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Kavana, Pius Yoram, Ephraim J. Mtengeti, Anthony Sangeda, Christopher Mahonge, Robert Fyumagwa, and Bukombe John. "How does agro-pastoralism affect forage and soil properties in western Serengeti, Tanzania?" Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales 9, no. 1 (January 30, 2021): 120–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.17138/tgft(9)120-133.
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The impacts of agro-pastoral activities on soil properties, plus nutritive value and residual standing biomass of herbaceous plants in areas of different land uses in western Serengeti, were evaluated. Vegetation and soil were sampled along 4,000 m transects laid across fallow land, areas grazed only by livestock, mixed grazing (livestock and wildlife) and wildlife grazing only. A total number of 123 plant species were encountered during sampling. Analyses of soil and vegetation samples were conducted at Sokoine University of Agriculture laboratories. The estimated average density of grazing animals encountered was 160 TLU/km2 on transects within livestock-dominated grazing lands, 129 TLU/km2 for mixed grazing and 83 TLU/km2 for wildlife grazing only. Results indicated that ADF, IVDMD, IVOMD, ME and TDN in residual herbaceous forage at flowering were significantly (P<0.05) affected by land use type but CP, NDF and ADL were not affected. Soil pH, OC, CEC, C:N ratio and Ca differed significantly (P<0.05) between land use types. An overall evaluation indicated that regardless of climatic conditions, residual biomass of herbaceous plants in western Serengeti is determined by intensity of grazing, soil C:N ratio and concentrations of Ca and P in the soil. We conclude that agro-pastoral practices conducted in western Serengeti affected residual standing biomass of herbaceous plants and soil properties. We recommend that grazing pressure in communal grazing lands be reduced by either reducing number of grazing animals or duration of grazing in a particular grazing area, and specific studies be conducted to establish stocking rates appropriate for specific communal grazing lands in villages.
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Ibrahim, Temima, Fikrey Tesfay, and Bethel Geremew. "Diversity of Woody Species and Biomass Carbon Stock in Response to Exclosure Age in Central Dry Lowlands of Ethiopia." Open Environmental Research Journal 14, no. 1 (April 20, 2021): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2590277602114010001.
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Objective: Empirical evidence on the potential of area exclosure in the restoration of severely degraded lands is crucially important. Thus, a study was conducted to examine the influence of exclosure age on vegetation structure, diversity, and biomass carbon stock in the central dry lowland of Ethiopia. Methods: Exclosures of 5, 15, >20 years old, and adjacent open grazing land were selected. Data on vegetation were collected using 20 × 20 m sampling quadrats which were laid along parallel transect lines. Results: The result showed that 17 woody species which represent 9 families were recorded at exclosures and open grazing lands. Shannon-Wiener (H') diversity index ranged from 0.74 (open grazing land) to 2.12 (middle age exclosure). Shannon evenness (E) index was higher in the middle age exclosure (0.80). Woody species basal area and tree density significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increasing exclosure age. The Aboveground woody biomass significantly (p < 0.05) varied from 12.60 (open grazing land) to 68.61 Mg ha-1 (middle age exclosure). Similarly, the aboveground biomass (AGB) carbon stocked was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the middle (32 Mg ha-1) and old age exclosures (31 Mg ha-1). Conclusion: This study indicated that exclusion can restore the degraded vegetation and sequester and stock more atmospheric carbon dioxide in the aboveground biomass. Therefore, open degraded grazing land of the lowland areas can be restored into a promising stage through area exclosure land use management.
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Waterhouse, A., G. Halliday, J. T. Wyllie, and S. Horbury. "Strategies to avoid parasitic gastro-enteritis in an intensive organic hill sheep system." Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) 1992 (March 1992): 165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0308229600022753.
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In hill sheep systems, a major concern for health and welfare is for lambs grazing improved land at higher stocking rates and succumbing to parasitic gastro-enteritis. With only a small amount of improved land available, there is little or no scope for ‘clean grazing’ systems as access to this better land is crucial on an annual basis to achieve better performance from the flock. Access at lambing and at ewe mating is of particular value. There may however be some scope for reduced parasitic challenge to lambs during the summer grazing period because of the differential in stocking densities between the hill and the improved grazings.
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Johnston, PW, PR Tannock, and IF Beale. "Objective `Safe' Grazing Capacities for South-West Queensland Australia: Model Application and Evaluation." Rangeland Journal 18, no. 2 (1996): 259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9960259.
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This paper describes the employment of two experienced graziers as consultants to apply and evaluate a model for calculating 'safe' long-term grazing capacities of individual properties. The model was based on ecological principles and entailed estimates of average annual forage grown (kglha) on the different land systems on each property and the calculation of the number of livestock (dry sheep equivalents, DSE) required to 'safely' utilise this forage. The grazier consultants applied and evaluated the 'safe' grazing capacity model on 20 properties of their choosing. For evaluation, model results were compared with; (a) the Department of Lands rated carrying capacities for those properties and (b) the grazing capacity assessed independently by the owners of those properties. For the 20 properties, the average 'safe' grazing capacity calculated by the model (21.0 DSE/kmZ) was 8% lighter than the average of the owner assessed capacities (22.7 DSE/kmZ), which in tum was 37% lighter than the average of the pre-1989 Department of Lands rated carrying capacity (31.0 DSE/kmZ). The grazing land management and administrative implications of these results and the role graziers played as consultants are discussed.
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Fentie, Sabiela Fekad, Kehali Jembere, Endalkachew Fekadu, and Dessale Wasie. "Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics and Properties of Soils under Different Land Uses in the Tejibara Watershed, Ethiopia." Scientific World Journal 2020 (September 1, 2020): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/1479460.
