TEMPORAL AND GEOMORPHIC VARIATIONS OF STREAM STABILITY AND MORPHOLOGY: MAHOGANY CREEK,NEVADA1

ABSTRACT: Detailed studies of long-term management impacts on rangeland streams are few because of the cost of obtaining detailed data replicated in time. This study uses government agency aquatic habitat, stream morphologic, and ocular stability data to assess land management impacts over four years on three stream reaches of an important rangeland watershed in northwestern Nevada. Aquatic habitat improved as riparian vegetation reestablished itself with decreased and better controlled livestock grazing. However, sediment from livestock disturbances and road crossings and very low stream flows limited the rate of change. Stream type limited the change of pool variables and width/depth ratio, which are linked to gradient and entrenchment. Coarse woody debris removal due to previous management limited pool recovery. Various critical-element ocular stability estimates represented changes with time and differences among reaches very well. Ocular stability variables tracked the quantitative habitat and morphologic variables well enough to recommend that ocular surveys be used to monitor changes with time between more intensive aquatic surveys.     

Simulation of vegetation dynamics and management strategies on south Texas, semi-arid rangeland

In this paper, we describe a model designed to simulate seasonal dynamics of warm and cool season grasses and forbs, as well as the dynamics of woody plant succession through five seral stages, in each of nine different plant communities on the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Refuge. The Welder Wildlife Refuge (WWR) is located in the Gulf Coastal Prairies and Marshes ecoregion of Texas. The model utilizes and integrates data from a wide array of research projects that have occurred in south Texas and WWR. It is designed to investigate the effects of alternative livestock grazing programs and brush control practices, with particular emphasis on prescribed burning, the preferred treatment for brush on the WWR. We evaluated the model by simulating changes in the plant communities under historical (1974-2000) temperature, rainfall, livestock grazing rotation, and brush control regimes, and comparing simulation results to field data on herbaceous biomass and brush canopy cover collected on the WWR over the same period. We then used the model to simulate the effects of 13 alternative management schemes, under each of four weather regimes, over the next 25 years. We found that over the simulation period, years 1974-2000, the model does well in simulating the magnitude and seasonality of herbaceous biomass production and changes in percent brush canopy cover on the WWR. It also does well in simulating the effects of variations in cattle stocking rates, grazing rotation programs, and brush control regimes on plant communities, thus providing insight into the combined effects of temperature, precipitation, cattle stocking rates, grazing rotation programs, and brush control on the overall productivity and state of woody plant succession on the WWR. Simulation of alternative management schemes suggests that brush canopy removal differs little between summer and winter prescribed burn treatments when precipitation remains near the long-term average, but during periods of low precipitation canopy removal is greater under winter prescribed burning. The model provides a useful tool to assist refuge personnel with developing long-term brush management and livestock grazing strategies.     

Bison and cattle grazing management,bare ground coverage,and links to suspended sediment concentrations in grassland streams

This study quantified the impact of bison and cattle grazing management practices on bare ground coverage at the watershed, riparian, and forested riparian scales within the Flint Hills ecoregion in Kansas. We tested for correlations between bare ground coverage and fluvial suspended sediment concentrations during base‐flow and storm‐flow events. We used remotely sensed imagery combined with field surveys to classify ground cover and quantify the presence of bare ground. Base‐flow water samples were collected bi‐monthly during rain‐free periods and 24 h following precipitation events. Storm‐flow water samples were collected on the rising limb of the hydrograph, using single‐stage automatic samplers. Ungrazed treatments contained the lowest coverage of bare ground at the watershed, riparian, and forested riparian scales. Bison treatments contained the highest coverage of bare ground at the watershed scale, while high‐density cattle treatments contained the highest coverage of bare ground at the riparian and forested riparian scales. In bison and cattle‐grazed treatments, a majority of bare ground was located near fence lines, watershed boundaries, and third‐ and fourth‐order stream segments. Inorganic sediment concentrations at base flow were best predicted by riparian bare ground coverage, while storm‐flow sediment concentrations were best predicted by watershed scale bare ground coverage.     

