What question did this study set out to answer?

Examine how rotational grazing methods affect plant diversity and community composition in different grassland types.

March 3, 2026Open Access

Grassland Vegetation Responses to Rotational Stocking in the U.S. Southern Great Plains

Puntos clave

Examine how rotational grazing methods affect plant diversity and community composition in different grassland types.
Compared prescriptive grazing (lower density, fixed rest) and adaptive grazing (high density, flexible rest) over four years.
Evaluated plant diversity, richness, evenness, and composition using mixed models.
Studied both native rangeland and introduced bermudagrass pasture systems.
Adaptive grazing increased Shannon diversity in introduced pastures by 0.23 units, while prescriptive grazing showed no change (p < 0.001).
Prescriptive grazing caused an 11% decline in bermudagrass dominance and an increase in autumn annual forbs under adaptive grazing (p = 0.001).
In native rangeland, prescriptive grazing led to a greater reduction in dominant species (31% vs. 16%; p = 0.044) and a higher increase in Shannon diversity by 0.29 units (p = 0.015).

Resumen

Plant community composition and diversity are key indicators of grassland ecosystem health. Rotational stocking offers an alternative to continuous grazing, with the potential to better balance animal production and conservation goals. Adaptive grazing, a form of rotational stocking characterized by high stocking density, short stocking periods, and flexible rest, has been promoted for enhancing forage and soil outcomes, but its effects on plant diversity and composition are not well understood. We compared prescriptive grazing (PR, lower stocking density, fixed rest) and adaptive grazing (AD) in native rangeland and introduced bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) pasture systems in the southern U.S. Great Plains over four years. Plant diversity, richness, evenness, and functional group composition were evaluated using mixed models over time. Patterns of grazing response differed between grassland types. In introduced pastures, Shannon diversity increased by 0.23 units under AD, while PR did not change ( p < 0.001). This change was primarily driven by an 11% decline ( p = 0.001) in bermudagrass dominance and a drought-related increase in autumn annual forbs in AD. In contrast, an increase in bermudagrass dominance under PR resulted in an evenness decrease during summer. In native rangeland, PR led to a greater decrease in dominant species relative abundance (31% vs. 16%; p = 0.044) and consequently a greater increase in Shannon diversity (by 0.29 units; p = 0.015) compared to AD. Competitive release under PR promoted C4 perennial grass diversity and spring annuals, whereas AD increased tallgrass relative abundance and reduced forb diversity. Our results suggest that AD grazing may promote C4 perennial grass dominance over diversity in native rangelands compared to PR, whereas in introduced pastures it may increase diversity but reduce bermudagrass persistence under drought conditions. Thus, grazing strategies should be tailored to specific context, including land use, soil, climate, and dominant species.

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