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Land use changes have long been considered among many factors responsible for physical and chemical soil degradation. This study was conducted to evaluate land use and land cover (LULC) changes and their cumulative effects over 30 years (from 1989 to 2019) on the current physical and chemical properties of soils in the Tejibara watershed, Ethiopia. Image analysis and LULC classifications were performed using ERDAS IMAGINE 2014 and ArcGIS 10.4 software, respectively. For the determination of soil properties, four land use types (natural forest, eucalyptus plantation, cultivated, and grazing lands) and two soil depths (0–20 and 20–40 cm) were used. Triplicate composite soil samples were collected from each land use type and soil depths. For the determination of physical (texture and bulk density) and chemical soil properties such as electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), and available phosphorus (AP), standard laboratory procedures were employed. The image analysis results for all of the years studied show that cultivated lands have increased in area at the expense of forest and grazing lands. Silt content, clay content, AP, and pH were significantly affected by land use as the main effect while the interaction effects of soil depth and land use were significant for total N and OM only. The highest (10.1 mg/kg) and the lowest (4.9 mg/kg) AP contents were observed in the forest and the grazing lands, respectively. Soil total N content was highest in the forest lands (0.32%) and lowest in cultivated lands (0.06%). Concerning OM content, the highest (11.0%) and the lowest (0.8%) values were recorded in the forest and cultivated lands, respectively. Generally, this study showed that land use changes have reduced the areal coverage by forest and grazing lands and have negatively affected the soil properties. This implies that land use change without soil fertility measures that are appropriate to the area could cause enhanced land degradation and thereby reduce the productivity of the study area soils.
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Gewin, Virginia. "Grazing Raises Land-Use Debate." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3, no. 10 (December 2005): 523. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3868602.
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Paton, Colin J., Jeffrey F. Clewett, Alice R. Melland, Tom Newsome, Jochen Eberhard, John McL Bennett, and Craig P. Baillie. "Sustainability of beef production from brigalow lands after cultivation and mining. 1. Sown pasture growth and carrying capacity." Animal Production Science 61, no. 12 (2021): 1246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an20135.
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Context New Acland coal mine in south-eastern Queensland is seeking to rehabilitate mined land to pastures that are safe, stable and sustainable for beef production. Little is known of the productivity and sustainability of grazing previously mined land in the Darling Downs study region. Additionally, information is required to specify management guidelines for sustainable grazing of regional land types retired from cultivation. Aims Identify pasture growth characteristics, rainfall use efficiencies and long-term carrying capacities of subtropical sown pastures established on lands rehabilitated after open-cut coal mining in comparison to sown pastures established on un-mined but previously cultivated lands. Methods Pasture growth and quality (% nitrogen) were observed using the Swiftsynd methodology in ungrazed exclosures with three sites on rehabilitated lands of the Acland Grazing Trial over a 5-year period (2014–2018), and 13 sites on unmined lands over periods of 2–5 years providing data for modelling pasture growth. Key results Peak pasture yield (TSDM for autumn harvests) averaged for 2017 and 2018 was greater (P < 0.1) on rehabilitated sites than unmined Poplar Box land type sites (5957 and 2233 kg/ha respectively) but similar to Brigalow Uplands and Mountain Coolibah land type sites (3946 and 3413 kg/ha respectively). Pasture rundown was evident, with pasture N uptake decreasing over 5 years at some sites. Soil mineral N supply (potentially mineralisable N and mineral N) in spring was a useful indicator of N uptake over the following growing season. Simulations using the GRASP pasture growth model for the grazing trial period predicted rainfall use efficiencies of 12.0, 7.0, 9.1 and 4.8 kg/ha.mm rainfall for rehabilitated sites and unmined sites on Brigalow Uplands, Mountain Coolibah and Poplar Box land types respectively. Long-term carrying capacities based on estimates of long-term median pasture growth and 30% utilisation were 4.39, 3.58 and 5.92 ha/adult equivalent respectively for the unmined land types, and 2.45 ha/adult equivalent for the rehabilitated lands. Conclusions Rehabilitated land can be as productive as unmined but previously cultivated land. Implications Grazing management plans for sustainable management of mined and unmined lands can be developed using data from the present study. The plans will assist with the transition of rehabilitated lands to commercial agriculture.
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Barry, Sheila, and Lynn Huntsinger. "Rangeland Land-Sharing, Livestock Grazing’s Role in the Conservation of Imperiled Species." Sustainability 13, no. 8 (April 16, 2021): 4466. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13084466.
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Land sharing, conserving biodiversity on productive lands, is globally promoted. Much of the land highest in California’s biodiversity is used for livestock production, providing an opportunity to understand land sharing and species conservation. A review of United States Fish and Wildlife Service listing documents for 282 threatened and endangered species in California reveals a complex and varied relationship between grazing and conservation. According to these documents, 51% or 143 of the federally listed animal and plant species are found in habitats with grazing. While livestock grazing is a stated threat to 73% (104) of the species sharing habitat with livestock, 59% (85) of the species are said to be positively influenced, with considerable overlap between species both threatened and benefitting from grazing. Grazing is credited with benefiting flowering plants, mammals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, and bird species by managing the state’s novel vegetation and providing and maintaining habitat structure and ecosystem functions. Benefits are noted for species across all of California’s terrestrial habitats, except alpine, and for some aquatic habitats, including riparian, wetlands, and temporary pools. Managed grazing can combat anthropomorphic threats, such as invasive species and nitrogen deposition, supporting conservation-reliant species as part of land sharing.
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Kariuki, Rebecca W., David Western, Simon Willcock, and Robert Marchant. "Assessing Interactions between Agriculture, Livestock Grazing and Wildlife Conservation Land Uses: A Historical Example from East Africa." Land 10, no. 1 (January 6, 2021): 46. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10010046.
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Despite mobile livestock grazing being widely recognized as one of the most viable and sustainable land uses for semi-arid savanna, which can deliver clear wildlife conservation benefits, the levels of pastoral sedentarization and transitions to agricultural livelihoods continue to rise in many pastoral communities across the world. Using questionnaire interviews with community elders, our study assessed changing trends in livestock grazing, wildlife conservation, and sedentarization levels from the 1960s to the present day across three savannas in southern Kenya. Our study identified the drivers of land uses and land subdivision and the implications of land use change on savanna ecology. Over the last half century, there has been a 30% decline in livestock grazing land in southern Kenya due to the expansion of land for agriculture and wildlife conservation. Despite the decline, livestock grazing remains the preferred land use in subdivided and privatized lands. Pastoralist land used for wildlife conservation was perceived to be higher (30%) in southwestern Kenya compared to southeastern Kenya (16%), despite their geographical proximity. These historical insights provide useful lessons for maintaining space for wildlife, diversifying livelihoods, and increasing the resilience of pastoralists in the process of transitioning from traditional subsistence to market economies and the threats of social and ecological dislocation.
