Grazing and Riparian Impact
One of the main sources of protein that
Americans consume comes in the form of beef. While many would say
that beef is delicious and an important part of their diet what is
the impact of beef production beyond the sticker price you find at
the grocery store? A fact sheet from Ohio State University's School
of Environment and Natural Resources examines the impact of cattle
grazing and the adverse effects that sustained grazing land can have
on the natural habitat and more specifically what this impact would
look like in riparian areas. The researchers found that sustained
grazing over time lead to a removal of important vegetation that
prevented soil erosion and sediment run off. Likewise vegetation
along water-beds has a regulating impact on the water temperature. The
removal of riparian vegetation lead to an overall increase in both
the mean water temperature and temperature extremes. Grazing can
also impact the very shape of the steam itself by causing the stream
to divert course over time and even impacting water flow. A full
break down of the study including facts and figures can be found
here at the Ohio State University website.
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