Range Science

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Research from the Department of Range Science. The department is part of the School of Natural Resources, and their website may be found at https://www.ndsu.edu/snrs/

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Application of Pyric-Herbivory in the Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie to Enhance Biodiversity
(North Dakota State University, 2021) Hamel, Michael Charles
Pyric-herbivory is a naturally occurring disturbance that historically created shifting mosaics of heterogeneous plant communities and vegetation structure, supporting a biodiverse Great Plains ecosystem. Present land management has decoupled this interactive disturbance leading to homogenous grasslands, resulting in a reduction of biodiversity, which is exasperated by the dominance of non-native grasses. We believe reintroducing this disturbance will increase heterogeneity and enhance biodiversity. First, we compared the effects of a season-long grazing and two patch-burn grazing systems on plant communities. Second, we evaluated how small mammal communities were affected by each grazing system. Our findings show re-establishing pyric-herbivory, via patch-burn grazing, can enhance biodiversity compared to season-long grazing. We hypothesize further implementation of patch-burn grazing will continue to enhance biodiversity, as thatch and basal litter are further reduced. In conclusion, our findings support re-establishing pyric-herbivory to enhance biodiversity though further study is needed to determine what effect continued implementation will have.
An Assessment of Annual Forages to Extend Grazing for Beef Cattle in South Central North Dakota
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Gaugler, Erin Marie
This study was designed to test 3 grazing treatments using 2 cropping systems during 2012 to 2014. Angus crossbred beef heifers in mid-gestation were assigned to treatments from mid-October to late November or early December. Single- and dual-crop systems were subjected to the following grazing treatments: 1) full use, 2) 50 percent degree of disappearance and 3) no use. A drylot served as the control. Herbage production, livestock performance, economic efficiency and soil health were monitored. Costs associated with the cocktail mixture ranged from $37.56 to $44.50/hectare. Average daily gain was highest in the drylot and was the only treatment to provide a positive return per head per day for all years. Returns of the full use grazing treatment were positive 2 of the 3 years and losses were limited compared to other grazing treatments. Grazing provided either neutral or positive soil health characteristics compared to no use.
An Assessment of Integrated Weed Management Strategies for Purple Threeawn-Dominated Rangelands
(North Dakota State University, 2013) Dufek, Nickolas Alois
Purple threeawn (Aristida purpurea Nutt.) is a native bunch grass that is avoided by grazers. It is capable of dominating old cropland and overgrazed pastures, limiting livestock carrying capacity, and degrading wildlife habitat. Traditional management tools have had little impact on threeawn dominance in semiarid regions of the west. Our objectives were to: 1) assess fire and nitrogen treatment effects on threeawn forage quality at various phenological stages to test their potential as pretreatments in a grazing strategy and 2) examine a threeawn-dominated plant community’s response to prescribed fire, nitrogen addition, and clipping. Fire improved threeawn forage quality with greater improvements in early phenological stages. Nitrogen had little effect on forage quality. Fire and nitrogen reduced threeawn while increasing cool season grasses. Light and moderate clipping following fire did not improve the efficacy of fire. Fire appears to an effective preliminary treatment to improve the chance of herbivory.
Assessment of Watershed Health on Intermittent Watersheds in Southwestern North Dakota
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Hecker, Garret A.
Watersheds are complex systems that are influenced by many factors including geomorphology, climate, soil, vegetation, and land management. Due to this complexity, a watershed assessment that evaluates both the riparian and upland areas has yet to be developed. We proposed investigating a combination of plant community composition within the greenline, upland ecological site function assessment with the Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health (IIRH) protocol, and stream morphological parameters. Stream parameters investigated were Rosgen’s classification method, bank erosion hazard index (BEHI) and bank height ratio (BHR). This research was conducted on five intermittent streams in southwestern North Dakota. We found that facultative wetland species offered the most protection to intermittent streambanks as a result of hydrology. When assessing the uplands it was determined that there is a positive correlation between rangeland health and riparian health. The stream parameter that showed the strongest relationship was the BEHI.