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Ogawa, Ryunosuke, Masahiro Hirata, Birhane Gebremedhin, Satoshi Uchida, Toru Sakai, Kazuhisa Koda, and Koichi Takenaka. "Impact of Differences in Land Management on Natural Vegetation in Semi-Dry Areas: The Case Study of the Adi Zaboy Watershed in the Kilite Awlaelo District, Eastern Tigray Region, Ethiopia." Environments 6, no. 1 (December 21, 2018): 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/environments6010002.
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The search for a sustainable land management has become a universal issue. It is especially necessary to discuss sustainable land management and to secure a site with enough feed supply to improve the lives of the farmers in the Ethiopian Highlands. This research studied the Adi Zaboy watershed in Tigray in order to reveal the changes in land management, assess how the different forms of land management affected the vegetation through unsupervised classification and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) analysis with geographic information system (GIS) 10.5 using a WorldView-2 satellite image taken in September 2016 and field investigation, and consider how to allow both environmental preservation and sustainable use of feed resources. The land management types at the research site were classified as “seasonally-closed grazing land”, “prohibited grazing and protected forest land”, and “free grazing land”. On comparing the NDVI of each type of land management, it was found that the seasonally-closed grazing land makes it highly possible to secure and supply feed resources by limiting the grazing period. The expansion of the prohibited grazing and protected forest land is likely to tighten the restriction on the use of resources. Therefore, sustainable land management to secure feed resources may be possible by securing and actively using seasonally-closed grazing land, securing feed by a cut-and-carry, and using satellite images and GIS.
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Akumu, Clement E., Eze O. Amadi, and Samuel Dennis. "Application of Drone and WorldView-4 Satellite Data in Mapping and Monitoring Grazing Land Cover and Pasture Quality: Pre- and Post-Flooding." Land 10, no. 3 (March 20, 2021): 321. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10030321.
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Frequent flooding worldwide, especially in grazing environments, requires mapping and monitoring grazing land cover and pasture quality to support land management. Although drones, satellite, and machine learning technologies can be used to map land cover and pasture quality, there have been limited applications in grazing land environments, especially monitoring land cover change and pasture quality pre- and post-flood events. The use of high spatial resolution drone and satellite data such as WorldView-4 can provide effective mapping and monitoring in grazing land environments. The aim of this study was to utilize high spatial resolution drone and WorldView-4 satellite data to map and monitor grazing land cover change and pasture quality pre-and post-flooding. The grazing land cover was mapped pre-flooding using WorldView-4 satellite data and post-flooding using real-time drone data. The machine learning Random Forest classification algorithm was used to delineate land cover types and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to monitor pasture quality. This study found a seven percent (7%) increase in pasture cover and a one hundred percent (100%) increase in pasture quality post-flooding. The drone and WorldView-4 satellite data were useful to detect grazing land cover change at a finer scale.
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Bartlett, E. Tom, L. Allen Torell, Neil R. Rimbey, Larry W. Van Tassell, and Daniel W. McCollum. "Valuing Grazing Use on Public Land." Journal of Range Management 55, no. 5 (September 2002): 426. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/4003220.
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Gentner, Bradley J., and John A. Tanaka. "Classifying Federal Public Land Grazing Permittees." Journal of Range Management 55, no. 1 (January 2002): 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/4003256.
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BENIN, SAMUEL, and JOHN PENDER. "Collective action in community management of grazing lands: the case of the highlands of northern Ethiopia." Environment and Development Economics 11, no. 1 (January 30, 2006): 127–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1355770x05002688.
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Collective action can play a significant role in sustainable management of common grazing lands through restricting access and regulating use. However, it is not clear why there are often violations of grazing restrictions in equilibrium. This paper first presents a theoretical framework of collective action in community management of grazing lands that explicitly models individual violations behaviour. Then data from the highlands of Amhara region of Ethiopia are used to test the model predictions to examine the impact of policy-relevant factors on collective establishment of grazing restrictions and violations of grazing restrictions. Econometric results show that collective action in community grazing land management is likely to be more beneficial and effective in communities with better market access or higher populations. Collective action, on the other hand, is less likely to be successful in communities with greater social, economic, or cultural heterogeneity or more affluent members. Factors related to greater livestock profitability, such as rainfall, or fixed costs of negotiating agreements, such as total land area of the community, have ambiguous effects, as they are associated with establishment of grazing restrictions as well as violating the restrictions.
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Mekuria, Wolde. "Changes in Regulating Ecosystem Services following Establishing Exclosures on Communal Grazing Lands in Ethiopia: A Synthesis." Journal of Ecosystems 2013 (June 26, 2013): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/860736.
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In four separate studies undertaken in the northern highlands of Ethiopia, changes in regulating ecosystem services, economic viability, and the perception of local communities following establishing exclosures on communal grazing lands were investigated. Replicated 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year-old exclosures were selected and paired each exclosure with an adjacent grazing land. All exclosures displayed higher ecosystem services than communal grazing lands. Differences between exclosures and grazing lands varied between 29 (±4.9) and 61 (±6.7) Mg C ha−1 for ecosystem carbon stock (ECS), 2.4 (±0.6) and 6.9 (±1.8) Mg ha−1 for total soil N stock, and 17 (±3) to 39 (±7) Kg ha−1 for the available P stock, and all differences increased with exclosure duration. Differences in plant species richness and biomass between an exclosure age and communal grazing land were higher in oldest than in youngest exclosures. Over a period of 30 years, sequestered carbon dioxide was 246 Mg ha−1, total soil nitrogen increased by 7.9 Mg ha−1, and additional available phosphorous stocks amounted to 40 kg ha−1. The Net Present Value of exclosures ecosystem services under consideration was about 28% (837 US$) higher than alternative wheat production indicating that exclosures are competitive to alternative land uses. There are substantial opportunities to mobilize the local communities in efforts to establish exclosures, given that more than 75% had a positive view on exclosures effectiveness to restore degraded ecosystems. Establishing exclosures on communal grazing lands can be effective for restoring degraded ecosystems and the services that they provide.
