This paper outlines the origin of a typical riparian livestock exclosure presented in the literature, summarizes and critiques some recurrent assumptions in exclosure-based research, and presents recommendations to improve future work in this area. Exclosure-based research has left considerable scientific uncertainty due to popularization of relatively few studies, weak study designs, a poor understanding of the scales and mechanisms of ecosystem recovery, and selective, agenda-laden literature reviews advocating for or against public lands livestock grazing. Exclosures are often too small and improperly placed to accurately measure the responses of aquatic organisms or geomorphic processes to livestock removal. Depending upon the site conditions when and where exclosures are established, postexclusion dynamics may vary considerably. Systems can recover quickly and predictably with livestock removal, fail to recover due to changes in system structure or function, or recover slowly and remain more sensitive to livestock impacts than they were before grazing was initiated. Sarr proposes several initial ideas for strengthening the scientific basis for livestock exclosure research: (1) incorporation of meta-analyses and critical reviews, (2) use of restoration ecology as a conceptual framework, (3) development of long-term research programs, (4) improved exclosure placement/design, and (5) a stronger commitment to collection of pretreatment data.
Citations and enhanced abstracts for journals articles and documents focused on rangeland ecology and management. RSIS is a collaboration between Montana State University, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming.