Julian Meisler wrote: > A very interesting study came out last year showing the effects of removing > grazing from vernal pools in the Central Valley of CA. These vernal pools > provide habitat for a large number of endangered plants, invertebrates, and > a few vertebrates. When grazing was excluded for three years from sites > that had historical grazing, the cover of non-native grasses increased 88%, > native plant species richness declined 25%, and aquatic invertebrate > richness declined 28%.
Likewise grazing helps protect the caterpillar food plants of the endangered California [Bay Checkerspot] butterfly from being overrun by invasive nonnative grasses: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/297/5582/767a "hungry bovines may now help save an endangered California [Bay Checkerspot] butterfly. In an unusual deal, a power company is using grazing to restore and maintain prime butterfly habitat in exchange for being allowed to build a new generating plant." "nitrogen oxides, common air pollutants also fertilize the naturally nutrient-poor serpentine soils that make up a large chunk of the [San Francisco] bay area's ecosystem, Weiss notes. The fertilization is a problem for the checkerspot because it encourages nonnative grasses to invade serpentine soils and displace the small native wildflowers that its caterpillars use for food. To keep the invading plants at bay--and offset the impact of the new plant's nitrogen emissions--Weiss suggested that the company consider cows. The hefty grazers, it turns out, prefer to eat the invading grasses, helping native plants return to overrun lands." Paul Cherubini El Dorado, Calif.
