Effects of fire and grazing in an arid grasslandecosystem

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Southwestern Naturalist

Volume

47

Publisher

Southwestern Association of Naturalists

Publication Date

2002

First Page

557

Last Page

565

Abstract

We examined short-term responses of grasses, shrubs, and rodents on experimental plots to determine how manipulations of livestock grazing and prescribed fire affect individual species and community structure in a shrub-invaded arid grassland. Two grasses and Gutierrezia sarothrae were found in lower abundance on burned plots in the growing season after plots burned; all Prosopis glandulosa survived the fire. Total rodent captures and the number of Dipodomys spectabilis did not differ among treatments. No significant interaction between burning and grazing was observed. Fire seems to have few short-term negative effects on species in this system.

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