Wikeem and Pitt determined utilization and vegetation responses of areas grazed by California bighorn sheep in British Columbia. Bighorn sheep diets consisted mostly of grasses. Although their diets contained an average of 79 different species, they selectively grazed certain preferred species and avoided others. Basal diameter and composition of some plants, including prairie junegrass and Sandberg's bluegrass, were reduced within the plant community due to preferential selective grazing. In contrast, non-preferred species, including big sagebrush and soft chess, increased due to bighorn sheep grazing. These results suggest that bighorn sheep grazing can alter plant community composition and range condition. However, authors caution that standard definitions of range condition are based on cattle preferences; excellent range condition does not necessarily imply excellent forage resources for bighorn sheep.
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