The objectives of this review article are to address the relationships of fish, fish habitat, and grazing in the U.S. Forest Service's Southwestern Region, which includes Arizona and New Mexico. Although extensive research exists about grazing in the Rocky Mountain states, Intermountain, and Pacific Northwest regions, there is little literature that addresses fish-grazing relationships. Most of the literature that deals with fish and grazing relationships appears in publications that are not peer-reviewed. This lack of peer-reviewed literature containing sound data on grazing-fish relationships suggests that recommendations are needed for future study design, research, and land management relationships. Based on the author's personal research at 3 sites in Arizona and New Mexico, he concludes that certain factors were obvious from data that confound fish-grazing studies and lead to inconclusive results. For example, most studies of fish-grazing relationships address salmonid species. In the Southwest, cypriniform species have to be separated from trout in delineating grazing effects. Key components, such as definition of linkages, cooperative management and research, and collection of scientific data, rather than regeneration of reviews and opinions, are required for a valid and defensible definition of grazing-fish relationships.
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.