Indicators of Browsing Pressure Suggest Constraints on Riparian Willows: A Case Study From the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

Abstract

On the Ground • We completed a landscape-scale assessment of ungulate browsing pressure on the southeastern portion of the Bighorn National Forest and found evidence of constraints on willow morphology and height. • To better understand these apparent constraints over time and to enable adaptive habitat management, we propose development of a willow monitoring scheme based on an experimental design that controls for site potential and isolates the contributions of individual ungulate species to total willow browse. • Further investigating the current status of riparian willows in terms of population vital rates and future distribution trends could be particularly important to help determine the cause of a recent decline in beaver abundance.