Rangeland Productivity Research Articles

Spectral Discrimination of Common Karoo Shrub and Grass Species Using Spectroscopic Data

Rangelands represent about 25% of the Earth’s land surface but are under severe pressure. Rangeland degradation is a gradually increasing global environmental problem, resulting in temporary or permanent loss of ecosystem functions. Ecological rangeland studies aim to determine the productivity of rangelands as well as the severity of their degradation. Rigorous in situ assessments comprising visual identification of plant species are required as such assessments are perceived to be the most accurate way of monitoring rangeland degradation. However, in situ assessments are expensive and time-consuming exercises, especially when carried out over large areas. In situ assessments are also limited to areas that are accessible. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of multispectral (MS) and hyperspectral (HS) remotely sensed, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based data and machine learning (random forest) methods to differentiate between 15 dominant Nama Karoo plant species to aid ecological impact surveys. The results showed that MS imagery is unsuitable, as classification accuracies were generally low (37.5%). In contrast, much higher classification accuracies (>70%) were achieved when the HS imagery was used. The narrow bands between 398 and 430 nanometres (nm) were found to be vital for discriminating between shrub and grass species. Using in situ analytical spectral device (ASD) spectroscopic data, additional important wavebands between 350 and 400 nm were identified, which are not covered by either the MS or HS remotely sensed data. Using feature selection methods, 12 key wavelengths were identified for discriminating among the plant species with accuracies exceeding 90%. Reducing the dimensionality of the ASD data set to the 12 key bands increased classification accuracies from 84.8% (all bands) to 91.7% (12 bands). The methodology developed in this study can potentially be used to carry out UAV-based ecological assessments over large and inaccessible areas typical of Karoo rangelands.

216 Using GPS collars and vaginal temperature sensors for characterizing rangeland usage and climatic stress in sheep

Abstract Increased climatic variability represents the most significant threat to arid rangeland production systems. We set out to describe land use behavior of rangeland sheep and associations between land use phenotypes and body weight (BW) gain via the investigation of GPS data paired with vaginal temperature sensors to characterize fitness under climatic stress. During a fortnight spanning Aug 19th to Sep 1st, 2023, we deployed 200 vaginal temperature sensors and 199 GPS collars on extensively managed Australian Merinos, and a ⅝ Merino X ⅜ Rambouillet composite line in central Nevada, totaling 200 sampled individuals. Vaginal temperature sensors were constructed by affixing Thermochron iButtons to small ruminant CIDRs depleted of progesterone. GPS collars were constructed by enclosing i-gotU GT-120B GPS units in rubber shrink tubing around large dog collars. The iButtons sampled for vaginal temperature every 10 min, and the GPS collars sampled for location every 5 min. Body weights were recorded at the beginning and end of the trial. Remotely sensed data were acquired from the USGS and climateengine.org to analyze covariates such as slope and elevation, and NDVI, and climate, respectively, and were combined with observational data to generate rasters of distance from water and shade. GPS Position was continuously modeled using the R package momentuHMM (function crwWrap) to allow for the union of simultaneous temperature and location observations. A hidden markov model was employed (function fitHMM) to delineate between active and resting observations. Estimates were more significant when modeling land use and temperature phenotypes by just “active” observations. We used a forward progressing model building function with the R package leaps (function regsubsets) to associate weight change with all land use and temperature phenotypes. Logged distance to shade (P = 0.023) and vertical distance traveled (P = 0.057) were associated with BW gain. The square root of the range in vaginal temperature was positively associated with BW gain (P = 0.045) in a simple linear regression model, suggesting that the ability to adapt to heat stress via metabolic elasticity increases fitness. This study also estimated repeatability for land use behavior and temperature traits. The repeatabilities for vertical distance traveled and distance to shade were 0.20 ± 0.03 and 0.04 ± 0.01, respectively. The repeatabilities for mean temperature and vaginal temperature range were 0.47 ± 0.03 and 0.26 ± 0.03, respectively. In conclusion, some land use traits are lowly to moderately repeatable and have significant relationships to BW gain (i.e., fitness) in rangeland settings. Temperature traits are moderately to highly repeatable and can be associated with BW gain.