Belowground Bud Banks of Native, Perennial Grasses and Interactions with Fire in the Northern Great Plains
(North Dakota State University, 2013) Russell, Morgan Lee
Mixed-grass prairies of the northern Great Plains evolved following frequent disturbances such as drought, fire, and extensive grazing by ungulates. As a result of periodic natural disturbances, native grass reproductive mechanisms have adapted to withstand frequent disturbance. Ninety-nine percent of native perennial grasses reproduction occurs through well-protected and densely structured axillary buds. Since vegetative buds are the primary driver of aboveground growth, bud response to differing seasons and fire return intervals may reveal strategies to enhance bud dynamics. The timing of fire may transition dormant buds into active buds elucidating the mechanism responsible for aboveground growth following fire. My objectives were to: 1) reveal belowground bud characteristics of Bouteloua gracilis (Willd ex. Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths) (C4 species), Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve) (C3 species), and Hesperostipa comata (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth) (C3 species), 2) examine immediate fire effects on belowground bud activity, dormancy, and mortality following seasonal fire and fire return interval treatments, 3) quantify short-term belowground bud dormancy, activity, and mortality trajectories following fire, and 4) determine the effects of soil moisture and soil temperature on bud growth and maintenance. Belowground bud characteristics differed among species, where B. gracilis produced the most buds (6 ± 4 buds tiller-1), P. smithii produced an intermediate amount (4 ± 2 buds tiller-1), and H. comata contained the least amount of buds (3 ± 3 buds tiller-1). Fire treatments did not result in immediate, direct mortality of B. gracilis, P. smithii, or H. comata buds. However, fire treatments enhanced bud activity and reduced dormancy for B. gracilis and P. smithii. Season of fire and fire return interval directly manipulated bud activity, dormancy, and mortality for these species throughout two or more growing and dormant seasons following fire. Soil moisture was found to be a good predictor for bud growth of cool-season species and soil temperature was a reliable predictor for warm-season species bud growth. Prescribed burning can be used to manipulate bud bank dynamics as a management tool and belowground bud dynamics can also be used to improve post-fire management strategies in wildfire situations.
Biological Capabilities of Selected Ecological Sites in the Western Dakotas
(North Dakota State University, 2014) Ford, Dustin
The study was conducted on the Dakota Prairie National Grasslands (DPG) within the Little Missouri National Grassland (LMNG) of North Dakota and Grand River National Grassland (GRNG) of South Dakota during the summer and fall of 2012. The objectives of this study was to 1) determine if three ecological sites (loamy, thin loamy, and claypan) are biologically capable of producing an 8.89 cm visual obstruction reading (VOR) at the end of the grazing season when cattle are excluded and 2) establish a relationship between VOR and standing crop. Vegetative structure was determined using a modified Robel pole. Standing crop was collected by clipping to ground level using a 0.178m2 hoop. Based on our results from one year of data, only the loamy sites on the LMNG were biologically capable of producing 8.89 cm of structure at the end of the grazing season in the DPG.
Brine Impacted Soils in Semi-Arid Rangelands: Greenhouse Electrical Conductivity Thresholds and Ex Situ/In Situ Remediation Comparisons
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Tomlinson, Hannah Angie Kelsey
Brine is a by-product of oil and gas extraction that can have profound impacts on soil chemistry and vegetation assemblages when discharged onto the soil surface. Brine spill remediation aims to remove or minimize the saturated paste electrical conductivity (ECe) to levels suitable for plant growth. My research focused on evaluating ECe and plant parameters on topsoil excavation and chemical amendment sites, and examining brine thresholds of several native grasses. Halophytic grasses had a higher brine threshold between 18.6 and 34.6 dS m-1 whereas glycophytic grasses exhibited a lower threshold (9.70 and 18.6 dS m-1). Halophytes examined in this study may aid in revegetating salt-affected sites. Soil ECe was not different (p ≥ 0.05) between remediation techniques to the 60 cm depth. Functional plant groups were also not different (p ≥ 0.05) between remediation techniques. Both techniques were successful at reducing soil ECe to facilitate natural and assisted vegetation recovery.