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Xu, Sutie, Sindhu Jagadamma, and Jason Rowntree. "Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review." Sustainability 10, no. 12 (December 14, 2018): 4769. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10124769.
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Grazing land ecosystem services including food provision and climate regulation are greatly influenced by soil health. This paper provides a condensed review of studies on the response of three important soil properties related to soil health to grazing land management: water infiltration, carbon (C) sequestration, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Impacts of management strategies that are often used in grazing lands are discussed in this review including vegetation composition, grazing methods, and other factors such as fertilizer use and climatic conditions. In general, proper grazing management such as continuous moderate grazing and rotational/deferred-rotational grazing with low or moderate stocking rates tends to benefit all three soil properties. Water infiltration can usually be increased with full vegetation cover, increased soil C, and aggregate stability, or be decreased with greater soil bulk density. Adoption of highly productive plant species with faster turnover rates can promote soil C sequestration by increasing C input. However, excessive C removal from ecosystems due to overgrazing or improper soil fertilization management results in higher C loss, which can have detrimental effects on soil C sequestration. Proper stocking rate and a balanced manure/fertilizer management was found to be critical for enhancing NUE. Grazing land management sometimes simultaneously influence the three soil properties. Techniques that can increase soil C such as introduction of high productive plant species can often promote water infiltration and soil nitrogen (N). Some other practices such as adoption of N fertilizer may enhance C sequestration while being detrimental to NUE. An integrated management plan for a specific location or farm should be considered carefully to improve soil health as well as ecosystem production. This review provides farmers and policy makers the current state of general knowledge on how health-related soil processes are affected by grazing land management.
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Kavana, Pius Yoram, Anthony Z. Sangeda, Ephraim J. Mtengeti, Christopher Mahonge, John Bukombe, Robert Fyumagwa, and Stephen Nindi. "Herbaceous plant species diversity in communal agro-pastoral and conservation areas in western Serengeti, Tanzania." Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales 7, no. 5 (November 30, 2019): 502–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.17138/tgft(7)502-518.
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Agro-pastoralism involves the growing of crops and keeping of livestock as a livelihood strategy practiced by communities in rural areas in Africa and is highly dependent on environmental factors including rainfall, soil and vegetation. Agro-pastoral activities, e.g. livestock grazing and land clearing for crop cultivation, impact on environmental condition. This study evaluated the impacts of agro-pastoral activities on herbaceous plant species diversity and abundance in western Serengeti relative to conservation (protected) areas. A vegetation survey was conducted along the grazing gradients of ten 4 km transects from within village lands to protected areas. A total of 123 herbaceous species belonging to 20 families were identified. Higher herbaceous species diversity and richness were found in protected areas than in communal grazing lands. Similarly, the number of perennial herbaceous species was higher in the former than the latter, while occurrence of annuals was higher in the village areas. This observation indicates poor rangeland condition in village communal grazing lands as compared with protected areas. It is obvious that current agro-pastoral activities have contributed to a reduction in herbaceous species diversity in village lands in western Serengeti. However, the array of pasture species, especially desirable perennial species, still present in communal grazing areas, suggests that rejuvenation of these areas is possible. Resting of grazing land is recommended to reverse the trend towards diversity reduction and ensure future availability of feed resources for grazing animals in village lands.
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Bencherif, Slimane, Mohamed Boumedienne Dahmani, Daniel Burgas, and Pablo Manzano. "Current Social and Rangeland Access Trends among Pastoralists in the Western Algerian Steppe." Land 10, no. 7 (June 26, 2021): 674. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10070674.
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In the western Algerian steppe, the public authorities have carried out actions aimed at rural development (agricultural development programs) and combating desertification (grazing reserves) to counter the significant and rapid loss of vegetation cover of pastures by overgrazing, and the consequent impacts on local livelihoods. In the Rogassa area, these actions have impacted land tenure and the ancestral and collective way of land use and access. These changes have caused transformations in lifestyle and pasture management. This research aims to characterize how such changes are affecting local pastoralists and what their perceptions are about them. A selective sampling of 150 agropastoral households was carried out by interviewing their heads, analyzing socioeconomic, land tenure and government perception variables. Most agropastoralists access land under tribal tenure, conditioned by local social structures. Pastures are prevailingly perceived by pastoralists as insufficient, and the perception of grazing reserves is largely negative. Pastoralists are worried about land degradation and declining grazing lands, and are looking for solutions and alternatives. However, state interventions have been uncoordinated and have not considered their customary land rights. The generalized awareness of environmental deterioration points to the need for better communication and intervention strategies to be developed by authorities in the future that involve the inhabitants of these lands.
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Tang, Yi, and Xin Jun Wang. "Effects of Grazing on Reproductive Allocation of Elm in Horqin Sandy Land, Northeastern China." Advanced Materials Research 937 (May 2014): 554–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.937.554.
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Grazing, one of the most important disturbance in Northern China, influenced vegetation restoration on the aspects of population survival, community structure and landscape patterns. However, effects of grazing on elm trees (Ulmus pumila), the key species in climax community in Horqin Sandy Land, were not fully understood, especially on the aspects of reproductive allocation. Reproductive allocation was vital to affect seed production, which determined the number of seed source used for recruitment. Furthermore, recruitment regulated the population dynamic even to the community structure. To estimate effects of grazing on elm trees reproductive allocation, a field experiment was conducted in Wulanaodu, southern of Horqin Sandy Land. Elm trees suffering grazing with intensities were classified with diameter in breast (DBH). Current-year shoots, leaves and seeds in each tree mentioned above, were selected and measured in the laboratory respectively. The dry weight of them considered as biomass allocated to reproductive and vegetative growth. Our results showed that the reproductive allocation of early-matured and over-matured trees were 25.17% and 35.91% separately in closed land and were 42.48% and 60.03% in light grazed land correspondingly, indicating the reproductive allocation of early-matured and over-matured trees in closed land was significant lower than in grazed land (P<0.05). Meanwhile, matured trees devoted 71.15% of required resource to reproduction in closed land, and this ratio was 67.34% and 71.75% in light and heavy-grazed land, indicating the difference of reproductive allocation was not significant between the grazed and closed lands (P>0.05). Furthermore, matured trees devoted 71.75% of resource to seeds and the corresponding ratio was 60.03% and 42.48% in over-matured trees and early-matured trees, indicating matured trees significantly devoted more resource to reproduction than over-matured trees and early-matured trees (P<0.05). It is suggested that grazing improved the ratio of biomass allocation to reproduction.
