summer 2000, 34,000 ha of ponderosa pine forests in the Black Hills of South Dakota burned in
the Jasper Fire. This was a mixed-severity wildfire resulting in a mosaic of areas burned at low- (25%),
moderate- (48%) and high-severity (27%). We examined changes in understory structure (relative
abundance of graminoids, forbs and shrubs) and species composition relative to fire severity (unburned,
low, moderate and high) 5 and 10 years post fire. We estimated understory canopy cover by species
using an extended Daubenmire frame (50 x 100 cm) at 36, randomly selected sites. Twelve plots were
systematically located at each site. We also conducted an extensive search (presence/absence) for
invasive plants at each site. Five years post fire, understory structure of low-severity and unburned sites
were similar, species composition differed. Forbs were most abundant in moderate- and high-severity
sites. Canopy cover of exotics increased with increasing fire severity, however noxious species
accounted for <5% of exotic species cover there. Ten years post fire, understory structure of low-severity
and unburned sites are still similar, except for a slight increase in the relative abundance of graminoids in
the low-severity areas. Common juniper, snowberry, and Oregon grape are significantly more abundant in
the low-severity sites relative to the high- and moderate-severity sites. Invasive species (Canada thistle
and hounds tongue) are more abundant in the high-severity sites.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0369
Fine-Scale Observations of Soil Properties in Hummocks and Adjacent Interspaces
Paul Meiman1, Mae Smith1, Joe Brummer1, Terrance Booth2, Larry Griffith2
1
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 2USDA ARS, Cheyenne, WY, United States
Hummocks in riparian areas and wetlands are relatively small mounds (< 1 m in diameter and height) that
create uneven ground. According to the scientific literature, differential frost heave is the most widely
accepted theory of hummock genesis. However, most of the published work on hummocks comes from
the physical sciences. Interestingly, no theory of hummock formation in recent review papers includes
large ungulate activity as an important factor. But, the management literature in natural resources often
suggests that hummocks are an indicator of degraded riparian or wetland conditions caused by large
ungulate trailing and trampling (most often attributed to domestic livestock). As a side investigation in a
study of hummocked wetlands, we collected slabs of soil from two hummocks and adjacent interspaces
for detailed analysis. Slabs were 5-8 cm thick, excavated to a depth of ~30 cm and included an entire
hummock and the adjacent interspace. A 5-cm grid was constructed on each slab and soil samples from
each cell in the grids were collected for determination of soil texture, bulk density, nitrogen, total carbon,
organic- and inorganic-carbon. Soil properties from different regions of the hummocks and interspaces
were then compared. Nitrogen and organic C were highest near the soil surface. There were not
consistent differences in bulk density between hummocks and interspaces, and soil texture was fairly
consistent. Based on these observations, it does not appear that hummocks result from compaction of
the interspaces, but may still be related to the activities of large ungulates.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0370
A Matter of Ecological Context: The Response of Tallgrass Prairie Butterflies to Fire
Ray Moranz1, Diane Debinski1, David Engle2, Sam Fuhlendorf2, James Miller3
1
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States, 2Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma,
United States, 3University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States
In ecosystems that have rarely experienced fire during evolutionary time, many species are fire-sensitive,
i.e., they suffer high mortality due to fire. However, even in fire-prone ecosystems, some species appear
to be fire-sensitive. The presence of these species is an interesting conundrum. Did these fire-sensitive
species persist in fire-prone ecosystems due to population processes, e.g. recolonization permitted by
metapopulation structure? Or were historical fire frequencies actually much lower than previously
thought? Multiple tallgrass prairie butterfly species have been shown to be fire-sensitive, and their firesensitivity has been used to infer that fire was an infrequent process in tallgrass prairie. Here, we
synthesize findings on the responses of tallgrass prairie butterflies to fire at multiple sites across three
states: Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. Effects of fire varied greatly among species, but also within species.
Butterfly populations responded very differently to pyric herbivory (the ecological interaction of fire and
grazing) than to fire alone. Sensitivity to fire appears to be mediated by multiple factors, including species
traits (especially dispersal ability), sampling period, extent of fire, grazing intensity, and proximity to
unburned habitat. After comparing our findings with those from other studies, we propose that the
responses of fire-sensitive species to fire are highly context-dependent. For rangeland managers, we
provide some general recommendations for managing fire-sensitive species in a variety of ecological
contexts.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0371
Using Images to Evaluate the Relationship Between Habitat Characteristics and Sage-Grouse Lek
Counts
Jeffrey Beck1, D. Terrance Booth2
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United
States
1
Knowledge of habitat conditions is essential to understanding the effects of management activities and
disturbances on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-dependent species. Current sagebrush-habitat inventory
methods are labor intensive, therefore expensive, resulting in limited inventory actually conducted, and
management decisions made with inadequate data. Development of new technologies such as highresolution aerial photography are providing less expensive inventory methods and may result in more
frequent data collection that could display trends in sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.) habitat conditions.
A number of studies have sought to understand the habitat conditions that promote sage-grouse
populations. Our study was initiated to evaluate habitat conditions within a 3.2-km radius of known leks
and relate lek-area habitat conditions to lek counts. Ground and aerial digital images were acquired in
June 2010 over 514 km2 of the upper Powder River watershed encompassing Casper Creek, Wallace
Creek, and their tributaries and associated streams and uplands in Natrona County, Wyoming. Aerial
images were systematically-acquired with nested resolutions of 1-, 10-, and 20-mm ground sample
distance over 3228 planned locations; plus, additional aerial images were acquired in rapid-succession
bursts where aerial transects crossed riparian areas. Ground images were acquired from 1 m above
ground level with sub-millimeter resolution at 960 aerial-image locations. The study area contains 9
groupings of leks available for analyses. We used ARCMap to identify aerial samples falling within lek
analysis regions, indicating the aerial-sample base for each lek grouping ranged between 198 and 350
evenly-spaced and fully distributed images, not including the riparian bursts and ground images.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0372
A Comparison of Stream Morphology and Vegetation of Cottonwood-Dominated and Open
Reaches within a Riparian Ecological Site in NW Colorado
Kira Puntenney, Emily Kachergis, Maria Fernandez-Gimenez
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
Land managers in northwestern Colorado have identified that riparian areas are more important than
uplands for the ecology, management, and economics of local ranches. We compare stream morphology
and vegetation of 30-m reaches with and without cottonwoods (open vs. closed canopy) on two adjacent
streams (Elkhead and Calf Creeks) to determine whether they are alternate states. Reach morphology
was characterized using Rosgen stream classification based on slope, sinuosity, entrenchment, width,
depth and channel bed composition. Vegetation cover by species was measured in each hydrologically
unique component (near-stream vs. far). Reaches were found to be Rosgen type B, C, or E, with
entrenchment the greatest variable. Ordination shows that the strongest differences in species
composition were related to canopy cover and stream. Open canopy near-stream components were
characterized by high cover of smooth brome, while closed canopies had willows and young
cottonwoods. Elkhead Creek has a near-stream component characterized by sedges and rushes, while
the near-stream component in Calf Creek has upland species. This appears to be a function of the
streams' differing morphology, including greater entrenchment on Calf Creek. This pilot study suggests
that while vegetation of riparian areas differs according to canopy cover, the largest differences in both
morphology and vegetation are between the two streams themselves, even though they are adjacent and
have similar management. This finding represents the challenge for generalizing the effects of
management across multiple streams. Sampling on a larger scale might reduce variation between
streams and aid in the development of alternate riparian states.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0373
Patch Size Controls Selectivity of Sheep Grazing Grass-Clover Grasslands
Emilio Laca1, Cristina Genro2, Carolina Bremm3, Jairo Genro4, Craig Schriefer1
1
University of California, Davis, California, United States, 2EMBRAPA South Animal Husbandry & Sheep,
Bage, RS, Brazil, 3Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, 4Universidade
Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
The trophic interaction between ruminants and grasslands is a fundamental process that shapes
landscapes and modulates ecosystem function and productivity. Selective grazing can structure plant
communities and thus, the control of selectivity can be used for ecosystems management. We
hypothesized that selectivity for clover by sheep can be modulated by changing the degree of
interspersion between grass and clover patches. We built 34 x 17 m pastures and modified their
vegetation by seeding subclover and using selective broadleaf and grass herbicides to create either four
8.5 x 17 m rectangles or seventeen 2 x 17 m bands dominated by grass or clover. Pastures were grazed
in the spring with either four sheep for 12 days or 12 sheep during four days. We measured herbage
mass before and after grazing, and observed activity (grazing or other) and location (grass or clover) from
6 AM to 8 PM and determined selectivity as the ratio of total sheep-hours grazing clover divided by
sheep-hours grazing grass. Sheep grazed more time in clover than in grass, particularly in the large
patches than in the bands (P=0.025, 2.9 vs. 1.4). We did not detect a significant difference due to number
of sheep or interaction, but the test had low power due to small sample size. Herbage mass changes
also reflected a strong preference for clover, particularly in large patches. These results provide further
evidence to the literature that indicates that vegetation pattern can be used as a management factor to
modulate plant-animal interactions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0374
Geographic Variation in Crown Structure and Foliage Biomass of Woodland Trees across the
Great Basin
Robin Tausch1, Neil Frakes1, Richard Miller2, Bruce Roundy3
1
USDA Forest Service, Reno, NV, United States, 2Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR, United States,
3
Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT, United States
The woodland portion of the Joint fire Sciences Funded SageSTEP (Sagebrush Treatment and
Evaluation Project) has collected tree data from plots covering a range of tree dominance levels on 13
sites extending from southeastern Oregon southwest through California, Idaho and Nevada to Western
Utah. These data have been supplemented with compatible data from four additional Greaat Basin sites.
Each tree species present on a site has a close relationship between its total crown area and its total
foliage biomass across the plots for each site. The slopes of these relationships differ significantly across
the Great Basin. For both juniper and pinyon species they are the lowest in Utah and generally increase
to the north and west with the highest slopes for juniper in Oregon. These differences are shown to be
the result of trees of a given crown diameter being the shortest in Utah and generally increasing in height
to the north and west. Foliage biomass and one-hour fuels follow the same pattern with a four meter
crown diameter junper in Oregon having up to nearly twice the foliage biomass of a four meter crown
diameter juniper in Utah. The reverse is true for tree height with a five meter tall juniper in Utah having up
to over twice the foliage biomass as a five meter tall western juniper in Oregon. These results have
implications for differences in fuel loads, fire patterns, carbon sequestration and carbon cycling in
woodlands across the Great Basin.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0375
Patterns of Woodland Overstory/Understory Successional Changes over a Central Nevada
Elevational Gradient
Robin Tausch1, Alicia Reiner2
1
USDA Forest Service, Reno, NV, United States, 2USDA Forest Service, Sparks, NV, United States
In response to climatic and anthropogenic factors, Great Basin plant communities have changed over
centuries and decades. Since settlement of the Great Basin about 140 years ago, singleleaf pinyon and
Utah juniper have increased in area, density, and dominance, encroaching into adjacent sagebrush
communities. Tree density and biomass increases are resulting in declining understory plant
communities, and more intense fire behavior as fuel loads from the trees increase. The purpose of this
study is to quantify changes in plant community composition, biomass, and fuel loads associated with
increases in tree dominance over an elevational gradient in central Nevada. Successional changes in the
plant community components are compared on the basis of their foliage biomass changes over the
successional gradient from no trees to maximum tree foliage biomass. Increasing tree dominance
differentially affects the shrub, grass and forb components of the understory community. The shrubs and
deep-rooted perennial grasses are the most affected by the increasing tree dominance, reaching
minimum levels of foliage biomass 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through succession. Total forb biomass has a
minimal overall decline until the shrubs and deep-rooted perennial grasses reach their minimal foliage
biomass levels and then rapidly decline. The point in the sere where the shrubs and deep-rooted
perennial grasses reach their minimum foliage biomass levels appears to be a threshold. Here the
dynamics of the remaining understory community changes, as does the response of the site to
disturbance by fire.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0376
Pastures of Deserted Animal Industries of Uzbekistan
T. Mukimov, R. Haiitbaev, Sh. Sindarov
Uzbek Research Institute of Karakul Sheep Breeding and Desert Ecology, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The 17.5 million hectares of pasture in Uzbekistan are concentrated within three ecological zones: sandy
(9 million ha), sagebrush-ephemeral to desert and foothill zones (7.2 million ha), Ache to semi-desert (1.3
million ha). At the same time, about 3.0 million hectares of pasture is unsuitable for operations owing to
the degradation of cover and a shortage of water. Deserted pastures are exposed to several factors
including: overgrazing (44%); vegetation destruction (25%); infringement of vegetative cover (1%);
plowing (5%); reduction of water sources (15%); and the approach of mobile sand (10%). Under the
influence of these factors the following consequences have been observed: an exposure of the soil
surface, the degradation of separate pasture sites, and the formation of mobile sand. Biological efficiency
of pastures and their fodder capacity decreases as a result, which is necessary to consider as the
beginning of the process of desertification. At the irrational use of pastures in a sandy zone of Kizilkum,
the specific structure was reduced by 4 times, by 2 times for bushes and semi bushes, and by 2.5 times
for edible fodder plants. The increased feeding capacity, expansion of specific structure of pasture, and
creation of insurance stocks of forages will expand the possibilities of use for arid territories. The
technologies for the creation of forest shelter belts and for the creation of different function (pasture,
haying) and use terms (spring-summer, fall-winter, all year) have been developed.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0377
Crossings, Corridors and Trophic Cascades: Wolves and Woody Vegetation in Banff National Park
Clifford A. White
Scientist Emeritus, Parks Canada, Banff, Alberta, Canada
In the early 1900s, removal of native peoples, predator control, and re-introduction of elk resulted in high
ungulate densities in the Bow Valley of Banff National Park. High ungulate herbivory rates resulted in the
nearly no regeneration of aspen to heights above 2m by the late 1930s, and in concert with ongoing fire
suppression, led to numerous other changes in long-term patterns of tree, shrub, and wildlife habitat
distribution patterns. The issue remained a focus of research and management for several decades,
becoming more critical when aspen regeneration continued to fail after prescribed burning began in the
1980s. Wolves recolonized the Bow Valley in 1985, assisted by construction of wildlife fences and
crossing structures across the Trans Canada Highway, and establishment of wildlife corridors and habitat
patches around the communities of Lake Louise, Banff, and Canmore. From 1985 to 2005, elk densities
through most of the valley declined by 90%, largely due to wolf predation, but also other actions such as
culling human-habituated elk near the Town of Banff. The cover and height of almost all woody plant
species increased in a spatial pattern inverse to elk densities. Recent prescribed burns accelerate
regeneration of native shrubs, possibly by creating dense deadfall patches avoided by predation-averse
ungulates. Although populations of several large ungulates declined during the initial wolf recolonization
period (when both elk and wolf densities were high), trophic cascade and spatially-variable fire effects
may maintain important wildlife habitat for numerous species including moose, deer, beaver, and several
birds.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0378
Restoring Native Tallgrass Prairie and Improving Profitability on Eastern South Dakota
Grasslands with Intensive Early Stocking
Kyle Schell, Eric Mouse, Alexander Smart
South Dakota State University, Brookings SD, United States
Cow-calf producers in eastern South Dakota often over-winter calves to take advantage of the low cost
gain associated with lightweight cattle on grass to improve profit margins. Season-Long Stocking (SL)
however, has converted the majority of native grassland to a mix of introduced cool-season species which
has reduced production efficiency and biodiversity. Intensive Early Stocking (IES) may address both of
these issues by improving production and economic efficiency through improved gain per acre and
reducing resource competition for native warm-season species. The objective of this study was to
determine gain per acre, return per acre, and species composition change of IES vs. SL. Two sites were
established in May of 2010 in Miller, SD and Volga, SD. Study sites were predominately smooth brome
and Kentucky bluegrass pasture. At both sites, yearling steers (327 kg) were grazed SL at the
recommended stocking rate for 120 days. The IES treatment was grazed at twice the recommended
stocking rate for 60 days. All cattle were weighed prior to grazing, at 60 days, and following grazing.
