高寒草甸放牧生态系统夏秋草场轮牧制度的模拟研究

利用ＧＭＡＭＥ１模拟高寒草甸放牧生态系统夏秋草场在临界放牧压力下的２７０种轮牧制度,并对其累积采食量进行比较分析。结果指出：在高寒草甸放牧生态系统中,最佳的轮牧小区数目为３或４个。证明了Ｍｏｒｌｅｙ规则：最佳轮牧小区数目应该小于１０。推荐２个高寒草甸地区最佳的轮牧模式供野外实验和放牧规划参考：（１）３个轮牧小区,每小区每次持续放牧２９ｄ,放牧压力为３０．１４ｋＪ／ｍ２·ｄ,累积牧草采食量最高为４２５０．４４３ｋＪ／ｍ２。（２）为保持牧草结构的稳定和各轮牧小区牧草生物量的均匀性,可以采用３个轮收小区,放牧持续时间７ｄ,放牧压力Ｉ（１４５）＝２８．８９１４ｋＪ／ｍ２·ｄ,累积采食量为４０７３．３４ｋＪ／ｍ２。     

放牧草地健康管理的生理指标

依据草地对席子和牧的生理响应,用牧草生理低限（PLL）,生理上限（PUL）和再生长期（R期）长度/放牧期（G期）长度的比值（R/G）等指标。构建了放牧草地健康评价的生理阈限双因子法,并以光合作用及其相关参数分析了多年生黑麦草轮牧草地的健康指标。维持草地适宜的双因子生理阈限的R/G比值,旨在放牧后草地功能与健康的完全恢复,是放牧草地可持续经营的目标。     

放牧制度对荒漠草原生态系统土壤养分状况的影响

从土壤N,P,K及土壤有机质等方面研究了在连续进行了7 a的放牧制度试验对荒漠草原生态系统土壤养分含量的影响。研究结果表明:放牧制度对土壤的养分状况有明显的影响。划区轮牧区和禁牧提高了土壤有机质、土壤氮素、土壤全钾和土壤速效钾含量。土壤表层磷含量划区轮牧区最高。放牧导致碳氮比减少。同时,土壤养分含量随土壤深度的变化在不同处理没有表现出较为一致的变化趋势。禁牧区土壤全氮含量随土壤深度的增加而增加;不同处理土壤速效氮、土壤速效钾含量均随土壤深度的增加逐渐降低;土壤全磷在自由放牧区随土壤深度的增加逐渐升高;土壤速效磷、全钾含量在划区轮牧区随土壤深度的增加逐渐降低;土壤养分含量与土壤深度的拟合曲线为二次幂函数。研究表明,禁牧和划区轮牧较自由放牧可以提高荒漠草原土壤养分元素的含量,有利于遏制草原土壤的退化。     

东北农牧交错区绵羊的自由放养与设计饲养

探讨了在草地自由放养基础上的家畜饲养方式,提出在东北农牧交错区要进行设计饲养。即在利用草地草、农田残茬、林带草和树木落叶自由放养的基础上。按着动物的生长规律设计增重要求,同时利用能量和蛋白质饲料进行补饲,这种日常计划饲养方式有利于草地管理及家畜生产,是我国草地畜牧业的改进发展方向,在东北农牧交错区。当年生羔羊羯羊日粮中若加入20％的豆科牧草,当年体重可以增加40％～65％,即达到52～61kg．这不仅会满足商品畜当年出栏的高标准要求,缩短家畜的存栏期,增进畜牧业效益,同时也必将减轻放牧家畜对草原次年的压力。     

放牧对牧草光合作用、呼吸作用和氮、碳吸收与转运的影响

研究放牧对草地植物生理活动的影响,对于揭示草地放牧演替的生理机制有重要意义.大量研究表明,家畜放牧对牧草光合作用、呼吸作用以及C和N吸收与转运的影响,可以分为生理伤害和生理恢复2个阶段.放牧通过改变草地冠层结构影响牧草光合作用,净光合作用速率短期内迅速下降,随着叶面积指数增加又逐渐上升,呼吸作用有相似的变化趋势.牧草放牧后再生长所需的C和N最初主要来自根系和留茬中的贮藏物质,此后随着牧草生长恢复逐渐由同化作用供给,C代谢与土壤N水平负相关.放牧后牧草生理活动变化与牧草遗传特性、种间竞争、家畜放牧特征、非生物环境等因素密切相关.     