Butterfly Community and Behavioral Responses to Restored Disturbance Regimes
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Karasch, Brooke
Grassland organisms evolved alongside the interaction of fire and grazing, but modern management often decouples these disturbances. In order to analyze the effects of reintroducing this interaction, we implemented four treatments. Two of these treatments were variations of patch-burn grazing, one was modified rest-rotation grazing, and one was season-long grazing. We chose to monitor the butterfly response to these treatments because butterflies have short generations, require a wide variety of resources, and are easily identifiable as adults. We quantified both the butterfly community and the behavioral time budgets of two species. We found that the butterfly community is more species-rich and abundant in treatments including fire than in treatments without fire. We found no difference in time budgets between treatments. Overall, we suggest that managers implement a carefully-planned patch-burn grazing regime in order to support grassland butterflies and other organisms.
A Chronosequence of Scale-Dependent Vegetation and Soil Properties on a Surface Coal Mine over 40 Years of Reclamation
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Bohrer, Stefanie
Surface coal mining has taken place in North Dakota for many decades. Upon the mining process, the mined lands need to be reclaimed to a better state than pre-mining. The reclamation process is a timely and costly procedure. Currently, most reclamation strategies focus only on above ground biomass. Our research entailed two different studies, the first looking into vegetative species composition and canopy cover of reclaimed mine lands, and the second focuses on belowground properties affected by soil compaction over a 40 year reclamation gradient. Species composition and canopy cover did not increase over 40 years (p> 0.05). Soil compaction did not decrease, and rooting depths and soil water content range did not increase over the reclamation gradient (p> 0.05). Relative plant community patch size and soil health on reclaimed lands over four decades indicate the landscape-level success of the current ecosystem-based reclamation strategy.
Community Dynamics of Grassland Birds, Rangeland Vegetation, and Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs on Grazed Mixed-Grass Prairie
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Lipinski, Amanda Rose
Investigators surveyed vegetation and grassland bird communities on and off black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) towns to investigate community drivers, interactions, and species associations. This study was conducted within the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near McLaughlin, South Dakota, USA, on grazed mixed-grass prairie. Sampling of birds and vegetation communities in 2012 and 2013 using fixed-width belt transects revealed community differences relative to prairie dog presence or absence (p<0.01) with percent cover bare ground being most strongly correlated (r2≥0.93) with the principal NMS axis in both years. All bird species, excluding Lark Sparrows, nested exclusively on or off prairie dog towns. After PCA, nests and random locations sampled for vegetation were not significantly different (MANOVA p>0.05) within their habitat type (town or off-town), except for Brewer’s blackbird nests (p<0.01). Lack of significance may be due to limitations in sample sizes and the homogeneous nature of habitat at the scale sampled.
Creating Better Working Landscapes in Post-Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Lands: Promoting Butterfly and Floral Resource Populations Through Patch-Burn Grazing (PBG) and Over-Seeding
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Zralka, Kimberly
Declines in pollinator populations are a concern globally, and more information is needed to help conserve them. We studied how post-Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands could be managed as pollinator habitat. Our study occurred in Hettinger, ND from 2017-2021. We assessed the effects of patch-burn grazing on butterflies and floral resources. We also assessed the success of over-seeding to enhance flowering resources utilized by butterflies. We found that different butterfly species exhibited site selection based on time-since-fire, indicating that patch-burn grazing may be an effective grassland management method for creating diversity. We also found that grazer species (sheep or cattle) was influential on butterfly and vegetative communities. Our over-seeding efforts yielded low seedling establishment, but models indicated that drought and herbivory potentially influenced this. Overall, our results suggest that post-CRP working landscapes may benefit pollinators, but there are many challenges to create more forb-rich environments in these low diversity landscapes.
Effect of Livestock Species on Floral Resources and Pollinators in Low-Diversity Grasslands
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Cutter, Jasmine Antonia Villamarin
Livestock management influences the extent to which grazing lands provide resources for native species. We compared how livestock species – sheep or cattle – affected floral resources and bee and butterfly communities in low-diversity, post-Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pastures managed with patch-burning. We sampled bees and butterflies three times per season 2017-2019 and counted flowering stems within 1 m of transects. Pastures grazed by sheep had significantly fewer flowers and significantly lower floral richness than cattle pastures. Native bees were three to sixteen times more abundant in cattle pastures compared to sheep. Butterfly communities were similar between grazing treatments, because agricultural-tolerant, habitat generalists comprised the majority of the butterfly community. Grassland-obligate butterflies comprised only 2% of observations. The dearth of grassland-obligate butterfly species and low native bee abundances suggest that post-CRP fields, especially those grazed by sheep, do not provide abundant and diverse floral resources for native bees and imperiled butterfly species.
