In this study, Martorell and Peters measured the impacts of human and livestock disturbance on Mammillaria pectinifera, a threatened Mexican globose cactus. In general, decreases in cactus populations were associated with soil degradation and some human disturbances, whereas cactus populations responded positively to some human disturbances and the presence of livestock. The reduction in shrub cover and the increase in soil stoniness found in pastures with moderate levels of livestock probably benefited cacti by improving the growth environment for this species. The largest populations of M. pectinifera were found at sites with intermediate levels of disturbance, indicating that some disturbance is required throughout the life cycle of this plant and that extreme disturbance or complete removal of disturbance produced by humans or livestock will most likely reduce cactus populations.
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