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Infiltration rate and sediment build of soils was assessed in oak mottes, bunchgrasses, and sodgrass vegetation types in moderate continuous (MCG), heavy continuous (HCG), and intensive rotation (short duration, SDG) grazing systems and in a livestock exclosure. Total organic cover had the strongest correlation with infiltration rate, being highest under oak motte, followed by bunchgrass and sodgrass. Grazing did not effect oak motte, but high and short duration treatments reduced organic cover (and consequently infiltration rate) in both grass type treatments. Total aboveground biomass was greatest in oak motte and least in the sodgrass interspace, consequently the sodgrass interspace had the greatest amount of sediment production and the oak mottes the least sediment production. Midgrass cover and total aboveground biomass in the MCG and exclosure pastures were significantly greater than in the SDG and HCG pastures; thus sediment production from the MCG and exclosure pastures was significantly lower than from the SDG and HCG pastures.

Thurow et al. determined the effects of varying the grazing system or stocking rate on the infiltration rate, sediment production and soil structure of sodgrass, bunchgrass, and oak motte vegetation types, in the Edward's Plateau. Infiltration rates were related to total organic cover and soil bulk density, and were greatest in the oak motte vegetation type, intermediate in the bunchgrass vegetation type, and lowest in the sodgrass vegetation type. Sediment production was related to total aboveground biomass and bunchgrass cover, and was greatest in sodgrass pastures and lowest in oak motte pastures and tended to be higher in all vegetation types when pastures were managed under heavy continuous grazing. Although grazing management practices did affect the hydrologic and soil characteristics of the studied pastures, their effects were minimal when compared to the differences among vegetation types.