371 Applying precision rangeland grazing management systems in western South Dakota

Abstract Western rangelands represent approximately 58% of the total arable land in the U.S. and are used primarily for cow-calf production, which has the largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emission footprint of all beef production phases. Further, beef production sustainability concerns involve climate mitigation (reducing GHG output) and adaptation (climate-resilient soil-plant-animals). Precision livestock farming (PLF) may help address sustainability concerns by providing innovative solutions and new opportunities for extensive rangeland production. The use of precision measurement and management tools with precision system models can connect measurement data to inform management capabilities. For example, real-time individual weighing and remote sensing (precision measurement tools) can be used to inform and implement dynamic rotational grazing management using virtual fencing technology (precision management; Menendez et al., 2022, 2023). Recent USDA investment in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) commodities has provided over $3 billion in funding to implement practices to reduce GHG emissions in agriculture production, for which PLF may be one approach to accomplish these goals. The overall purpose is to develop commodities produced using NRCS climate-smart practices (e.g., prescribed grazing, 528) and document reductions to provide market opportunities associated with inset GHG. Currently, South Dakota State University is leading two simultaneous programs, which include precision ranching (virtual fencing, precision weighing, and GHG evaluation) and a beef and bison CSA program (GHG evaluation; 7 producer-owned research ranches, representing more than 1.09 million ha). The scale of the CSA program has revealed that current PLF research has only been a prelude to providing the precision tools necessary to successfully implement CSA practices and document their impact through monitoring, measuring, reporting, and verification (MMRV). This presentation will include rangeland grazing case studies that cover the application of virtual fencing, animal location, behavior tracking, remote sensing, precision weighing, feeding, supplementation, and enteric emissions and soil moisture monitoring on extensive rangelands. Case studies will include an overview of big data processing and precision system model development methods. Increasing awareness of available PLF tools for optimizing grazing management, animal performance, productivity, and associated challenges (maintenance, costs) is essential for meeting livestock and sustainability goals. PLF and data-driven approaches aid in the creation of scalable, cost-effective MMRV protocols and models (soil carbon and enteric GHG) for extensive rangelands (20 to 70,000 ha areas) that allow producers to realize potential CSA market incentives. Further, MMRV will likely help guide management decisions by identifying CSA strategies that build climate-resilient landscapes for sustainable livestock production and other environmental synergies (soil microbiome, bird and insect habit, water retention).

Untangling the environmental drivers of gross primary productivity in African rangelands

Precipitation variability is forecast to increase under climate change but its impacts on vegetation productivity are complex. Here, we use generalised additive models and remote sensing-derived datasets to quantify the effect of precipitation amount, distribution, and intensity on the gross primary productivity of dry rangelands across sub-Saharan Africa from 2000 to 2019 and differentiate these effects from other variables. We find that total precipitation is the primary driver of productivity, but that more variable rainfall has a small negative effect across vegetation types and rainfall regimes. Temperature and soil nitrogen also have strong effects, especially in drier rangelands. Shrublands and grasslands are more sensitive to environmental variability than savannas. Our findings support a model in which the main constraints on productivity are maintenance of soil moisture and minimisation of plant water stress. This highlights the risks of climate warming and increasing variability for productivity in water-limited grass and shrublands but suggests savannas may have greater resilience in Africa.

