In 1969, grazing was excluded from the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch after over a century of historic grazing. Researchers then compared vegetation in 1969 to current vegetation on the ranch, and to vegetation on adjacent grazed lands, to evaluate grazing impacts. Brady et al. found that 16 years after grazing was removed from the ranch, there were more plant species present, represented by twice as many forbs, and more short- and mid-grass species. Also following grazing, there was higher percent cover, represented by higher mid-grass, short-grass, forb, and shrub cover. When compared with adjacent grazed lands, total plant cover was similar in pastures with and without grazing, but species composition and percent cover of mid-grass and forb species was higher on un-grazed plots, most likely due to the reduction in preferred plant species at grazed sites due to selective grazing. The removal of grazing from the Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch altered the vegetation complex in a positive way over time. However, the differences in canopy cover and species composition that were due to grazing effects seemed to be minimal, indicating that other environmental factors, such as precipitation, may play a more important role in pasture condition at this site.
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