Progress 01/01/14 to 12/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Ranchers, weed scientists, range scientists Changes/Problems:The rainout shelters did not work. Therefore, we used different management strategies that fit within the producer practices to accomplish goals for this study. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?MS student H. Myer was provided with training on the scientific method and work in range settings. The MS student finished his thesis, developed posters and presentations based on the data collected and analyzed, and presented this work at regional and international meetings. Undergraduate students (Cady Olsen, Emily Helms) worked with the graduate student and PI for sampling in field, collecting height/biomass data, laboratory analysis of soils, data management, and data analysis. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Presentations given at Grassland conferences; three youtube videos (33,000 views of Rick Smith; 10,000 views of Charlie Totten; 19,000 views of the Pat Guptill) produced highlighting findings and methods that were used by co-operating ranchers; trifolders distributed at meetings to promote videos; presentations and posters given at scientific meetings including Weed Science, ASA, and Range Management. Research paper from the International INTECHOPEN book has been uploaded to ResearchGate site (July 2018) with over 15 reads in the past 2 months. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A second publication is being prepared for submission to an international publisher.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Establish four grazing management demonstrations on South Dakota ranches where producers can observe and demonstrate the impacts of innovative grazing management practices on their land's ability to recover from the summer of 2012 and the fall drought conditions of 2013 and continued imposed spring or summer drought through use of rainout shelters over the life of the experiment. 100% Accomplished Field experiments were established at Hayti, Chamberlain, Selby, and Quinn. The rainout shelters did not work as well as we wanted them to, but compared grazing management (mob grazing and conventional rotational grazing) with exclosure data. Objective 2. Demonstrate the impacts of different grazing management practices on invasive and native species. 100% Accomplished. Mob grazing uses very high cattle (Bos spp.) stocking densities (ten or more times the NRCS suggested stocking density) for short durations of a few hours to one day in small, temporary paddocks. Compared to systems with lower stocking densities, benefits of mob grazing may include increased vegetation usage and minimized selective grazing behavior on plants typically avoided by herbivores, such as those producing aromatic oils, tough, woody brush, or problematic weeds. This project quantified the effects of mob grazing cattle on absinth wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and Western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) in pastures near Hayti, Selby, and Chamberlain, South Dakota by permanently tagging weeds along transects and examining pre and post grazing. Weed height and volume (two diagonal measurements across the largest width of the plant times the height), and grass height were measured and visual percent cover of vegetation was estimated every 5 to 10 m along each 100 m transect. Absinth wormwood was mob grazed or rotationally grazed, with or without 2, 4-D amine herbicide application at Hayti. Western snowberry was mob grazed or rotationally grazed at Chamberlain and Selby. Overall, mob grazing reduced cattle forage selectivity compared with low stocking density rotational grazing, except in the Hayti spray/rotation treatment. The 2,4-D amine herbicide followed by rotational grazing eliminated 100 percent of absinth wormwood plants in the short-term. Mob grazing in Hayti reduced absinth wormwood volume by 30% in 2013 and 39% in 2014, compared with no difference (2013) or over a 500% (2014) increase in volume in rotational pastures. Small absinth wormwood plants less than 2800 cm3 were more effectively controlled than larger plants. Mob grazing Western snowberry reduced volume at both Chamberlain and Selby by 45% and 51% in 2013 and 2014, respectively, compared with no change in rotational pasture for either year. Mob grazing may be a viable method of short-term weed control in South Dakota grazinglands, especially if combined with herbicides as part of an integrated weed management approach. Objective 3. Improve grazing managers' understanding of the impact of different grazing practices and how these practices influence desirable and invasive species growth. 100% Accomplished. Youtube videos produced, Trifolders with information provided to participants at Grassland coalition meetings, Presentations at both state and local meetings, Posters and presentations at national and international scientific meetings presented. Objective 4. Develop educational tools that will explain to ranchers the long and short term effects of different management practices and how to implement the best practices to improve resilence and decrease the presence of nondesirable species in SD rangeland systems. 100% Accomplished. Presentations given at Grassland conferences, Three youtube videos produced highlighting findings and methods that were used by co-operating ranchers, Trifolders distributed at meetings to promote videos, Presentations and posters given at scientific meetings including Weed Science, ASA, and Range Management. Research paper from the International INTECHOPEN
Publications
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Myer, H. 2015. Mob grazing as a perennial weed management tool in South Dakota grazing lands. M.S. Thesis. South Dakota State University.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Myer, H., A. Smart, D.E. Clay, M. Ohrtman, and S.A. Clay. 2018. Mob vs rotational grazing: Impact on forage use and Artemisia absinthium. In INTECHOPEN ed. R.L. Edvan (in press) Forage Groups
