Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Sparks, Eric

Committee Member

Pitchford, Jonathan

Committee Member

Brewer, Stephen

Date of Degree

5-15-2026

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife, Fisheries, & Aquaculture

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

Coastal upland pine savannas and flatwoods along the northern Gulf of Mexico are biodiversity hotspots degraded by woody encroachment following fire suppression and loss of herbivory. Conservation grazing has been proposed as a management tool, yet its effectiveness in these systems remains understood. This study evaluated how goat grazing frequency and duration influence understory vegetation structure, diversity, productivity, and light availability in an Ilex-dominated coastal upland in Mississippi. Five grazing treatments (monthly, every three months, biannual, seasonal, and ungrazed control) were applied across 25 plots over one year. Vegetation percent cover, genus richness, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, light penetration, and realized grazing intensity were measured seasonally. Vegetation responses were driven by seasonal phenology and persistent Ilex dominance, with minimal effects of grazing frequency or cumulative goat hours. Goat grazing alone did not reduce woody dominance or enhance understory diversity, indicating that grazing is most effective when paired with complementary disturbances.

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