放牧家畜的践踏作用研究评述

放牧家畜的践踏作用是家畜作用于草地的 3个途径之一 ,相对于采食和排泄物的作用具有作用时间长、直接作用的草地组分多和效果持久的特点。家畜践踏损伤牧草、埋实种子、促进萌发 ,减少凋落物的现存量 ,增加土壤的紧实度、容重 ,降低土壤孔隙度、水稳性团聚体、透水性和透气性 ,导致雨后水涝和植物根区缺氧 ,引发水土流失。国内外使用的 4种践踏强度指标分别存在不确定性大、忽视践踏强度的时间依赖性和畜种间差异、没有考虑放牧行为及其时间分配模式等问题 ,分析认为践踏强度应为家畜放牧行为、不同行为的持续时间、家畜体重、放牧地面积和坡度的函数。家畜的践踏作用因草地的健康状况差异而与之存在正或负的反馈机制以及践踏强度阈值 ,可能在草地退化和健康维护中起主导作用。今后需建立严格的研究方法和科学的践踏强度指标 ,重视草地植被对践踏的耐受阈限、践踏对牧草更新的调控机理及其对凋落物产生和分解的影响 ,以及土壤水分与践踏作用的关系 ,确定放牧系统的践踏强度阈值。     

荒漠草原与典型草原NPP、碳积累对不同降雨年份和利用方式的响应

不同草原利用方式正在影响着内蒙古的草原生态系统,而且在未来降水空间格局变化的背景下,它们共同决定了生态系统植被类型、净初级生产力(NPP)和生态系统碳积累。选取内蒙古中部两个重要的草地类型:荒漠草原和典型草原,研究不同草原利用方式(围栏禁牧、划区轮牧、割草、自由放牧)植物群落在降雨量不同的两个生长季节地上(ANPP)、地下净初级生产力(BNPP)的变化,同时也评估了植物群落的碳积累,研究结果表明:1)在降雨量亏缺年份,与围封相比,荒漠草原自由放牧区ANPP、BNPP及碳积累分别下降了57.1%、51.7%和56.0%,而典型草原自由放牧区分别下降了18.4%、25.1%和17.9%。2)在降雨量充足年份,与围封相比,荒漠草原划区轮牧区ANPP、BNPP以及碳积累分别增加了18.2%、9.8%和21.9%,而典型草原各处理下围封禁牧区ANPP仍是最高;3)两种草地类型下,降雨量对自由放牧的调控作用高于其它草地利用方式;4)荒漠草原ANPP在丰雨年是欠雨年的2倍,而典型草原仅增加了79.0%,降雨量对荒漠草原生产力的季节调控作用远高于典型草原。在未来全球气候变暖和降水格局变化的情况下,荒漠草原降雨量是影响荒漠植物群落NPP和碳积累的主导因子。     

放牧家畜组合对高寒草地植物群落特征及生产力的影响

为明晰中等放牧强度下不同放牧家畜组合如何调控高寒草地地上净初级生产力,进而提高高寒草地管理水平,本研究以青藏高原东端高寒草地为对象,设置中等放牧强度下不同放牧家畜组合样地(牦牛、藏羊单独放牧及1∶2混合放牧)和不放牧样地,分析了不同放牧家畜组合下高寒草地植物群落特征、土壤理化性质及地上净初级生产力变化。结果表明：不同放牧家畜组合对物种丰富度与多样性指数无显著影响,但显著降低高寒草地植物群落的高度与盖度,并改变功能群重要值占比;藏羊单独放牧显著增加高寒草地土壤速效氮、磷含量以及土壤容重;放牧弱化高寒草地植物多样性对地上净初级生产力的调控作用并加强土壤环境因子的作用强度;牦牛、藏羊混合放牧时高寒草地地上净初级生产力、家畜采食量均最高。为提升高寒草地管理水平,建议基于中等放牧强度进行牦牛、藏羊适宜比例的混合放牧,采用植被-家畜-土壤耦合管理方式以实现高寒草地生态功能维持与可持续利用。     

