Grazing impact in relation to livestock watering points

Animals use and impact on habitats unevenly. A prime example is the 'piosphere', the zone of ecological impact focused around a livestock watering point, particularly in dry areas. The piosphere provides a good context for studying the ecological effects of large herbivores, and for applying ecological information to land management. Much of the literature on piospheres is in journals outside mainstream ecology, and this article provides ecologists with an introductory review of the topic and its wider ramifications.