Comparison of Big Sagebrush Vegetation in Northcentral New Mexico under Moderately Grazed and Grazing Excluded Conditions

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Abstract
Vegetation canopy cover on upland and lowland sites inside and outside a 22-yr-old exclosure in big sagebrush (A. t. tridentata) range was evaluated by sampling for canopy cover. The area outside the exclosure had received moderate use of grazable forage by cattle in the late winter and spring for the past 22 yr. The 2 sites did not show a consistent response to grazing. Big sagebrush canopy cover was higher inside the exclosure on the upland site and higher outside the exclosure on the lowland site. Big sagebrush dominated the canopy cover both inside and outside the exclosure on both sites and relatively little understory was present. Forbs were nearly absent from the area, which is attributed to a past history of heavy sheep grazing. Elimination of grazing had little effect on vegetation composition on both sites studied.

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