Forage yield was measured weekly throughout the grazing season. Gain per acre and return per acre
were calculated following the end of the trial. Species composition was sampled in May and September.
Gain per acre was similar between the IES and SL treatments; however, there was an increased trend in
native warm season grass composition on the IES treatment.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0379
CRP...A Duck's Best Friend
Bob Sanders
Ducks Unlimited, Montana, United States
Few programs have done more for North America's waterfowl than the Conservation Reserve Program.
With over 3 million acres of grasslands enrolled in Montana, CRP is arguably one of the most important
tools for long term conservation of grasslands and our wildlife resource. This presentation will highlight
the value of grasslands and wetlands for breeding waterfowl and the role CRP plays on Montana's
landscape.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0380
Establishment of Invasive Species in Post-Fire Seeding Treatments
Megan M. Taylor1, Ann L. Hild1, Nancy L. Shaw2, Erin K. Denney2
University of Wyoming, Department of Renewable Resources, Laramie, WY, United States, 2USDA
Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID, United States
1
Post-fire reseeding in semi-arid shrublands in the Intermountain West and Great Basin is intended to
reduce weed reentry. However, few studies adequately address impacts of seeding methods on
establishment of undesired species. Native sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis and
Artemisia nova) in Box Elder County, Utah succumbed to the Scooby Wildfire in August 2008. We
collected biomass at the Scooby Wildfire site the second summer after post-fire rehabilitation seedings to
test the hypothesis that the presence of exotics would differ depending on seeding method. Seeding
treatments were designed to compare seeding methods using a rangeland drill which covered seed with a
chain, and a minimum till rangeland drill which pressed seed into the soil with a brillion packer. Biomass
samples of invasive species (Halogeton glomeratus, Salsola kali, and Bromus tectorum), seeded native
grasses, and both volunteer and seeded forbs were collected in four replicate blocks of the different
seeding treatments by clipping four randomly placed 0.25 m2 subplots. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for
a randomized block design (RBD) was used to identify biomass differences. Total biomass did not differ
among treatments; values ranged from 120 to 236 g/m2. Total exotic biomass among nine treatments (as
a percent of total biomass) was greater in all controls (unseeded, rangeland drill 0 seed, and minimum till
0 seed) than in other treatments, P = 0.0075. Limiting the return of undesired species is critical to longterm success of wildfire rehabilitation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0381
Alberta's Wolf Report: Quantifying the Impacts
Callum Sears
Flying E Ranche, Stavely, Alberta, Canada
In 2007, the need to document and quantify the damage caused by wolves in southwestern Alberta
became apparent. Ranches where wolves had never been seen before suddenly had numerous attacks.
Combine this increase in wolf activity with Fish and Wildlife's resistance to act on the damage caused by
wolves, and ranchers desperately needed some ammunition. The Wolf Report is a seven-question
survey conducted over 22 outfits for the years 2007 and 2008. The survey covered not only confirmed
kills, but also damaged animals, unconfirmed wolf kills, veterinarian costs, missing cattle, additional
management days, and shrink. While this study did not consider effects on reproductive rates and herd
health, it still found that confirmed kills on those 22 ranches represented less than 1/5 of the costs that
were actually incurred. Under the current management strategy, or lack thereof, the wolf problems are
only going to continue to worsen. The time is now for every realistic user of North America's wilderness,
whether it be for pleasure or for a living, to come together and stand up to foolish policies put in place by
misguided souls.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0382
Wildfire as a Process in Riparian Recovery and Stability
Clayton B. Marlow
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
Most lotic riparian areas experience more frequent and often more severe disturbances than neighboring
forest, shrub and grassland systems. Without reach-level disturbances like flooding, channel avulsion,
deposition and erosion soil development eventually drives ecological succession to replace riparian
vegetation with community types analogous to those in surrounding uplands. Therefore, the long term
presence of riparian areas largely depends on recurring patterns of seasonal, annual and decadal stream
discharge. These patterns, in turn, are modified by the areal extent, severity and return interval of
wildfire. Even riparian areas burn on occasion; the affect of fire on the composition and age structure of
woody vegetation in the watershed ultimately determines the renewal and sustainability of riparian
features within the landscape. Removal of small trees reduces the interception of precipitation and
reduces the demand on shallow groundwater levels. Freed to move downslope this water augments
annual discharge and elevates late season flows which maintains the suite of processes that support
riparian areas. Recent reports of higher discharge and extended stream flow in drainages with extensive
bark beetle damage furthers the argument that the density of woody species can affect riparian
processes. This inter-relationship suggests that riparian form and function depend on and reflect the
periodicity and scale of wildfire in the watershed.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0383
Using Social Media (BLOGS, Facebook, & Twitter) for Extending Range Livestock Information
John Harper
University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States
Social media such as internet based blogs, facebook and twitter when linked with RSS feeds provide a
new tool for disseminating range livestock information to a growing group of both traditional producers
and the general public. This poster will focus on both the technology, methods and some of the results of
using this new technology within Cooperative Extension programing.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0384
Improvement in Ecological Status with Grazing Management and Range Chiseling
Matthew J. Ricketts1, Jim Jacobs1, Keith Schott2, Sonny Smith3
USDA-NRCS, Bozeman, MT, United States, 2Rancher, Broadview, MT, United States, 3Rancher,
Cameron, MT, United States
1
Rangeland chiseling has been used by many ranchers to improve production on clubmoss or blue
grama dominated rangelands in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain valleys. Two chiseling trials along
with deferred grazing, were evaluated to assess the effect of rangeland chiseling & managed grazing
on plant communities. In November of 2005 and March of 2006, a replicated chiseling trial was done on
the CB ranch of southwest Montana. The replicated trial compared fall vs. spring chiseling vs. deferred
grazing. The plant community was about 20% similar to potential with a 70% basal cover of clubmoss. In
March of 2002 a range chiseling was done on the Schott ranch, southcentral Montana. The plant
community was 25% similar to potential consisting of blue grama, clubmoss, western wheatgrass, etc.
The CB ranch spring chiseling returned $3.60 more than the control, the Schott chiseling $2.00 more. An
ANOVA was used to evaluate the treatment effects on the CB ranch. Bluebunch wheatgrass production
was 50% greater than the control with fall chiseling and 88% greater with spring chiseling (P=.05). The
Similarity Index improved from 20% to 41% with deferment on the control (more than doubling the
stocking rate), from 20% to 57% on the fall chisel (more than doubling the stocking rate), and from 20% to
70% on the spring chisel (four fold increase in stocking rate in four years). Spring chiseling appeared to
be more effective, bluebunch wheatgrass is still increasing relative to the controls, and grazing
management improves production significantly. Ecological values and economic returns are improved
substantially with grazing management alone and especially with chiseling plus grazing management.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0385
Forest Service and Defenders of Wildlife Team Up to Implement Non-Lethal Control of Prairie
Dogs
Randall L. Griebel, Shelly L. Gerhart, Terri Harris
US Forest Service Wall RD, Wall, SD, United States
During the summer of 2006 and 2007, the US Forest Service - Buffalo Gap National Grassland - Wall
Ranger District and the Defenders of Wildlife teamed up to implement a non-lethal method for prairie dog
control on areas adjacent to private land. The method used was installation of temporary electric fence
along a half-mile boundary management zone (BMZ) in grazing allotments adjacent to private land. The
goal was to prohibit livestock grazing in the BMZ, essentially rest from livestock grazing, thus increasing
vegetative structure and creating a vegetative barrier to reduce the movement of prairie dogs. The
Defenders of Wildlife purchased and donated the materials needed to install 12.5 miles of electric fence.
The Wall Ranger District has selected the sites, and installed, maintained, removed and stored the
electric fence over the past five years. Sites suitable for this non-lethal method of prairie dog control have
been evaluated and fences installed on an annual basis beginning in the spring of 2006, and each year
thereafter including 2010. A protocol was established in 2007 using Visual Obstruction Readings and
Daubenmire plant canopy cover plots to monitor vegetative response and prairie dog acres have been
GPS'd annually. The data collected over a three period (2007-2009) shows that fencing and resting BMZ
areas from grazing has significantly reduced prairie dog re-colonization of these particular sites compared
with areas not fenced and treated with rodenticide.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0386
Very-High Resolution Imaging for Resources Monitoring
D. Terrance Booth
USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, WY, United States
The Society's Rangeland Assessment and Monitoring, and Remote Sensing & GIS committees have
organized this symposium to discuss the technology and applications of very-high resolution (VHR) digital
imagery for all aspects of rangeland management including assessments of ground cover, riparian
condition, wildlife habitat, woodlands and other resource concerns. The presentations cover the state of
the science for acquiring, analyzing, and using ground- and aerially-obtained images; and, illustrate why
and how this technology can make rangeland sampling more economical and provide for sampling
densities and distributions that will test management questions with less risk of false conclusions. To
help users gain the full benefit of the new technology, the symposium includes four presentations on
statistical considerations of VHR image-based sampling. Some VHR image users require full image
coverage. Five presentations relate to the creation of mosaics and other VHR-image manipulations. Two
presentations discuss new platforms that promise to influence aerial acquisition methods. The several
presentations on applications give evidence of VHR-image utility for a variety of rangeland ecosystems.
Questions remain, more progress is needed; but, much of the technology has moved from research to
application-application that will provide land managers greater confidence in condition-and-trend, and
effectiveness-monitoring assessments, and a more successful means for supporting management
decisions at the watershed or landscape level. We open the symposium with keynote speakers whose
experience in remote sensing and rangeland-monitoring needs provide the science background; we close
with dynamic individuals to summarize the applications to current monitoring efforts and the implications
for future research.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0387
Low-Cost Camera Modifications and Methodologies for Very-High-Resolution Digital Images
E. Raymond Hunt1, James Carr2, W. Dean Hively3
1
USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, United States, 2FalconScan LLC, Greenbelt, MD, United States, 3USGS,
Reston, VA, United States
Aerial color and color-infrared photography are usually acquired at high altitude so the ground resolution
of the photographs is < 1 m. Moreover, current color-infrared cameras and manned aircraft flight time are
expensive, so the objective is the development of alternative methods for obtaining very-large-scale-aerial
(VLSA) images. We describe a new method for acquiring digital color-infrared photographs for monitoring
vegetation from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). A red-light blocking filter is placed in front of the lens
of a 12-megapixel digital camera, which does not have an internal filter that blocks near-infrared (NIR)
light. The result is a camera that acquires photographs with NIR, green, and blue bands. We compared
images from the camera and a digital color camera over different grass species at the NRCS Beltsville
Plant Materials Center. Small UAS with color-infrared cameras could provide low-cost imagery for
sampling allotments at critical times with rapid delivery of information to the user.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0389
Business Planning Concepts and Methods - How Does it Work?
Cindy Garretson-Weibel
Wyoming Business Council, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
Many ranchers typically think that a business plan consists primarily of their financial statements. And
while the financial plan is an important component, there are many other elements necessary to have a
complete business plan. This session will discuss the various components of a business plan and how a
business plan can be used as a road map to make decisions for the entire ranching operation.
Regardless of the exact format used to develop a business plan, several key areas should be addressed:
business concept and structure, market analysis and plan, management plan, financial plan, and breakeven analysis. Some agricultural businesses may also require a design and development section, a
manufacturing plan for products, or an operations plan for a service business. If the business plan is
going to be read by potential investors or lenders, an executive summary should be included as well as
proposed funding information, and an appendix of supporting materials. These components will be
explored during this presentation. Evaluating the current ranch operation and potential income is an
important concept that will be discussed. Assessing the potential of the entire ranch resources means
gathering information that will help pinpoint weaknesses in the existing operation and identify new
opportunities. Utilizing a holistic approach to managing the ranching operation includes evaluating the
human resource at the core of the operation, including individual values, goals, knowledge, skills,
interests, and abilities. It expands to include all of the other ranch resources.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0390
The Business Planning Process and Incorporation of Monitoring Information
Cindy Garretson-Weibel
Wyoming Business Council, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
This session will expand upon the previous session: Business Planning Concepts and Methods - How
Does it Work? The primary components of a business plan and how a business plan can be used as a
road map to make decisions for the entire ranching operation will be discussed. In addition, the
presenter will demonstrate that rangeland monitoring data is an important component of the entire
business planning process. A resource inventory is also an important component of the business plan
and will assist the rancher anticipate any problems that may exist, and identify opportunities for better
utilizing current resources. Completing a natural resource assessment will help identify the land
manager's awareness of the role of natural resources in the current ranching operation, and monitoring
will provide further data useful in making sound business decisions. Many ranchers have already
incorporated rangeland and resource monitoring into their ranching operations. This session will further
explain how these planning tools can be incorporated into the ranch business plan and why there is a
need to do so.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0391
Integration of Herbicides into Wildlife Habitat Restoration Programs in Southwestern Rangelands
D. Chad Cummings, Robert Masters, Greg Alpers, Vernon Langston
Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Sand shinery oak (Quercus havardii), post-black jack oak (Quercus stellata x marilandica), sandsage
(Artemisia filifolia), and honey mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) are four native woody plants common to the
southwestern rangelands, and are important habitat features for many wildlife species including the lesser
prairie chicken. Decades of over-grazing and climate change have shifted many semi-arid and arid
rangeland sites to woodlands dominated by sand sage, shinnery oak, mesquite or other woody species.
The herbicides, tebuthiuron, triclopyr, and clopyralid can be used to provide the targeted vegetation
management required to optimize wildlife habitat restoration. Triclopyr plus clopyralid (280 to 560 g ae/ha
triclopyr + 280 to 560 g ae/ha clopyralid) have been standards for mesquite control in the southwest for
more than 20 years. Tebuthiuron offers residual control of several woody species. Tebuthiuron use rates
can range from 1.1 to 2.2 kg ai/ha depending on land management objectives and plant species to
control. With the help of state and federal government agencies, private land holders, and special
interest groups, the integration of herbicides into wildlife habitat programs have led to conversion of over
400,000 ha of degraded woodland into restored wildlife habitat in New Mexico. Additional success stories
can be found across the southwest where chemical, mechanical, and cultural restoration tools, including
prescribed fire, are applied in the appropriate combinations and sequences to result in successful habitat
restoration.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0392
A Historical Perspective of Native Plants for the Restoration of Disturbed Landscapes
John M. Englert1, Jack R. Carlson2, W. Curtis Sharp3, Douglas Helms1
USDA-NRCS, Washington, D.C., United States, 2USDA-NRCS (Retired), Fort Collins, CO, United States,
3
USDA-NRCS (Retired), Harpers Ferry, WV, United States
1
Human-induced changes on the landscape of the United States over the past 200 years continue to
impact how land managers address significant natural resource issues such as soil erosion, water quality,
and the control of noxious weeds. Federal and state supported efforts to evaluate plants to stabilize and
restore disturbed landscapes date back to the 1880s. The Soil Conservation Service (SCS), created by
Congress in 1935, established soil conservation nurseries to evaluate and produce large quantities of
plants, both native and introduced, for large-scale restoration projects. Increased use of native grasses
arose as the nurseries (later called Plant Materials Centers) refined methods for producing seed and
replanting, and with public interest in using native species for revegetation projects. Today, the Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, formerly the SCS) and its Plant Materials Centers are at the
forefront of selecting and promoting a wide range of native plants for natural resource conservation
efforts. NRCS, Agricultural Research Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, many other
state and local organizations, and commercial growers have a concerted effort underway to continue and
accelerate the mission to return our disturbed lands back into productive ecosystems.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0393
Plant and Animal Responses to Targeted Grazing of White Locoweed in New Mexico
Laura Jacobson, Andres Cibils, David Graham, Lyndi Owensby, Wendy Taylor, Kirk McDaniel
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Targeted grazing with small ruminants has been used effectively to control a number of noxious forbs on
rangelands. We hypothesized that intermittent targeted grazing with sheep would suppress white
locoweed (Oxytropis sericea) while allowing sheep to avoid detrimental effects of ingesting locoweed
alkaloids. Twelve 200m2 locoweed infested plots received one of the following treatments: 1) Control (no
treatment); 2) Picloram +2,4-D (positive control); 3) Targeted grazing with sheep which grazed on
locoweed plots for 5 days followed by 3 days on locoweed free plots (intermittent grazing, ITG); and 4)
Targeted grazing with sheep which grazed locoweed infested plots throughout the experiment season
(non-intermittent, NITG). Herbicide was applied at the beginning of the study in 2009 whereas grazing
treatments were applied in spring 2009 and 2010. Plant and animal responses were measured prior to
treatment, immediately post-treatment (except herbicide), and at the end of 2009 and 2010 growing
seasons. Preliminary data analysis from 2009 showed that targeted grazing and herbicide were similarly
effective in reducing locoweed canopy cover, biomass, and number of flowering heads (P≥0.05);
however, density of locoweed plants was significantly reduced by herbicide but not by grazing (P<0.01).