天然草地合理利用的判别模型研究

天然草地具有资源和生境的双重功能 ,合理利用与否直接关系着资源的可持续性及生态环境的优劣。在短花针茅荒漠草原群落 ,实地观测研究了建群种短花针茅、优势种无芒隐子草和碱韭的枝条密度、单枝重及株丛枝条数目对不同放牧制度的响应 ,初步建立了草地合理利用的判别模型。不同放牧制度下植物的枝条密度、单枝重存在差异 ,轮牧区植物的单枝重高于自由放牧区 ,枝条生长也较优越。株丛单枝重与枝条数目之间负相关 ,单枝重随枝条数目的增加最终出现负增长。绝对不利用会造成草地资源的浪费 ,并且对植物的生长不利。轮牧实现了草地资源的合理利用 ,同时加强了草地的生态功能     

中国牧区草地移动性利用的丧失和重建

草地利用移动性的丧失导致生态系统退化,是草地放牧生态学领域兴起的主导性学说。在我国,草地利用移动性的丧失不仅是政策变化导致的,更是众多自然和社会因素叠加演进的结果。草地利用移动性的重建对于中国草地恢复和可持续性管理具有重要意义,但是很难通过恢复传统或季节性轮牧的途径实现。我们可以依托智能围栏、牲畜智能可穿戴设备以及草地生产力无人机快测等新型放牧管理技术,在我国不同气候区域、不同类型草地,因地制宜地发展新型草地移动性管理模式,进而重建“草地利用的移动性”。新型轮牧模式还应与草畜平衡、牲畜补饲以及土壤养分补充等重要生态草牧业措施结合,确保我国草地资源的高效可持续利用。     

Regional productivity mediates the effects of grazing disturbance on plant cover and patch‐size distribution in arid and semi‐arid communities

Patch‐size distribution and plant cover are strongly associated to arid ecosystem functioning and may be a warning signal for the onset of desertification under changes in disturbance regimes. However, the interaction between regional productivity level and human‐induced disturbance regime as drivers for vegetation structure and dynamics remain poorly studied. We studied grazing disturbance effects on plant cover and patchiness in three plant communities located along a regional productivity gradient in Patagonia (Argentina): a semi‐desert (low‐productivity community), a shrub‐grass steppe (intermediate‐productivity community) and a grass steppe (high‐productivity community). We sampled paddocks with different sheep grazing pressure (continuous disturbance gradients) in all three communities. In each paddock, the presence or absence of perennial vegetation was recorded every 10 cm along a 50 m transect. Grazing effects on vegetation structure depended on the community and its association to the regional productivity. Grazing decreased total plant cover while increasing both the frequency of small patches and the inter‐patch distance in all communities. However, the size of these effects was the greatest in the high‐productivity community. Dominant species responses to grazing explained vegetation patch‐ and inter‐patch‐size distribution patterns. As productivity decreases, dominant species showed a higher degree of grazing resistance, probably because traits of species adapted to high aridity allow them to resist herbivore disturbance. In conclusion, our findings suggest that regional productivity mediates grazing disturbance impacts on vegetation mosaic. The changes within the same range of grazing pressure have higher effects on communities found in environments with higher productivity, markedly promoting their desertification. Understanding the complex interactions between environmental aridity and human‐induced disturbances is a key aspect for maintaining patchiness structure and dynamics, which has important implications for drylands management.     

Direct and indirect effects of grazing constrain shrub encroachment in semi‐arid Patagonian steppes

Question: What are the long‐term effects of grazing exclusion on the population structure and dynamics of, and interactions among, three dominant shrub species? Location: Grass‐shrub Patagonian steppe, Chubut, Argentina. Methods: Permanent plots were established in grazed paddocks and paddocks excluded from grazing in representative Patagonian rangelands. Shrub abundance, population size‐structure, short‐term (two 3‐yr periods) and long‐term (matrix models) population dynamics, and neighborhood interactions of three native and codominant shrub species (Mulinum spinosum, Senecio filaginoides and Adesmia volckmanni) were measured and analysed using different statistical approaches. Results: The total density of shrubs was 74% higher in paddocks excluded from grazing, owing mainly to increases in Mulinum (80%) and Senecio (68%) species. However, differences in size structure between ungrazed and grazed paddocks were only detected in Mulinum. Demographic rates differed between shrub species, time‐periods and grazing conditions. In particular, recruitment in the short term (especially in wet years) and population growth rate in the long term (λ) were higher in paddocks excluded from grazing only in Mulinum populations. Senecio populations showed a marginal increase in recruitment and mortality independent of the grazing condition in the wet and dry period. Grazing exclusion modified the balance of neighborhood interactions among the three shrub species. In grazing‐exclusion paddocks, there was a balance between positive and negative interspecific interactions, while in grazed paddocks there were more negative intraspecific and interspecific interactions, resulting in a net negative balance of neighborhood interactions. Conclusions: Our understanding of woody encroachment in arid rangelands can be informed through evaluation of direct and indirect effects of grazing exclusion on the abundance and demography of dominant woody species. In Patagonian arid steppes, the occurrence of woody encroachment in rangelands excluded from grazing can be explained by altered responses in plant‐animal and plant‐plant interactions among shrub species.     

