SGS-LTER Grazing Strategies for Mountain Plover: Vegetation Structure for Small Animals on Plover Grazing Pastures on the Central Plains Experimental Range, Nunn, Colorado, USA 2006 -

We aim to test the limits of the SGS to grazing by altering both the seasonality and intensity of grazing. Grazing intensities outside the traditional boundaries of grazing intensity and seasonality can interact with physiography to induce changes in vegetation states. To test this hypothesis we will assess vegetation composition, ANPP, diversity and structure in an experiment that began in 2003 (Grazing Seasonality and Intensity). Since livestock can modify vegetation composition and structure to alter habitat and resources for other organisms (Derner et al. 2009), manipulations of the seasonality and intensity of grazing therefore may be used as a tool to create habitat for species of conservation concern. Two treatments involve manipulations of livestock grazing in spring and summer at very high (80%) grazing intensities.本研究旨在通过调控放牧的季节节律与强度，探究季节性放牧系统（Seasonal Grazing System）对放牧压力的耐受极限。超出传统放牧强度与季节区间的放牧强度，可与地貌条件相互作用，进而引发植被状态的改变。为验证上述假说，我们依托2003年启动的“放牧季节与强度”实验，对植被组成、地上净初级生产力（Aboveground Net Primary Production）、物种多样性及群落结构开展评估。鉴于家畜可通过改变植被组成与结构，进而改变其他生物的栖息环境与资源供给（Derner等，2009），因此调控放牧的季节节律与强度，可作为为保育关注物种构建栖息生境的有效手段。本实验设置两组处理，分别在春季与夏季实施80%的极高放牧强度的家畜放牧操作。