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ABSTRACT
This study considers initial impacts on vegetation cover caused by mountain bicycling, trail running, and hiking in a shortgrass prairie environment. Vegetation cover measurements were taken at multiple intervals following experimental recreational use on three uphill and three downhill trail segments. All three activities caused statistically significant increases in bare ground cover between the first baseline measurement and post-treatment sampling one year later. Short-term effects were more variable: walking and bicycling caused statistically significant increases in bare ground, but running did not. The study suggests that impacts to vegetation differ not just between uses, but also within a single type of recreational activity depending upon site-specific characteristics, and that the timing of use and recovery are important factors in informal trail creation. The rapid creation of trail impacts also has management implications, especially as recreational pressures increase and recreationists seek more challenging terrain and opportunities off-trail. This research suggests that the dynamics of trail formation from running deserve further attention and likely differ from hiking or mountain biking impacts.
非正式路径产物：矮草草原的远足，越野跑以及山地自行车
本文研究了由在矮草草原进行的山地自行车、越野跑以及远足旅游对植被覆盖产生的原始影响。植被覆盖的测量间隔多个时间段，并对三种上坡和三种下坡路段的娱乐活动方式开展实验。统计数据显示，上述三种活动在第一次基线测量和一年后的处理样本中都导致了裸露地面覆盖率的显著上升。短期效果则更为多变：步行和骑自行车导致裸地覆盖明显上升，但跑步却不会。研究显示这类活动对植被的影响不仅仅是由于类型的差异，每个休闲活动对特定场地的要求，活动的时长以及植被恢复力都是影响非正式山地创意产业的重要因素。路径影响的快速生成同时也有着管理意义，尤其是在如今压力的增加，游憩者开始寻求更具有挑战性的地形和路径。研究建议由于与徒步行走和山地自行车有所不同，越野跑对山地旅游的发展值得受到进一步关注。
Acknowledgements
The authors appreciate the cooperation of Minette Church, Roche Lindsey, and Gary Reynolds, as well as research assistance from Jeremy Tredway, Johnny Garcia, Kelly Malone, Kelli Smith, and Ben Allen at Criterium Bicycles.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. Steep slopes are not necessarily a deterrent for trail construction. If properly contoured in stable soils, trails in steep terrain can shed water and discourage off-trail use quite effectively.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
David G. Havlick
David Havlick is an associate professor of geography and environmental studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His research focuses on ecological restoration, militarized spaces, conservation, and public lands. He is the author of No Place Distant: Roads and Motorized Recreation on America's Public Lands (Island Press), Restoring Layered Landscapes: History, Ecology, and Culture (with Marion Hourdequin, Oxford University Press), as well as articles in journals including Progress in Physical Geography, Ecological Restoration, Science, and The Geographical Review.
Eric Billmeyer
Eric Billmeyer is an instructor of geography and environmental studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His teaching and research focuses on physical geography, environmental geology, and ecological restoration. He was formerly a research director and an executive director of Rocky Mountain Field Institute in Colorado Springs.
Thomas Huber
Thomas Huber is a professor of geography and environmental studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His research focuses on mountain environments, historical landscapes, and physical geography. He is the author of numerous articles and several books, including most recently, An American Provence (University Press of Colorado).
Brandon Vogt
Brandon Vogt is an assistant professor of geography and environmental studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His research focuses on lightning and mountain environments, geomorphology, rock art, and remote sensing. He is the author of a number of articles in peer-reviewed journals including The Professional Geographer, The Journal of Geography, Earth Interactions, and Monthly Weather Review.
Kyle Rodman
Kyle Rodman is a PhD student in geography at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research is primarily focused on biogeography, disturbance ecology, forest restoration, and climatic effects on ecosystems.