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Researchers and grazing managers Changes/Problems:The approach with using rainout shelters took 3 years of low rainfall before any results could be observed. If this were done again, I would deliberately plant big bluestem and tick clover into the downy brome areasto detrmine if these plants would become dominant in the area. I think that the lack of desirableseed in the seed bank was the limiting factor, although the downy brome did dry the surface soil more that the other two species. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In the past a graduate student has worked on collected and analyzing plant and soil data. (Brian Van De Stroet, M.S. Student). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Finish the project and write a final manuscirpt that willincludeother sites and data collected by other researchers.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This past year, soil samples collected from Aurora site were analyzed for total N and nitrate, and ammonia N. These came from the 0 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 12, and 12 to 24 inch depths. There were three species types, downy brome (short grass), big bluestem (tall grass) and tick clover (legume). The drought treatments were from 2015 with a 1 yr, 2 yr, and no rainout shelters (mid summer samples), and 2016, 1 yr, 2 yr, 3 yr, and no rainout shelters (early summer samples). The biomass of plants was reduced in the three yr drought. The nitrate N was very low in all treatments (typically < 5 ug/g soil) for the near surface soils and 0 at deeper depths. The ammonia N was about 30 to 40 ug/g soil in the surface with < 5 ug/g at deeper depths in 2016 and < 1 in 2015 samples. This was surprising as we thought that tick clover would provide N into the system.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Researchers, ranchers, government agencies Changes/Problems:Unfortunately it took 3 yrs to even begin to show drought effects in soil.Tick clover, a deep rooted plant, and downy brome, a shallow rooted plant had no differences in biomass. After the third year of drought, big bluestem finally started to show some decline in growth. These changes slow changes make it difficult to discuss any remediation/management options. Mowing should have been over the top of the these plots at different frequencies to determine if this would have led to faster decline. The rainout shelters were too small to do any type of manipulation beneath them but too big to make them removable. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Graduate students (Deepak Joshi and Heidi Myer)were trained in soil sampling, plant sampling, data aquisitiion and data analysis. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Finish data analysis, examine recovery of the systems with no rainout shelters in 2017 and 2018 by taking soil and plant samples early/late in bothyears.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1:Establish four grazing management demonstrations on South Dakota ranches where producers can observe and demonstrate the impacts of innovative grazing management practices on their land's ability to recover from the summer of 2012 and the fall drought conditions of 2013 and continued imposed spring or summer drought through use of rainout shelters over the life of the experiment Plots that were shelter free received about 420 mm of rainfall during the time when shelters were put in place. Therefore, about 210 mm of rain reached the soil below the sheltered areas. Goal 2: Demonstrate the impacts of different grazing management practices on invasive and native species After the rainout shelters were removed in 2014, there was about 406 mm of precipitation to refill the soil profile. Of this 138 mm occurred in the fall/early winter 2014, and the rest occurred in 2015 prior to installation of the shelters. No differences in soil moisture were measured between the no drought and drought-2014 treatments. The tall grass had slightly more soil moisture in the top 0-7.5 cm depth than the downy brome treatment (P=0.02). Soil moisture differed by depth with the surface 0-7.5 cm drier than deeper depths. September 2015 When the shelters were in place 353 mm of rain occurred. All of this fell on the shelter-free areas and 50%, or 172 mm, fell in the areas with the shelters. Biomass was about 60% less in downy brome areas when compared with the big bluestem/tick clover plots. Biomass was similar between big bluestem and tick clover. Some soil water differences were observed in the 0 to 7.5 cm soil depth among drought treatments. In the big bluestem plots, soil moisture was less in both the one and two year drought treatments when compared to no drought. In tick clover, only the two year drought had less water than the no or one year drought. In downy brome areas, no drought had much more water than either the one or two yr drought treatments, and two year drought values were less than one year. The low soil moisture values in the downy brome treatment were not unexpected as the roots are in the upper soil and the plant acts as a direct wick of water to the atmosphere. Soil moisture under the deeper rooted big bluestem and tick clover was not influenced by either a one season or two season rainfall reduction and biomass was similar across treatments. June 2016 Rainfall shelters were removed from the plots in September 2015. They were installed over the same areas as 2015 on June 2, 2016, just after soil samples were taken. Therefore, fall and spring rains and snow melt were allowed to replenish the soil profile. The total precipitation was 303 mm, 25% less than the 2014/2015 fall/spring rains. The lesser amount of precipitation may have intensified the differences in the soil moisture amounts quantified in treatments at the beginning of June. Soil samples taken in June 2016 prior to rainout shelter installation indicated that the two year drought (2014 and 2015) had less moisture than in areas where no shelters were placed or if only sheltered