PARTITIONING SMALL SCALE SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF RUNOFF AND EROSION ON SAGEBRUSH RANGELAND1

ABSTRACT: Most hydrologic models require input parameters which represent the variability found across an entire landscape. The estimation of such parameters is very difficult, particularly on rangeland. Improved model parameter estimation procedures are needed which incorporate the small-scale and temporal variability found on rangeland. This study investigates the use of a surface soil classification scheme to partition the spatial variability in hydrologic and interrill erosion processes in a sagebrush plant community. Four distinct microsites were found to exist within the sagebrush coppice-dune dune-interspace complex. The microsites explained the majority of variation in hydrologic and interrill erosion response found on the site and were discernable based on readily available soil and vegetation information. The variability within each microsite was quite low and was not well correlated with soil and vegetation properties. The surface soil classification scheme defined in this study can be quite useful for defining sampling procedures, for understanding hydrologic and erosion processes, and for parameterizing hydrologic models for use on sagebrush range-land.     

盐池封育草场土壤种子库特征及其与植被的关系

封育是退化草场恢复的重要措施之一,封育的效果在一定程度上取决于土壤中种子库的状况。以毛乌素沙地西南缘宁夏盐池县的退化草场为研究对象,采用相似性分析和排序方法对封育和未封育草场土壤种子库的特征及其与地上植被间关系进行了研究,结果表明无论封育区还是未封育区,土壤种子库中的种子主要分布于0～5cm的土层,6～15cm土层的种子数很少;封育区土壤种子库的物种丰富度大于未封育区,物种多样性则表现为H值较大,而D值较小,总体上看封育措施可以提高地上植被和土壤中种子的种类和数量,一些一年生植物、中生植物和盐生植物开始出现在地面或土壤种子库中。地上植被和土壤种子库间的相似性分析结果则表明相同措施同一土层间种子库中等相似,而不同土层间还是存在着一些差异。由于封育措施导致了植被样方的相似性较低,然而土壤种子库间的相似性仍然较高,两者间是否存在着一定程度的滞后效应有待于进一步研究。     

草场管理中的市场机制与习俗制度的关系及其影响:青藏高原案例研究

近年来,政府大力推动在完善承包到户基础上的草场经营权的流转,目的之一是通过市场手段来整合牧户个体的草场资源,促进畜牧业的规模化生产。市场机制与牧区传统管理草场的习俗制度,二者的关系及其对草场管理的影响是怎样的?论文选择位于青海省贵南县的元义村和查乃核村为案例地来研究上述问题。元义村反映市场机制取代习俗制度,查乃核村则反映了市场机制嵌套在习俗制度中。通过比较两个案例地的牧户生计、畜牧业生产以及贫富差距,研究发现:1)查乃核村的牧户年均畜牧业资产高于元义村;2)查乃核村的畜牧业生产量逐年增加、牲畜死亡率明显减少,畜牧业生产收益率高于元义村;3)查乃核村的贫富差距明显低于元义村。基于此,论文认为市场机制嵌套在社区习俗制度的制度安排在草场管理中更有效,因为这样的管理模式在满足牧户个体对于权属明晰和补偿需求的同时,能够维持社区共用草场以适应青藏高原多变的气候特征所导致的资源时空分布的异质性。随着市场化的发展,草场管理需要权属明晰及市场机制,但实现这样的目标不需要弱化甚至取代已有的社区习俗制度。     

Bird Species Assemblages as Indicators of Biological Integrity in Great Basin Rangeland

