Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Standardized Monitoring Protocols - 2016-10-20
Standardized Monitoring Protocols - 2016-10-20
Motivation
Develop a Rigorous Scientific Foundation for Targeted Grazing.
Establish a Multi-Regional Experiment.
Capitalize on Local Projects and Demonstrations by Standardizing:
Grazing Treatment Types
Monitoring and Assessment Protocols
Treatment Application Targets (e.g. Fuel Height)
Ecosystem Responses
Individual Projects/Demos become Replicates in Larger Experiment.
Parameter
Visual Record
Protocol
Photo Points,
Repeated
Purpose
Document
before-after
state of treated
area.
Document
phenological
timing of grazing.
Phenology
Grass, 6-class
Phenology
Stubble Height
with Pace
Transects
Iteratively assess
fuel heightreduction for
target species.
Utilization
Paired-Plots with
Utilization Cages
Assess utilization
by % weight
removed for
target species.
Comments
Important
technologytransfer
information.
See phenological
class description
below in Details
section.
NOT intended as
a stand-alone
measure of
utilization (see
below).
Treatment
applications of > 7
days during active
growth require
multiple
assessments using
movable cages.
Parameter
Visual Record
Protocol
Photo Points,
Repeated
Phenology
Grass, 6-class
Phenology
Stubble Height
with Pace
Transects
Utilization
Paired-Plots with
Utilization Cages
Purpose
Comments
Document
Important
before-after state technologyof treated area.
transfer
information.
Document
See phenological
phenological
class description
timing of grazing. below in Details
section.
Iteratively assess NOT intended as
fuel heighta stand-alone
reduction for
measure of
target species.
utilization (see
below).
Assess utilization Treatment
by % weight
applications of > 7
removed for
days during active
target species.
growth require
multiple
assessments using
movable cages.
Parameter
Visual Record
Protocol
Photo Points,
Repeated
Purpose
Document
before-after
state of treated
area.
Document
phenological
timing of grazing.
Phenology
Grass, 6-class
Phenology
Stubble Height
with Pace
Transects
Iteratively assess
fuel heightreduction for
target species.
Utilization
Paired-Plots with
Utilization Cages
Assess utilization
by % weight
removed for
target species.
Comments
Important
technologytransfer
information.
See phenological
class description
below in Details
section.
NOT intended as
a stand-alone
measure of
utilization (see
below).
Treatment
applications of > 7
days during active
growth require
multiple
assessments using
movable cages.
Parameter
Visual Record
Protocol
Photo Points,
Repeated
Phenology
Grass, 6-class
Phenology
Purpose
Document
before-after
state of treated
area.
Document
phenological
timing of grazing.
Iteratively assess
fuel heightreduction for
target species.
Utilization
Assess utilization
by % weight
removed for
target species.
Paired-Plots with
Utilization Cages
Comments
Important
technologytransfer
information.
See phenological
class description
below in Details
section.
NOT intended as a
stand-alone
measure of
utilization (see
below).
Treatment
applications of > 7
days during active
growth require
multiple
assessments using
movable cages.
Parameter
Visual Record
Protocol
Photo Points,
Repeated
Purpose
Document
before-after
state of treated
area.
Document
phenological
timing of grazing.
Phenology
Grass, 6-class
Phenology
Stubble Height
with Pace
Transects
Iteratively assess
fuel heightreduction for
target species.
Utilization
Paired-Plots with
Utilization Cages
Assess utilization
by % weight
removed for
target species.
Comments
Important
technologytransfer
information.
See phenological
class description
below in Details
section.
NOT intended as
a stand-alone
measure of
utilization (see
below).
Treatment
applications of > 7
days during active
growth require
multiple
assessments using
movable cages.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Purpose
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Comments
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Purpose
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Comments
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Purpose
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Comments
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Purpose
Comments
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Purpose
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Comments
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Purpose
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Comments
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Response Assessment
Protocol
Purpose
Assess erosion
potential and habitat
quality.
Assess species
richness, abundance
and identify presence
of nonnative invasive
plant species, species
of management
concern (e.g., T&E).
Comments
Line-Point Intercept
(LPI)
Vegetation Composition
Line-Point Intercept
with Plot-Level
Inventory
Inter-Canopy Gaps
Vegetation Height
Line-Point Intercept
with Cylindrical
Neighborhood
Assess vertical
structure, habitat
quality, and potential
for wind erosion.
Production
Soil Compaction
Bulk Density
Assess soil
compaction response
to livestock grazing.
Compaction is of
particular concern for
early-spring grazing on
moist soils.
Parameter
Soil Stability
Protocol
Soil Aggregate
Stability
Purpose
Assess soil
structural
development,
resistance to
erosion, and
biotic integrity.
Comments
AIM Terrestrial
Contingent
Indicator.
Others
Targeted Grazing
(Fuel Break)
Prevailing
Winds
1 km
pat.clark@ars.usda.gov
(208) 422-0717