Journal of Range Management, Volume 45, Number 5 (September 1992)
http://hdl.handle.net/10150/635537
2024-03-28T17:39:22ZJournal of Range Management, Volume 45, Number 5 (September 1992)
http://hdl.handle.net/10150/650536
Journal of Range Management, Volume 45, Number 5 (September 1992)
Complete digitized issue.
1992-09-01T00:00:00ZWhite-tailed deer use of rangeland following browse rejuvenation
http://hdl.handle.net/10150/644663
White-tailed deer use of rangeland following browse rejuvenation
Bozzo, J. A.; Beasom, S. L.; Fulbright, T. E.
Mechanical top growth removal of certain shrub species stimulates sprouting and temporarily increases nutritional quality, availability, and yield of browse. We determined the effects of (1) roller chopping separate portions of rangeland, dominated by guajillo (Acacia berlandieri Benth.) and blackbrush acacia (A. rigidula Benth.), during consecutive years and (2) disking separate portions of rangeland, dominated by dense whitebrush (Aloysia lyciodes Cham.) thickets, during consecutive years on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Raf.) use of the treated areas. Separate, adjacent portions of guajillo and blackbrush acacia-dominated rangeland were roller chopped in a pattern of alternating treated and untreated strips each year during summer for 4 consecutive years (1985-1988) on an area in Duval County, Tex., and for 2 years (1988-1989) on areas in Duval and McMullen counties, Texas. Whitebrush-dominated rangeland was disced in a similar pattern during 2 years (1988-1989). Twenty percent of each study site was treated each year. Estimated deer density in the roller-chopped area in Duval County was higher than estimated deer density in an untreated area during 1985-1987 and in 1989. Roller chopping in study areas in Duval and McMullen counties increased deer fecal pellet-group densities (groups ha-1 day-1) relative to untreated sites in winter, spring, and summer 1989 and when averaged over the 21-month study. Discing dense whitebrush-dominated sites increased pellet-group densities relative to untreated sites in spring and summer 1989 and when averaged across the 21-month study period. Increased deer use of treated areas was probably a function of several factors, including increased forb availability and increased nighttime visibility for predator detection.
1992-09-01T00:00:00ZViewpoint: Range site/ecological site information requirements for classification of riverine riparian ecosystems
http://hdl.handle.net/10150/644657
Viewpoint: Range site/ecological site information requirements for classification of riverine riparian ecosystems
Leonard, S. G.; Staidl, G. J.; Gebhardt, K. A.; Prichard, D. E.
Few ecological sites have been described sufficiently to interpret the specific functions and processes unique to riverine riparian areas. The utility of using ecological site concepts for riparian classification has also been debated due to the dynamic nature of the systems and the paucity of unaltered vegetation. We evaluated riparian sites associated with streams or rivers in 9 western states to determine the feasibility of using ecological site concepts in describing and evaluating riverine riparian ecosystems. Associated water features must be described in riparian site descriptions to establish relationships and understand "process pathways." A concept of "site progression" is proposed to differentiate between secondary succession associated with vegetation changes within a given physical environment and physical "state" changes that lead to a "new" or different potential natural plant community (i.e., a change in ecological site and secondary succession sequences). We have concluded that ecological site classification and inventory techniques utilized on uplands can be used on riparian areas with some enhancements to maintain consistency in evaluations at a "management unit" level.
1992-09-01T00:00:00ZTechnical Note: Chemical enhancement of germination in curly mesquite seed
http://hdl.handle.net/10150/644640
Technical Note: Chemical enhancement of germination in curly mesquite seed
Ralowicz, A.; Mancio, C.; Kopec, D.
Curley mesquite (Hilaria belangeri (Steud.) Nash), an important range grass in the southwestern United States, is being evaluated for soil and resource conservation, and range reseeding. Experiments were performed on seed from plants grown with supplemental irrigation to investigate the effects of chemical treatments on germination. Gibberellic acid (GA) at 0.7, 1.4, 2.1, and 2.8 mM significantly enhanced total germination over the control. Low concentrations of GA (0.14, 0.28, 0.42, and 0.56 mM) did not significantly improve germination compared to the control. These results suggest that 0.7 mM GA is the critical concentration to positively affect total germination of curly mesquite seed. Previous reports indicate that curly mesquite seed do not germinate well. However, rapid germination and high percentages in these experiments suggest that our current concept of germinability in curly mesquite seed may be incorrect.
1992-09-01T00:00:00Z