Well, I’m no scientist, but I could have told you that without having to embark on any years-long study. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with how cattle graze and where toads live knows that cattle don’t graze in marshy water areas and toads don’t forage in dry meadows. Duh.
But, to make it official, a UC forest study has found that excluding cattle doesn’t help toad population.
From AG Alert:
Fencing out cattle grazed in Yosemite toad habitat areas did not result in improved toad populations, University of California researchers found. Data from a study of preventing cattle from entering toad habitat showed no significant benefits for the species, which is being considered for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Instead, researchers found toad populations varied in size depending on meadow wetness, a function of natural precipitation. Scientists noted different forest activities, such as timber harvest, may actually increase potential habitat for the toad by preventing conifer encroachment into breeding meadows and thereby increasing available water.
The five-year study of Yosemite toad populations and fencing control measures in the Sierra Nevada was published by UC researchers in the November issue of the scientific journal Plos One.
“We basically found the Yosemite toad and cattle use the landscape differently,” said Ken Tate, principal investigator and rangeland watershed specialist for UC Cooperative Extension. “The toads use water areas and the cattle use drier meadow areas, which provide better forage.”
Researchers studying the possible link between the decline in Yosemite toad populations and cattle grazing said scientists have documented a significant global amphibian decline. Possible reasons for the decline include habitat modifications, disease, invasive species, climate change, pesticides and grazing.
The study, “Determining the Effects of Cattle Grazing Treatments on Yosemite Toads in Montane Meadows,” found “no benefit of fencing to Yosemite toad populations.” Researchers said their results “do not support previous studies that found a negative impact of grazing on amphibian populations.”
You can read the rest of this article HERE.