Title
Relationships among rotational and conventional grazing systems, stream channels, and macroinvertebrates
Abstract
Cattle grazing in riparian areas can reduce
water quality, alter stream channel characteristics,
and alter fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage
structure. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural
Resources Conservation Services has recommended
Rotational Grazing (RG) as an alternative
management method on livestock and dairy operations
to protect riparian areas and water quality. We
evaluated 13 stream channel characteristics, benthic
macroinvertebrate larvae (BML), and chironomid
pupal exuviae (CPE) from 18 sites in the Upper
Midwest of the United States in relation to RG and
conventional grazing (CG). A Biotic Composite Score
comprised of several macroinvertebrate metrics was
developed for both the BML assemblage and the CPE
assemblage. Multi-Response Permutation Procedures
(MRPP) indicated a significant difference in stream
channel characteristics between RG and CG. Nonmetric
Multidimensional Scaling indicated that RG
sites were associated with more stable stream banks,
higher quality aquatic habitat, lower soil compaction,
and larger particles in the streambed. However, neither
MRPP nor Mann–Whitney U tests demonstrated a
difference in Biotic Composite Scores for BML or
CPE along RG and CG sites. The BML and CPE
metrics were significantly correlated, indicating that
they were likely responding to similar variables
among the study sites. Although stream channel
characteristics appeared to respond to grazing management,
BML and CPE may have responded to
land use throughout the watershed, as well as local
land use.
Suggested Citation
Raymond, Kara, L.; Vondracek, Bruce.
(2011).
Relationships among rotational and conventional grazing systems, stream channels, and macroinvertebrates.
Retrieved from the University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy,
https://hdl.handle.net/11299/183606.