Serum thyroxine levels suggested that ITG ewes were less affected by locoweed alkaloids than NITG
ewes (P<0.01). We anticipate that 2010 season results (which will also be reported in our talk) will confirm
these trends. Our preliminary findings suggest that intermittent targeted grazing with sheep could be used
to suppress locoweed on rangelands while avoiding detrimental effects of alkaloids on animals.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0394
Monitoring Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems on National Forest Service Lands
Kathleen Dwire1, Joseph Gurrieri2, Christopher Carlson3, Marc Coles-Ritchie4, Stephen Solem5, Allison
Aldous6, Devendra Amatya7, Trish Carroll8, Barry Johnston9, Linda Spencer10
1
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 2USDA Forest
Service, Geology and Groundwater Programs, Golden, CO, United States, 3USDA Forest Service,
National Groundwater Program, Arlington, VA, United States, 4METI Inc, Salt Lake City, UT, United
States, 5METI Inc, Missoula, MT, United States, 6The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR, United States,
7
USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Cordesville, SC, United States, 8USDA Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Portland, OR, United States, 9USDA Forest Service, Grand
Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest, Gunnison, CO, United States, 10USDA Forest Service,
Ecosystem Management Coordination, Billings, MT, United States
Groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) include regionally and nationally significant ecosystems
such as springs, many wetlands (all fens), caves, and numerous riparian areas. On National Forest
System lands, an approach for consistently identifying, characterizing, and monitoring GDEs is needed to
effectively manage these resources. A Technical Guide is being developed to meet this need. The guide
will present protocol options for different levels of data collection, depending on objectives and priorities,
available resources, and scales of interest. Level I will be primarily completed in the office, with limited
field work. Existing information will be used to describe GDE type, location, extent, current uses,
physiographic and geologic setting, and general ecological conditions. Level II includes all Level I
information, and also describes field methods to inventory and monitor springs, fens and other wetlands,
with focus on measurement of hydrology, soil, geology, and vegetation variables. Level III will present a
conceptual framework for defining Environmental Water Requirements for GDEs. Preliminary results
from field testing of the draft protocol in Colorado will be presented. Although GDEs comprise a small
percentage of the land area managed by the Forest Service, they provide valued ecosystem services,
including clean water and habitat for numerous rare species; their conservation and sustainable
management are high priorities. With new demands on water resources and predicted scarcity of water
due to energy development and climate change, GDEs are increasingly threatened. This guide seeks to
provide a consistent, scientifically sound, and realistic approach to characterizing and monitoring
groundwater dependent resources.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0395
Distribution of a Rare Sand Dune Legume Limited by Deer Herbivory at Multiple Scales
Darcy Henderson1, Sarah Lowe2, Christiane Catellier2, Eric Lamb2, Xulin Guo2
1
Canadian Wildlife Service, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, 2University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Hairy prairie clover (Dalea villosa) is a perennial legume of sand dunes and sandy soils across the Great
Plains from Texas to Saskatchewan. This plant is considered threatened under the Canadian Species at
Risk Act, and herbivory is identified as a potential threat to the species. However, there are many
unknowns about this threat, in particular the identity of the herbivores, the impact of herbivory on
demography of the plant, and distribution of this herbivory in time and space. Between 2007 and 2010,
we used a combination of manipulated experiments, descriptive investigations, and field observations to
address the outstanding questions on the largest known population of plants in Canada. Using infrared
triggered digital cameras we identified both mule and white-tailed deer as the primary visitors to patches
of hairy prairie clover that experienced herbivory over the growing season. Three years of monitoring a
cohort of 200 adult plants, half of which were excluded from herbivory, indicated that herbivory was
reducing reproductive output by 47 to 59% annually, but had no effect on mortality of plants. Thus,
herbivory may have few short-term consequences on persistence of this legume that reproduces both
vegetatively and by seedling recruitment. However, a reduction in seed production and seedling
recruitment may limit long-term persistence and potential for colonization in these patchy sand dune
habitats. Occupancy surveys of 421 habitat patches, and estimates of herbivory in 172 occupied
patches, indicate a landscape pattern that may be related to hunting pressure on deer populations in the
2
200 km study area.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0396
Characterization of the Thermal Environment of Rangeland Pastures with Heterogeneous
Vegetation Structure
Vanessa Prileson1, Andres Cibils1, Wendy Taylor1, Richard Dunlap2, Shad Cox2, Miguel Brizuela3 ,5, Silvia
Cid3 ,4
1
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States, 2NMSU-CRLRC, Corona, NM, United
States, 3Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Balcarce, Bs. As., Argentina, 4CONICET, Bs. As.,
Argentina, 5CIC, Bs. As., Argentina
Thermoregulation needs constrain feeding site selection patterns of rangeland-raised livestock. Cattle at
our research site select woodland or grassland feeding sites in apparent response to changing weather
conditions. This study characterized the thermal environment of pastures containing woodland/grassland
mosaics at a site in central NM. A network of 8 weather stations was used to record air temperature ,
relative humidity, wind direction and velocity in grassland swales (GS) and ridges (GR), and closed (CW)
and open (OW) piñon- juniper woodlands ( ≥45% and ≤30% tree cover, respectively) in two contiguous
~300-acre pastures. Data were gathered at 15-min intervals during 12 and 14 days in 7/09 (summer) and
4/10 (spring), respectively. Daily average wind chill factor (WCF) and temperature-humidity heat index
(HI) were developed to calculate percent days with predicted thermal comfort (PTC) conditions for beef
cattle (WCF>32oF; HI<68oF) in each vegetation type. During spring, OW and CW offered the lowest
(62%) and highest (86%) percent days with PTC conditions, whereas GS and GR had PTC conditions on
79% of days. During summer, GR and OW had PTC conditions 58% of the time, whereas GS and CW
had PTC conditions 50% and 42% of the time, respectively. Lack of temporal synchrony of micrometeorological conditions among vegetation types caused entire pastures to offer areas with PTC
conditions more often than each of its vegetation types considered individually. Vegetation structure
heterogeneity within pastures appears to improve the availability of grazing sites with PTC conditions
during spring and summer at this site.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0397
Selling Conservation to Get Producer Buy-In
Justin Meissner
USDA-NRCS, Townsend, Montana, United States
We were able to promote Sage Grouse Conservation by developing a plan that was based on mutual
gain by developing a relationship based on trust and respect. To do this we worked with area ranchers
outside of the standard programs and assisted with day to day ranch activities when the opportunity
arose. We are able to share our experience of working on multiple ranches to show what worked and
what did not work. Our focus was identifying all resource concerns and developing alternatives PRIOR to
any discussion about program activities or cost share. By giving these ranches an UN-biased inventory
of their operation and making suggestions on things they might consider to improve their bottom-line, they
in turn were willing to listen to how these changes were going to improve sage grouse habitat. Of the
ranches inventoried all but two took ownership of the plan and agreed to participate in the special
initiative. There are now additional ranches located within the core area that are interested in
participating and are currently being inventoried.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0398
Making Good Things Happen - Working on the Ground with the Landowner
Steve Hedstrom1, Rick Caquelin2
1
Rancher, Raynesford, Montana, United States, 2USDA-NRCS, Stanford, Montana, United States
Working with people, landowners, farmers or ranchers really isn't a lot different than communicating with
anyone. You must be honest, sincere and willing to spend time with the cooperator to understand how
things work on their land and in their operation. The cooperator must be equally as honest and sincere,
open-minded to new ideas, and willing to share the knowledge they have gained operating their land with
the agency person. When done right, both individuals will learn from each other and good things will
happen on the land for years to come.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0399
Watershed Restoration Committee for the Upper Clark Fork River
John Hollenback
Rancher, Gold Creek, Montana, United States
The Watershed Restoration Committee for the Upper Clark River (WRC) has been able to acquire funds
to improve rangeland and riparian areas. The WRC has installed over 30 miles of pipelines and installed
over 35 stock tanks on a gravity system to pull livestock off of riparian areas. They have also installed
windmills and solar pumps throughout the watershed. The WRC has helped ranchers with funding to
control problem weeds and encouraged ranchers to improve their grazing management. The WRC has
sponsored a Stewardship Program with the US Forest Service on 40,000 acres that is infested with
the pine bark beetle - this also involves 14 additional environmental groups. The WRC board consists of
nine members and two employees.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0400
Aboriginal Burning and Keystone Predation: A New Paradigm for Range Management
Charles Kay
Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
Aboriginal-ignition rates were 300 to 35,000 times greater than known lightning-ignition rates in the United
States. By repeatedly firing the vegetation, Native Americans created ecosystems heretofore thought to
have been "untouched by the hand of man." The reason woody vegetation has invaded rangelands
throughout the world is because aboriginal burning has been eliminated. Fire should not be thought of as
a treatment, but as an integral and necessary component of rangelands. In addition, native hunters kept
large mammal populations well below what the habitat would support. There were no grazing systems.
Instead, most ecosystems were predator-limited and aboriginal people were the ultimate keystone
predator. In 1491, there were not 60 million bison, 10 million elk, or 100,000 grizzlies, and flocks of
passenger pigeons did not darken the sky. Wildlife populations irrupted to unnatural levels only after the
American Holocaust decimated native populations up to 150 years, or more, before actual European
contact.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0401
Will Super Juniper-Eating Sires Produce Super Juniper-Eating Offspring?
Kendall Tidwell1, Cody Scott1, Charles Taylor3, John Walker2, Dan Waldron2, Corey Owens1, Micheal
Salisbury1
1
Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas, United States, 2Texas AgriLife Research Center, San
Angelo, Texas, United States, 3Texas AgriLife Research Center, Sonora, Texas, United States
Sire selection is typically used to improve production characteristics of livestock. However, the effect of
genetic selection for diet preferences is unknown. Over the past 100 years, the encroachment of redberry
(Juniperus pinchotii) and ashe (Juniperus ashei) juniper has reduced herbaceous forage production on
rangelands in the southwestern U.S. Recent efforts focused on using goats as a biological method of
control for juniper encroachment. Goats will develop a preference for juniper and consume juniper
throughout the year after conditioning in the pen. Similarly, divergent genetic selection has been shown to
increase juniper consumption by goats. The objective of this study is to determine if sire selection for
juniper consumption will improve acceptance of juniper by offspring from a group of randomly selected
doe. Five billies selected for juniper consumption and five other billies selected for production
characteristics were bred to 7 does each (n= 70). Kids were weaned at 90 days of age and placed in
individual pens and fed juniper for 14 days. Consumption of juniper was measured and compared
between treatments and among sire groups to determine if sire selection for juniper consumption
improves acceptance of juniper by offspring. In addition weight gain, structural correctness, and loin eye
area were measured. Intake and performance data will be presented.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0402
Mesquite Seedling Disappearance Under Goat Browsing
Landon Pyle, Cody Scott, Corey Owens
Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas, United States
Honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) is an invasive shrub species that is widespread throughout the
southwestern U.S. Mechanical and chemical control efforts can reduce mesquite cover but are expensive
with limited longevity of control. Biological control of mesquite is difficult because toxic agents within the
plant limit intake. Goats can effectively reduce the amount of viable seeds spread across rangelands
because they disperse few viable seeds. The objective of this study was to determine if goats could
control mesquite from the seedling stage and determine whether or not repeated defoliation would lessen
seedling survivability. Two trials were conducted. In the first trial, 4 pastures (24-28 hectares) were
utilized. Two pastures served as control (no goats) and two were stocked at a moderate stocking rate with
goats. Seedlings (n=40) were germinated in a greenhouse and randomly transplanted to two 10x10 m
plots per pasture (5 seedlings per plot). Each plot was monitored twice weekly for nine weeks for seedling
mortality. For the second trial, mesquite seedlings were defoliated at different frequencies (0, 1, 2, or 3
times) in a greenhouse with mortality and growth (above and below ground) recorded. There were no
differences (P>0.05) in seedling disappearance between treatments in the pasture study. In the
greenhouse study, root mass was higher (P<0.05) for seedlings that were not defoliated. However, above
ground mass and mortality were similar among treatments. We contend that biological control of mesquite
at the seedling stage by goats is not an effective control method.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0403
Effects of Bitterweed Ingestion on Reproduction in Rambouillet Rams
Derrick Fuchs, Cody Scott, Micheal Salisbury, Corey Owens
Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas, United States
Bitterweed (Hymenoxys odorata DC) is a toxic plant common to central Texas and is known to cause
chronic, sub-acute and acute toxicosis in sheep. However, little is known of bitterweed's effect on
reproduction in sheep. This study was conducted to determine if bitterweed ingestion delayed puberty or
affected sperm production in yearling Rambouillet rams. Twenty-five rams were used and randomly
allocated into either the bitterweed treatment or the control treatment. The bitterweed treatment was
dosed with ground bitterweed (0.2% BW) for 3 days via oral gavage. Intake of a novel food (rolled barley)
was paired with dosing with bitterweed to assess toxicosis. Rams also received a feedlot ration (2% BW)
to meet maintenance requirements. Serum metabolite levels were also monitored initially and every 24
hrs thereafter to assess soft tissue damage from toxicosis. Bitterweed toxicosis caused reduced intake of
rolled barley, the feedlot ration, and elevated serum metabolite levels, but seemed to not impact puberty
or sperm production. In addition, one ram died from bitterweed toxicosis after two days of dosing. Semen
color, motility, and concentration were similar (P>0.05) between treatments. The control treatment
maintained intake and serum metabolite levels remained within the normal levels while serum metabolite
levels were elevated above the normal range healthy animals for rams dosed with bitterweed. While
bitterweed ingestion does result in toxicosis, it does not appear to affect reproductive development in
yearling Rambouillet rams.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0404
An Overview of Lentic Wetlands
Mary Manning
US Forest Service, Missoula, MT/Northern Region, United States
Lentic, or standing water wetlands, have attributes that distinguish them from lotic, or running water
riparian systems. The unique interaction of the vegetation, soils/substrate and hydrology creates various
types of lentic systems. This presentation will address the various attributes common to all lentic
wetlands, along with the unique attributes of the different types of lentic systems. Other presentations in
this session will go into more detail on various lentic systems and their associated characteristics. Types
of lentic wetlands include springs, wet meadows, peatlands, marshes and swamps.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0406
Impact of Wetland Restoration on Forage Productivity of Prairie Pothole Wetlands
Etienne Soulodre
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Wetland restoration is a land management practice being promoted on tame pastures in the aspen
parkland region of Saskatchewan. While this practice is widely promoted to promote wildlife habitat and
water quality, little is known about the impact of this practice on forage productivity. In Saskatchewan, we
have two projects evaluating the impact of wetland restoration on forage production. The first is located
in the Smith Creek watershed. Here, forage productivity of 6000 lbs/acre of dry matter was measured in
restored wetlands, whereas drained wetlands produced an average of 3500 lbs/acre. The second study
is part of the Saskatchewan component of Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices
(WEBS). This is a Canada-wide, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada led research project evaluating the
impact of beneficial management practices (BMPs). At the Pipestone Creek WEBS research site in
Saskatchewan, wetland restoration is one of the BMPs being investigated for its impact on water quality
and forage production. Wetland restoration treatments were applied in fall of 2010 in two locations, with a
control site (drained) at each location.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0407
Crested Wheatgrass Diversification: Practical Experiences
Jerry Benson
BFI Native Seeds, Moses Lake, Washington, United States
Diversifying crested wheatgrass stands can be challenging. It is often important not only to know what to