Effectiveness of Multiple Restoration Techniques in Reducing the Abundance of Kentucky Bluegrass and Smooth Bromegrass in the Northern Great Plains
(North Dakota State University, 2012) Lund, Corie Beth
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermus L.) are cool-season, perennial, non-native grasses that are invading North Dakota grasslands. Two studies evaluated different restoration techniques aimed at reducing Kentucky bluegrass and smooth bromegrass abundance. The initial study, located on five different plant communities in a mixed grass prairie near Mandan, ND, noted some success at reducing Kentucky bluegrass through a combination of fire and chemicals. Therefore, a second study was initiated near Lisbon, ND to evaluate the effectiveness of fire and herbicides, alone or in combination, and the sequence for applying fire and herbicide. These treatments were applied to native tall grass with different initial invasion levels of Kentucky bluegrass. The results of the Mandan study indicated treatment responses differed depending on the community and invasive species while, the Lisbon study suggested that the level of initial invasion also determined treatment success.
Effects of Grazing of Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) in Restored Wet Meadows in the Northern Tall Grass Prairie
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Cleys, Jake Robert
Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a grass species that can dominate wet meadow plant communities. This study investigated if grazing by cattle on restored wet meadows suppresses reed canarygrass, thereby promoting the restored plant community. This study was conducted at two locations in northwest Minnesota. Management practices used were a patch-burn grazing treatment and a four-pasture high intensity-short duration grazing rotation. A pretreatment survey was conducted before grazing followed by annual surveys every five years after grazing. Both treatments reduced reed canarygrass canopy cover by 49 percent compared to non-grazed control sites. Grazed patches were moving towards a Carex dominated community. The community not invaded with reed canarygrass had similar native species richness at the end of the experiment in the rotational grazing treatment, and improved plant richness in the patch-burn grazing treatment. This study demonstrates grazing reduces cover of reed canarygrass, while maintaining or increasing native plant species richness.
The Effects of Herbivory and Vegetation Competition on Seedling Survival and Growth in the Middle Sheyenne River Watershed, North Dakota
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Johnston, Sarah Braaten
There is a concern about the lack of regeneration of riparian hardwood forest communities in the Middle Sheyenne River Watershed of northeastern North Dakota. Natural resource managers and landowners are unsure if herbivory by ungulates or other factors are responsible for a lack of tree seedling regeneration and survival. We focused our research on the role of ungulates and competitive vegetation in seedling survival and growth in demonstration tree planting sites. Landowners utilized exclosures from ungulate browsing and/or grazing, and different forms of vegetation control. The riparian study showed the combination of deer with cattle significantly affected survival of seedlings after three years at p<0.012, and that vegetation competition played less of a role in seedling survival. The upland study found that tree and shrub species in general did not respond significantly in terms of overall growth with treatments such as fabric and glyphosate herbicide to control vegetation competition.
Energy-Related Traffic Increases Fugitive Dust, with Mixed Effects on Bakken Cropland Trophic Levels
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Spiess, Jonathan Wesley
We investigated how anthropogenic landscape industrialization affects croplands through increased emissions of fugitive dust along unpaved roads with energy-related traffic. We reviewed literature regarding plants and increased dust deposition and exposure and found that increased dust deposition and exposure negatively affected photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll content, and stomatal conductance. We measured: traffic, the amount and spatial extent of dust deposition, and plant physiological parameters in annual cereal crop fields adjacent to unpaved roads in western North Dakota. We found that increased traffic along an unpaved road influenced the amount and spatial extent of fugitive dust deposited in fields adjacent to an unpaved road. Increased dust deposition negatively affected plant photosynthetic activity. We measured bird activity using trail cameras and invertebrate abundance using sweep-netting in annual cereal crop fields adjacent to unpaved roads. Distance from an unpaved road or the measured deposition rates did not negatively affect bird activity and invertebrate abundance.
