Get reliable rangeland science

The decision of when and how to graze after a wildfire should be based on ecological site and condition of the management unit. Sites dominated by annual grasses may be ideal locations for proactive fuels management practices such as targeted grazing (Murphy et al. 2013), yet there are limited data available to inform managers of the ecological effects of these practices. This research aims to provide ecologically-based understanding of the effects of various grazing management strategies on a recently-burned rangeland. Five exclosure plots were established within one Disturbance Response Group (DRG) near McDermitt, Nevada to examine effects of cow-calf spring grazing, simulated spring grazing, simulated fall grazing, and rest (control) on vegetative response Treatments were applied manually using weed eaters in May/June for spring treatments and September/October for fall treatments. Measurements were taken on vegetation composition, basal gap, annual production, and density of shrub seedlings. The vegetation was largely comprised of Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) but had a component of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)�that increased over the four-year study period. A seedbank study was completed to enhance understanding of cheatgrass in the system. We now have four years of results showing plant community response to different lengths of rest, different seasons of use after fire, and interactions with climate variables. Coupling project results with ecological site descriptions and state-and-transition models will help land managers stratify post-fire management decisions across large landscapes based on pre-fire condition, measured plant community response, and quantified ecological thresholds.