The impact of Nassella trichotoma (Nees) Hack. ex Arechav. on plant diversity, richness and soil properties in South Africa

Nassella trichotoma (Poaceae) is a highly invasive South American grass that is invading montane grasslands in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Although N. trichotoma has been recognised as a major problem in these mountains for decades, the primary concern has been on impacts on rangeland productivity and management, while the impacts of invasions on plant biodiversity have not been considered. To understand the impact of N. trichotoma on local plant biodiversity, 81 pairs of plots (total of 162 plots) were laid out in the Sneeuberg and Eastern Cape Drakensberg mountains, Eastern Cape, in March 2020 and March 2021. At each site plots were located in grassland invaded by N. trichotoma and in nearby uninvaded grassland (control). A total of 20 N. trichotoma patches were sampled with two to four plot pairs per site. All vascular plant species were recorded in all plots, the cover abundance of each species per plot was visually estimated, and the topsoil was sampled and analysed for differences in nutrient and physical factors between invaded and uninvaded plots. Plant species diversity was 24 % higher in uninvaded areas, and the native grasses Pentameris airoides (Χ2 = 4.93, d.f. = 1, p < 0.01), Tenaxia disticha (Χ2 = 5.51, d.f. = 1, p < 0.01), and Themeda triandra (Χ2 = 9.28, d.f. = 1, p < 0.001) were significantly less abundant in invaded plots. Uninvaded areas had greater native species diversity (65 species) and fewer alien species (3) than invaded areas (47 and 9 respectively). Of the 18 soil variables measured, the following were significantly higher in invaded areas than uninvaded areas: boron (23 %), calcium (18 %), phosphorous (58 %), silt (10 %), total cations (12 %), and zinc (68 %). This suggest that N. trichotoma alters soil nutrients. The results indicate that N. trichotoma is a powerful driver of native biodiversity erosion in these montane grasslands and should be a cause for major concern by landowners and government.

CROP RESIDUE AS OPTIMUM FEED SOURCING FOR LIVESTOCK KEPT UNDER FREE RANGE CONDITIONS WITHIN THE BLUE NILE BASIN OF SUDAN

The present study was initiated show that the best feed sourcing for animal production could crop-livestock under rangeland conditions of arid environment within the Nile basin ecosystem. For crop-livestock production systems, livestock water productivity (LWP) was used to indicate water utilized by the animal converted to useful products. Parameters measured were: biomass availability from rangelands and crop residues, supply versus demand for the different animal species and treated crop residues to improve animal performance. Trends in rangeland productivity, crop residue biomass and animal’s number and herd structure were measured through the years 2014 – 2018 in seven localities of Sennar state. Total biomass in the form of crop residues and biomass from range was calculated to determine the livestock demands during the dry season; this was done by utilizing Tropical livestock unit (TLU) equivalents and basal metabolic rates. Rangeland status was estimated using remote sensing. using multiple sets of Sentinel-2 and Landsat images (in case of cloud cover in the Sentinel-2 image). Crop production was projected for the summer season from the ‘Ministry of Agriculture’, Further available crop residues were calculated as: 1kg sorghum seed gives 3kg sorghum straw, 1kg millet seed gives 3 kg straw, 1kg ground nut pod gives 2kg straw. The biomass demand was calculated based on the data from Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development that annual animal unit demand is 2.4 tons. This was translated to the biomass demand of approximately 6.5 kg per day per animal unit. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) estimation of animal maintenance energy of 11,000 Kcal per LTU per day for grazing cattle in Africa, for maintenance energy, would require about 5 kg per tropical livestock unit per day of feed for maintenance. The amount of evapotranspiration required to produce this feed would be about 1.25 cubic meters per TLU per day or 450 cubic meters per tropical livestock unit per year. This compares with 25–50 liters a day or 9–18 cubic meters per tropical livestock unit per year for drinking water. Hence for each locality biomass demand was calculated as: No. of AU in the locality x 6.5 kg dry matter/day. Animal experimentation utilized 2 dairy goats fed with straws treated with 5% urea and Student t-test was used to obtain the significance between the control and treated animals. The results showed that contribution of crop residue to the biomass was very important and increased over the years for Abu Hougar it was maintained around 90%, for El Dali increased from 3% to 888% in year 2018. For El Dinder, El Souki and Sinnar increased to reach 454%, 775%, 219% respectively in the year 2018. However, Singa showed a decline in crop residue from 526 to 163%. Availability of the biomass showed high variability among the localities. Animal’s number changed slightly over the years. Except for Sharg Sinnar. Sheep population was the highest while camels were the lowest in all localities, but herd structure was not the same where cattle, sheep and goats were comparable at El Souki and Singa. Camels and goats were comparable in El Dinder only. Abu Hougar and El Dali showed lower population of cattle and goats. At Sinnar, goats and cattle population was nearly the same. Sharg Sinnar showed comparable ratios for sheep, cattle and goats. As for animal experimentation where dairy goats were used to test the crop residue treated with urea on food intake and milk yield, it was found that while food intake decreased significantly (P&lt;0.05), milk yield increased significantly (P&lt;0.001). It could be concluded that for crop livestock-water ecological system, crop residues as feed sourcing is considered the optimum biomass supply for animals during the summer season where there is no additional water is required, livestock water productivity (LWP) could be increased with better management of soildegradation, water runoff and rangeland conservation.