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Magierowski, Regina H., Peter E. Davies, Steve M. Read, and Nelli Horrigan. "Impacts of land use on the structure of river macroinvertebrate communities across Tasmania, Australia: spatial scales and thresholds." Marine and Freshwater Research 63, no. 9 (2012): 762. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf11267.
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The formulation of scientifically justified guidelines for management of anthropogenic impacts on river health requires better understanding of the quantitative linkages among river-system parameters. The present study examines relationships between land use and biological metrics of river health in Tasmania, in the context of a variety of environmental drivers. An extensive dataset (103 sites) of macroinvertebrate assemblages was collected between 1999 and 2006. We hypothesised that grazing by domestic livestock would have the greatest impact on community structure of the land-use types investigated because grazing is a dominant land-use type in Tasmania (and can cover a large proportion of catchment area), because land clearance for grazing is rarely followed by regeneration and because historically riparian vegetation has not been protected. Multivariate and correlation analysis showed that community structure responded strongly to land use and confirmed that the strongest relationships were observed for grazing land use and environmental variables associated with grazing, such as e.g. water abstraction and/or regulation and riparian vegetation. Analyses accounting for hydrological region and location confirmed the generality of this relationship. We conclude that catchment-wide management actions would be required to mitigate these impacts of grazing because land use and riparian vegetation condition were generally stronger determinants of community structure at catchment rather than local scales.
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Bray, S. G., D. E. Allen, B. P. Harms, D. J. Reid, G. W. Fraser, R. C. Dalal, D. Walsh, D. G. Phelps, and R. Gunther. "Is land condition a useful indicator of soil organic carbon stock in Australia’s northern grazing land?" Rangeland Journal 38, no. 3 (2016): 229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj15097.
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The grazing lands of northern Australia contain a substantial soil organic carbon (SOC) stock due to the large land area. Manipulating SOC stocks through grazing management has been presented as an option to offset national greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and other industries. However, research into the response of SOC stocks to a range of management activities has variously shown positive, negative or negligible change. This uncertainty in predicting change in SOC stocks represents high project risk for government and industry in relation to SOC sequestration programs. In this paper, we seek to address the uncertainty in SOC stock prediction by assessing relationships between SOC stocks and grazing land condition indicators. We reviewed the literature to identify land condition indicators for analysis and tested relationships between identified land condition indicators and SOC stock using data from a paired-site sampling experiment (10 sites). We subsequently collated SOC stock datasets at two scales (quadrat and paddock) from across northern Australia (329 sites) to compare with the findings of the paired-site sampling experiment with the aim of identifying the land condition indicators that had the strongest relationship with SOC stock. The land condition indicators most closely correlated with SOC stocks across datasets and analysis scales were tree basal area, tree canopy cover, ground cover, pasture biomass and the density of perennial grass tussocks. In combination with soil type, these indicators accounted for up to 42% of the variation in the residuals after climate effects were removed. However, we found that responses often interacted with soil type, adding complexity and increasing the uncertainty associated with predicting SOC stock change at any particular location. We recommend that caution be exercised when considering SOC offset projects in northern Australian grazing lands due to the risk of incorrectly predicting changes in SOC stocks with change in land condition indicators and management activities for a particular paddock or property. Despite the uncertainty for generating SOC sequestration income, undertaking management activities to improve land condition is likely to have desirable complementary benefits such as improving productivity and profitability as well as reducing adverse environmental impact.
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Beutel, Terrence S., Debra H. Corbet, Madonna B. Hoffmann, Stuart R. Buck, and Marco Kienzle. "Quantifying leucaena cultivation extent on grazing land." Rangeland Journal 40, no. 1 (2018): 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj17085.
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Leucaena is a perennial fodder crop that can significantly improve beef production across substantial parts of the world’s grazing lands. We surveyed leucaena cultivations across 350 000 km2 of Australia’s prime leucaena-growing region, using a new approach to quantify leucaena coverage and distribution. This approach uses high resolution imagery to detect leucaena by the distinctive alley cultivation pattern that is typical in the region and in many other parts of the world. We estimated there are ~123 500 ha of leucaena in the study region. Although no prior estimate of leucaena coverage has been based on exactly the same geographic area, our data strongly suggest that recent published estimates of leucaena coverage for Queensland and Australia are substantial overestimates. In addition to providing robust estimates of total leucaena coverage, we demonstrate how the method can also contribute to other survey objectives such as comparison of actual with potential spatial distribution, and assessment of statistical sampling power. We also discuss the potential application of the new method in international contexts.
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Mangold, Jane M., Kate B. Fuller, Stacy C. Davis, and Matthew J. Rinella. "The Economic Cost of Noxious Weeds on Montana Grazing Lands." Invasive Plant Science and Management 11, no. 2 (June 2018): 96–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/inp.2018.10.
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AbstractWe distributed a 16-question survey concerning noxious weed abundance, impacts, and management to livestock producers grazing on privately owned or leased grazing lands in Montana. The noxious weeds most commonly reported as being present on respondents’ grazing units were Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.] (64% of grazing units) and leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) (45% of grazing units), and these species also reportedly caused the greatest reductions in livestock forage. Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale L.) was more prevalent than either spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L.) or diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) (39% vs. 32% and 10%, respectively, of grazing units), but collectively C. stoebe and C. diffusa were reported to cause greater forage reductions than C. officinale. The top three strategies used to manage noxious weeds were chemical control, grazing, and biological control. Combining survey responses with forage-loss models derived from field data for C. stoebe and E. esula, we estimated the combined cost of noxious weed management and forage losses on privately owned rangeland to be $3.54 ha−1 yr−1, or $7,243 annually for an average size grazing unit (i.e., 2,046 ha [5,055 ac]). Our estimates of economic losses are lower than many estimates from previous studies, possibly because we focused only on direct costs related to private grazing land, while other studies often consider indirect impacts. Nonetheless, our estimates are substantial; for example, our estimated loss equates to 24% of the average per-hectare lease rate for Montana grazing land.