Long‐term effects of exclusion of grazing stock on degraded herbaceous plant communities in a riparian Eucalyptus camaldulensis forest in south‐eastern Australia

Abstract Stock grazing has degraded many riparian ecosystems around the world. However, the potential for ecosystem recovery following the removal of grazing stock is poorly known. We developed a conceptual model to predict the responses of native and exotic herbaceous plants to grazing exclusion, based on site productivity and the degree of initial vegetation degradation. The effects of excluding grazing stock on richness, cover and composition of herbaceous plants were examined over 12 years in the degraded understorey of a riparian forest in Gulpa Island State Forest in south‐eastern Australia. We predicted that grazing exclusion would lead to limited changes in vegetation cover, richness and composition, owing to presumed low site productivity and the high degree of understorey degradation. Results showed that the cover, richness and composition of native and exotic species varied significantly among years. Over all plots, regions and years, total cover was slightly but significantly lower in grazed than in ungrazed plots (43.4% vs. 50.8%). While the cover of native plants increased over time in both treatments, the rate of increase was slightly greater in ungrazed plots. Grazing exclusion had no effect on the richness of native or exotic species, but had a significant but minor impact on plant composition, with different common species (mostly exotics) being promoted or diminished in ungrazed plots. The composition of grazed and ungrazed areas did not become more different over time. Overall, the effects that could be attributed to grazing exclusion were relatively minor and transient. Results are consistent with predictions based on site productivity and initial degradation, and should not be extrapolated to other more productive, or less degraded, riparian systems.     

The impact of cattle grazing regimes on tropical savanna bird assemblages

Globally, agricultural land use is implicated in the decline of avifauna. In rangelands (areas used for livestock grazing), bird community responses to grazing can be complex, species‐specific and scale dependent. A greater understanding of bird responses to grazing will lead to more meaningful management recommendations. We tested the hypothesis that foraging height predicts bird species’ responses to grazing, such that species using lower vegetation strata are most likely to respond to the impacts of livestock grazing. We examined the response of a tropical savanna bird community to four grazing strategies at a long‐term grazing trial in northern Australia. We predicted that ground‐foraging guilds would be more responsive to grazing treatment than foliage‐ or aerial‐foraging guilds. We analysed the bird community assemblage using generalised linear mixed models and examined individual species’ abundance in relation to microhabitat variables. We found that while ground‐foraging guilds were more responsive to grazing treatment, individual species dynamics within a foraging guild could be contradictory. For example, the red‐backed fairy‐wren decreased in abundance with increased grazing and was positively associated with grass and shrub (Carissa ovata) cover, whereas Australian magpies increased in abundance in the most heavily grazed paddocks. In general, the responses of bird species to grazing were more pronounced in guilds that forage closer to the ground, but whether the responses were positive or negative was driven by bird species ecology. Measures examining the responses of individual species are more useful than assemblage measures (such as richness) to describe the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance such as grazing.     

Experimental trial of Australian arid zone reptiles as early warning indicators of overgrazing by cattle

The value of reptiles as bioindicators of the initial effects of heavy cattle grazing in a South Australian chenopod shrubland was assessed in an experimental trial. Reptiles were sampled in three different subhabitats within two replicate treatment paddocks and a control region. A total of 30 sites was sampled in two sessions before grazing and four sessions after the commencement of intensive pulses of grazing. Capture rates of most common reptile species, fecundity of abundant gecko species and reptile species composition within different subhabitats were largely resilient to the initial effects of overgrazing. However, agamids in general, and particularly Ctenophorus nuchalis, increased at grazed sites relative to controls following grazing. Most changes observed in the reptile assemblages were predictable based upon species response to alteration in vegetation cover. Because vegetation cover can be rapidly and efficiently monitored, the use of reptiles as early warning indicators of unsustainable pastoralism in the study region was not supported.     

