1. RANGELANDS: GRASSLANDS, DESERT SHRUBLAND, AND SHRUB WOODLAND –Precipitation = 10-30 inches/yr –29% of US is rangeland

2. TAYLOR GRAZING ACT OF 1934 1. halt deterioration 2. improve range quality 3. stabilize rangeland economy

3. IMPORTANT WILDLIFE OF THE GRASSLANDS –Waterfowl (prairie potholes and marshes) –Large ungulates (deer, elk, pronghorn) –Smaller mammals and birds

6. GRAZING PERMIT CONTROVERSY –Nearly 5 million cattle and sheep graze on 80% of public rangelands annually –Permits cost one-fifth that charged by private landowners –Federal subsidy = $100 million/yr over the water subsidy they get –In 45 National Parks, 150 National Wildlife Refuges, and BLM lands –http://www.sagebrushsea.org/pdf/factsheet _Grazing_Economic_Contributions.pdfhttp://www.sagebrushsea.org/pdf/factsheet _Grazing_Economic_Contributions.pdf

7. GRAZING PERMIT CONTROVERSY, continued –Current fee doesn't even pay for administration of program –Ecosystem is being damaged by overgrazing and miss-management: wildlife suffer –Ranchers benefit, but land belongs to everyone –The paradox persists. Why?

8. RANGELANDS –Grasslands –Desert Shrubland –Shrub Woodland –Tropical - Savanna, campos, llanos –Temperate - prairie, steppes, pampas, veld –Arctic - Tundra (mostly wetland too)

9. ECOLOGY OF RANGELANDS –Metabolic reserve = lower half of grass plant –Decreasers - plants favored by grazing animals; subject to decline when grazed –Increasers - avoided by grazers; abundance increases upon grazing –Invaders - dominate overgrazed areas

10. ECOLOGY, continued –Overgrazing: Too many animals for too long grasses replaced by woody plants and forbs reduces water and nutrients reduces litter, exposes soil more wind erosion –Undergrazing: brown leaf and stem left to age (poor food quality) kills off (chokes) grasses and favors woody vegetation reduces water and nutrients reduced root mass leads to soil erosion

11. MANAGEMENT OF RANGELANDS: –Control amount of grazing periods of grazing and rest (deferred rotation) continuous grazing holistic grazing (6 paddock rotation) –Control vegetation fire herbicides

12. MANAGEMENT OF RANGELANDS, continued –Control rodents and predators Rodent control: –Controls don't last (temporary relief –Ecology gives long-term solution Predator control: –controls don't work (temporary relief) –Ecology gives long-term solution Coyotes eat Rodents!!!

13. COYOTE PROBLEMS –The federal government kills coyotes! '1080' in collars cyanide in "coyote getter" costs about $1,000 per coyote! ineffective in reducing coyotes –Other methods to deal with coyotes: fencing guard dogs good animal husbandry practices Kansas model program only costs 5% of nearby states' programs

14. NORTH AMERICAN GRASSLANDS: –tall-grass prairie: southeastern edge –mid-grass (mixed-grass) prairie: north and west of tallgrass prairie –short-grass prairie: western plains –Palouse prairie: great basin country –Valley grasslands: California's Central Valley –Desert grasslands: Arizona and New Mexico and Mexico

15. MORE ECOLOGY –Most grasslands are subject to great variability in temperature, precipitation, grazing, and fire, leading to "multiple stable states" rather than one climax community type –Global warming and grasslands: –may increase decomposition rate and thus increase CO 2 release (positive feedback) –Grassland restoration is in progress

16. TEMPERATE AND TROPICAL DESERTS –Characteristics Hot vs. Cool deserts: –temperatures below freezing may be rare or common –What creates the desert environment? Rain shadow - mountains Cold upwelling - oceans

17. SPECIAL FEATURES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEMS –caliche - cement-like subsoil of calcium carbonates –desert pavement - hard, protective surface layer –cryptobiotic crust - algae, fungi, and lichens form a fine organic tissue may take 200 years to reform if disturbed

18. DESERTS, ecological problems –Desertification- drying of arid ecosystems is a global concern –Other Problems: Overgrazing by livestock Competition with feral ungulates ORV's compact soil, disrupt surface first pass does most of damage –Reptiles, mammals, and birds are all reduced in number of species and number of individuals per species under heavy and very heavy ORV use* »*Even moderate use cuts # species to <11

19. Effects of ORV’s on desert fauna (Density per 2 ha plot) GroupNo useHeavy use Very heavy use Reptiles29-758-330-16 Mammals22113 Birds420 # of species (combined) 11-165-10*1-7 *Even moderate use cuts # species to <11

20. Problems, continued –Invasion of exotic plants: Annual grasses of genus Bromus that choke out native plants after a rain, die, and carry fire (native species evolved w/o fire) Salt cedar - shrub replacing willow and cottonwood in riparian areas Deep-rooted, high transpiration: dries soil Carries fire; resprouts vigorously after fire, outcompeting native species Beaver and deer do not feed on it

21. Problems, continued –Global warming will increase desertification –Desert soils are a source of carbon in the atmosphere; more desert surface and weaker cryptobiotic crusts will add to the greenhouse effect!

22. Management of arid/desert systems: –Need to limit use of ORV's –California Desert Protection Act 1994 - upgraded several deserts to National Parks, enlarged areas of protection, and designated more "wilderness"