R are the most common form of terrain in both United States (where it accounts for 61% all land surface) and world (70% surface). Rangelands consist primarily native plant communities managed, typically, livestock production (Holechek et al. 1998). Because they can embrace extensive communities, rangelands serve as biodiversity repositories. However, Great Plains States, where decisions about use made largely at discretion private landowner, many animal species dependent on imperiled. For...

Summary Management of rangelands has long operated under the paradigm minimizing spatially discrete disturbances, often objective reducing inherent heterogeneity within managed ecosystems. grazing animals focused on uniform distribution disturbance, so that no areas are heavily disturbed or undisturbed (i.e. management to ‘middle’). A model fire–grazing interaction argues and fire interact through a series positive negative feedbacks cause shifting mosaic vegetation pattern across landscape....

In tallgrass prairie, disturbances such as grazing and fire can generate patchiness across the landscape, contributing to a shifting mosaic that presumably enhances biodiversity. Grassland birds evolved within context of this mosaic, with some species restricted one or two patch types created under spatially temporally distinct disturbance regimes. Thus, management-driven reductions in heterogeneity may be partly responsible for declines numbers grassland birds. We experimentally altered...

Abstract: Our understanding of fire and grazing is largely based on small‐scale experimental studies in which treatments are uniformly applied to units that considered homogenous. Any discussion an interaction between usually a statistical approach ignores the spatial temporal interactions complex landscapes. We propose new focus ecological each disturbance spatially temporally dependent other results landscape where best described as shifting mosaic (a with patches vary time since...

Soils contain much of Earth’s terrestrial organic carbon but are sensitive to land-use. Rangelands important dynamics and among ecosystems most widely impacted by While common practices like grazing, fire, tillage affect soil properties directly related dynamics, their magnitude direction change vary with intensity disturbance. We describe variability in (SOC) root biomass—sampled from 0–170 cm 0–100 cm, respectively—in terms properties, land-use history, current management, plant community...

Abstract The interactions between fire and grazing are widespread throughout fire‐dependent landscapes. utilization of burned areas by animals establishes the fire–grazing interaction, but preference for recently relative to other influences (water, topography, etc.) is unknown. In this study, we determine strength interaction quantifying influence on ungulate site selection. We compare patches environmental factors that contribute selection; native introduced ungulates; test relationships...

Group cognitive therapy (CT), focused expressive psychotherapy (FEP; a form of group experiential psychotherapy), and supportive, self-directed (S/SD) were compared among 63 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Variation patients' coping styles (externalization) defensiveness (resistance potential) was used in prospective test hypothesized differential treatment-patient interactions. Results suggest that patient characteristics can be differentially to assign types. Externalizing...

We examined the dynamics of avian communities associated with fragmented grasslands in Oklahoma, USA, using long-term (1965–1995) raw (stop-level) data from Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Aerial photography was used to document changes land cover type and landscape pattern as affected by woody plant (mostly Juniperus virginiana L.) encroachment concurrent cropland conversions agricultural grassland under Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Rank trend analysis identified species significant...

This article examines the question of how well rangeland management profession has served conservation patterns and processes that support multiple ecosystem services. We examine paradigms under which operates argue our developed utilitarian paradigm with primary goals sustainable forage for livestock production. While optimization products services always been a consideration, comprehensive set principles have not be to advance this concept. fire grazing, often viewed as mere tools used...

Grasslands are inherently dynamic in space and time, evolving with frequent disturbance from fire herbivores. As a consequence of human actions, many remaining grasslands have become homogenous, which has led to reduced ecosystem function, biodiversity loss, decreased ecological services. Previous research shown that restoring inherent heterogeneity can increase avian diversity, but the amount (i.e., number patches or return interval) impact on community stability yet be investigated. We...

The increasing availability of soil moisture data presents an opportunity for its use in wildfire danger assessments, but research regarding the influence on wildfires is scarce. Our objective was to identify relationships between and size Oklahoma during growing (May-October) dormant seasons (November-April). We hypothesized that influences when vegetation less important most dead or dormant. Soil moisture, as fraction available water capacity (FAW), commonly measured weather variables were...

Abstract. We compared the effects of late dormant‐season and growing‐season prescribed fires on herbaceous species in restored shortleaf pine‐ ( Pinus echinata ) grassland communities Ouachita Highlands western Arkansas. Herbaceous richness, diversity, total forb legume abundance increased following fire. Late burns reduced distribution panicums (primarily Panicum boscii, P. dichotomum , linearifolium while abundance. Density legumes (such as Stylosanthes biflora frequent or annual fires....

Summary 1. Many rangelands evolved under an interactive disturbance regime in which grazers respond to the spatial pattern of fire and create a patchy, heterogeneous landscape. Spatially grazing heterogeneity vegetation structure at landscape level (patch contrast) increase rangeland biodiversity. We analysed five experiments comparing spatially treatments homogeneous on grazed along precipitation gradient North American Great Plains. 2. predicted that, across gradient, management for...

To understand the effect of woody plant encroachment on hydrological processes mesic grasslands, we quantified infiltration capacity in situ, temporal changes soil water storage, and streamflow a grassland catchment heavily encroached by juniper (Juniperus virginiana, eastern redcedar) previously cultivated, non-karst substrate grasslands north-central Oklahoma for 3 years. The initial steady-state rates under canopy were nearly triple to that intermediate intercanopy spaces within...

In many grasslands, grazing by large native or introduced ungulates drives ecosystem structure and function. The behavior of these animals is important as it directs the spatial effects grazing. To degree that temperature components foraging, understanding how changes in climate alter will provide guidance for conservation goods services. We determined behavioral response bison (Bison bison) cattle (Bos taurus) to tallgrass prairie within Great Plains, USA. described thermal environment...

Two tallgrass prairie sites with different grazing histories and fuel accumulation were burned to investigate vegetation response wild fires of differing intensity. Headfires ignited 5 September 1985 under wildfire weather conditions (37 C air temperature, 36%7o relative humidity wind gusts 40 km/h). One the plots had not been grazed for past 3 years 1000 g/m2 fine load; other moderately 450 fuel. Fire intensity at soil surface on high fuel-load plot was four times that low burn plot....