expect, but also what NOT to expect. Jerry Benson shares his 30 years of experience in diversifying
crested wheatgrass stands. He has worked extensively in the Pacific Northwest and has been successful
at increasing the diversity of many stands. His recent projects have been focused on diversifying crested
wheatgrass for sage grouse management-- a topic that is likely to grow in importance! He will share
some of his successes, and provide "real-world" tips for what to expect and what not to expect when
embarking on a crested wheatgrass diversification project.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0408
Thirty-Year Persistence of 17 Plant Species in a Low Precipitation Zone
Mark Stannard, Clarence Kelley, Wayne Crowder
USDA Plant Materials, Pullman, WA, United States
Sixteen grasses and a legume were planted alone or cross-seeded with another species at the
Washington State University Lind Dryland Experiment Station in 1977. The MAP of the site is 234 mm
and 69% of the precipitation occurs between 1 October and 1 April. Nearly all of the species established
and stands improved for the first three years. Few introduced species persisted beyond 14 years. Poa
secunda cv. ‘Sherman' big bluegrass was very aggressive and colonized nearly all the plots within 9
years. Two species, Elymus wawawaiensis cv. ‘Secar' and Pseudoroegneria spicata cv. ‘Whitmar',
persisted with Poa secunda for 30 years. All three species originate within 300 km of the Lind Dryland
Experiment Station and are major components of late seral range communities.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0409
Inter and Intra-State Cooperation: Nevada Partners for Conservation and Development
Lee Turner
Nevada Department of Wildlife, Reno, United States
Nevada’s Partners for Conservation and Development (NPCD), is a wide-view landscape and habitat
restoration initiative formed in 2009 to leverage diverse interests including: government entities, NGOs,
industry, citizens, and other like-minded organizations to mitigate and improve ecological health across
Nevada’s diverse landscape. The major goal of the NPCD is to provide cooperative mitigation of threats
to land health through effective management and restoration actions on public and private lands in
Nevada. This mission and goals will be accomplished based on a grassroots or ground-up model rather
than the more traditional agency sponsored top-down approach. The NPCD is using the highly
successful Utah PCD as a template. A large part of the Utah PCD’s success has been via their regional
teams’ participation and the NPCD is forming regional teams by employing the successful model. The
regional teams are composed of restoration focused staff and representatives of the NPCD, and other
local conservation-minded organizations and stakeholders that reflect the ecologic, economic, and social
demographics of that region. Each team is locally led and works cooperatively to plan and implement
projects. The purpose of the regional teams is to serve as clearinghouses for coordinating and sharing
participants’ conservation concerns and priorities, discussing potential solutions and for cooperatively
implementing conservation activities at the local level. A second contributor to the Utah PCD’s success is
participation at the agency director, state legislature and state agency levels. Significant funding is
passed through the Utah PCD originating at the various agencies and state government.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0410
The Effect of Fairy Rings on Soil Aggregation and Rangeland Grasses
TheCan Caesar, Erin Espeland, Anthony Caesar
USDA-ARS NPARL, Sidney MT, United States
A diversity of basidiomycete species form fairy rings in rangelands. These fairy rings occur as rings of
darker green coloration than surrounding grass, and fruiting bodies (or basidiocarps) of the basidiomycete
species are often present. Three fairy rings caused by a species of Agaricus were identified in a
rangeland area of eastern Montana. Soil aggregation and plant community composition were quantified in
three concentric zones, one within the area of the fruiting bodies (within-ring), a concentric ring 1m inside
the fruiting body ring, and a concentric ring 1m outside the fruiting bodies. Western wheatgrass
(Pascopyrum smithii) was the dominant grass in the within-ring zone while western wheat and needle and
thread grass (Stipa viridula) were co-dominant inside and outside the ring. Little difference in vegetation
inside and outside the ring indicates that the effects of these fairy rings on vegetation may be transient.
Soil aggregation data indicate that the Agaricus species forming these rings may increase forage quality.
This is supported by the observation that cattle preferentially grazed the within-ring area, a phenomenon
documented in early studies of fairy ring biology.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0411
Field Establishment of Perennial Grass Seedlings in Cheatgrass Invaded Systems
Elizabeth Leger1, Erin Goergen1, Courtney Rowe1 ,2
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States, 2US Forest Service, Quincy, CA, United States
1
Successful establishment of seedlings in cheatgrass-invaded systems is a major management challenge
in the Intermountain West. Using a combination of greenhouse and field experiments, we asked what
traits increased seedling performance in field conditions, focusing on a population of big squirreltail
(Elymus multisetus). We characterized seedling growth patterns of 40 individual plants, measuring
phenology, root and shoot traits in a series of controlled sequential harvests from greenhouse-grown
plants. Next, we planted 30 seedlings from each of the 40 parent plants into the field collection location in
the Fall of 2009. Seeds were precision planted into either: 1) an uninvaded, primarily native, sagebrush
steppe community, 2) a nearby invaded community, or 3) the invaded community with cheatgrass
removed. Survival through the first growing season was high across all treatments, with 72.3%, 75.9%,
and 74.5% of squirreltail seedlings surviving in the respective treatments. Plant sizes varied significantly
between treatments, with seedlings in uninvaded areas producing about 30% more leaves and almost
50% more biomass than plants in the invaded area. Intermediate plant sizes were seen in the cheatgrass
removal area. Seedlings from different parent plants differed in size and survival rates. Survival and field
performance in uninvaded plots were correlated with multiple seedling growth traits measured in the
greenhouse, however, the same traits did not predict performance in the invaded field plots. Cheatgrass
creates a novel competitive environment for native seedlings, and our results suggest that novel
mechanisms may be required for seedlings to establish in invaded areas.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0412
What Makes for Effective Collaboration?
Nat Frazer
Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
Wondolleck and Yaffee (2000) reminded us that "Collaboration is not an end in itself; it is one strategy for
achieving more sound and sustainable resource management." Because ecosystem structure and
function do not adhere to political or ownership boundaries, we have witnessed the emergence of
collaborative efforts in natural resources management and conservation for several decades. From the
perspective of 2011, I would add three pressing new reasons for the future proliferation of collaboration
among natural resources managers. They are (1) the urgent need for both public and private managers to
leverage increasingly scarce economic resources in a time of severe global recession, (2) the recent
realization that climate change likely will be more rapid and more severe than we assumed just a few
years ago, and (3) Interior Secretary Salazar's Order 3289 calling for the creation of collaborative
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (http://www.fws.gov/science/SHC/pdf/SecOrder3289b.pdf). Thus,
the question before us is not whether we should or shouldn't increase our collaborative efforts. The fact is
that we must. Our challenge is to determine what makes for effective collaborations. Drawing from my
experience establishing a marine conservation organization involving over 30 governments in the
Caribbean, published accounts of successful collaborations, and the experiences of professionals taking
my Leadership for Natural Resources Professionals and Natural Resources Administration courses, I
share some observations on characteristics of effective collaborations.
Literature Cited
J. M. Wondolleck and S. L. Yaffee. 2000. Making Collaboration Work: Lessons from Innovation in Natural
Resource Management. Island Press. Washington, DC. 277pp.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0413
Optimizing Regional Collaborative Efforts to Achieve Long-Term Discipline-Specific Objectives
Frederick B. Pierson1, Peter R. Robichaud2, Kenneth E. Spaeth3, C. Jason Williams1 ,4, Osama Z. AlHamdan1 ,4
1
USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center, Boise, Idaho, United States, 2USDA-USFS Rocky
Mountain Research Station, Moscow, Idaho, United States, 3USDA-NRCS Central National Technology
Support Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States, 4University of Idaho - Department of Biological &
Agricultural Engineering, Moscow, Idaho, United States
Current funding programs focused on multi-disciplinary, multi-agency approaches to regional issues can
provide opportunities to address discipline-specific advancements in scientific knowledge. Projects
funded through the Agricultural Research Service, Joint Fire Science Program, and the Natural
Resources Conservation Service have resulted in an extensive dataset for predicting rangeland hillslope
runoff and erosion responses to management treatments and natural disturbances. Hydrologic
experiments funded through these projects have investigated the hydrologic impacts of fire, soil water
repellency, plant community transitions, and other disturbances across local and regional spatial scales.
The distribution of the study sites associated with these projects span the western United States.
Research programs at the USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center (NWRC) in Boise, Idaho,
demonstrate how involvement in such regional, multi-disciplinary, multi-agency efforts can be used to
develop broadly applicable rangeland management tools. Two decades of NWRC research focused on
vegetation management, wildfire, and woodland encroachment effects on runoff and erosion from
rangelands have been largely funded by collaborative efforts and results are now being pooled with
similar efforts elsewhere to parameterize and advance rangeland hydrologic modeling. These
advancements have broad application across western rangelands and provide useful predictive tools for
rangeland scientists and managers alike. We suggest that such approaches provide not only projectspecific multi-disciplinary knowledge advancement, but can be used, over a period of time, to advance
discipline-specific knowledge.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0414
Landowner, NGO and Local Government Cooperation: The Owyhee Initiative
Chad Gibson
Private Consultant, Owyhee County, Idaho, United States
The collaborative effort known as The Owyhee Initiative includes representation of local landowner
interests through the Owyhee Borderlands Trust, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Owyhee County
Farm Bureau and Owyhee Cattlemen's Association. Conservation interests are represented by the Nature
Conservancy, Wilderness Society, Idaho Rivers United, Sierra Club and Idaho Conservation League.
Related recreational and wildlife interests include the Back Country Horsemen, South Idaho Dirt Racing
Association, Wild Sheep Foundation and, Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association. The success of such a
diverse group depends largely on leadership, agreement on the common interests to be addressed and
those issues to be avoided and perhaps most importantly a commitment to approach the process with an
open mind and true interest in understanding all sides of each issue. Leadership is needed to keep the
discussions focused and assure opportunity for all participants to be adequately heard. Limiting the
issues to those with interacting effects that provide some level of benefit to multiple interests avoids the
gridlock issues that prevent agreement. A commitment to seek and agree on common ground issues is
essential in keeping everyone at the table long enough to work through the tough questions. Many
elements of the agreement were addressed legislatively; however, the Agreement goes well beyond the
terms of the legislation. Consequently, the Owyhee Initiative group was incorporated and now serves to
oversee and assure that legislation implementation remains true to the Agreement and those elements of
the Agreement not fully addressed by the legislation are fully applied.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0415
The Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project - Linking Research, Management and
the Native Seed Industry
Nancy Shaw1, Mike Pellant2
1
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, Idaho, United States, 2USDI Bureau of
Land Management, Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho, United States
Initiated in 2001 through the Federal Interagency Native Plant Materials Development Program by the
USDI Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest Service, objectives of the Great Basin Native
Plant Selection and Increase Project are to 1) provide regionally adapted, genetically appropriate native
plant materials, primarily herbs, for use in the Great Basin, 2) develop cultural practices and increase the
private sector capacity for producing seeds of these materials, and 3) devise strategies and adapt
equipment for improving the establishment of diverse native communities. To meet challenges posed by
these objectives, the initial collaboration has expanded to include more than 20 researchers in disciplines
ranging from genetics to agronomy, entomology, seed technology, climate change, restoration ecology,
and equipment development. State seed regulatory agencies have aided by maintaining and distributing
stock seed and addressing issues relative to the evolving prevariety germplasm program. Lack of
stability in the native seed market and high initial cost of new materials have created major obstacles to
the success of this program. Efforts to solve these problems include expediting science delivery to the
seed industry and land managers to effect acceptance and use of new materials, establishment of
provisional or species-specific seed zones that provide growers with a better indication of potential market
needs, increased seed storage by buyers and growers to reduce spikes in purchasing in major fire years,
purchasing through contracts rather than the open market for materials of limited geogaphic range, and
increasing the market across public and private seector users.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0416
Communicating Effectively with Livestock Producers
Fee Busby
Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States
Communications with livestock producers range from providing technical assistance to an individual
rancher, to writing a wide array of documents associated with contracts and grazing permits, to letters
which have to be sent by registered mail informing an individual of some action that must be taken.
Communication also requires listening to the response one gets from any of these communications. In
the context of this symposium, "effective" communication means that communication from the rangeland
management specialist to the livestock producer results in some action that benefits the land, the rancher
and the public. The person wanting to deliver a message must not only understand the content of the
communication but the likely response of the individual receiving the message. Assuming that most
rangeland management specialists understand the content of the message they need to deliver, no
matter what the purpose or method, it seems that a common failure in the communication process is that
the person(s) receiving a message are not capable of receiving it in a manner that can be considered
"effective". That failure may be due to a person not having sufficient knowledge of the subject but more
often will be due to their not being prepared to receive the message. A second failure is that the person
initiating the communication does not understand why the message fell on deaf ears. Effective
communication requires a plan that addresses not only the content of the method but preparation of the
person to receive the message.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0417
Payments for the Provision of Ecological Goods and Services
Peter Boxall
University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
While many producers look to emergent commodity markets as opportunities to be paid for providing
EGS, the requirements for these markets to function properly are austere. Policy makers are looking to
market based policy instruments to increase EGS from private lands. These include: conservation
auctions, offsets and mitigation banks, and tradable permits and development rights. All of these
schemes utilize a "payment for ecosystem services approach" with the funding coming from taxpayers or
environmental organizations. We have been exploring the use of auctions in Canada to provide
incentives for adopting BMPs such as run-off holding ponds, forage conversion and wetland restoration.
While much of this work has involved experimental economic procedures, pilot auctions with producers in
various watershed communities have been conducted or are underway. These represent opportunities
for producers to be paid for EGS provision and require different types of market structures. One of the
useful features of these instruments is the provision of "price" or cost of provision information to policy
makers. This information is needed to develop sounder policy options, and to understand more fully the
efficacy of the hypothesized emerging markets.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0418
The US Rangeland Base: A Comprehensive Geographic Analysis of the Extent of Coterminous US
Rangelands
Matt Reeves
USDA, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT, United States
Rangeland extent is an important factor for evaluating critical indicators of rangeland health. Rangeland
areal extent was determined for the coterminous USA in a geospatial framework by evaluating spatially
explicit data describing historic and current vegetative composition, average height and average cover
representing the landscape circa 2001 through the viewpoint of the Natural Resources Conservation
Service and United States Forest Service. Four types of rangelands were differentiated using the NRCS
definition including rangelands, afforested rangelands, transitory rangelands and rangeland vegetation
with a small patch size. Limitations in the USFS definition only permitted characterization of two
rangeland types including “rangeland” and rangeland vegetation with a small patch size. These classes
were similar to those from the NRCS definition but differed in tree canopy cover threshold requirements.