for 2015. In big bluestem and tick clover areas, the soil moisture from 0 to 30 cm in two years of drought was less than soil moisture in either the no rainout shelter areas or areas that only had rainout shelters in 2015. In downy brome only the 0 to 7.5 cm depth had less moisture than the deeper depths. August 2016 The final treatments were no drought, rainout shelters that allowed for 50% of the precipitation to reach the soil surface that were placed in the same areas for 3 years (2014-2016), and for 2 years (2015 and 2016). Rainout shelters were removed from the areas and plant biomass and soil samples taken on August 18, 2016. The amount of rain that occurred when the rainout shelters were in place totaled 381 mm, so that drought areasreceived about 190 mm. The second year drought, therefore, had a deficit of 360 mm, almost 50% of all the precipitation in a 'normal' year, although the shelters were only in place about 25% of the time. The third year drought treatment was 572 mm less than unsheltered areas. The deficits in the soil profile were becoming more distinct in plots that had the 3 yr rainout treatment. Rainout shelters were removed from the areas and plant biomass and soil samples taken on August 18, 2016. Soil moisture at all depths in the 3 year drought treatment was less than no drought, except for big bluestem in the 0-7.5 cm depth. Soil moisture in the two year drought treatmentswere typically less than the no drought treatment. Big bluestem was most influenced by drought, having 50% of the biomass in the 3 yr drought treatment compared with the 2 year or no drought treatments. Tick clover numerically had lower average biomass in the 3 yr drought treatment but the difference was not significant due to high variability in biomass among the samples taken. Downy brome had about 25% of the biomass of big bluestem and tickclover. The biomass from this shallow rooted plant was not influenced by drought. Goal3: Improve grazing managers' understanding of the impact of different grazing practices and how these practices influence desirable and invasive species growth Nothing to report Goal 4: Develop educational tools that will explain to ranchers the long and short term effects of different management practices and how to implement the best practices to improve resilence and decrease the presence of nondesirable species in SD rangeland systems. Nothing to report
Publications
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Researcher and livestock producers Changes/Problems:Major problems include the higher than normal rainfall so that true drought conditions have not been able to be examined. Total rainout with water additions are being considered for the 2016 growing season What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?graduate student training in natural resource management How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been discussed at field days and through conference presentations What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Begin to write up papers for peer reviewed journals and continue to provide information through extension outlets
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Rainout shelters were established. Soil and plant materials collected. Both 2014 and 2015 had about 2X the rainfall above normalm so that 'drought' conditions were not achived, rather a 'normal' situation under rainout and overwater conditions without rainout shelters. The interesting results are that increased rainfall did NOT double grass productivity. The system is most like N limited and for greater growth, more nitrogen may be needed. These results if variable will be of great interest to producers, as stodking rates will NOT be able to be increased (no greater grass biomass) unless other management practices are improved.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Mortellaro-Brown, J., A.J. Smart, S. Clay, D.E. Clay. 2014. Impact of stocking density grazing on harvest efficiency and forage trampling. Proc. Society for Range Management. 67th Annual International Meeting. Orlando Fl. 2/14
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Smart, A.J., T.K. Scott, S.A. Clay, D.E. Clay, M. Ohrtman, and E.M. Mousel. 2014. Spring clipping, fire, and simulated increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition effects on tallgrass prairie vegetation. Cool-Season Invasive Grasses in the Northern Great Plains Conference, Fargo, ND, March 18-19, 2014.
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Progress 01/01/14 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: ranchers, grassland managers, scientists Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Students are involved with developing rainout shelters and taking measurements throughout the summer. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Preliminary results and information has been provided at state field days and conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? This research will continue and second season of data will be collected. Undergraduates will be recruited to help during the summer activities for professional development.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project was started (Spring 2014). The land managers who will potentially be involved have been contacted. Rainout shelters were placed in various locations. Paired soil samples and plant samples were taken in and out of the 50% rainout shelters.Shelters were placed in areas with downy brome as the major species and other areas with Canadian tick clover and big bluestem as the major species. Data are being analyzed to determine the short and long term effects of the treatments on plant growth and soil water.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Helms, E.R., Alexander Smart, Jiyul Chang, Michelle Ohrtman, Sharon Clay, and David Clay. Influences of Litter on Soil Moisture and Temperature in a High Stocking Density Grazing System. Abstract. SRM 2014 Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
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