Future drought risk and adaptation of pastoralism in Eurasian rangelands

Drought risk threatens pastoralism in rangelands, which are already under strain from climatic and socioeconomic changes. We examine the future drought risk (2031–2060 and 2071–2100) to rangeland productivity across Eurasia (West, Central, and East Asia) using a well-tested process-based ecosystem model and projections of five climate models under three shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios of low (SSP1−2.6), medium (SSP3−7.0), and high (SSP5−8.5) warming relative to 1985–2014. We employ a probabilistic approach, with risk defined as the expected productivity loss induced by the probability of hazardous droughts (determined by a precipitation-based index) and vulnerability (the response of rangeland productivity to hazardous droughts). Drought risk and vulnerability are projected to increase in magnitude and area across Eurasian rangelands, with greater increases in 2071–2100 under the medium and high warming scenarios than in 2031–2060. Increasing risk in West Asia is caused by longer and more intense droughts and vulnerability, whereas higher risk in Central and East Asia is mainly associated with increased vulnerability, indicating overall risk is higher where vulnerability increases. These findings suggest that future droughts may exacerbate livestock feed shortages and negatively impact pastoralism. The results have practical implications for rangeland management that should be adapted to the ecological and socioeconomic contexts of the different countries in the region. Existing traditional ecological knowledge can be promoted to adapt to drought risk and embedded in a wider set of adaptation measures involving management improvements, social transformations, capacity building, and policy reforms addressing multiple stakeholders.

Greenhouse gas emissions from cattle enclosures in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa: The case of a rangeland in South-Central Kenya

Extensive livestock production in pastoral areas supports millions of livestock keepers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, it is also linked to environmental externalities such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Corralling of livestock overnight in fenced enclosures (“bomas” in Kiswahili) is common to protect animals from theft and predation and is practiced across SSA. Boma manure is usually not removed and accumulates over years, making bomas GHG emission hotspots. The following study presents the first full year of CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions measurements from cattle bomas in a savanna ecosystem in Kenya, comparing active (in use) and inactive (i.e., abandoned) bomas. Active bomas were used for 1–3 months before being abandoned and cattle were moved to a new boma. GHG emissions were measured using static chambers inside three replicate bomas and along three 100 m transects from bomas into undisturbed savanna. Compared to savanna background fluxes, it was found that GHG flux rates from bomas were elevated by several orders of magnitude, with mean fluxes of 487 ± 8 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1, 325 ± 11 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1, and 3245 ± 234 µg CH4-C m−2 h−1 for active bomas, and 167 ± 52 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1, 610 ± 186 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1, and 3127 ± 1262 µg CH4-C m−2 h−1 for inactive bomas, while surrounding savanna soils only emitted 22.3 ± 18.2 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1, 2.5 ± 2.2 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1, and 0.1 ± 0.7 µg CH4-C m−2 h−1. Assuming that bomas are used for 45 days per year, annual manure emission factors were 2.43 ± 0.42%N for N2O and 0.49 ± 0.07%C for CH4, which corresponds to 2.64 ± 0.37 g CH4 kg−1 volatile solids (VS). These emission factors were similar to IPCC default values for feedlots for low-producing cattle in warm climates; however, the IPCC only considers emissions in year when bomas are in use and does not account for emissions following boma abandonment. At the farm scale, boma manure contributed little (2.2%) to total CH4 emissions, which were dominated by enteric CH4 emissions (97.6%); but bomas were a substantial source for N2O, contributing over 32% to total N2O emissions on the farm. This calls for the inclusion of active and inactive bomas in the activity data collection for national GHG inventories, as bomas are currently overlooked hotspots for GHG emissions that are not represented in the GHG budgets of African nations. To mitigate GHG emissions, manure should be removed regularly and used as fertilizer to return nutrients to the grassland, preventing nutrient mining and ensuring long-term rangeland productivity and resilience, or it might be used to grow crops and livestock feeds.

