Warner College of Natural Resources

Center for Riparian Ecology and Management

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Introduction

Riparian areas are those terrestrial landscapes that are adjacent to water; many call them the "Green Zone". As such, riparian areas are comprised of both the water area affected by land, and the land area influenced by the presence of water.

Livestock, as well as wildlife, concentrate in riparian areas. The area on the left side of the fence has been heavily grazed by livestock since the late 1800's. The area on the right has been lightly grazed over the past 30 years. Note the difference in willow cover between the two areas.

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Our Approach

Many of the problems associated with the management of riparian areas are multifaceted and cross traditional disciplinary lines. The Center for Riparian Ecology and Management (CREAM) uses the ecosystem approach in both its research and educational activities.

The Center draws on expertise from faculty and scientists at Colorado State University in the College of Natural Resources, the University of Wyoming, the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and the U. S. Forest Service. These scientists have expertise in physiological ecology, plant-animal relationships, restoration ecology, hydrology, water quality, and soils. They have worked together on a wide range of studies and graduate programs since the late 1980's.

Cattle are being used to determine diet preferences and utilization of riparian vegetation species. Willows are preferred during late summer and fall, but not during the spring.

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Research

Research conducted by faculty and graduate students in the Center for Riparian Ecology and Management has ranged from basic studies such as identification of secondary chemical compounds in willows that could affect grazing preferences, to applied projects that answered important management questions on plant diversity and sediment filtration. A wide variety of sponsors support CREAM projects including the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, as well as other competitive grants programs.

Riparian areas have recently been identified for their important role in filtering sediment that originates from upland rangelands and roads. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate how effective riparian areas are in trapping sediment and nutrients that are introduced with runoff from adjacent areas.

This photo illustrates a plot that has been clipped" to ground level to simulate very heavy grazing in a riparian zone. The plot then has an intense rainstorm simulated on it, while sediment is added to the top of the plot. Our research showed that 98% of all added sediment was filtered in a 10-m long riparian zone.

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Educational Opportunities

About 30 graduate students have earned advanced degrees in riparian ecology/hydrology under the auspices of the Center for Riparian Ecology and Management. Students in the CREAM program have the opportunity to seek degrees in specialized fields such as rangeland ecosystem science, watershed management, hydrology, or pursue study in the university-wide Graduate Degree Program in Ecology(GDPE). The GDPE is a cooperative effort among over 80 faculty members from 14 departments and 5 colleges at Colorado State University who share a common interest in ecology.

Graduates of CREAM have gained employment in a wide variety of areas such as university teaching/research programs, the Environmental Protection Agency, city and county open space programs, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and various consulting firms.

This photo illustrates data being gathered using a 100-point pin table to characterize riparian vegetation and soil surface conditions.

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Outreach Activities

Extending our knowledge on the management of riparian zones to students and resource professionals has been an important goal of the Center for Riparian Ecology and Management since its inception. Field trips are frequently taken to the Sheep Creek research area in the Roosevelt National Forest.

These trips have involved undergraduate and graduate classes, natural resource managers, ranchers, and professional societies. In addition, many presentations of our research findings have been made at professional meetings of the Society for Range Management (SRM), Colorado Riparian Association (CRA), American Water Resources Association (AWRA), and Ecological Society of America (ESA).

Graduate students in CREAM are given the opportunity to share their research findings with private and public land mangers, both in the field and at professional meetings.

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Publications

Graduate students are encouraged to present their research results at professional meetings and publish their findings in refereed journals. Examples of recent papers published by graduate students supported by CREAM include:

• Schulz, T.T. and W.C. Leininger. 1990. Differences in riparian vegetation structure between grazed areas and exclosures. J. Range Manage. 43:295-299.
• Schulz, T.T. and W.C. Leininger. 1991. Nongame wildlife communities in grazed and ungrazed montane riparian sites. Great Basin Naturalist 51:286-292.
• Pearce, R.A., M.J. Trlica, W.C. Leininger, J.L. Smith, and G.W. Frasier. 1997. Efficiency of grass buffer strips and vegetation height on sediment filtration in laboratory rainfall simulations. J. Environ. Qual. 26:139-144.
• Frasier, G.W., M.J. Trlica, W.C. Leininger, R.A. Pearce, and A. Fernald. 1998. Runoff from simulated rainfall in 2 montane riparian communities. J. Range Manage. 51:315-322.
• Pearce, R.A., M.J. Trlica, W.C. Leininger, D.E. Mergen, and G.W. Frasier. 1998. Sediment movement through riparian vegetation under simulated rainfall and overland flow. J. Range Manage. 51:301-308.
• Pearce, R.A., G.W. Frasier, M.J. Trlica, W.C. Leininger, John Stednick and J.L. Smith. 1998. Sediment filtration in a montane riparian zone under simulated rainfall. J. Range Manage. 51:309-314.
• Phillips, R.L., M.J. Trlica, W.C. Leininger, and W.P. Clary. 1999. Cattle use affects forage quality in a montane riparian ecosystem. J. Range Manage. 52:283-289
• Corley, C.J., G.W. Frasier, M.J. Trlica, F.M. Smith, and E.M. Taylor, Jr.  1999.  Nitrogen and phosphorus in runoff from two montane riparian communities.  J. Range Manage. 52:600-605
• Arp, C.D., D.J. Cooper, and J.D. Stednick.  1999.  The effects of acid rock drainage on Carex aquatilis leaf litter decomposition in Rocky Mountain fens.  Wetlands 19:665-674.
• Alstad, K.P., J.M. Welker, S.A. Williams, and M.J. Trlica.  1999.  Carbon and water relations of Salix monticola in response to winter browsing and changes in surface water hydrology: an isotopic study using delta ¹³C and delta ¹⁸O.  Oecologia 120:375-385.
• Gregg, D.C. and J.D. Stednick.  2000.  Variability in measures of macroinvertebrate community structure by stream reach and stream class.  J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc. 36:95-103.
• Trlica, M.J., E.A. Nibarger, W.C. Leininger and G.W. Frasier.  2000.  Runoff water quality from grazed and ungrazed montane riparian plots.  Pp. 263-268.  In: P.R. Wigington, Jr. and R.L. Beschta (eds.) Proc. AWRA's 2000 Summer Speciality Conference: Riparian Ecology and Management in Multi-Land Use Watersheds.  Portland, OR.
• Clary, W.P. and M.C. Leininger.  2000.  Stubble height as a tool for management of riparian areas.  J. Range Manage. 53:562-573.
• Gregg, D.A. and J.D. Stednick. 2000. Variability in the measures of macroinvertebrate community structure by stream reach and stream class. J. Amer. Water Res. Assoc. 36: 5-104.
• Fisher, K.T., J.E. Brummer, W.C. Leininger, D.M. Heil.  2000.  Interactive effects of soil amendments and depth of incorporation on Geyer willow.  J. Environ. Qual. 29:1786-1793.
• Flenniken, M., R. McEldowney, W.C. Leininger, and G.W. Frasier.  2001.  Hydrologic responses of a montane riparian ecosystem following cattle use.  J. Range Manage. 54:(in press).
• Mergen, D.E., M.J. Trlica, J.L. Smith, and W.H. Blackburn. 2001. Stratification of variability in runoff and sediment yield based on vegetation characteristics. J. Amer. Water Resour. Assoc. 37:617-628.
• Flenniken, M., R.R. McEldowney, W.C. Leininger, G.W. Frasier, and M.J. Trlica. 2001. Hydrologic response of montane riparian ecosystem following cattle use. J. Range Manage. 54:567-574.
• Wheeler, M.A., M. J. Trlica, G. W. Frasier, and J. D. Reeder. 2002. Seasonal grazing affects soil physical properties of a montane riparian community. J. Range Manage. 55:49-56.
• McEldowney, R.R., M. Flenniken, G.W. Frasier, M.J. Trlica, and W.C. Leininger. 2002. Sediment movement and filtration in a riparian meadow following cattle use. J. Range Manage. 55:367-373.
• White, S.K., J.E. Brummer, W.C. Leininger, G. W. Frasier, R. M. Waskom, and T. A. Bauder. 2003. Irrigated mountain meadow fertilizer application timing effects on overland flow water quality. J. Environ. Qual. 32:1802-1808.
• Trlica, M.J., M.A. Wheeler, and W.C. Leininger. 2003. Nitrogen and Phosphorus allocation as affected by grazing in a riparian community. pp. 137-139. In : Proc. VII Int. Rangeland Cong., Durban , S. Africa .
• Leininger, W. C., S.B. Mayben, C.D. Bonham, and M.J. Trlica. 2003. Twig diameter - weight relation of six montane willows. pp. 720-722. In : Proc. VII Int. Rangeland Cong., Durban, S. Africa.
• Pelster, A.J, S.E. Evans, W.C. Leininger, M.J. Trlica, and W.P. Clary. 2004. Steer diets in a montane riparian community. J. Range Manage. 57:546-552.
• Evans, S.E., A.J. Pelster, W.C. Leininger, and M.J. Trlica. 2004. Seasonal diet selection of cattle grazing a montane riparian community. J. Range Manage. 57:539-545.
• Holland , K.A. W.C. Leininger, and M.J. Trlica. 2005. Grazing history affects willow communities in a montane riparian ecosystem. J. Range Manage. 58:148-154.

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Participants

Six principal investigators direct graduate research studies within the Center for Riparian Ecology and Management. These investigators and affiliations include:

• Joe Brummer, Ph.D., Research Scientist/Superintendent, Mountain Meadows Research Station, Gunnison, CO, 970-641-2515; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: effects of meadow dry-up on riparian species composition and productivity, nutrient cycling in mountain meadows.
• Gary Frasier, M.S., Research Hydraulic Engineer, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO, 970-498-4232; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: dynamics of overland flow, sediment transport, water repellency in rangeland soils.
• Wayne C. Leininger, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department, Fort Collins, CO, 970-491-7852; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: animal-plant interactions, restoration ecology, rangeland watershed management.
• Paul Meiman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department, Fort Collins, CO, 970-491-0906; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: ecology and management of rangelands; invasive plant ecology and management
    
    
• James L. Smith, Ph.D., Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 307-742-7832; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: erosion modeling, rainfall simulation, bioengineering.
• John D. Stednick, Professor, Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO, 970-491-7248; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: water quality, watershed analysis, geographical information systems.
• M. Joe Trlica, Professor Emeritus, Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship Department, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO, 970-491-5655; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
  • Research interests: range ecophysiology, soil-plant relations, watershed dynamics.

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For More Information Contact:
Dr. M. J. Trlica, Director
Center for Riparian Ecology and Management (CREAM)
Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship Department
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1472
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE: (970) 491-5655
FAX: (970) 491-6754