Estimated rangeland area resulting from the NRI- and FIA-LANDFIRE models resulted in 220 and 188
Mha respectively. In addition, the NRI-LANDFIRE model identified 19 Mha of afforested rangelands due
principally to encroachment and densification by Quercus, Prosopis and Pinus spp. The biggest
discrepancies between acreage estimates derived NRI- and FIA-LANDFIRE models occur in oak, pinyon
juniper and mesquite woodlands. The differences in area estimates between the NRI and FIA
perspectives demonstrate the need for development of a unified, objective rangeland definition which can
be applied consistently and spatially anywhere in the US.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0419
Highlights of the 2010 RPA Rangeland Assessment
Matt Reeves1, John E. Mitchell (Emeritus)2
1
USDA, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT, United States, 2USDA, Forest
Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Ft. Collins, CO, United States
The Renewable Resources Planning Act (1974) requires the US Forest Service to make decadal
assessments of critical resources including rangelands. The last assessment was conducted in 2000
and therefore, a new assessment has been conducted during 2010. The 2010 assessment evaluates the
status and trends of selected topics pertaining to rangelands such as: The US rangeland base (extent),
rangeland productivity trends, rangeland health, ecosystem services, energy development
and livestock trends. Here we provide brief highlights of the 2010 RPS assessment and indicate the
future direction of research to fulfill the requirements of the legislation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0420
Agency Accomplishments - Making A Difference On-the-Ground
Linda Coates-Markle
Bureau of Land Management, Washington, DC, United States
Many government agencies are not provided adequate opportunities to market their successes as
workloads and priorities often restrict time and budgets. The intent of this session is to promote an
opportunity to demonstrate the often unique and well-fought efforts to accomplish laudable and partnerbased goals. The agenda will include presentations reflecting the successes of agency partnerships with
researchers and ranchers, NGOs and others. The focus will be on on-the-ground accomplishments within
an ecoregional perspective but there are a variety of avenues to create these opportunities and many will
be explored during this session. Within these talks, presenters will address the primary problem
(concern), discuss the collaborative process that brought the partners together and highlight
accomplishments to date. Inevitably these efforts will foster improved communication with the goal of
developing even more opportunities for successful partnerships.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0421
Climatic Control of Sagebrush Survival in Semi-Arid Ecosystems of Nevada
Erin Hourihan, Barry Perryman
University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) is widespread in the western US and especially well adapted to life in the arid
Great Basin. Recently many healthy sagebrush ecosystems have experienced increasing levels of
disturbance. The invasion of non-native annual grasses has narrowed the fire return interval, putting
native woody perennials at a competitive disadvantage. Shrub recruitment in arid regions commonly
occurs in pulses and is controlled by specific climatic conditions; previous research suggests that
sagebrush is no exception. This study investigated the relationship between climatic variables and shrub
cohort establishment and survival of four species or subspecies of sagebrush Wyoming sagebrush
(Artemisia tridentata subsp wyomingensis), black sagebrush (Artemisia nova), low sagebrush (Artemisia
arbuscula subsp arbuscula), and Lahonton sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula subsp longicaulis) in Nevada.
The primary goal of this research is to identify the climatic triggers that control recruitment of these
species. During 2009 and 2010, 80 stem sections were collected from nine stands of each of the 4
species or subspecies. Study sites were located throughout the state. The sites were characterized by the
absence of fire and the presence of multiple age classes. Annual growth-ring analysis was used to
identify the year of establishment. Frequency distributions in the preliminary results indicate pulses of
establishment for these species and subspecies of sagebrush do exist.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0423
Clover Seeding for Sage-Grouse Habitat and Forage Production on Mountain Meadows
Matt Barnes, Joe Brummer, Lars Santana, John Scott, Mark Volt
USDA-NRCS, Colorado, United States
Greater and Gunnison sage-grouse forage in wet meadows adjacent to sagebrush rangelands. Both
sage-grouse species are thought to require a higher proportion of forbs and associated insects in their
diets than is usually available in either grass-dominated wet meadows or sagebrush rangelands,
especially during brood-rearing. This is thought to be a limiting phase in the life-cycle of these species of
concern. Most of the wet meadow - sagebrush edge habitat in the Southern Rocky Mountains occurs on
private grazing land. Legumes have higher forage quality than grasses in mountain meadows. Planting
legumes in grass-dominated meadows can increase their overall productivity, as well as the productivity
of some grass species. Two legumes that establish and produce well in mountain meadows are
mammoth red (Trifolium pratense var. sativum) and alsike clover (T. hybridum). To enhance forage
quality, diversity, and production, increase the amount of forbs and associated insects available to sagegrouse, and improve relationships between private landowners and government agencies, we
collaborated with landowners and other agencies to seed clover on most of the irrigated mountain
meadow edge adjacent to sagebrush rangeland in both the Gunnison Basin and Middle Park. The two
collaborative projects involved 116 private landowners, represented by the Gunnison and Middle Park
Conservation Districts and the Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association, along with the USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Colorado State University, Colorado Division of Wildlife and its Habitat
Partnership Program, USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Wildlife Program, USDI Bureau of Land
Management, and Gunnison County.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0424
Database for Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment (DIMA)
Ericha Courtright, Barry Lavine, Jason Karl, Scott Schrader, Brandon Bestelmeyer, Laura Burkett, Jeff
Herrick
USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, United States
Land managers increasingly need to collect, store, and analyze monitoring and assessment datasets that
include multiple methods and occur over multiple years. The Database for Inventory, Monitoring and
Assessment (DIMA) is a highly customizable software tool for data entry and interpretation. DIMA can be
utilized on a tablet PC to collect data electronically in the field, thereby freeing up countless hours of data
entry. Stored data are easily exported to other databases and spreadsheets while data previously
entered in Excel can be quickly imported into the database via templates. Calculated data summaries,
including graphs, can be automatically generated from entered data. These data summaries can be allinclusive over many years or broken down by year based on selected indicators (i.e., plant growth form,
special user-defined identifiers, etc). A demonstration will be provided highlighting the advantages of
using DIMA. Following the symposium, participants may demo DIMA on a tablet PC at a booth in the
exhibit hall.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0425
Tools for Analysis of Very-High Resolution Images
Jason Karl1, Terrance Booth2, Scott Schrader1, Samuel Cox3
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States,
2
USDA Agricultural Research Service, High Plains Grassland Research Station, Cheyenne, WY, United
States, 3USDA Agricultural Research Service, Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit, McMinnville, TN,
United States
1
Very-high resolution (VHR) aerial imagery has many potential applications for rangeland monitoring,
assessment, and inventory, and advances in technology and availability have moved VHR-image
products from research to application in rangeland management. To be useful for creating indicators of
rangeland status and trend, however, VHR imagery must be converted to measures and estimates of
ecosystem parameters through automated or human-assisted analysis techniques. In this presentation,
we review current options for deriving rangeland ecosystem indicators from VHR imagery and discuss
several available tools for analyzing imagery including SamplePoint, ImageMeasurement, and
ImageInterpreter. Demonstrations will be provided for each tool as well as discussion of advantages and
limitations. Following the symposium, participants may try each software tool at a booth in the exhibit
hall.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0426
Practical Sample Design and Selection Tools for Rangeland Monitoring and Assessment
Jason Karl
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States
Successful monitoring and assessment depends on clearly stating monitoring objectives and selecting an
appropriate combination of indicators, measurement methods and sample design. However, sample
design - particularly the selection of locations for field sampling - can be one of the most intimidating parts
of designing a monitoring or assessment program. There are, though, many tools and information
sources available to make the process easier and increase the likelihood that data will be useful for its
intended purpose. In this presentation, we review some basic concepts of statistically-based sample
design and selection and provide a practical demonstration of several helpful web-based and GIS tools.
These tools will cover a range of sample design tasks including sample size calculation, stratification,
sample location selection, and data analysis. Following the symposium, participants may try each of the
demonstrated tools and ask questions at our booth in the exhibit hall.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0427
Standardized BLM and NRCS Inventory and Monitoring Protocols
Carol Spurrier1, Pat Shaver2
Bureau of Land Management, Washington, DC, United States, 2National Resources Conservation
Service, Portland, OR, United States
1
Standardization of monitoring methods allows land managers to combine data across management units
and jurisdictions. Standardization also allows data to be compared among various areas, including those
with different management systems. The BLM and NRCS have adopted several standardized monitoring
methods including line point intercept, height, and a measurement of large inter-canopy gaps. Together
these methods can be used to generate indicators of plant community composition, wildlife habitat
structure, and wind and water erosion. All three methods are included in the NRCS National Resource
Inventory of all non-federal lands and have been adopted as core methods in the BLM Assessment,
Inventory and Monitoring Strategy. Both agencies have also adopted several other standardized
methods including a field test kit for measuring soil aggregate stability. Following the symposium,
participants may demo the methods using a constructed plant community at a booth in the Exhibit Hall
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0428
PLANTS and VegSpec - Plant Characteristics, Taxonomy, and Restoration Tools
David Pyke
US Geological Survey, Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, United States
The day and age of interacting databases for plant management has arrived. PLANTS is a regularly
updated database for plants information. It incorporates rapidly changing plant nomenclature while
capturing ever increasing synonyms for plants. In addition, PLANTS includes information on plant
characteristics such as nativity, life and growth forms, and wetland status. A subset of PLANTS has
detailed information on over 90 plant growth and production characteristics. These plants are linked
directly to VegSpec, a plant revegetation expert and decision support system. VegSpec links these plant
characteristics to spatially explicit climate and soil databases to estimate which plants might grow and
survive at locations across the USA. Users identify a location and VegSpec clips appropriate climate
information from the PRISM database and appropriate soil components from an NRCS soil database.
The user is then able to select potential land uses. With this information, VegSpec searches the subset
of PLANTS for species with characteristics that will potentially allow establishment and growth at the site.
From a potential plant list, users select specific plants and then enter a planting design module that aids
in determining the type and amount of plants to seed or plant. Printed records of choices can be kept and
filed for further use in revegetation planning.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0429
Conservation of Draba in the Intermountain West: The importance of hybridization, ploidy,
breeding system, endemism and biogeography.
Loreen Allphin1, Michael Windham2
1
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States, 2Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
With a growing number of plant species in danger of extinction due to human induced threats, species-byspecies approaches to management are becoming unrealistic. In order to protect these species, we need
to determine whether there are patterns associated with rarity and endemism that would facilitate the
development of management strategies applicable to a wide range of rare taxa. For this study, we
surveyed species in the genus Draba from the Intermountain West, the region with the highest
concentration of endemics. We collected data on geographic distribution, degree of endemism,
chromosome number, ploidy level, breeding system and reproductive success for most of the rare,
endemic Draba species occurring in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. The study revealed some interesting
evolutionary and biogeographic patterns. For example, endemic Draba species from the Wasatch and
Rocky Mountain regions were primarily diploid, outcrossing, paleoendemic species with relatively low
fecundity. Conversely, endemic Draba species from the Great Basin region of western Utah and Nevada
were primarily polyploid, autogamous, neoendemics with relatively high fecundity. These patterns appear
to reflect both the type of speciation that occurred and the geologic/biogeographic history of the region.
Many Draba species, as currently circumscribed, include more than one ploidy level, due to a variety of
factors such as: autopolyploidy, allopolyploidy, and convergent evolution. Therefore, these Draba species
should not be treated as single panmictic taxa for purposes of conservation.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0430
A Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model
Mark Nearing1, H. Wei2, J.J. Stone1, F.B. Pierson3, K.E. Spaeth4, M.A. Weltz5, D.C. Flanagan6, M.
Hernandez2
1
Southwest Watershed Research Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Tucson, AZ, United
States, 2University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States, 3Northwest Watershed Research Center, USDA
Agricultural Research Service, Boise, ID, United States, 4USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Ft. Worth, TX, United States, 5USDA Agricultural Research Service, Reno, NV, United States, 6USDAARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, West Lafayette, IN, United States
Soil loss rates on rangelands are considered one of the few quantitative indicators for assessing
rangeland health and conservation practice effectiveness. An erosion model to predict soil loss specific
for rangeland applications is needed because existing erosion models were developed from croplands
where the hydrologic and erosion processes are different. The Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model
(RHEM) was designed to fill that need. RHEM is an event-based derivation of the WEPP model made by
removing relationships developed specifically for croplands and incorporating new equations derived from
rangeland data. RHEM represents erosion processes under disturbed and undisturbed rangeland
conditions, it adopts a new splash erosion and thin sheet-flow transport equation developed from
rangeland data, and it links the model hydrologic and erosion parameters with rangeland plant
communities by providing a new system of parameter estimation equations based on 204 plots in 49
rangeland sites distributed across 15 western U.S. states. RHEM estimates runoff, erosion, and sediment
delivery rates and volumes at the spatial scale of the hillslope and the temporal scale of a single rainfall
event. Experiments were conducted to generate independent data for model evaluation and the
2
Coefficients of Determination (r ) of runoff and erosion predictions were 0.87 and 0.50 respectively, which
indicated the ability of RHEM to provide reasonable runoff and soil loss prediction capabilities for
rangeland management and research needs. A web-based version of this model now allows managers
and students, as well as scientists, to easily predict soil erosion rates across a wide variety of conditions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0431
Pyric Herbivory in Central Montana Sagebrush Communities: Contrasting Domestic and Native
Herbivores
Ilana Bloom-Cornelius, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
The effect of fire on an ecosystem has long been studied, but only recently has the interaction between
grazing and fire been addressed. Pyric Herbivory - the increased grazing response of ungulates to fire
events - has the potential for patch burning to be used as an effective management tool in promoting
increased heterogeneity in shrub (Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis (Beetle & A. Young) S.L.
