EXAM 2 - Rangeland Management Flashcards
1
Q
What is cheatgrass?
A
BROMUS TECTORUM; nonnative, introduced species, annual grass, INVASIVE
2
Q
Impacts of settlement in the Great Basin?
A
overgrazing, introduction of CHEATGRASS (spread across US in less than 100 years)
OVERALL: loss of perennial grasses and forbs.
3
Q
What is a climatograph?
A
Graphical representation of a location’s basic climate
4
Q
What are the types of Biomes?
A
- Temperature Grasslands
- Tropical Savanna’s
- Tundra
- Desert Shrublands
- Shrub Woodlands
- Temperate Forests
- Tropical Forests
5
Q
Describe Temperate Grasslands.
A
- mixture of grasses and forbs
- few trees or shrubs
- 10-30in annual rainfall
- found on every continent
- largest expanse of true grass range in the world
- southern canada to texas
- short & tall grass prairie
6
Q
Describe Grazing Animals in the US
A
old days - great herds of large wild herbivores
today - mostly killed or driven away
**wetter areas converted to crop land, drier areas used for LIVESTOCK GRAZING
7
Q
Describe the Tropical Savanna’s
A
- mostly in africa
- mixture of GRASSES, SHRUBS, SCATTERED TREES
- poor soil
- LOW water availability
8
Q
Describe the Tundra Biome.
A
- arctic tundra (used mostly by WILD ANIMALS)
- alpine meadows (used BOTH by wildlife and livestock)
- temp is too cold and soil is too POOR for crops
9
Q
Describe Desert Shrublands.
A
- largest area of world’s RANGELANDS
- ARID climate (less than 10in of rainfall)
- POOR soils
- sparse vegetation dominated by low shrubs
10
Q
Describe Shrub Woodlands.
A
- same rainfall belt as GRASSLANDS
- low-growing trees & dense shrubs
11
Q
Describe Temperate Forests.
A
- Grazing in open strands
12
Q
Describe Tropical Forests
A
- very little herbaceous vegetation under DENSE CANOPIES
- of little importance for grazing
13
Q
Characteristics of Grasses?
A
- jointed, HOLLOW STEMS
- parallel veined leaves
- florets
14
Q
Characteristics of Sedges.
A
- solid TRIANGULAR stem
- leaves on 3 sides of stem w parallel veins
15
Q
Characteristics of Rushes.
A
- solid ROUND stem
- leaves on 2 sides w parallel veins
- “thin electrical wire”
16
Q
Characteristics of Forbs.
A
- BROAD LEAVED FLOWERING plants
- solid stems, NET-like veins in leaves
- showy/flamboyant flowers
17
Q
Characteristics of Shrubs.
A
- WOODY stems
- NETLIKE veins in leaves
- SMALL flowers
18
Q
Forage Characteristics?
A
- grasses are the ideal forage
- top 50% = SURPLUS
- bottom 50% = METABOLIC RESERVE
—> nutrient reserve allows plants to survive drought and periodic overgrazing
19
Q
What are decreasers ?
A
- highly nutritious
- palatable
- DECREASE under MODERATE grazing pressure
20
Q
What are increasers?
A
- highly nutritious
- less palatable
- tend to INCREASE under HEAVY GRAZING
- can decline after long term severe grazing
21
Q
What are invaders?
A
- low nutritional value
- NOT DESIRABLE for grazing animals.
22
Q
Effects of Human Activities and Overgrazing on Rangelands
A
- sodbusting destroys rangeland stability (crop vulnerable to WIND AND EROSION)
- conversion to livestock grazing (light-moderate grazing = BENEFICIAL to grassland)
- overgrazing (too many livestock/wild herbivores exposed soil to WATER AND WIND)
- undergrazing (reduced grass growth, increased forb&shrub growth)
23
Q
Effect of Drought on Range Forage
A
- one of the greatest problems faced by ranchers
- impossible to control drought
- drought is unpredictable
- after drought = fast or slow recovery depending on conditions
24
Q
Benefits of normal grazing?
A
- vigorous leaf growth
- reduced soil erosion
25
All of the following grassland biomes are important for large populations of grazing wildlife EXCEPT?
a) Steppe
b) Prairie
c) Pampas
d) Tropical rainforest
e) Tundra
d) Tropical rainforest
26
Match each rangeland vegetation type (a-d) to the correct description (e-h)
a) Forb
b) Grass
c) Sedge
d) Rush
e) Solid round stem
f) Solid triangular stem
g) Jointed hollow stems
h) Solid stems and flowers
a —> h
b —> g
c —> f
d —> e
27
Which US policy led to the development of the West?
Homestead Act of 1862
28
Which agencies focus on rangeland management?
NRCS - Natural Resources Conservation Service
BLM - Bureau of Land Management
29
What was the US land like before European settlers?
- 34 million bison, pronghorn antelope, elk
- overgrazing uncommon
- wildfire migrated throughout range
- carrying capacity maintained by competition and predation within and between species
- Native Americans used meats and hides for food, clothing, and shelter
30
What happened in the 16th and 17th centuries in the US?
- european colonists brought domesticated animal based culture
- wild herbivores killed or driven from range to reduce competition with livestock
31
What happened in 1800 in the US?
- cattle, sheep, and horses common on range in western U.S.
32
What happened in 1850-1890 in the US?
- sheep increased from 500,000 to 20 MILLION
33
What happened in 1870-1890 in the US?
- cattle increased from 5 MILLION to 27 MILLION
- cattle ranchers allowed cattle to overgraze in many areas
34
What happened in the end of the 19th century of the US?
- bison driven nearly to extinction
35
What is the Homestead Act of 1862?
- accelerated development of West
- 160-acre parcels too small
36
Who is John Wesley Powell 1878?
- reported on the lands of the arid region
- warned that the land in the west was suitable for grazing but not for crops
- recommend fewer cattle
- report ignored by government leaders
37
What caused the 1930’s dust bowl?
- drought & degraded farmland
- storms brought dust from the US Great Plains all the way to New York and Washington
38
What happened in 1932?
- 1932 USFS report on range condition
- rangeland productivity reduced by 50%
39
What happened in 1934?
Congress passed the Taylor Grazing Control Act
40
what happened in 1976?
National Forest Management Act
-USFS must develop inventory of all USFS lands
41
what happened in 1978?
Public Rangelands Improvement Act
- maintain, manage and improve the condition of public rangelands
42
what happened in 1985?
FOOD SECURITY ACT
- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
- remove 45 million acres of erodible cropland, plant grasses
43
Agencies of range management?
NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service)
44
Organizations of range management?
- Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS)
- Society for Range Management (SRM)
