Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Livestock Grazing and Wildlife: Developing Compatibilities
Author
Vavra, Martin
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2005-03-01
Body

Livestock grazing has been considered detrimental to wildlife habitat. Managed grazing programs, however, have the potential to maintain habitat diversity and quality. In cases in which single-species management predominates (sage-grouse [Centrocercus urophasianus] or elk [Cervus elaphus nelsoni] winter range), grazing systems specific to species’ needs can be implemented. Managed livestock grazing can have 4 general impacts on vegetation: 1) alter the composition of the plant community, 2) increase the productivity of selected species, 3) increase the nutritive quality of the forage, and 4) increase the diversity of the habitat by altering its structure. Implementing a grazing management plan to enhance wildlife habitat requires an interdisciplinary approach. Knowledge of plant community dynamics, habitat requirements of affected wildlife species, and potential effects on the livestock used are basic to successful system design. However, any habitat change made for a featured species may create adverse, neutral, or beneficial changes for other species. Management actions, other than development of a grazing system, are often required for habitat manipulations to be successful. More research efforts are needed to understand complementary grazing systems on a landscape scale.  The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020 Legacy DOIs that must be preserved: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v58i2_vavra

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2111/1551-5028(2005)58%3C128:LGAWDC%3E2.0.CO;2
Additional Information
Vavra, M. (2005). Livestock grazing and wildlife: developing compatibilities. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 58(2), 128-134.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/643243
Journal Volume
58
Journal Number
2
Journal Pages
128-134
Journal Name
Rangeland Ecology & Management
Keywords
cattle
facilitation
herbivory
deer
elk