The influence of grazing systems on infiltration rate and sediment production in the Rolling Plains of Texas

Abstract

This study was conducted on the Texas Experimental Ranch, located in the Rolling Plains near Throckmorton, Texas. Study objectives were to: (1) determine the influence of deferred-rotation, short duration, and continuous grazing systems, and grazing exclusion on infiltration rates and sediment production of a major range site; and (2) determine the impacts of grazing systems on vegetation and soil variables which influence infiltration and sediment production. Pastures which were evaluated represented heavy and moderate stocking, continuous grazing; rested and grazed deferred-rotation; rested and grazed short duration; and two livestock exclosures which had not been grazed for 20 years. Infiltration rates were determined with a drip type infiltrometer with soils initially dry and initially at field capacity for coppice dune, midgrass interspace, and shortgrass interspace communities within each grazing treatment. Infiltration rates after 30 min in the coppice dune community and in the shortgrass community were found to be similar across all grazing treatments within each soil moisture level. The midgrass interspace community had infiltration rates which were similar across all grazing treatments when soil moisture levels were initially dry. However, when soil moisture levels were at field capacity infiltration rates in the deferred-rotation treatments approached the near optimum rates of the exclosures and exceeded the rates of the moderately stocked, continuously grazed treatment. Infiltration rates in the short duration treatments were nearly as low as those of the heavily stocked, continuously grazed treatment and were less than the moderately stocked, continuously grazed treatment. Sediment production from the coppice dune community was similar regardless of the grazing treatment or soil moisture condition. In the midgrass interspace community with soil moisture levels initially dry, sediment production was similar across all grazing treatments except for the heavily stocked, continuously grazed treatment which was highest...