Welsh) - bunchgrass plant communities. The purpose of this study was to determine the combined effects
on vegetation response to grazing exclusion by species with growing-season fires in the sagebrush
steppe/Northern Great Plains ecosystem in central Montana. The study sites are located on the Charles
M. Russell, National Wildlife Refuge located 60 miles south of Malta, MT. Three long term grazing
exclosures in upland sagebrush dominated communities were used which successively exclude domestic
cattle, wild ungulates, rabbits, and grasshoppers for two summers. Half of each of the long term grazing
exclosures was burned, simulating both burned and unburned treatments in each of the grazing
exclosures. Burning resulted in regrowth of primarily grass species one month after burning in all grazing
treatments. Both fire and grazing treatments resulted in differences in community composition and
structure in this shrub-bunchgrass plant community. Further research will indicate the important of the
interaction of these disturbances and how they may shape the long term trajectories in ecosystem
dynamics.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0432
Wolf Reintroduction: A Montana Perspective
Jaala Wickman
Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, Missoula, Montana, United States
Wolf reintroduction in the state of Montana has shown to have consequences far surpassing initial
estimates. Speaking from the viewpoint of a 6th generation native Montanan as well as a board member
for Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, I will discuss effects of wolves on wildlife populations, hunter
harvest, hunter behavior, ranchers and livestock, as well as wildlife related businesses. Data for this
presentation will encompass published research, MT FWP harvest statistics, family history, and surveys
from the Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife membership, thereby providing a picture of the
situation that is complete from all viewpoints of the everyday Montanan.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0433
The Rise and Fall of Western USA's Great Elk Herds
David Allen
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Montana, United States
The
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0434
Automated Generation of Very-High Resolution Orthomosaics and 3D Models in support of Fine
Scale National Resource Applications
Matthew Bobo, Tom Noble
Bureau of Land Management, Denver, CO, United States
The BLM, in partnership with ARS and other agencies, has been evaluating the application of
photogrammetric processing techniques to very-large scale aerial (VLSA) imagery to support collection of
quantitative datasets for a variety of natural resource applications. Pilot projects along the Powder River,
Moccasin Mountain Dinosaur Track Site, Legend Rock Petroglyph Site and others, have led to the
development of a standard protocol to support the automated generation of orthomosaics and 3D terrain
models from very high resolution imagery captured from a variety of platforms. Though technical hurdles
remain, BLM has demonstrated that if proper stereo imagery collection parameters are followed, we can
now rapidly produce high accuracy orthophotos and digital terrain models without ground control and
minimal manual image post-processing. The primary tools needed to support this work in the field are the
acquisition platform (i.e., light aircraft, Unmanned Aerial System, blimp, tripod), digital camera, a GPS
unit, and flight planning and control software. In theory, the absolute accuracy of the resulting data
products can match the accuracy of the GPS used in the imagery capture. In practice, the accuracy is
driven by the quality of the images and the operational conditions at the time the data are collected. The
goal of this work is to establish a low-cost, easy access, and rapid processing environment to deploy
digital stereo imagery and derived products to resource managers and specialist across the bureau.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0435
Sentinel Plants: Diagnostic Guides for Adaptive Management
Robert Skinner1, Sam Fuhlendorf1
1
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Lewistown, Montana, United States, 2Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma, United States
Sentinel plant species are those that are first to vanish with change to the evolutionary concert of
ecological processes playing within a landscape. First to vanish species are highly palatable to
herbivores and often excellent pollinator species that produce nutritious seeds or fruits. Most sentinel
species are diagnostic for the cumulative effects of two or more ecological processes. Restoration
of sentinel plant species is accomplished by re-establishing the evolutionary combination of ecological
processes that permitted viable populations. Sentinels are usually (but not always) not grasses. Most
sentinels are forbs, shrubs, and trees. Grasses have low growing points (relative to forbs, shrubs, and
trees) and are unusually resistant to disturbances such as fire and herbivory. Vegetation classifications
(such as Ecological Site Descriptions) describe primarily dominant plant species. Less common process
sensitive sentinel species are often not emphasized. Dominant existing plant species are a reflection of
past ecological processes and may not be the species that are most easily lost. Classification
designations usually do not change with the disappearance of management sensitive uncommon
species. Thus classifications are useful primarily for coarse descriptions of landscapes and maps but lack
the substantial utility of sentinels for monitoring or management of ecological processes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0436
Using Cattle Supplementation to Enhance Range Wetland Condition
Tara Luna1, Robert Welling2
1
Montana Natural Heritage, Helena Montana, United States, 2Ridley Supplements, Inc, Conrad Montana,
United States
In the western prairie pothole region of Montana, the high concentration of wetlands places constraints on
traditional wetland conservation practices; there are simply too many wetlands to fence. Strategic
placement of flavored cattle supplements can facilitate natural recovery and restoration of wetland plant
communities and limit repeated damage to wetland soils that have been subjected to intensive grazing.
Minimizing the time cattle spend near wetland edges can reduce soil pugging and allow for vegetation
recovery. Wetlands where supplements were used did not suffer any degradation, and vegetation
cover increased over the season, in contrast to plant cover decrease seen in wetlands located in pastures
where no supplements were used. When supplement is placed 500 meters or more away from wetland
areas, cattle appear to spend more time around supplement barrels. Placing supplement barrels at high
points where there is some wind protection and visual advantage keeps cattle near supplement barrels
during resting periods and during the night. As an additional benefit, strategic barrel placement located
away from wetlands can decrease the amount of fecal material left in or near wetlands, potentially
improving water quality. Full recovery may require supplement use in pastures for several years in
combination with lower stocking rates. These practices, in combination with annual freeze thaw cycles
and wetting and drying, will assist in soil structure recovery, recovery of wetland plant communities,
potential increase in water quality, and waterfowl nesting cover. Flavored supplements show high
potential to be used as a wetland conservation and improvement management tool.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0437
Nature’s Engineers - Wildlife as Agents of Ecological Change
Wendell Gilgert1, Kent McAdoo1, Marty Vavra1
1
USDA-NRCS, Portland, Oregon, United States, 2University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Service,
Elko, Nevada, United States, 3PNW Station Forestry and Range Sciences Lab, Legrande, OR, United
States
Until recently, with the exception of domestic livestock herbivory, most actions driving plant succession as
described within Ecological Site Description State and Transition models were abiotic. The more well
understood movement from one community phase change to another and threshold drivers between or
among states, including fire, avalanche, floods, drought, rest, timber harvest, and mechanical vegetative
treatment are the elements commonly seen and understood to move vegetative states and transitions.
With recent research findings that suggest vegetative community changes are heavily influence by trophic
cascades set in motion by apex predators (wolves, lions, and bears), the impact of other animal actions
on vegetative trajectories are being examined. In this symposium we will examine roles of such
environmental engineers (animal architects) as insects, salmon, beaver, prairie dogs, songbirds, and
apex predators in the determination of community phases and pushing communities across thresholds to
different vegetative states.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0438
Developing Native Plant Materials and Applying Management Practices to Repair Disturbed
Landscapes
Jack Staub
USDA, ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, Utah, United States
Plant improvement has historically played as essential role in the repair of disturbed ecosystems.
However, the collection, evaluation, and improvement of native plants, and the concomitant development
of management strategies is often a long and arduous task. Moreover, although novel native plants have
been developed, their successful use in the restoration of disturbed landscapes in suboptimal growing
environments is often not been fully realized. Concepts, methods, and issues underlying native plant
improvement and development of unique management practices for the repair of such landscapes is not
common knowledge among SRM members. This symposium seeks to provide society members with
information regarding the development of native plant materials and management practices for repair of
disturbed landscapes.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0439
The Ecology of Seedling Establishment on Rangeland
Jeremy James
USDA-ARS, Burns, OR, United States
Seeding disturbed or degraded rangeland is a central tool managers use to stabilize soils, inhibit the
spread of invasive plants, and facilitate recovery of desirable vegetation. Much research has been
directed towards seeding technology and plant material development yet rates of successful seeding on
arid rangeland are very low and typically confined to years with above average crop year or growing
season precipitation. Despite the important role rangeland reseeding plays in management, as a field we
still have a very limited understanding of the ecological processes driving patterns of seedling
establishment. As a consequence, we have a poor understanding of the mechanisms driving failure and
a limited ability to make substantial improvements in seeding technology. This symposium brings
together research projects that span key topics that link the ecology of seedling establishment to how we
might make practical improvements in our on the ground restoration efforts.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0440
Conifer and Abiotic Factors Influence on Big Sagebrush Cover
Karen Kitchen, Brittany Mendelsohn, Michael Frisina, Bok Sowell
Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States
Expansion of conifers into sagebrush is a concern since it reduces sagebrush cover for wildlife. The
objective of this study was to model the relationship between Douglas-fir (Pseudosuga menziesii), Rocky
Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), elevation, slope, aspect, and soils and Wyoming big sagebrush
(Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis) and mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata spp.
vaseyana). Two hundred forty 30x30 m plots were established at three locations in southwest Montana in
2009 to establish this relationship. The best-fit model using AIC criteria found (ai = -0.401, r2 = 0.61) a
negative relationship between conifer cover and sagebrush cover. No environmental factors significantly
influenced sagebrush cover. Douglas-fir trees were found to have four-times the canopy area of similar
aged Rocky Mountain juniper trees. Conifer removal to increase sagebrush cover is not recommended,
since the increase in sagebrush cover is small. If conifer control is deemed necessary, Douglas-fir should
be removed before Rocky Mountain juniper.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0441
Effects of a Single Grazing Event by Cattle on Terrestrial Invertebrates Falling Into Streams and
Trout Populations: Results of a Field Experiment
W. Carl Saunders1, Kurt D. Fausch2
Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States, 2Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado,
United States
1
Recent research has shown that terrestrial invertebrates an important prey resources for trout, often
providing about 50% of their annual energy and having strong effects on growth and abundance.
However, the importance of this prey resource in rangeland streams has received little attention, and
there has been no experimental test of whether riparian grazing by livestock reduces this important prey
resource. During summer 2008, we conducted a field experiment to test whether cattle grazing alone, or
grazing and manual removal of woody riparian vegetation, affect trout populations by reducing terrestrial
invertebrate prey in central Wyoming streams. We tested three, short duration (2 - 11 d), grazing
treatments: 1) moderate intensity grazing (10-15 cm stubble height), 2) high intensity grazing (5-7.5 cm
stubble height), 3) high intensity grazing plus removal of two-thirds of streamside woody vegetation, and
4) a control with no livestock grazing. Overall, short durations of moderate and high intensity grazing had
little effect on terrestrial invertebrates entering streams, but grazing plus removal of streamside woody
vegetation caused significant reductions in terrestrial invertebrate inputs to streams. In contrast, all
experimental treatments reduced the biomass of terrestrial invertebrates in late-summer trout diets.
However, these effect did not translate to reductions in trout populations. These results indicate that
terrestrial invertebrates falling into streams may be relatively resistant to short, but intensive, bouts of
grazing, and that grazing systems that incorporate short grazing bouts and maintain streamside woody
vegetation, may also support the terrestrial prey resources necessary to sustain robust trout populations.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0442
Status and Management of Amphibians on Montana Rangelands
Bryce Maxell
Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT, United States
I developed a statewide inventory and monitoring scheme for lentic breeding amphibians and aquatic
reptiles in Montana. Field crews surveyed 6,741 potential lentic sites on public lands between 2000 and
2008 within 429 randomly selected 12-digit hydrologic-unit-code watersheds. Naïve watershed and site
breeding (eggs, larvae, or breeding adults) rates of 10 amphibian species and naïve occupancy rates of 4
aquatic reptile species were the primary response variables of interest. However, I also used
classification trees to examine patterns in naïve rates resulting from different groupings of major habitat
features that resource managers may be able to effect with management actions. The presence of
emergent vegetation was positively associated with the proportion of sites where breeding or occupancy
was detected for all but one of the amphibian and reptile species examined and appeared to mitigate the
presence of fish to some extent. Resource managers could enhance habitats for wetland herpetofauna
within their administrative boundaries by: 1) creating new lentic sites on the landscape either directly or
through the reintroduction and protection of beaver, 2) creating emergent vegetation at portions of
existing sites that currently lack it via rotational fencing to temporarily exclude grazing, and 3) eliminating
fish populations. Resource managers can access information on observations and survey locations,
including digital photographs of sites surveyed at http://nhp.nris.state.mt.us/Tracker
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0443
Landscape Associations, Water Chemistry, Human Use, and Characteristics of Great Basin
Spring-Fed Aquatic and Riparian Communities
Donald Sada
Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV, United States
Great Basin springs are typically small and isolated from other aquatic systems, and many are occupied
by crenobiontic vertebrates and macroinvertebrates. They are a focus of groundwater studies, and over
the past 30 years there has been increasing recognition of their importance as biodiversity hotspots and
as habitat for rare species. Many rare species have been subject of taxonomic, physiological, and
biogeographic studies, but ecological knowledge remains in its infancy. Consequently, there is weak
understanding of relationships between biota, physicochemistry, and ecological interactions, and the
consequences of incrementally increasing stresses of human activity on their ecological integrity. A
conceptual model of spring ecology that integrates groundwater hydrology, biology, ecological processes,
and landscape associations is needed to: 1) identify best sites for ecological research, 2) monitor the
effects of groundwater use, 3) prioritize restoration sites, and 4) identify field laboratories where
ecological effects examining the effects of climate variability aquatic systems can be
examined. Quantitative and qualitative studies at more than 4,000 Great Basin and Mojave Desert
springs over the past two decades provides insight into biotic/abiotic relationships. More than 85 percent
are badly disturbed by humans where multiple use strategies are fundamental to land use, and many
others dry or are scoured by flood. Although the rarity of undisturbed springs complicates derivation of
integrated conceptual models of spring ecology, recent work shows that human and natural stessors may
predictably affect functional characteristics of riparian and benthic macroinvertebrate communities. A
preliminary conceptual model integrating hydrology, landscape associations, land use, and spring biology
is presented.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0444
USDA NRCS Conservation Program Financial and Technical Assistance to Support Producers in
Conservation, Assessment, and Business Planning
Mark Parson, Dennis Thompson
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC, United States
Mark Parson will present information about current opportunities to obtain financial and technical
assistance through programs administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The
agency provides assistance to producers, farmers, ranchers, forest owners and Tribes to help implement
conservation practices. Payments for implementing practises includes those that offset costs incurred,
and those that support acquiring technical knowledge, training, record-keeping, and monitoring, and costs
associated with income foregone. Dennis Thompson will provide insight to the kinds of conservation
practices available to address range and animal-related needs as well as technical services available
from NRCS.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0445
Redefining Large Carnivore-Livestock Management: A Working Model for Reducing Livestock
Conflicts on Public and Private Land in the Mountain West
Timmothy Kaminski, Charles Mamo, Joe Englehart, Sarah Dewey
Mountain Livestock Cooperative, Bozeman, Montana, United States
To reduce a broad suite of economic impacts resulting from carnivore-livestock conflicts, we recommend
a paradigm shift in livestock management in areas where they are grazed in the presence of large
carnivores on public and private land. Traditional livestock grazing practices developed during a time
when large carnivores were largely absent from rangelands in the mountain west now contribute to and
exacerbate the repeat nature of carnivore-livestock conflicts. Using 15 years of wolf depredation data
from the Rocky Mountains of Canada and the U.S., we show that large carnivore depredations on
livestock (cattle) focus on the most vulnerable age classes (calves and yearlings) and that wide
dispersion of domestic animals that are behaviorally prone to anxiety and flight, and predictably located
across all seasons of the year create ‘repeatable environments' that facilitate learning and association of
livestock as prey by large carnivores. We provide examples and a year-long ‘working model' of effective
practices applied during winter through summer for minimizing risk to cattle, and recommend modified
livestock grazing as a tool for reducing their availability and vulnerability to large carnivores at a scale that
is biologically relevant. We conclude by recommending existing federal policy mechanisms to provide
federal and matching funds to livestock producers, on a willing basis, for experimenting with livestock
grazing management as a tool for improving livestock production, range health and stewardship toward
preventing conflicts with large carnivores in the mountain West.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0446
"Burn early, burn often:" Contrasting Aboriginal Versus Modern North American Fire Management
Regimes.
Cliff White
Parks Canada, Banff, Alberta, Canada
Similar to the world's other peoples, Native American's long-term use of fire was sophisticated and
influenced by the plant and animal resources required for subsistence, warfare, and other cultural
complexities. Current land management objectives often require that the interaction of plants and animals
with long-term fire regimes be understood, and in many cases restored. Traditional knowledge studies
suggests that historic anthropogenic fire management differs from modern practices in many ways.
