Short-term Changes in a Cottonwood-Ash-Willow Association on a Grazed and an Ungrazed Portion of Little Ash Creek in Central Arizona

Abstract

Recovery of a cottonwood-ash-willow association from overgrazing has been extremely limited over a 4-year period. Seedling reproduction and herbaceous cover has increased; however, overstory tree species composition has not changed. Tree growth was not affected by grazing. The younger, associated, codominant tree species differed in composition between the grazed and ungrazed plots.