Bunchgrasses growth form may cause trampling avoidance by cattle because elevated tussocks present an uneven surface to step on. This hypothesis was tested by counting cattle hoof prints in a predominantly crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) pasture in Utah. Cattle clearly avoided trampling elevated tussocks, independent of stocking rate, and disproportionately less on the more elevated ones. Most trampling occurs in the interspaces between plant. Therefore, nutrient cycling effects of trampling litter and standing dead vegetation, that protects wheatgrass from grazing, are minimal.
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