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Johnston, PW, GM Mckeon, and KA Day. "Objective `Safe' Grazing Capacities for South-West Queensland Australia: Development of a Model for Individual Properties." Rangeland Journal 18, no. 2 (1996): 244. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9960244.
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Few tools are available to assist graziers, land administrators and financiers in making objective grazing capacity decisions on Australian rangelands, despite existing knowledge regarding stocking rate theory and the impact of stocking rates on land condition. To address this issue a model for objectively estimating 'safe' grazing capacities on individual grazing properties in south-west Queensland was developed. The method is based on 'safe' levels of utilisation (15%-20%) by domestic livestock of average annual forage grown for each land system on a property. Average annual forage grown (kglha) was calculated as the product of the rainfall use efficiency (kglhdmm) and average annual rainfall (mm) for a land system. This estimate included the impact of tree and shrub cover on forage production. The 'safe' levels of forage utilisation for south- west Queensland pastures were derived from the combined experience of (1) re-analysis of the results of grazing trials, (2) reaching a consensus on local knowledge and (3) examination of existing grazing practice on 'benchmark' grazing properties. We recognise the problems in defining, determining and using grazing capacity values, but consider that the model offers decision makers a tool that can be used to assess the grazing capacity of individual properties.
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Sulak, Adriana, and Lynn Huntsinger. "Public Land Grazing in California: Untapped Conservation Potential for Private Lands?" Rangelands 29, no. 3 (June 2007): 9–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.2111/1551-501x(2007)29[9:plgicu]2.0.co;2.
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Clewett, Jeffrey F., Tom Newsome, Colin J. Paton, Alice R. Melland, Jochen E. Eberhard, John McL Bennett, and Craig P. Baillie. "Sustainability of beef production from brigalow lands after cultivation and mining. 3. Pasture rundown, climate and grazing pressure effects." Animal Production Science 61, no. 12 (2021): 1280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an20134.
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Context The Acland Land System overlying the Walloon sandstone coal deposits in southern Queensland is generally marginal for cropping but well suited to grazing, and thus cultivated land is commonly returned to pasture. Rehabilitation of these lands after open-cut coal mining seeks to be safe, stable and self-sustaining to satisfy requirements for ecologically sustainable development. Aims The present paper evaluates the sustainability and economic viability of beef production on (a) lands retired from cultivation and then rehabilitated with sown pastures after open-cut coal mining at the New Acland mine site, and (b) similar nearby pasture lands that were not mined but were also retired from cultivation. Methods The GRASP grazing systems model was modified and calibrated with short-term (5-year) grazing trial data (soil, pasture and cattle observations), and then used with long-term (60-year) weather data to estimate effects of land type, pasture rundown, climate and grazing pressure on productivity and economic returns. The productivity of three rehabilitated sites and 15 unmined sites were evaluated, including pastures on six commercial properties. Key results Estimates of long-term mean annual growth of pastures on unmined lands retired from cultivation on three land types (Mountain Coolibah, Brigalow Uplands and Poplar Box) were 3398, 2817 and 2325 kg/ha respectively. Pasture growth was greater on rehabilitated lands; 3736 kg/ha on the site most typical of rehabilitated lands and a mean of 4959 kg/ha across three sites. Seasonal conditions had large effects on cattle liveweight gain (133–213 kg/head per year during the trial); however, pasture growth was the main driver of beef production and economic returns per hectare. In GRASP, potential nitrogen uptake was used to influence key pasture growth processes and accounted for 64% of variation in observed annual growth. The short-term lift and subsequent rundown in productivity typically associated with sown pastures was estimated to have increased mean annual pasture and cattle productivity during the 2014–2018 trial period by up to 17% and 25% respectively. Estimates of long-term mean annual beef production and economic returns for the unmined lands were less than estimated for rehabilitated lands and were 139 kg/head.year (45 kg/ha.year) and AU$154/adult equivalent. Conclusions Rehabilitated lands were found to be sustainable for beef production at grazing pressures up to 30% utilisation of annual pasture growth, and comparable with grazing systems on native and sown pastures in good condition. Pastures on unmined lands retired from cultivation had reduced productivity. Implications Overgrazing is a significant and on-going residual risk to sustainable production. Grazing regimes need to continually adjust for changes in novel landscapes, pasture condition and climate. The methods used in the present study could be applied more generally.
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Macleod, ND, and JA Taylor. "Perceptions of Beef Cattle Producers and Scientists Relating to Sustainable Land Use Issues and Their Implications for Technology Transfer." Rangeland Journal 16, no. 2 (1994): 238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9940238.
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Selected results are presented for two sub-groups drawn from a postal survey of perceptions of sustainable grazing management issues in the beef cattle-grazed rangelands of Queensland. The sub- groups include beef cattle producers and research scientists, both of which are key stakeholders for effective technology transfer from R&D projects that address sustainable grazing land management problems. Some important similarities and differences are highlighted between the sub-groups which are believed potentially to impact on the design and operation of R&D projects, the principal aim of which is to improve sustainable management practices. These relate to land use objectives and perceived sustainability of current grazing practices, and to the feasibility of rectifying present land degradation problems. Similarities are evident in the high proportions of both groups which do not believe that present practices are sustainable and with the same perceptions about the principal causes of grazing land degradation and the feasibility of rectifying present land degradation problems. Major differences relate to the perceived management objectives of beef producers, the scale at which land degradation problems occur, and the key sources of information or knowledge on which sustainable grazing systems might be developed.