Competition reduces structural defense in an invasive thistle in the field

AbstractInvasive thistles reduce the productivity of pastures and rangelands because their structural defenses make them unpalatable to grazing livestock. However, plants potentially alter their growth patterns, including their allocation of resources to defense, in response to the presence of competing vegetation. Understanding the effects of competition on the structural defense of problematic pasture weeds can inform management plans that reduce the economic harm caused by these pests. We grew musk thistle (Carduus nutans L., also commonly called nodding thistle) in a fully crossed factorial field experiment in a single abandoned pasture in 2017 with two experimental factors: the level of thistle infestation (1 thistle or 5, resulting in densities of 4 or 20 plants m−2) and the presence or absence of grazing (simulated by weekly trimming of competing vegetation). We assessed the effects of treatments on defense by counting prickles &gt;3-mm long on leaves. Our analysis included leaf age and leaf size as covariates. Competition reduced the number of prickles present on leaves. Regression analysis showed that an increase from, for example, 50 g to 200 g of competing vegetation within 50 by 50 cm study plots reduced the expected average number of prickles on intermediate-aged leaves with average length 25.5 cm by 76.9 prickles per leaf, or 41%. This pattern was similar for leaves of all ages, although the oldest leaves generally had fewer prickles than younger leaves. We did not observe differences in defense structures between plants neighbored by conspecifics and those neighbored by other competitors. Carduus nutans has been previously managed using high densities of grazers, and this practice may be more likely to damage less-defended individuals such as those we observed in our treatments with competition. This finding suggests that maintaining competition in pastures may increase C. nutans vulnerability to grazing.

Assessing vegetation productivity and environmental impact in: A remote sensing approach

This study explores the dynamic response of vegetation productivity in semi-arid foothill rangelands of Uzbekistan, focusing on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) dynamics and its correlation with climatic and environmental variables. In contrast to established relationships reported in previous studies, our findings reveal distinctive seasonal patterns in NDVI values, with higher values observed during spring (0.150-0.300) and lower values in summer (0.100-0.130). The chlorophyll and carotenoid content of A. diffusa exhibited variations in response to seasonal changes, emphasizing the importance of considering seasonal factors in rangeland health assessments. Chlorophyll and green aboveground biomass are identified as key indicators of vegetation productivity, crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance and contributing to climate regulation. Significant relationships are observed between NDVI and water resources, including precipitation and soil moisture (P ≤ 0.0001), highlighting the impact of climatic factors on vegetation cover. Positive correlations between NDVI and total green aboveground biomass underscore the relevance of NDVI as an indicator of vegetation health in foothill rangelands. This research project represents an initial step in investigating vegetation changes due to grazing in Uzbekistan, providing recommendations for sustainable rangeland utilization. Establishing an ecological monitoring system, incorporating GIS and Remote Sensing technologies, is proposed for comprehensive understanding and sustainable management of this complex ecosystem. Ongoing and future research endeavors aim to develop modern methods for rangeland vegetation monitoring, facilitating the identification of critical regions and offering solutions to prevent and mitigate desertification effects.