Importantly, past fire use varied spatially between core occupation areas and buffer zones and between
different human groups. During the annual cycles of vegetation wetting and drying, human burning in core
occupation areas was relatively frequent, and generally occurred early in drying periods to pre-empt later
burning by lightning or other unplanned sources (e.g., warfare). This early-season burning could occur in
the fall, winter, or spring depending on the pattern of precipitation and winter temperatures. These low or
moderate severity burns typically resulted in relatively stable and predictable ecosystem responses, and
high landscape diversity. In contrast, contemporary fire management favors mixes of fire suppression
and very limited prescribed burning that tends to "put fires off" until a major drought period (usually mid or
late summer) after a long fire interval (with high biomass accumulation). The resulting large-area burns,
increasingly contained by the indirect control technique of using high intensity fires caused by aerial
ignition, can radically alter ecosystem conditions. Restoring fire regimes requires an understanding
of long-term anthropogenic patterns.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0447
Crossings, Corridors and Trophic Cascades: Wolves and Woody Vegetation in Banff National Park
Cliff White
Parks Canada, Banff, Alberta, Canada
In the early 1900s, removal of native peoples, predator control, and re-introduction of elk resulted in high
ungulate densities in the BNP. High ungulate herbivory resulted in the nearly no regeneration of aspen to
heights above 2m by the late 1930's, and in concert with ongoing fire suppression, led to numerous other
changes in long-term patterns of trees, shrubs, and wildlife habitat. The issue, a focus of both research
and management for several decades, became critical when aspen regeneration continued to fail after
prescribed burning began in the 1980s. Wolves recolonized the Bow Valley in 1985, assisted by
construction of wildlife fences and crossing structures across the Trans Canada Highway, and
establishment of wildlife corridors and habitat patches around areas of human development. From 1985
to 2005 elk densities through most the valley declined by 90%, largely due to wolf predation, but also
other actions such as culling human-habituated elk near the Town of Banff with the participation of First
Nations, and increased grizzly bear use of highway crossing structures. The cover and height of almost
all woody plant species increased in a spatial pattern inverse to elk densities. Recent prescribed burns
accelerate regeneration of native shrubs, possibly by creating dense deadfall patches avoided by
predation-averse ungulates. Although populations of several large ungulates declined during the initial
wolf recolonization period (when both elk and wolf densities were high), trophic cascade and spatiallyvariable fire effects may maintain important wildlife habitat for numerous species including moose, deer,
beaver, and several bird species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0448
Locating Monitoring Sites in a Mixed Ownership Landscape
Edward Petersen
USDA - NRCS, Ontario, Oregon, United States
Malheur County, Oregon, has a diverse landscape that is a mix of private and public land. Some larger
range pastures have a mix of public and privately owned lands within a single grazing unit. With the
implementation of the Conservation Stewardship Program by NRCS during fiscal year 2010, one of the
enhancements is to monitor grazing use and range condition on private lands. Many ranchers in Malheur
County chose this enhancement. To monitor the grazing use and rangeland health, the landowner
performs the monitoring of the pastures in a key area within the private land in the pasture. Mixed
ownerships in some pastures creates a challenge to identify a suitable location on private land to monitor
grazing use. Preferred monitoring locations on these large pastures should have a stand of grasses,
forbs, or shrubs in relatively good condition. This poster describes one approach to locating appropriate
monitoring locations in this landscape of diverse ownerships.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0449
Yield Response of Summer-Dormant and -Active Tall Fescue to Stockpiling
James Rogers, Carolyn Young, Jagadeesh Mosali, Shawn Norton
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK, United States
Tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh. = Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.]
from Mediterranean regions has the potential to be more adapted to the southern Great Plains region
because of a summer dormancy trait. A study was established near Ardmore, OK. on a silt loam soil to
compare yield of Flecha summer-dormant tall fescue against the summer-active tall fescue types: Ky 31+,
Jesup MaxQ and PDF AR584. Secondary objectives were to evaluate nitrogen rate (0, 60, 120, 180
lbs/ac) and harvest date (November to May 2008-2010) on yield. Two harvests were conducted each
year for the November to April harvest dates. The first harvest (harvest 1) was made approximately the
15th of each month. A second harvest of re-growth was taken on the November to April plots in May. This
re-growth was added to harvest 1 yield for total yield (total). Year had a significant influence on harvest 1
and total yield. In both years forage mass deteriorated during the winter months. Harvest 1 yield and total
yield was influenced by variety, harvest month, and nitrogen in both years of the study. A month x variety
interaction was present for harvest 1 and total yield in both years of the study. A nitrogen x month
interaction occurred in harvest 1 for both years but not total yield.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0450
Competitive Effects of Canada Goldenrod on Grass Production in the Northern Tallgrass Priaire
Benjamin Lardy, Alexander Smart
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis L.) is a native perennial forb that can become weedy and
reduce forage production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the competitive effects of Canada
goldenrod and grasses have on each other. Two native grassland sites were selected in eastern South
Dakota. A total of 10 replications of four clipping treatments (clip grass-only, clip goldenrod-only, all
vegetation clip, no-clip) were applied at a low density goldenrod site and 6 replications of the same
treatments at a high density goldenrod site. Plot size was 1-m2 per treatment. Canada goldenrod stem
densities were determined before treatments were applied on May 27. The all vegetation clip treatment
occurred on June 1, and the grass-only and goldenrod-only treatments occurred on June 1 and June 24.
All plots were clipped for biomass estimation on August 16 and sorted by grass, forbs, and goldenrod.
Data were analyzed using ANOVA and regression. The clip goldenrod-only treatment did not increase
grass biomass compared to the no-clip control at both sites. The clip grass-only treatment did not
increase the goldenrod biomass compared to the no-clip treatment at both sites. There was a significant
negative relationship (y=-0.59 x + 312; r2=0.52) between goldenrod biomass on grass biomass when both
sites were combined. However, the low density site had no relationship between goldenrod biomass and
grass biomass (y=-0.11 + 263; r2=0.02). Perhaps the competitive effects between grass and Canada
goldenrod are small, but cumulative overtime to cause substantial changes in production of either
species.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0451
Soil Salinity and CRP in South Dakota
Stan Boltz1, Jeff Hemenway1
USDA NRCS, Huron, SD, United States, 2Society for Range Management, South Dakota, United States,
3
American Society of Agronomy, South Dakota, United States
1
Soil salinity appears to be intensifying on landscapes in South Dakota. This process of salinization is
reducing or eliminating all agricultural production on the affected areas. One of the most cost effective
alternatives in remediation of these areas is perennial vegetation establishment with enrollment of the
area into the Conservation Reserve Program. Due to the extreme saline conditions of the affected soils it
is extremely difficult to physically seed and establish any type of vegetation. The objective of this project
was to determine the benefits that salt tolerant grass species have long term on salt movement and
remediation of saline soils. A saline area was selected in the fall of 2009 near Parkston, SD. Soils were
sampled a 0 to 12 inches in selected areas and grid sampled at 0 to 1 inch over the entire area.
Seventeen different grass and forb species were dormant seeded November 17, 2009 with a Truax drill in
24 x 100 foot plots. Plots were replicated 3 times and evaluated for spring emergence and mid-season
growth. Soil saline conditions were grid sampled with spring emergence and mid-season growth
evaluations. Early preliminary results indicate overall poor establishment with the exception of tall
wheatgrass, Nutall's alkaligrass and streambank wheatgrass. Monitored soil salinity levels have
fluctuated during the growing season and appear to be relatively unchanged at this point in the project.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0452
Using the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to Address Rangeland Drought and Grazing
Land Management in South Dakota
Mitch Faulkner, Shane Deranleau, Stan Boltz
USDA-NRCS, South Dakota, United States
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program administered
by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that provides farmers and ranchers financial
assistance to install or implement conservation practices. In South Dakota the EQIP assists grassland
managers to be better prepared to manage for drought when it occurs, and to ensure rangelands are
sustainable during and after drought. In 2009 South Dakota NRCS implemented the Grazing Land
Sustainability Initiative (GSI) to provide financial and technical assistance to help managers make timely
management decisions as drought conditions occur. The GSI has five primary elements: (1) grazing land
managers develop drought contingency plans and evaluate drought conditions as they occur, (2) a
grazing land monitoring plan is implemented, (3) grazing land utilization by livestock does not exceed
50% overall, (4) participants develop a grazing plan that ensure rangelands receive at least 45 days of
deferment during the growing season and grazing periods are alternated between years, and (5)
participants attend the three-day South Dakota Grazing School. Since 2009 South Dakota has worked
with landowners to develop 79 EQIP-GSI contracts on almost 150,000 acres across central and western
South Dakota. The GSI has increased the knowledge of landowners and NRCS staff regarding rangeland
and drought management, facilitated closer working relationships between NRCS staff and grassland
managers, increased land owner education with improved participation in the South Dakota Grazing
School, and has resulted in the development of new and innovative technical rangeland tools in South
Dakota.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0453
New Rangeland and Pasture Herbicide Product Formulations from Dow AgroSciences LLC.
Vernon Langston, Pat Burch, Chad Cummings, Bill Kline, Byron Sleugh, Mary Halstvedt, Vanelle
Peterson
Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Dow AgroSciences has an extensive portfolio of herbicide products for rangeland and pastures. Recent
additions include the product line containing aminopyralid. This premium product line includes Milestone®
herbicide which is designed for invasive herbaceous weed management. For premium broad spectrum
control that includes residual control of later emerging weeds, ForeFront® R&P and GrazonNext®
herbicides contain aminopyralid and 2,4-D. These products provide control of many broadleaf weeds in
rangeland and pastures and, when tank-mixed with Remedy® Ultra and PastureGard® herbicides will also
control woody plants. A new addition to the aminopyralid portfolio is PasturAll® herbicide for use where
residual control of weeds is not needed. PasturAll contains 1.5% aminopyralid and 51.6% 2,4-D amine
per gallon. Maximum labeled use rate for rangelands and pastures is 3 pints of product per acre and
typical use rate for most broadleaf weed complexes will be 2 pints product/acre. Extensive research over
several years has demonstrated that PasturAll provides weed control equivalent to 2,4-D ester with
reduced volatility. ®Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC; ForeFront R&P, GrazonNext, Milestone, and
PasturAll are not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to
determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. State restrictions on the sale and use of
Remedy Ultra apply. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow
label directions.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0454
Birdsfoot Trefoil a non-bloating legume and Average Daily Gain in Cattle
Lance Pitcher
Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States
Birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) is a tap rooted, perennial, non-bloating forage legume. It has a high nutrient value
and is well suited for grazing. It grows well in the dry, cool climate and higher pH soils of the northern
Mountain West. A study was conducted to assess the liveweight gain (LWG) in cattle. Fall born cattle fed
alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay and corn (Zea mays) silage from weaning grazed pastures with either
tannin-containing Norcen or Oberhaunstadter BFT or non-tannin-containing Monarch cicer milkvetch
(CMV). Data was collected for two consecutive years with different grazing periods. Average daily gains
ranged from 1.5-2.6 lbs/day for CMV and 2.4-5.2 lbs/day for BFT. More research is needed with BFT to
determine the true value it can play in livestock production, given the fact that it has the potential to
mitigate nitrogen and methane emissions, and average daily gains are similar to feedlot rates as shown in
this study.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0455
Modeling Seedling Root Growth in Relation to Temperature for Fire Rehabilitation Species
Darrell Roundy, Kert Young, Bruce Roundy
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States
Fire suppression, brush control programs, the expansion of pygmy conifers and cheatgrass, and
associated increases in severity, frequency, and extent of wildfire have all contributed to a decline in
sagebrush communities. Wildfire results in dominance by cheatgrass unless residual species or species
seeded in fire rehabilitation are abundant. Seedling establishment on semi-arid rangelands may be
limited by seedling mortality after germination. As part of developing a seedling establishment model to
help evaluate the potential success of plant materials for fire rehabilitation seeding, we are measuring the
effects of cumulative temperature on seminal root growth. For 14 wildland species, including 6 forbs, 5
perennial grasses, and 3 cheatgrass collections we measured root growth in slanted transparent tubes in
a growth chamber programmed at 6 constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30° C). We developed
equations to estimate progress and time to 15 cm root depth in the same way that we have estimated
time to germination of seed populations. We then measured root growth in the growth chamber for 2
diurnally- fluctuating temperature regimes representative of early and late spring soil temperatures on
sagebrush rangelands. Our initial results indicate that, for many species, root growth is most constrained
by temperatures < 15 ° C. We will report how well our model predicts root growth compared to actual root
growth under diurnally-fluctuating temperatures.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0456
Improving Grass Establishment on Disturbed Sites Using Mycorrhizae
Ben Beckman1, Jonathan Soper1, Walter Schacht1, Ali Koc3, Carol Weinhold2
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States, 2Nebraska Department of Roads, Lincoln,
NE, United States, 3Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey
1
Establishment of perennial grass stands on poor substrate within a year or two of planting is a challenge
faced by the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). Our research focused on the impact of soil
mycorrhizae additions on establishment rates of seeded perennial grasses. Research was conducted in
two parts: greenhouse and roadside studies. The greenhouse study was conducted in 2010 at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln using a 2x3x4 factorial design. Treatments applied to pots of sand or clay
subsoil were one of three mycorrhizae treatments and one of four organic matter (OM) treatments. Pots
were then seeded to Panicum virgatum and allowed three months growth with ample water before
harvesting aboveground biomass. The roadside study was conducted along U.S. Highway 66 near
Ashland, NE with a 2x2x2 factorial design. The seed bed was prepared with composted manure or no
treatment, mycorrhizae application or no treatment, and fertilizer application or no treatment. Seededing
occurred in June 2010 with a native grass and forb mixture and evaluated for frequency of occurrence
and harvested for aboveground biomass in September 2010. In the greenhouse study, aboveground
biomass was greater (P<0.05) for the sand pots (0.51g) than clay pots (0.36g), and greater (P<0.05) for
composted manure pots than other OM pots. In the roadside study, aboveground biomass of seeded
species was 29% greater on mycorrhizae-treated plots than non-mycorrhizae-plots, whereas manuretreated plots favored non-seeded species. This study shows mycorrhizae applications have the potential
to improve seeding establishments for NDOR and may be an applicable treatment option.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0457
Predicting the Spread of Invasive Plant Species Under a Rangeland Climate Change Scenario
Robbie Lee1, Gary Bradfield1, Maja Krzic1, Reg Newman2, Brian Wallace2
1
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2B.C. Ministry of Forests and Range, Kamloops,
BC, Canada
The Bunchgrass biogeoclimatic zone in British Columbia is critical rangeland habitat, but its health has
been threatened by the invasion of exotic plant species for several decades. Exotics can reduce the
biodiversity of important native grasses and forbs. The objective of this study was to quantify and
summarize relationships between soil properties, vegetation, and topography in order to make predictions
about the future movement of exotic plant species. Data were collected on 38 sites in Lac du Bois
Provincial Park near Kamloops, BC over the period 2006-2010. The area surveyed ranges from
approximately 400 m to 1000 m in elevation and encompasses 3 distinct plant/climate/soil communities.
Vegetation cover was estimated on each site along 4, 30-m long transects laid out 5 meters apart. Soil
samples were collected at 0 - 7.5 cm depth for determination of bulk density, aggregate stability, total C
and N, pH, and available P at each site. In addition, slope, aspect, elevation and lat/long coordinates
were recorded. Total species richness for all sites was 110, about 20% of which are exotic species.
Using the gradient in climate for different elevations and aspects as a surrogate for climate change, the
data were analyzed using multivariate statistics and current climate change models. Then the likelihood of
future exotic species movement in the Lac du Bois region was predicted, based on "preferred" site
characteristics. This approach may be useful as part of a proactive management plan for maintaining the
health of native rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0458
Composition and Quality of Diets of Sheep Grazing Sulfur Cinquefoil Infested Rangeland in
Western Montana
Charles Glenn, Rachel Frost, Jeffrey Mosley, Brent Roeder, Rodney Kott, Duane Griffith
Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, United States
Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) is a perennial invasive forb that is adapted to nearly every soil type and
vegetation complex in the western U.S. The purpose of this study was to assess the composition and
quality of sheep diets grazing sulfur cinquefoil infested rangeland to evaluate the potential for targeted
sheep grazing to suppress sulfur cinquefoil. Treatments were sheep grazing with and without protein
supplementation applied at two timings: late June (sulfur cinquefoil in flower stage) and mid-July (sulfur
cinquefoil in seedset stage). Preliminary results indicate that neither protein supplementation nor timing of
grazing influenced the botanical composition of sheep diets. Sheep diets averaged 44% sulfur cinquefoil
and 23% perennial grasses. In Year 1, supplemented sheep avoided perennial grasses in July and
preferred sulfur cinquefoil in both June and July. Sheep selected diets higher in crude protein (CP) in
June than July and unsupplemented sheep selected forage higher in CP than supplemented sheep.
