Effects of grazing management treatment on grassland plant communities and prairie grouse habitat

Abstract

Seasonlong grazing treatments show no benefit to grass basal cover and visual obstruction is not adequate. Pastures with one grazing period in mid season show no positive change in grass basal cover but have better visual obstruction than seasonlong. Deferred grazing decreases basal cover of warm season grasses and visual obstruction reduced to inadequate levels the first growing season after treatment. Pastures with two grazing periods show increase in basal cover and have adequate visual obstruction. Prairie grouse select against use in seasonlong, one period mid season and deferred grazing treatments but select for pastures grazed two periods for display ground and nest locations.

Parent Publication

• Prairie chickens on the Sheyenne National Grasslands: September 18, 1987; Crookston, Minnesota

Citation

Manske, Llewellyn L.; Barker, William T.; Biondini, Mario E. 1988. Effects of grazing management treatment on grassland plant communities and prairie grouse habitat. In: Bjugstad, Ardell J., tech. coord. Prairie chickens on the Sheyenne National Grasslands: September 18, 1987; Crookston, Minnesota. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-159. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station: 58-72