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Veblen, Kari E., David A. Pyke, Cameron L. Aldridge, Michael L. Casazza, Timothy J. Assal, and Melissa A. Farinha. "Monitoring of Livestock Grazing Effects on Bureau of Land Management Land." Rangeland Ecology & Management 67, no. 1 (January 2014): 68–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.2111/rem-d-12-00178.1.
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Bastin, GN, G. Pickup, VH Chewings, and G. Pearce. "Land Degradation Assessment in Central Australia Using a Grazing Gradient Method." Rangeland Journal 15, no. 2 (1993): 190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9930190.
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: how well are they structured? J. Am. Soc. Inform. Sci. 42(7), 528-31. Stmnk, W. and White, E.B. (1972). 'The elements of style'. Macmillan, New York, and Collier Macmillan. London. Manuscript received 1 March 1993, accepted 22 March 1993 Rangel. J. 15(2) 1993,190-216 LAND DEGRADATION ASSESSMENT IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA USING A GRAZING GRADIENT METHOD G.N. Bastin, G. Pickup, V.H. Chewings and G. Pearce CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, Centre for Arid Zone Research, PO Box 21 11, Alice Springs, NT 0871 Abstract Rangeland monitoring using ground-based methods has been fraught with difficulty because of the lack of accurate and repeatable techniques capable of separating grazing impact from both seasonal variability and natural landscape heterogeneity. The results presented here show how these problems can be overcome by analysing the entire grazed landscape using remotely-sensed data and 'grazing gradient' methods which separate grazing effects from natural variation. Land degradation is defined as 'a reduction in the capacity of landscapes to produce vegetation cover from rainfall'. After a period of grazing, vegetation cover typically decreases as water is approached producing a spatial pattern known as a grazing gradient. Vegetation increases across the whole landscape following rain and the extent of vegetation recovery in the vicinity of watering points . after significant rainfall is determined for each mapped land system. A 'percentage cover production loss' index is then derived allowing grazing management effects across land systems (and paddocks) to be compared. We report on the analysis of 38,000 krn2 of grazed country on all or parts of 16 pastoral leases. Land systems containing a high proportion of palatable forage have high index values and are most adversely affected by grazing. These land systems are frequently the most intensively stocked due to their original productivity. In some cases, parts of these land systems have also had a relatively long history of grazing. Some land systems of lower pastoral value show no gradient after rainfall but a pattern of decreasing cover with distance from water after a period of grazing. This is associated with an increase in cover of unpalatable shrubs. We advocate the use of grazing gradient methods which utilise remotely-sensed satellite data as an operational means of determining grazing impact in the arid rangelands. Our methods compare favourably with conventional ground-based monitoring in terms of cost and labour requirements. The remote sensing-based method is capable of providing comprehensive, objective and repeatable analysis of grazed country after future significant rainfalls. It also offers the significant additional advantage of immediate information about landscape condition through the analysis of archived remotely-sensed data.
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Mrabure, Kingsley O., and Ufuoma V. Awhefeada. "Appraising Grazing Laws in Nigeria. Pastoralists versus Farmers." African Journal of Legal Studies 12, no. 3-4 (May 14, 2020): 298–314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/17087384-12340053.
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Abstract The paper highlights the historical development of grazing reserves in Nigeria, the recent violent clashes between pastoralists and farmers taking into consideration the effects of grazing on land, causes and consequences of farmer-pastoralist conflicts and the adequacy of grazing laws. The paper contends that the Grazing Reserve Law 1965 applicable only to States in Northern part of Nigeria have not adequately curb the incessant clashes between pastoralists and farmers and that some provisions of the National Grazing Reserve (Establishment) Bill 2016 conflict with farmers’ inalienable right to property as entrenched in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and protection of propriety rights in land under the Land Use Act. The paper concludes by stating unambiguously that for lasting peace to reign between farmers and pastoralists. States should enact anti-grazing laws has done by Ekiti State which brought relative peace between pastoralists and farmers in the State.
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Kassa Cholbe, Mesfin, Fassil Kebede Yeme, and Wassie Haile Woldeyohannes. "Fertility Status of Acid Soils under Different Land Use Types in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia." Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2020 (October 13, 2020): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/3713967.
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Information on soil fertility status of acid soil of a particular area as affected by land use type is important for developing sound soil management systems for improved and sustainable agricultural productivity. The main objective of this study was to assess the fertility status and effect of land use change on soil physicochemical properties. In this study, adjacent three land use types, namely, enset-coffee, crop, and grazing land use were considered in four districts (i.e., Bolos Sore, Damot Gale, Damot Sore, and Sodo Zuria) of Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–20 cm from each land use type of the respective districts for physicochemical analyses. The results showed that land use types significantly affected ( P ≤ 0.05 ) soil properties such as bulk density, available P, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable bases (Na, K, Ca, Mg), exchangeable acidity, and CEC. Besides, soil pH, OC, and TN were influenced significantly ( P ≤ 0.05 ) both by districts and land use types. The very strongly acidic soils were found predominantly in the crop and grazing lands whereas a neutral acidity level was found in the enset-coffee land use type of four districts. In conclusion, the study proves that land use type change within the same geographic setting can affect the severity of soil acidity due to over cultivation and rapid organic matter decomposition. Finally, the study recommends an in-depth study and analysis on the root causes in aggravating soil acidity under crop and grazing land use types.
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Schoenbaum, Iris, J. Kigel, D. Barkai, and S. Landau. "Weed infestation of wheat fields by sheep grazing stubble in the Mediterranean semi-arid region." Crop and Pasture Science 60, no. 7 (2009): 675. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp08283.
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Seasonal stubble grazing by sheep is a widespread practice in the Mediterranean basin. However, farmers frequently claim that turning the sheep from marginal lands to the wheat fields after grain harvest increases the risk of weed infestation because of potential weed seed dispersal. We tested this claim by: (1) examining the potential of seed dispersal by sheep from marginal land via faeces and fleece, and (2) evaluating effects of summer stubble grazing on the size and composition of the weed seedbank and weed vegetation. Analysis of seed density in faeces and fleece showed that the potential for infestation from marginal land by sheep was relatively high during late spring, but strongly decreased in mid-summer, when plants in the marginal land had already shed their seeds. The potential of weed transport by faeces was negligible, compared with the seedbank in the field, and little overlapping of species was found between them. Summer grazing by sheep in a no-tillage wheat field over 5 years enlarged the seedbank. This increase, however, was mainly due to the less competitive small-grass species that were not found in the faeces or in the fleece. Combined ploughing, crop rotation, and herbicide application strongly reduced the seedbank. These integrated management practices eliminated the effect of summer grazing on the seedbank.