There was no difference in the NDF or ADF of forage diets selected by sheep. Initial results indicate that
sheep readily consume sulfur cinquefoil, however protein supplementation may be necessary to maintain
production on sulfur cinquefoil infested rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0459
Transcending Communication Borders in Range Management
Cristina Francois1 ,2, Abe Clark2 ,1, Del Despain1, Don McClure2, Rob Grumbles1
1
University of Arizona, Mohave County Cooperative Extention, Kingman, AZ, United States, 2Bureau of
Land Management, Kingman, AZ, United States
Arizona has a vast and diverse landscape with up to 92% of land classified as rangeland. Statewide
rainfall varies from 2- 40 inches per year combined with an elevational range from the 70 ft to 12,500 ft
with vegetation communities from desert grasslands to alpine forests. Administrative diversity is also high
with Arizona land being managed by federal and state agencies, private entities and Indian tribes. Arizona
ranchers usually have at least one federal or state lease and two or more agency allotments. The great
diversity of Arizona landscapes presents great challenges in making rangeland management decisions
that promote healthy rangeland ecosystems. With such a high value on Arizona's diverse landscape, the
agencies that manage these landscapes must come together to preserve the sustainably of Arizona's
range land. The Bureau of Land Management and the University of Arizona have formed a partnership to
ensure the conservation and healthful management of Arizona lands. Working together, along with
Arizona Game and Fish and private ranchers, has allowed for more informed management decisions,
open communication and a better working relationship between state and federal agencies and
independent ranch owners all in the best interest of native plants, animals and range. Ranchers are given
the opportunity to contribute to monitoring scheduling as well as to join BLM, U.A. and AZG&F in the
monitoring of their allotment. U.A. also hosts workshops and trainings to keep monitoring consistent.
Transcending these communication borders will hopefully yield a well managed and healthy rangeland for
both livestock and wildlife.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0460
Investigating the Soil Microbial Community Structure Under Reclaimed Roads in North Dakota
Eric Viall, Laura Overstreet, David Hopkins
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, United States
Road construction for mineral exploration and extraction in the Little Missouri National Grasslands
(LMNG) has produced thousands of miles of roads and utility corridors. Such roads are to be reclaimed to
pre-construction vegetative biodiversity as described by the US Forest Service as part of the Federal
Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960. Two decades after reclamation, neither vegetation nor soil
physical and chemical properties of the roads have returned to conditions of adjacent native prairie.
Previous studies have confirmed significantly lower levels of soil organic matter (SOM) on the reclaimed
roads. Other researchers have correlated decreased SOM with reduced microbial biomass, changes in
microbial community composition, and changes in enzyme activity. Decreased SOM may have led to
differences in the microbial ecology of the sites. Contemporary microbial community structure will be
determined using phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Other measurements include microbial biomass carbon
to determine relative magnitude of the on- and off-road communities; enzyme activity will enumerate the
nutrient cycling status of the soil populations. Samples were collected in close proximity to sites from
preceding studies to include vegetation, physical, and chemical data in the analysis. The ultimate goal of
the study is to use multivariate analysis techniques to identify and rank vegetative, soil physical, chemical,
and biological properties that serve as indicators of restoration success.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0461
The Socioeconomic Impact of Climate Change on Ranching in BC
Mercedes Cox
Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
Increased human and livestock populations in the last two centuries have significantly increased pressure
on much of the world's grazing lands. Ranches in BC occupy over five million acres of private land and
have tenure on 21.5 million acres of Crown rangeland, with the average ranch size being 1,074 acres.
The high degree of geographical variation in BC makes it an ideal location to examine the socioeconomic
effects of climate change on ranching. As of January 1 2010, inventories of cattle reached their lowest
level in 15 years. In light of the current declining trends in BC’s cattle industry it is vital that range
managers increase their adaptive capacity to deal with variability introduced by changes in climate.
Undertaking a socioeconomic analysis of the ranching industry through the lens of climate change will
provide a more comprehensive assessment of adaptive capacity via the inclusion of stakeholder
observation. To be consequential, this assessment must take into consideration the differences between
urban and rural communities in BC in terms of local policies, growth patterns, planning issues and social
attitudes. Coded questionnaires will be sent to 650 cattle ranchers in BC. The questionnaires will be
coded so as to identify any response differences and attempt to determine if location influences response
type or tone. It is expected that next to issues related to water quality and availability, feed prices and
market prices for beef will increase livestock producer vulnerability and influence their relative ability to
adapt to changes in climate.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0462
Calibrating Grid Sample Size and Comparison of Sagebrush Rangeland Cover from Aerial and
Ground Images in SamplePoint
Jordan Wambeke1, Jeffrey Beck1, D. Terrance Booth2
1
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States, 2USDA Agricultural Research Service, High Plains
Grassland Research Station, Cheyenne, WY, United States
SamplePoint is used to compute point cover values from ground and aerial imagery. Primary advantages
of SamplePoint over traditional field-intensive methods include rapid data collection and the ability to
archive images for processing. These advantages suggest SamplePoint is economical to use, providing
application to imagery collected at small and large scales. The purpose of our study was to evaluate 1-m2
ground images and 12-m2 aerial images from Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata
wyomingensis)-dominated rangeland in Natrona County, Wyoming collected in June 2010 to identify
important sampling relationships between small and large scale images using SamplePoint. We
identified cover for annual grasses, bare ground, food forbs, litter, non-food forbs, other shrubs, perennial
graminoids, shadow, unknown, and Wyoming big sagebrush to classify images. Our first objective was to
compare variability (confidence intervals and coefficients of variation) between 25-point and 100-point
grid ground imagery to assess efficiency in sample processing. We predicted fewer data points leads to
greater variability, however, the increase in variability with fewer points may be offset by using less time to
analyze more images across a larger area. Our second objective was to evaluate whether aerial photos
were comparable to ground photos in quantifying cover and to estimate differences in variability between
each method. We predicted that overlapping confidence intervals and large similarity index values
suggest that the results from both scales taken at high resolution are similar. To obtain data for our
second objective, we analyzed cover and variability between aerial and ground photography with a 100point grid.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0463
Hope On The Range: A Great Basin Educational Project
Gary McCuin1 ,4, Steve Foster1 ,4, Kent McAdoo1 ,4, Ron Torell2 ,4, Rick Orr3 ,4, Margaret Orr4
1
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Nevada, United States, 2Nevada Cattlemen's Association,
Elko, Nevada, United States, 3Sustainable Grazing Coalition, Elko, Nevada, United States, 4NV Section
Society for Range Management, Eureka, Nevada, United States
Hope on the Range in the Great Basin is a cooperative educational program designed to provide
information about rangeland science and the art of rangeland management. This program's goal is to
inform the general public about the realities of natural resources and the multiple use concept. This
information will provide a realistic account of the production of food, fiber and minerals in the Great Basin.
Through display of a collection of posters and handout materials by rangeland management and
educational professionals, primarily at urban venues, credible information will be delivered to the public to
dispel the misinformation and popular myths that are often associated with the management and
stewardship of our western rangelands. Armed with credible information, we anticipate that the general
public will support continued wise and sustainable uses of our rangelands under proper and timely
management, which are vital to our nation's future viability. Mechanically, the Hope on the Range in the
Great Basin educational display trailer is modeled after the successful UNCE Beef Quality Assurance
display (BQA) trailer, which effectively reached tens of thousands throughout the U.S. Each display will
tell a story about rangeland resources, covering relevant subjects such as what rangelands are and why
they are important, Cooperative Conservation, wild horse management, multiple use of public lands,
wildfire reduction through active vegetation management, wildlife and riparian area management, the role
of the ruminant on our rangelands, plant life cycles and others.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0464
Estimating Seed Production and Plant Age of Mountain Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp.
vaseyana)
Melissa L. Landeen1, Steven L. Petersen1, Stanley G. Kitchen2, Peter J. Weisberg3, Brian A. Reeves2,
Kevin A. Costa1
1
Brigham Young University - Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Provo, UT, United States, 2Rocky
Mountain Research Station - Shrub Sciences Lab, Provo, UT, United States, 3University of Nevada Reno
- Department of Natural Rescources and Environmental Science, Reno, NV, United States
Seed production of mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp vaseyana) is an important
component of site recovery following a disturbance. It may also be a useful indicator of ecological
resiliency, site condition, and stability. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for rapidly and
accurately predicting seed production and sagebrush age using non-destructive field-based
measurements. To predict seed production, we collected a total of 750 sagebrush inflorescences from
five different sites in central and southcentral Utah. Along with obtaining a count of seeds per
inflorescence, we also measured a suite of other characteristics (variables) of the inflorescence to
determine if any significant correlations could be identified. To predict age, we harvested 156 sagebrush
and tested the relationship between actual age with plant height, crown diameter, and several other
variables. We used regression analysis to test for associations between all variables and total seed
production and age. For seed production, the strongest correlation was between inflorescence weight and
seed production. We found no significant associations between sagebrush age and any of the variables
sampled. In 2011, the results from this study will be used to assess the response of sagebrush and seed
production to fire throughout Utah. In doing so we hope to be able to predict when a site's seed bank will
be at its peak, therefore allowing managers to manage mountain big sagebrush dominated communities
for optimal seed production and seed bank establishment.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0465
Using the 15N Natural Abundance Method to Determine N2-fixation in Russet Buffaloberry in
Colorado
Zoe Miller, Mark Paschke
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
Russet buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt.) is an actinorhizal shrub capable of forming a
symbiotic relationship with the N2-fixing soil actinomycetes Frankia. Actinorhizal shrubs are important
species as they are able to fix an ecologically significant amount of N. Buffaloberry is commonly found as
a dominate understory species in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Louden) communities and is
a common post-fire species. There have been no studies examining buffaloberry’s ability to fix
atmospheric N2 symbiotically in Colorado forests. This study used the 15N natural abundance method in
a survey of buffaloberry in north central Colorado to determine if it in fact fixes atmospheric N2 and how
fixation may be affected by local environmental factors. The mountain pine beetle epidemic is currently
responsible for large losses in lodgepole pine forests. As the overstory canopies of lodge pole pine
communities die off, there will be an increase in light availability in the understory. We investigated
buffaloberry’s response to light availability because with more photosynthetic activity, buffaloberry could
potentially have more energy to expend in the energy intensive N2-fixation process. Buffaloberry had a
15
N abundance closer to the atmospheric standard with high foliar N content as compared to the non-N2fixing reference species, indicating biological N2-fixation. There was no relationship between light
availability and N2-fixation by buffaloberry. The soil δ15N was not different enough from the atmospheric
standard in some cases, making the isotopic signature of N2-fixation difficult to detect. However, this
study is the first to demonstrate N2-fixation by buffaloberry in Colorado.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0466
SRM Section Youth Contact Workshop
Shelly Taylor
USDA - NRCS, Nebraska, United States
This workshop is intended to help SRM Section Youth Contacts learn from the successes and failures of
other Section youth outreach efforts and more rapidly improve youth outreach in their own SRM Section.
Several Sections have not had any High School Youth Forum representation for several years. There
also appears to be a decline in the number of youth range camps that are being held, and the attendance
has become stagnant in some regions. We hope this workshop will stimulate coordinated efforts to find
solutions to some of these issues by providing an opportunity for individuals that are involved to share
ideas, discuss concerns, and increase effectiveness.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0467
Forage Kochia (Kochia prostrata): Rangeland Rehabilitator or Exotic Invader?
Erin C. Gray, Patricia S. Muir
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
What ecological implications are associated with the introduction of a highly competitive, non-native plant
species for management purposes? What potential costs and benefits should be considered when
selecting species for widespread seeding? Land managers faced with the restoration and rehabilitation of
the highly-degraded, exotic species-invaded, sagebrush steppe in the Great Basin of the western U.S.
need answers to these questions. We addressed these issues by studying the invasion potential of
forage kochia (Kochia prostrata [L.] Schrad); an introduced species widely seeded throughout the western
rangelands to stabilize soils, provide fuel breaks and forage, and compete with invasive annual plant
species. We conducted a field study on 28 Bureau of Land Management post-fire rehabilitation and
greenstripping sites throughout southern Idaho’s Snake River Plain to determine if forage kochia had
spread from seeded sites, to what extent, and under what circumstances. Over 3 to 24 years since
seeding, forage kochia spread from 0 to 710 m from the seeding boundary (mean rate = 25 m/yr). The
2
mean distance to the recruitment margin (unseeded area with forage kochia density ≥1/m ) was 30 m.
Results suggest that forage kochia may compete with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), as well as with
native perennial species such as Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda J. Presl). Modeling to describe
environmental factors correlated with rates of spread is underway. Results contribute to the current
understanding of the ecological implications associated with the use of forage kochia in rehabilitation
efforts throughout western rangelands.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0468
Ecology of Biotic Soil Crust Lichens of Oregon's Sagebrush Steppe
Heather Root
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
Biotic soil crusts contribute to arid ecosystems by stabilizing soil surfaces, reducing erosion, adding soil
nitrogen, and potentially discouraging invasion by exotic annual grasses. Although some of their
ecosystem functions are understood, soil crust biodiversity has been poorly characterized. We searched
for soil crust lichens on 59 random and 21 targeted one-acre plots in central Oregon's sagebrush steppe
habitats and combined our data with herbarium records to catalog the region's diversity, determine which
species are of conservation concern, and describe habitat associations of those species. We found 121
lichen species, of which 36 were considered to be of conservation concern because they were
uncommon in our plots and are not known to be common on other substrates. Five of these species were
previously unknown from Oregon or North America. Although previous studies have suggested that
grazing and fire disturbances are strong determinants of soil crust development within restricted study
areas, we found that environmental gradients such as vegetation type, soil pH, temperature and rainfall
were the dominant landscape-level factors structuring soil crust lichen community composition. We
describe these environmental gradients and their associated soil crust lichen communities. We also
develop models for soil crust species richness and presence of rare species and map these potential soil
crust hotspots. We anticipate that these results will contribute to a greater understanding of the relative
rarity of soil crust lichen species and habitat factors that contribute to their abundance and diversity.
Abstracts of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
0469
The Importance of Education in Managing Invasive Plant Species
Steve Young1, Roger Sheley2, Brenda Smith2, Larry Howery3, Sandra McDonald4, Randy Westbrooks5,
Becky Westbrooks5, Erik Lehnhoff6
1
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, 2USDA-ARS, Oregon, United States,
3
University of Arizona, Arizona, United States, 4Private Consultant, Colorado, United States,
5
Southeastern Community College, North Carolina, United States, 6Montana State University, Montana,
United States
Invasive plant species can establish in diverse environments and with the increase in human mobility,
they are no longer restricted to isolated pockets in remote parts of the world. Clearly, the effects of
invasive plant species have reached global scales and their related costs have been estimated in the
billions of dollars. The question that has not adequately been addressed is whether landowners and
managers are making significant progress in managing invasive plant species populations. One way to
indirectly address the rapid advancement of invasive plant species is through awareness and education.
Opportunities are needed to provide land owners and managers with the basic principles and practices
related to invasive plant ecology and management. In addition, policy makers and the public need to be
made aware of the seriousness of invasive plant species. Several short courses that focus on or include
invasive plant species have been developed recently and could play a major role in educating individuals
with broad backgrounds and experiences. Maybe it is time to take a page out of one of the most
successful public service announcements from the US Forest Service, which reminds us that "only you
can prevent forest fires".