In this study, Cibils et al. determined Atriplex canescens sizes, ages and sex ratios in pastures that were summer grazed, winter grazed, or ungrazed for 20 years. Ungrazed shrubs were the largest and oldest, and shrubs in winter grazed pastures were the smallest and youngest, most likely because shrub use was greatest during the winter. Grazed shrub communities had fewer female plants, that were smaller and younger than female plants inside exclosures. Females may be more susceptible to grazing damage or may be more likely to be grazed than male plants. Based on these results, the authors suggest that cattle grazing can alter the age, size and sex-ratio of A. canescens communities in the Colorado shortgrass steppe.
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