ABSTRACT:
A rotating boom rainfall simulator was used to evaluate the effects on infiltration and runoff of removing cattle from a native shortgrass rangeland site in the Central Great Plains. Study sites included three pastures which had been grazed at the same intensities for 53 years. After 1 year there were changes in the initial dry run equilibrium runoff ratio on the area that had been heavily grazed. No changes were evident in the final wet-wet equilibrium runoff ratios after 2 years. These results indicate that changes in the infiltration parameters of the surface soil layers occur within 2 years after removal of cattle grazing but no changes occurred at the deeper soil depths, which affect long-term equilibrium infiltration. Wet-wet equilibrium runoff ratios decreased on the light and moderate grazed areas over the 3-year time span.
Footnotes
Gary W. Frasier is a research hydraulic engineer with the U. S. Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources Research Unit, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526; Richard H. Hart is a rangeland scientist and Gerald E. Schuman is a soil scientist/research leader, USDA-ARS, Rangeland Resources Research Unit, High Plains Grasslands Research Station, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009. The authors wish to thank Dennis Mueller, Mary Ashby, Pam Lyman, and Jeff Thomas for their assistance in conducting the simulator studies, biomass data collection, and data processing. Their dedication is sincerely appreciated.
- Copyright 1995 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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