放牧管理模式对高寒草甸鼢鼠鼠丘群落演替的影响

高寒草甸放牧利用下高原鼢鼠(Eospalax baileyi)等危害的发生是草地管理的关键难题,分析放牧管理模式对鼢鼠鼠丘植被群落演替的影响能为草地管理提供重要依据。研究选择划区轮牧(RG)、生长季休牧(GSG)、连续放牧(CG)和禁牧(PG)4种放牧管理模式,以及各模式下不同年限鼠丘(一年(ZM1)、两年(ZM2)、三年(ZM3)和多年鼠丘(ZMM))与对照(CM)草地。分析不同放牧管理模式对鼠丘植被群落特征和生物量等的影响,结果发现:PG和GSG下所有年限鼠丘的植被高度、地上生物量均高于RG和CG;RG和GSG下ZM1和ZM2物种Shannon-wiener指数均高于对照样地物种Shannon-wiener指数。主成分分析表明:RG下地上生物量和物种丰富度指数是影响鼠丘植被群落演替的重要因子,PG下地上生物量、盖度、Shannon-wiener指数和均匀度指数是鼠丘植被群落演替的重要因子,CG下物种丰富度和重要值是影响鼠丘植被群落演替的重要指标,GSG下Shannon-wiener指数、盖度和高度是影响鼠丘植被群落演替的重要指标。可见,不同放牧制度对鼠丘植被群落演替的影响不同,禁牧和生长季休牧管理模式能够较好地恢复鼠丘植被群落演替。     

退化草原冷蒿群落13年不同放牧强度后的植物多样性

放牧过程通过家畜的啃食、践踏干扰草原环境,使草原的物种组成发生变化,植物种群的优势地位发生更替。对退化草原中的冷蒿群落在经历13a不同放牧强度——无牧（0．00只羊,hm^2）、轻牧（1．33只羊／hm^2）、中牧（4．00只羊／hm^2）、重牧（6．67只羊,hm^2）的围栏放牧后的植物群落多样性进行研究,结果表明：经过13a的演替变化,（1）无牧处理下植被密度显著低于其它3个放牧处理下的植被密度,而其它3个放牧处理之间的植被密度差异不显著;（2）无牧处理下羊草成为群落的优势种,轻牧和中牧处理下冷蒿依然是群落的优势种。这3种处理下寸草苔的种群密度最大;重牧处理下优势种变为星毛委陵菜,并且其种群密度最大;随着放牧强度增加,不同放牧退化阶段指示植物的种群密度的变化趋势是：冷蒿为先增大后减小,而星毛委陵菜为先急剧增大,然后平缓增大,最后再急剧增大;（3）植物多样性和均匀度指数在中牧处理下最大,在无牧处理下最小,说明中牧处理下群落的多样性最高,无牧处理下群落的多样性最小。而优势度指数正相反。植物群落结构和多样性的变化主要是由放牧家畜选择性采食、不同植物对放牧响应的不同策略、植物种间的竞争、动植物协同进化以及由放牧改变的土壤理化性质等因素综合决定的。此研究有助于进一步认识退化草原在继续放牧干扰下的演替规律以及为退化草原的保护和恢复提供理论依据。     

Effects of livestock grazing on benthic invertebrates from a native grassland ecosystem

SUMMARY 1. The effects of cattle grazing on stream bank stability, biomass of riparian vegetation, instream vegetation cover, biomass of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) and epilithon and benthic invertebrate community structure were investigated over a 2‐year period using: (i) enclosures containing different cattle grazing treatments and (ii) by comparing streams with different grazing intensities in the Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. 2. Livestock enclosure experiments comprised four treatments of: (1) early season cattle grazing (June–August), (2) late season cattle grazing (August–September), (3) all season cattle grazing (June–September) and (4) cattle‐absent controls. All four treatments were replicated in two streams while two treatments (i.e. cattle‐absent controls, early season cattle grazing) were established in a third stream. 3. Bank stability, estimated visually based on sediment inputs to the stream channel, increased significantly in cattle‐absent treatments compared with cattle‐present enclosures over the 2‐year study period. 4. Epilithic chlorophyll a was significantly affected by time, but neither cattle nor the interaction of time and treatment were significant. 5. At the end of the experiment, total invertebrate biomass in the late and all‐season treatment exceeded that in the early and cattle‐absent treatments. However, excluding cattle from the streams, at any of the different treatments, had little clear impact on the total benthic invertebrate abundance or the abundance of the predominant functional feeding groups over the 2‐year study period. 6. In contrast, comparisons of benthic assemblages from streams with different grazing intensities showed that the non‐grazed reach of Storm Creek contained significantly higher biomass of CPOM and shredders compared with the cattle‐absent enclosures in Battle, Graburn and Nine Mile creeks. Redundancy analysis showed that benthic communities from all enclosures and Storm Creek in summer and autumn 2000 were affected primarily by CPOM biomass, pH, nitrate, turbidity and benthic chlorophyll a. Construction of a 99% probability ellipse from enclosure sites showed that invertebrate communities from livestock enclosures differed from that in the non‐grazed Storm Creek. 7. Results from stream‐scale comparisons indicate that current livestock grazing practices in the Cypress Hills significantly impact riparian zones, stream channels and benthic invertebrate community structure and that alternative practices, such as rotational grazing, need to be developed.     

