Four rangeland sites that were burned during winter 1997, and four sites of untreated rangeland were selected on the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in Texas for this study. Two burned and two untreated sites were subjected to grazing by cattle. Short duration grazing did not appear to affect presence of forbs on burned areas; however, grazing pressure reduced percent cover and density of important forages such as prairie sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris). Decreased densities and cover of prairie sunflower can be attributed to increased grazing pressure by cattle. Greater overall forb cover on burned/grazed treatments can be attributed to reduced competition because of grazing pressure on grasses. The authors caution that effects of burning on diversity of the vertebrate and invertebrate communities also need further investigation as do the long-term effects of fire under different burning frequencies.
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