Production Of Deerbrush And Mountain Whitethorn Related To Shrub Volume And Overstory Crown Closure

Author : Lynn Huntsinger
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 488 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (32 download)

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Download or read book Grazing in California's Mixed Conifer Forests written by Lynn Huntsinger and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Along the western Sierra Nevada, livestock often graze privately owned lowland range in winter and public or industrially owned montane forests and meadows in summer. These transhuman grazing patterns date back to the gold rush, and have been influenced by changing land uses, public land policy, and population growth. Evaluation of the current contribution of different vegetation types to livestock production reveals that forest lands supply about 6% of the total rangeland forage. A two-year study of the effects of short duration, high intensity, cattle grazing trials on a naturally regenerating shelter wood was initiated in 1983. It was found that deer browsed conifers, while cattle did not. Trampling by cattle had a small, but significant, impact. Deerbrush crown cover increased despite high grazing intensities. In 1986 a three-year clipping study of deerbrush response to timing, frequency, and intensity of defoliation was initiated on two sites. Shrubs defoliated three times had higher leaf to stem ratios than shrubs defoliated only once, but they were much less productive. No significant difference due to treatment were detected in plant water status. Based on these two studies, grazing strategies maximizing timber, wildlife, and livestock production on forest range are described.