Equine grazing in managed subalpine wetlands: effects on arthropods and plant structure as a function of habitat.
Abstract: Grazing management necessarily emphasizes the most spatially extensive vegetation assemblages, but landscapes are mosaics, often with more mesic vegetation types embedded within a matrix of drier vegetation. Our primary objective was to contrast effects of equine grazing on both subalpine vegetation structure and associated arthropods in a drier reed grass (Calamagrostis muiriana) dominated habitat versus a wetter, more productive sedge habitat (Carex utriculata). A second objective was to compare reed grass and sedge as habitats for fauna, irrespective of grazing. All work was done in Sequoia National Park (CA, USA), where detailed, long-term records of stock management were available. We sampled paired grazed and control wet meadows that contained both habitats. There were moderate negative effects of grazing on vegetation, and effects were greater in sedge than in reed grass. Conversely, negative grazing effects on arthropods, albeit limited, were greater in the drier reed grass, possibly due to microhabitat differences. The differing effects on plants and animals as a function of habitat emphasize the importance of considering both flora and fauna, as well as multiple habitat types, when making management decisions. Sedge supported twice the overall arthropod abundance of reed grass as well as greater diversity; hemipteran and dipteran taxa were particularly abundant in sedge. Given the greater grazing effects on sedge vegetation, greater habitat provision for terrestrial arthropods, and value as aquatic arthropod habitat, the wetter sedge assemblage is worthy of additional consideration by managers when planning for grazing and other aspects of land usage.
Publication Date: 2013-09-03 PubMed ID: 24000111DOI: 10.1007/s00267-013-0154-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
Summary
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This research explores the effects of horse grazing on vegetation and arthropods in two different subalpine wetland habitats: dry reed grass and wet sedge. The study found that grazing can have varying impacts depending on the type of habitat, emphasizing the importance of considering multiple habitat types and both plant and animal life when making land management decisions.
Study Objectives
- The study was conducted with two main objectives. The first objective was to understand the impact of equine grazing on the structure of vegetation and associated arthropods in two different habitats: a drier habitat dominated by reed grass and a wetter, more productive sedge habitat.
- The second objective was to analyse and compare the two habitats in terms of their suitability for fauna, irrespective of the impact of grazing.
Methodology
- The study was conducted in Sequoia National Park, California, USA. This site was selected as detailed, long-term records of stock management were available.
- The sampling was done in pairs of grazed and control wet meadows that contained both the reed grass and sedge habitats.
Findings
- The study found moderate negative impacts of grazing on vegetation. The effects were more pronounced in the sedge habitat compared to the reed grass habitat.
- On the other hand, the negative effects of grazing on arthropods were greater in the reed grass habitat due to differences in the microhabitat. These impacts were however limited.
Conclusions
- The differing effects of grazing on plants and animals found in this study emphasize the importance of considering both flora and fauna as well as different habitat types when making land management decisions.
- The study found that sedge supported twice the overall arthropod abundance compared to reed grass and also had a greater diversity, especially of the hemipteran and dipteran taxa.
- Given the high impact of grazing on sedge vegetation and its significant role as a habitat for terrestrial and aquatic arthropods, the study suggests that the sedge habitat should be given additional consideration when planning for grazing and other land usage activities.
Cite This Article
APA
Holmquist JG, Schmidt-Gengenbach J, Haultain SA.
(2013).
Equine grazing in managed subalpine wetlands: effects on arthropods and plant structure as a function of habitat.
Environ Manage, 52(6), 1474-1486.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-013-0154-1 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- White Mountain Research Station, University of California San Diego, 3000 East Line Street, Bishop, CA, 93514, USA, jholmquist@ucla.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthropods / physiology
- Biodiversity
- California
- Carex Plant / growth & development
- Carex Plant / parasitology
- Conservation of Natural Resources / methods
- Conservation of Natural Resources / statistics & numerical data
- Herbivory / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Poaceae / growth & development
- Poaceae / parasitology
- Population Dynamics
- Species Specificity
- Wetlands
References
This article includes 9 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Holmquist JG, Schmidt-Gengenbach J, Ballenger EA. Patch-scale effects of equine disturbance on arthropod assemblages and vegetation structure in subalpine wetlands. Environ Manage 2014 Jun;53(6):1109-18.
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