Development of tractor operated front mounted grass seed harvester

In order to increase the productivity of grasslands and rangelands, grass seed collection from large fields is required. Manual grass seed collection is a labor and time consuming operation. A tractor operated grass seed harvester was developed keeping in view the requirements of common grasses used as feed material in Indian context. This grass seed harvester was made using nylon brushes arranged in specific fashion on a rotating cylinder and a winding reel in front of rotating cylinder to collect seed from the grasses standing in the fields where tractor can operate. The specific features of this machine were variable speed of rotating cylinder brush, special arrangement of brushes on the cylinder to carry the detached seed into the seed box, variable height of operation and front mounting of the machine on tractor. This machine was tested for seed collection in Pennisetum pedicellatumCenchrus cilliaris (Dinanath grass) and (Anjan grass). Seed collection capacity of the machine was 4.24 to 7.12 kg/h in Dinanath grass during 2 operation and 2.10 to 3.56 kg/h in Anjan grass at ndthe full maturity in two passes of the machine in to and fro direction. The field capacity of seed collection operations ranged from 0.21 to 0.47 ha/h.

Seasonal evaluation and mapping of aboveground biomass in natural rangelands using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data

Rangelands play a vital role in developing countries’ biodiversity conservation and economic growth, since most people depend on rangelands for their livelihood. Aboveground-biomass (AGB) is an ecological indicator of the health and productivity of rangeland and provides an estimate of the amount of carbon stored in the vegetation. Thus, monitoring seasonal AGB is important for understanding and managing rangelands’ status and resilience. This study assesses the impact of seasonal dynamics and fire on biophysical parameters using Sentinel-1 (S1) and Sentinel-2 (S2) image data in the mesic rangeland of Limpopo, South Africa. Six sites were selected (3/area), with homogenous vegetation (10 plots/site of 30m2). The seasonal measurements of LAI and biomass were undertaken in the early summer (December 2020), winter (July–August 2021), and late summer (March 2022). Two regression approaches, random forest (RF) and stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR), were used to estimate seasonal AGB. The results show a significant difference (p < 0.05) in AGB seasonal distribution and occurrence between the fire (ranging from 0.26 to 0.39 kg/m2) and non-fire areas (0.24–0.35 kg/m2). In addition, the seasonal predictive models derived from random forest regression (RF) are fit to predict disturbance and seasonal variations in mesic tropical rangelands. The S1 variables were excluded from all models due to high moisture content. Hence, this study analyzed the time series to evaluate the correlation between seasonal estimated and field AGB in mesic tropical rangelands. A significant correlation between backscattering, AGB and ecological parameters was observed. Therefore, using S1 and S2 data provides sufficient data to obtain the seasonal changes of biophysical parameters in mesic tropical rangelands after disturbance (fire) and enhanced assessments of critical phenology stages.

Ecological impacts of Rosa rubiginosa on rangelands: Case of Mphaki, in Quthing district, Lesotho

The capacity of many rangelands in Lesotho is compromised due to plant invasion, resulting from unsuitable agricultural practices. Despite a high number and abundance of invasive plants in Lesotho, there are very few studies determining the invasion ecology to inform management interventions. Rosa rubiginosa L. is one of the most common invasive species invading the rangelands of Lesotho and has notable negative ecological impacts. The aim of this study was to assess rangeland condition following the invasion by Rosa rubiginosa and determine the ecological impacts thereof. This was achieved by assessing the herbaceous species cover and abundance, as well as edaphic factors following R. rubiginosa invasion. The results show that R. rubiginosa negatively affects rangelands by reducing the abundance of herbaceous species, including palatable grass species. In addition, it is shown that the plant alters soil conditions by increasing pH by 27% and affecting nutrient availability. This enhances growth of invasive species since they have competitive advantage in accessing available nutrients over native plants. It is therefore recommended that R. rubiginosa should be managed in the rangelands to improve rangeland productivity.

