Damhoureyeh and Hartnett measured the growth and reproduction of five forb species in tallgrass prairie pastures in Kansas that were grazed by bison or cattle, and burned every year or every four years for the length of the study. The response of vegetation to grazing varied by forb species, grazer species and burning frequency. Since forbs were not grazed, forbs in pastures stocked with bison and cattle tended to produce more vegetative and reproductive biomass following removal of grasses, however in some cases, production was reduced due to the negative effects of grazing disturbances. These results indicate that the impacts of grazing are dependant on several variables in tallgrass prairie pastures and the authors suggest that the impacts of land management plans on forb species should be determined prior to their implementation since forbs provide valuable habitat and forage for wildlife in the tallgrass prairie.
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