The study evaluates the potential for bird species assemblages to serve as indicators of biological integrity of rangelands in the Great Basin in much the same way that fish and invertebrate assemblages have been used as indicators in aquatic environments. Our approach was to identify metrics of the bird community using relatively simple sampling methods that reflect the degree of rangeland degradation and are consistent over a variety of vegetation types and geographic areas. We conducted the study in three range types (i.e., potential natural plant community types) in each of two widely separated areas of the Great Basin: south-eastern Idaho (sagebrush steppe range types) and west-central Utah (salt-desert shrub range types). Sites were selected in each range type to represent three levels of grazing impact, and in Idaho included sites modified for crested wheatgrass production. Birds were sampled by point counts on 9 100-m radius plots at 250-m spacing on each of 20 sites in each area during the breeding season. In sagebrush-steppe, 964 individuals in 8 species of passerine birds were used in analyses. Five metrics were significantly related to impact class, both when analyzed within range type and when analyzed with all range types combined. Species richness, relative abundance of shrub obligate species, and relative abundance of Brewer's sparrow were generally lower for the higher impact classes, whereas the reverse was true for dominance by a single species and for relative abundance of horned larks. In contrast, total number of individuals did not differ significantly as a function of impact class. In salt-desert shrub, a total of 843 birds in 4 species were included in analyses, 98% of which were horned larks. None of the metrics identified above was significantly related to impact class. Two metrics for breeding birds in sagebrush steppe (species richness and dominance) showed little overlap between values for the extremes of impact class, and thus they have potential as indicators of biological integrity. However, the sensitivity of these metrics appears to be greatest at the high impact end of the spectrum, which suggests they may have limited utility in distinguishing between sites having light and moderate impact.     

RUNOFF AND SEDIMENT YIELD UNDER GRAZING IN FOOTHILLS FESCUE GRASSLANDS OF ALBERTA1

ABSTRACT: Grazing can have a profound impact on infiltration and thus runoff and erosion. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effects of select grazing systems on rainfall and snowmelt induced runoff and sediment yield from sloped areas of the foothills fescue grasslands of Alberta, Canada. The effects of two grazing intensities (heavy and very heavy) for two durations (short duration and continuous throughout the growing season) were compared to an ungrazed control between June 1988 and April 1991. Runoff was measured using 1-rn² runoff frames and collection bucket systems. Sediment yields were then determined on samples from the collected runoff. Snowmelt was the dominant source of runoff. Snowmelt runoff was higher from the heavily grazed areas than from the very heavily grazed areas, due to the higher standing vegetation which accumulated snow in the former areas. Sediment yields as a result of snowmelt were generally low in all areas. Only a few summer storms caused runoff. Runoff volumes and sediment yields from summer rainstorms were low, due to low rainfall and to generally dry antecedent soil moisture conditions. The greatest risk of summer runoff, and thus sediment yield, appears to occur in August.     

A MULTIOBJECTIVE,DISCRETE SYSTEM REPRESENTATION OF RANGELAND WATERSHEDS1

ABSTRACT: Resource utilization as practiced by humans is identified as the main cause of the degradation of rangeland watersheds, a process referred to as desertification. This paper introduces a multi-objective decision making methodology for the selection of a plan which if implemented should limit the desertification process. The evaluation objectives are measured by quantitative and qualitative criteria. The quantitative criteria provide the performance level for production and sediment yield, while the qualitative criteria give such information as public acceptance of a particular alternative or worth of an appropriate wildlife habitat. A system model is applied to describe the dynamics of a range site in response to climatic and human inputs. As such it provides the information required by the quantitative criteria as well as a range condition index that identifies the productivity of a given range site. A multiobjective selection procedure is presented that will lead to the appropriate technique from an available set, in this case ESAP, Environmental Sensitivity Analysis Package. Four individuals with diverse backgrounds in natural resource management participated as decision makers and decided on their preferred alternatives. Finally, ranked alternatives in agreement with all of the decision makers were obtained.     

青海湖地区草地蝗虫发生的气候背景

气候条件对环青海湖地区草地蝗虫的发生程度有重要影响。上一年的下半年气温偏低和当年高温干旱 ,是蝗虫发生的有利气候条件 ;上一年的 8月份、当年 5月下旬到 7月上旬以及当年 8月份的气候条件与蝗虫发生程度密切相关。