Coping and adapting to drought in semi-arid Karoo rangelands: Key lessons from livestock farmers

Drought is a frequent occurrence in the arid and semi-arid Karoo rangelands of South Africa. Rangeland productivity is expected to decline with drought thereby reducing livestock productivity and consequently livelihoods of the farmers. This study aimed to document the effects of drought on livestock farming in the Karoo region of South Africa and the strategies used by farmers to reduce the risks of drought. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a random sample of 35 livestock farmers. The data was analysed using SPSS. Most farmers in the Karoo region had over 20 years farming experience and 60% of them have tertiary qualification. Profit loss and losses of animals were major impacts of drought in the two biomes. Results showed that coping and adaptation strategies adopted by farmers in the two biomes were largely similar. These included destocking before the drought to reduce grazing pressure, income diversification during the drought and evaluation of the rangeland after the drought to determine the number of animals they can keep and when to graze a specific area. These findings provide a framework for decision makers to promote self-reliance so that drought adaptation among livestock farmers is more effective.

Participatory rangeland management: A vehicle for pastoralist women’s empowerment in Ethiopia

Pastoralist tenure systems are highly complex. Where customary institutions are functioning well, pastoralist women access and use resources as a member of a pastoralist group. Although policy and legislation call for more equity across societies, providing individual titles to women is not necessarily the answer. Strengthening women’s rights within the collective society while also supporting women’s capacities and abilities to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes and hold leadership positions will support more sustainable gender equality outcomes. Participatory rangeland management (PRM) is an approach developed in Ethiopia in 2010 that was then piloted by non-governmental organisations in several parts of the country in a bid to improve the security of tenure and good governance of rangelands, more inclusive participation of pastoralists in decisions pertaining to their lands and improve rangeland productivity. While not an explicit aim, it also sought women’s empowerment as part of the participatory process. A review of PRM implementation in Oromia and Afar regions, Ethiopia, showed that in the majority of cases, women participated equally with men in the PRM process. Women’s and men’s opinions on the involvement and satisfaction of PRM implementation activities were compared favourably. Overall, community members believed that PRM has improved women’s roles in rangeland management leadership and decision-making processes and their access to rangeland resources, thereby encouraging a transformative process of improving gender equality and women’s empowerment in pastoralist societies. This article considers the implications of these results for pastoral women and to what degree they have contributed to their empowerment. A conceptualised women’s empowerment framework is used for the analysis.

Survey of rancher grazing management practices in extensive rangeland production systems of the Central Coast of California

Survey of rancher grazing management practices in extensive rangeland production systems of the Central Coast of California

Soil health restoration in degraded lands: A microbiological perspective

AbstractLand degradation is one of the most pressing environmental problems of the 21st century particularly due to its impact on global food security and environmental quality through the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Land degradation happens at an accelerated rate and affects regions inhabited by more than one‐third population of the world. This phenomenon resulted in a dramatic reduction in the productivity of cropland and rangeland of world thus threatening the environmental quality and food security. It manifests in various forms such as desertification, soil erosion, sodicity, salinity, heavy metal contamination, pesticide contamination, declining soil fertility, and fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The world now has a real chance for the next generation to grow sustainably and eliminate acute food scarcity. Microbes, as vital elements of soil, play an important role in maintaining soil biological properties and fertility. Due to their multifarious biological functions and metabolic uniqueness, microorganisms can fix or solubilize nutrients, add organic matters to the soil to improve its quality. Many of the microorganisms can produce biological compounds or enzymes, which can degrade or scavenge toxic substances from the soils. In this review, we have discussed in detail how diverse microorganisms can help to restore different types of degraded lands. The limitations in application of microorganisms in restoration of soil health and possible scopes to improve the applicability have also been discussed here.