Evaluation of Alternative Methods for Leafy Spurge Control in the Northern Great Plains
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Ellig, Tracy Lynn
Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) is a costly noxious weed to manage in the Northern Great Plains; it invades rangelands and displaces native and desirable vegetation. Our first objective was to test the recommended full rate and half rate of selected herbicides applied in September following a spring burn on a leafy spurge invaded plant community. Our second objective was to determine if raffinate (desugared beet molasses) applied to leafy spurge invaded rangeland would attract cattle to consume leafy spurge. The aminocyclopyrachlor with chlorosulfuron treatment had the best leafy spurge control at the full rate, with stem density reductions of 95 percent for both sites nine and twelve months after treatment. The salt block treatment had the best success at reducing leafy spurge stem density. Herbicides can be the most common and effective type of management; however, manipulating livestock to graze noxious weeds converts a weed into a useable forage.
An Exploration of the Effects of Cattle Grazing, Prairie Dog Activity, and Ecological Site on Plant Community Composition and Western Wheatgrass Vegetative Reproduction in Northern Mixed Grass Prairie
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Field, Aaron Lee
Modern range scientists and managers are tasked with feeding more people than ever before while maintaining or improving the ecological function of over half of the world’s land surface. Often, these tasks are in conflict. This disparity is evident in the relationship between rangeland livestock producers and black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludoviciana). Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species and an ecosystem engineer, but they also reduce available forage for livestock. In this disquisition we investigated the dynamic relationship between prairie dog activities and cattle grazing in respect to their combined and separate influences on plant community composition and western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) reproduction in northern mixed grass prairie. Our study took place on a private ranch in north-central South Dakota on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near McLaughlin. Using paired plots that either allowed or excluded cattle grazing, we were able to quantify the effects of different grazing intensities and grazing removal. While plant community composition and bare ground percentage were different among grazing regimes and ecological sites, removal of cattle grazing pressure did not change plant community composition over the three-year study in comparison to full use grazing (40 – 60% degree of disappearance). These findings show that short term (3 year) changes in grazing intensity did not lead to plant community change in northern mixed grass prairie. This was true regardless of ecological site and prairie dog occurrence. Western wheatgrass bud banks were also not influenced by herbivory type or intensity. This finding underscores the importance of aboveground tiller numbers as an indicator of reproductive capability rather than bud bank in western wheatgrass. Taken together, our results suggest that full use cattle grazing is a sustainable practice in northern mixed grass prairie. Our results also indicate that western wheatgrass vegetative reproduction is not likely to be inhibited or promoted by grazing.
Fire and Nitrogen Effects on a Purple Threeawn-Dominated Plant Community in the Northern Great Plains
(North Dakota State University, 2012) Strong, Dustin
Purple threeawn (Aristida purpurea Nutt. varieties) is a native grass capable of rapidly increasing on rangelands, forming near monocultures, creating a stable state. Rangelands throughout the Great Plains and Intermountain West have experienced increases in purple threeawn abundance, leading to reductions in overall forage quality and community diversity. Our objectives were to: 1) examine prescribed fire and nitrogen as tools to shift species composition in a purple threeawn invaded community, 2) reveal vegetation management strategies appropriate for reducing purple threeawn abundance 3) quantify fire effects on purple threeawn plant characteristics and 4) determine the relationship between purple threeawn survival and fire behavior. Fire reduced purple threeawn abundance one-growing season post-fire, with sustained reductions two-growing seasons post-fire. Nitrogen had no effect on purple threeawn abundance. Heat duration and dosage were good predictors of purple threeawn mortality. Summer prescribed fire appears to be the best management tool to reduce purple threeawn abundance.
Fire Safety Skills Training for Individuals with Severe and Profound Mental Retardation
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Knudson, Peter John
The statistics surrounding fire injury and death in the United States are staggering. Literature concerning fire safety has focused largely on children, but persons with mental retardation also are in need of fire safety training as they are highly vulnerable to fire injury and death. The purpose of this research was to evaluate behavioral skills training procedures for teaching individuals with severe and profound mental retardation to exit their residence upon hearing a smoke detector. Fire safety skills training involved giving instructions, modeling, prompting, and corrective feedback. Assessments took place in the participants' group homes with the participants unaware that an assessment was taking place. Following training, it was anticipated that the participants would be able to initiate exiting behaviors within 10 seconds following the activation of a smoke detector and exit the building within 30 seconds of initiating exiting behaviors. The results showed that one participant out of seven met these criteria following training. However, data gathered on the level of prompts needed for participants to exit the building showed that some individuals exited the building with a less intrusive level of prompting from staff.

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