Sagebrush plant community response to livestock grazing in the context of abiotic variability

Drylands, which cover more than 40% of the Earth's terrestrial surface, are confronted with rising agricultural demand and the influence of climate change. Understanding how livestock grazing pressure and local climate affect these environments is pivotal for informed land management. We studied big sagebrush plant communities in southwestern Wyoming over grazing gradients created by artificial livestock watering points. To explore the role of abiotic factors in shaping plant community response to grazing, we assessed the response of plant functional groups to grazing while accounting for soil texture variability across a precipitation gradient.