An evaluation of three evapotranspiration models to determine water fluxes over hillslopes encroached by invasive alien plants in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Ecosystem services in the South African grassland biome are being impacted by the presence of invasive alien plants (IAPs), particularly from the Australian genus Acacia. IAPs have elevated landscape water use and determining water fluxes is crucial to defining suitable interventions. This study evaluates three models of water flux over IAP-invaded grassland against evapotranspiration (ET) measured by a large-aperture scintillometer (LAS). ET was modelled using an energy balance model (MEDRUSH), a biophysical model (Penman-Monteith-Leuning (PML)) and a remotely sensed product (MOD16), and their results compared with ET measured by the LAS. ETLAS was measured during an abbreviated field campaign in November 2019 over a dense silver wattle (A. dealbata) stand associated with hillslope seeps. Of the three models tested against the LAS campaign, MEDRUSH performed well-enough to be used to model ET over the continuous scientific-grade micro-meteorological record (315 days). We used MEDRUSH to model ET over the invaded hillslope seeps and compared this with the expected ET that would occur over the adjacent, un-invaded grassland. Total ET over the IAP-invaded area was approximately 536 mm (60% of reference ET) as compared with the grassland (202 mm), showing that woody encroachment significantly increases landscape water use. To estimate the local impact of this, we used earth observation to determine the area of woody invasion in a 2 664 km2 regional window. Approximately 10% (274 km2) of this window was invaded by IAPs and, assuming the geographic window was representative of all the areas invaded by wattle, this represents ~ 89 000 ML of water used annually by the IAPs. Removal of wattle, followed by suitable restoration of landscape functionality, would greatly enhance rangeland productivity and water production from hillslope seeps.

Assessment of the current state of rangelands in Karakalpak Ustyurt, Uzbekistan

Abstract. Rakhimova NK, Rakhimova T, Shomurodov KhF, Adilov BA, Sharipova VK, Saitjanova USh, Khabibullaev BSh, Sadinov JS, Polvonov FI, Sultamuratov AT. 2023. Assessment of the current state of rangelands in Karakalpak Ustyurt, Uzbekistan. Biodiversitas 24: 3835-3843. Assessing the current state of rangelands common in the territory of Karakalpak Ustyurt, Uzbekistan is of great importance in connection with intense land degradation and climate change. The article is devoted to study the main attributes and indicators for qualitative and quantitative assessment of rangelands including the current state of vegetation, soil cover and use of fodder resources. The studied types of rangelands are common on gray-brown desert soils, takyrs, and salt marshes, characterized by high gypsum content. Rangeland vegetation of Ustyurt, composed mainly of Artemisia terrae-albae Krasch., Anabasis salsa (Ledeb.) Benth. ex Volkens, Xylosalsola arbuscula (Pall.) Tzvelev, Salsola arbusculiformis Drobow, Caroxylon orientale (S.G. Gmel.) Tzvelev, ephemera, and other plant species, is the main fodder source for Karakul sheep and camels. The nutritional value of rangeland varieties is quite high in spring, it is characterized by an increased content of digestible protein in this period and decreases towards autumn, while the above-ground yield of species reaches its maximum growth. Autumn and winter-spring precipitation play the main role in the fodder productivity of rangelands. The productivity of rangelands depends on the favorable climatic conditions of the year, if more precipitation falls, the year will be more favorable for the growth and development of plants.

Understanding the Barriers to Adoption of Mixed-Species Herbivory in the Southern Great Plains of the United States

Mixed-species herbivory, along with prescribed fire, is one of the most effective ways of controlling woody plant encroachment in the southern Great Plains and comes with the added benefits of maintaining grazing efficiency and rangeland productivity. Despite its experimental stage success, most landowners in the southern Great Plains have not fully adopted mixed-species herbivory as a range management tool. This study aimed to understand the barriers to the adoption of mixed-species herbivory by soliciting information from rangeland owners in the southern Great Plain states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. We found that more than 40% of landowners in the southern Great Plains are not aware of mixed-species herbivory and < 10% of them have adopted the practice. Landowners who were previously aware of mixed-species herbivory were less likely to think that it provides lower returns compared with traditional grazing. Many landowners, however, reported a lack of sufficient infrastructure, labor, or equipment as barriers to adoption. We suggest that extension efforts and outreach campaigns focused on the needs and concerns of landowners can change perceptions around the effectiveness of mixed-species herbivory as a land management tool to enhance the resiliency of rangeland ecosystems in the southern Great Plains.