Effects of mechanical treatments and climatic factors on the productivity of Northern Great Plains rangelands.

Abstract

Impacts of 7 range treatments and climate on late spring herbage standing crops (SC) were measured in rangelands near Miles City, Mont., from 1983 to 1990. Treatments, established in 8 pastures at 2 sites, were: (1) untreated control + season long grazing (SL); (2) soil tillage (ST) + SL; (3) ST + drill seeding legumes (DS) + SL; (4) brush control (BC) + ST + DS + switchback grazing (utilizing 2 pastures); (5) BC + ST + DS + SL; (6) ST + nitrogen fertilization + SL; and (7) contour furrowing (CF) + aerial seeding legumes + SL. Data were analyzed using years as a repeated measure. Treatments increased (p less than or equal to 0.05) total SC 320 kg/ha over controls, but did not affect species/species group composition. Treated pastures produced similar (p greater than or equal to 0.10) SC of 881 kg/ha. Total SC averaged 490 kg/ha more (p less than or equal to 0.05) in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990 than in 1984, 1985, and 1988. Perennial cool-season grass SC was greatest in 1986 (651 kg/ha). Peak annual grass SC (337-506 kg/ha) occurred in 1983 and 1984, the 2 years following ST or CF, and 1989 and 1990, the 2 years following severe drought. Although regression analyses showed fall, winter, and spring precipitation and temperature were closely related to spring SC, less than 50% of the variation in SC was accounted for when precipitation and temperature were summed on a 1-month, 2-month, or 3-month basis. Above-average fall and spring precipitation (September and April) resulted in the greatest total SC. Species composition varied temporally with changing weather conditions and management strategies.