2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

6/07/2017 | 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM | EFFECTS OF PATCH-BURN GRAZING ON REMNANT TALLGRASS PRAIRIE STREAMS | 301B

EFFECTS OF PATCH-BURN GRAZING ON REMNANT TALLGRASS PRAIRIE STREAMS

Tallgrass prairies are one of the most degraded ecosystems in North America, but conservation and land management for remaining fragments are progressing. Patch-burn grazing (PBG) has emerged as a management practice, but little is known about potential impacts on streams. Six headwater streams were sampled over seven years encompassing pre-PBG, PBG, and post-PBG periods; two controls, two PBG and fenced riparian zones, and two PBG and unfenced riparian zones. Macroinvertebrates and water chemistry were sampled monthly. Differences in total phosphorus were observed in the unfenced and fenced streams during PBG compared to controls (p < 0.0001). Chironomidae biomass decreased in all streams, and significant differences were observed between the fenced and control streams from pre-PBG to post-PBG (p = 0.04). Percent Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa in the unfenced streams decreased marginally compared to controls during PBG (p = 0.06). No differences were observed in EPT abundance or biomass from pre-PBG to post-PBG. Results suggest that PBG can negatively affect aquatic communities. However, a two year rest cycle may provide time for streams to return to pre-PBG conditions.

C16 Restoration Ecology
C22 Disturbance
C12 Conservation Ecology

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Presenters/Authors

Jessica Fulgoni (), Missouri Department of Conservation, jessica.Fulgoni@mdc.mo.gov;