Influence of mesquite on vegetational changes under two grazing strategies in southern New Mexico

Title	Influence of mesquite on vegetational changes under two grazing strategies in southern New Mexico
Publication Type	Thesis
Year of Publication	1983
Authors	McNeely R.P.
Number of Pages	61
Date Published	1983
University	New Mexico State University
City	Las Cruces, New Mexico
Thesis Type	M.S. Thesispp
Call Number	00213
Keywords	cattle, grazing strategies, dissertation, dissertations, grazing strategies, mesquite, grazing strategies, mesquite, vegetation changes, plant,Prosopis, Prosopis, vegetation change, rangeland, grazing strategies, rangeland, influence of mesquite, theses, thesis, vegetation change,mesquite influence
Abstract	Seasonal suitability and continuous yearlong grazing systems were initiated in 1967 on desert rangeland on the College Ranch in southern New Mexico. Cover, composition and production were measured on 220 permanent transects in 1968 and 1982. Herbicide was applied to mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) between 1958 and 1964 on extensive areas of the study pastures. Mesquite cover and density were significantly lower (P<.10) in the herbicide-treated areas than in the nontreated areas in 1982. Between herbicide treatments and years black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) and dropseed (Sporobolus spp.) cover did not increase significantly (P>.10). Threeawn (Aristida spp.) cover increased (P<.10) between 1968 and 1982 in nontreated areas. The principle of the seasonal suitability system is to provide a grazing system for areas in which different vegetation types and range condition classes are found. Data indicated that the seasonal suitability system did not prove superior to yearlong grazing in areas of varied vegetation and range condition.