Editor’s note: The following was written by Krista Ehlert, South Dakota State University assistant professor and Extension range field specialist, Jessalyn Bachler, former Extension range field specialist, Hector Menendez and Anna Dagel, animal science graduate students, for the university website.
Overgrazing leaves lasting effects on rangelands
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On the right side of the fence, a severely overgrazed and degraded pasture with little to no standing forage. On the left side of the fence, leafy spurge, a noxious weed, has moved in from the neighboring disturbance.
Overgrazing is regrazing a plant before it is allowed to fully recover from the previous grazing event, as shown in this image.