Spatial heterogeneity and plant species richness at different spatial scales under rabbit grazing

Herbivores influence spatial heterogeneity in soil resources and vegetation in ecosystems. Despite increasing recognition that spatial heterogeneity can drive species richness at different spatial scales, few studies have quantified the effect of grazing on spatial heterogeneity and species richness simultaneously. Here we document both these variables in a rabbit-grazed grassland. We measured mean values and spatial patterns of grazing intensity, rabbit droppings, plant height, plant biomass, soil water content, ammonia and nitrate in sites grazed by rabbits and in matched, ungrazed exclosures in a grassland in southern England. Plant species richness was recorded at spatial scales ranging between 0.0001 and 150 m(2). Grazing reduced plant height and plant biomass but increased levels of ammonia and nitrate in the soil. Spatial statistics revealed that rabbit-grazed sites consisted of a mixture of heavily grazed patches with low vegetation and nutrient-rich soils (lawns) surrounded by patches of high vegetation with nutrient-poor soils (tussocks). The mean patch size (range) in the grazed controls was 2.1 +/- 0.3 m for vegetation height, 3.8 +/- 1.8 m for soil water content and 2.8 +/- 0.9 m for ammonia. This is in line with the patch sizes of grazing (2.4 +/- 0.5 m) and dropping deposition (3.7 +/- 0.6 m) by rabbits. In contrast, patchiness in the ungrazed exclosures had a larger patch size and was not present for all variables. Rabbit grazing increased plant species richness at all spatial scales. Species richness was negatively correlated with plant height, but positively correlated to the coefficient of variation of plant height at all plot sizes. Species richness in large plots (<25 m(2)) was also correlated to patch size. This study indicates that the abundance of strong competitors and the nutrient availability in the soil, as well as the heterogeneity and spatial pattern of these factors may influence species richness, but the importance of these factors can differ across spatial scales.     

Using ants to manage sustainable grazing: Dynamics of ant faunas along sheep grazing gradients conform to four global patterns

Ants are considered an important faunal group for the functioning of arid rangelands, they have a long history of use for environmental monitoring, and exhibit four global patterns in grazing lands: (i) soil and vegetation type are primary determinants of ant community composition, and have a far greater effect on ant community composition than grazing; (ii) grazing induces species compositional change, but does not necessarily affect species richness or abundance; (iii) a species response to grazing is not necessarily consistent across habitats; and (iv) approximately one‐quarter to one‐half of species that are common enough for statistical analysis have significant responses to grazing. Here we report the patterns of arid zone ant faunas as they exist after several decades of sheep grazing in southern Australia, and examine the extent to which they conform to the four global patterns. We measured ant faunas along grazing gradients (varying distance to water) in seven paddocks containing two soil and two vegetation types on five pastoral properties. Total site abundance and richness of ants did not differ significantly with distance from water, but the abundance of 10 (34%) of the 29 most common species did differ; three were increasers, three were decreasers, and four had mixed responses dependent on soil/vegetation type. Rare species showed no trend with grazing intensity. The ant fauna of the more structurally complex vegetation types appeared to be the most vulnerable to grazing effects. Multivariate analysis showed soil type was the primary factor influencing ant faunal composition, followed by vegetation structure; however, grazing treatment effects were present. This study fully supports the recently identified global patterns of ant responses to grazing. It also shows that sampling regional ant faunas using widely dispersed traps can detect ant faunal patterns comparable to studies that use smaller‐scale grids of traps.