|
Part 2: Basic Rangeland Ecology
Grazing Practices Can Alter the Interaction of Components of
the Range Ecosystem
 Grazing can influence the delicate interaction
of range ecosystem components. Overgrazing occurs when plants are
repeatedly grazed without allowing for recovery between grazing
events. Recovery may involve resting pastures during subsequent
growing seasons.
Conditions that may indicate overgrazing include:
- Inability of plants to recover between grazing
- Decrease in biodiversity of all organisms, and not just plants.
- Increased erosion because more soil is exposed
- Increased weed infestation
Grazing can have negative or positive effects on rangelands depending
on how it is managed. The longer overgrazing occurs, the longer it
will take the ecosystem to repair itself and move toward a more desired
condition. This module was developed to help you manage your ranch proactively by
developing realistic goals to move in the direction of desired range
conditions.
|
