PERMFILE122701 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Gonzalez and Dodd (1919) conducted their study in Texas on the Rio Grande Plain. They were able to more than double the total herbaceous production, and therefore double available animal units for cattle and sheep, by removing brush from their study areas. k'here sfrcubs provide essential habitat for wildlife however, their • elimination or reduction ma}• increase [he carrying capacity for domestic livestock but decrease i.t for the wildlife species. Forme needs of bir, ,an=_ There are five basic requirements for proper wildlife habitat. These requirements . include water, forage, cover, landform or topography, and interspersion. Znter- r;persion is defin•ui as Uie spatial arranoemeut of the other components, i.e. o•ater fora~C, cover snd lardferm. (U.S. L`ept. of Interior Fish and [dildlife Service, 1973). Numerous studies have been conducted to catalog ttie forage preferences of wild- life and domestic species. A review of literature indicates that grazing prefer- ences are more a function of what is available, green and palatable. (Pederson and harper, 1978; Carpenter et al, 1979). During winter months,_shrubs are often heav- ily grazed probably b=cause Chey are accessible above the snow and grasses and forbs are una~•ailable. 4lhile shrub stands are, therefore, important on winter • grazing lands, recent studies indicate grasses and fortis may be much more critical on spring, sun¢aer, and fall grazing lands. Pederson and Harper (1978) conducted a study on the LaSal Mountains of southeastern Utah to dete,.inine [he factors influ- encing the productivity of two mule deer herds in Utalr. The abstract from Ch is paper is presented in its entirety. JORDAN C. PEDERSOId P.1:D K. T. HARPED. (1978) Highlight: Doe-fawn counts show that the mule deer herd on the LaSal Mountains of southeastern Utah produced over 38% more farms per doe than [he Ilenry Ptountain t,erd over a 9-year period. Carcass weights of animals from the LaSa1 herd were generally greater for all a&c classes. Observed reproductive differences appear to be unrelated to the incidence of diseases, parasites, or predation. Furthermore, winter ranges are ncarty equal in forap,e quantity and quality on fire two ranges. Summer range vegetation on the LaSai Mountains, howevec, produced rare forage of betCCr quality than did similar corm unity types on the • -4-