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Beutel, Terrence S., Robert Shepherd, Robert A. Karfs, Brett N. Abbott, Teresa Eyre, Trevor J. Hall, and Emily Barbi. "Is ground cover a useful indicator of grazing land condition?" Rangeland Journal 43, no. 1 (2021): 55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj21018.
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Remotely sensed ground cover data play an important role in Australian rangelands research development and extension, reflecting broader global trends in the use of remotely sensed data. We tested the relationship between remotely sensed ground cover data and field-based assessments of grazing land condition in the largest quantitative analysis of its type to date. We collated land condition data from 2282 sites evaluated between 2004 and 2018 in the Burdekin and Fitzroy regions of Queensland. Condition was defined using the Grazing Land Management land condition framework that ranks grazing land condition on a four point ordinal scale based on dimensions of vegetation composition, ground cover level and erosion severity. Nine separate ground cover derived indices were then calculated for each site. We found that all indices significantly correlated with grazing land condition on corresponding sites. Highest correlations occurred with indices that benchmarked ground cover at the site against regional ground cover assessed over several years. These findings provide some validation for the general use of ground cover data as an indicator of rangeland health/productivity. We also constructed univariate land condition models with a subset of these indices. Our models predicted land condition significantly better than random assignment though only moderately well; no model correctly predicted land condition class on >40% of sites. While the best models predicted condition correctly at >60% of A and D condition sites, condition at sites in B and C condition sites was poorly predicted. Several factors limit how well ground cover levels predict land condition. The main challenge is modelling a multidimensional value (grazing land condition) with a unidimensional ground cover measurement. We suggest that better land condition models require a range of predictors to address this multidimensionality but cover indices can make a substantial contribution in this context.
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Xu, Sutie, Jason Rowntree, Pablo Borrelli, Jennifer Hodbod, and Matt R. Raven. "Ecological Health Index: A Short Term Monitoring Method for Land Managers to Assess Grazing Lands Ecological Health." Environments 6, no. 6 (June 10, 2019): 67. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/environments6060067.
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Grazing lands should be monitored to ensure their productivity and the preservation of ecosystem services. The study objective was to investigate the effectiveness of an Ecological Health Index (EHI) for assessing ecosystem ecological health in grazing lands. The EHI was developed by synthesizing existing vegetation and soil cover indicators. We implemented long-term transects at 44 farms from two ecological regions in Patagonia, the Humid Magellan Steppe (HMS) (n = 24) and Subandean Grasslands (SG) (n = 20), to collect data on established quantifiable vegetative and soil measurements and the EHI. Using known quantifiable measures, the HMS had numerically greater species richness compared to SG. Similarly, the average percentage of total live vegetation was more favorable in HMS. Correlating the EHI with these known quantifiable measures demonstrated positive correlations with species richness, the percentage of total live vegetation and carrying capacity and was negatively correlations with bare ground. These results suggest that EHI could be a useful method to detect the ecological health and productivity in grazing lands. Overall, we conclude that EHI is an effective short-term monitoring approach that ranchers could implement annually to monitor grazing lands and determine the impacts of ranch decision-making on important ecosystem indicators.
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Assefa, Fikru, Eyasu Elias, Teshome Soromessa, and Gebiaw T. Ayele. "Effect of Changes in Land-Use Management Practices on Soil Physicochemical Properties in Kabe Watershed, Ethiopia." Air, Soil and Water Research 13 (January 2020): 117862212093958. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1178622120939587.
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Change in land-use management practices such as cultivation of steep slopes, overgrazing, and no or limited fallow periods, and slope position affects the quality of soils. As a result, assessing soil physicochemical properties and subsequent implications on soil fertility is essential for understanding the influence of agro-ecosystem revolution on agricultural soil quality and efficiency. In this research, we assessed the effect of land-use management practices on selected soil properties under varying terrain slopes and with and without soil conservation measures in a highly disturbed landscape in the northern part of Ethiopia in 2016. Based on the result, for all slope positions considered—namely, lower (1%-15%), middle (15%-30%), and upper (30%-45% and above)—with and without soil conservation, soil moisture content, porosity, silt, and clay proportions were lower in the cultivated land compared with grazing and forestland-use units. Conversely, soil bulk density and the sand fraction were higher in the cultivated land than grazing and forestland units, relatively. Observing changes in a terrain slope position, sand content of forest, grazing, and cultivated land units increased from lower to upper slope position whereas silt and clay fraction generally showed a decreasing trend from lower to an upper slope positions. In all slope positions with and without conservation practice, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ showed a significant increase from cultivated land to grazing and then forestland. The mean value of pH and electrical conductivity of cultivated lands with and without soil conservation were significantly low in all slope categories. Summarizing the analysis of variance for selected soil chemical properties with different slope positions, except available phosphorous, all chemical properties considered in this study are statistically significant ( P < .05). In summary, the result confirmed that soil properties were strongly influenced by terrain slope, land use, and changes in management practice. Consequently, to conserve soil resources, policymakers need to implement appropriate land conservation strategies based on land-use structure and slope variation.
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Bowen, M. K., and F. Chudleigh. "Grazing pressure, land condition, productivity and profitability of beef cattle grazing buffel grass pastures in the subtropics of Australia: a modelling approach." Animal Production Science 58, no. 8 (2018): 1451. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/an17780.
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There is widespread evidence that beef cattle land managers in Queensland are using stocking rates for perennial pastures that are substantially higher than recommended guidelines, and some indication that these decisions are motivated by perceived financial and economic benefits. Considerable effort has been, and is currently being, applied by public-sector organisations to encourage producers to reduce grazing pressure from beef cattle across Queensland’s pastoral lands. A better understanding of the relationships among stocking rate, land condition and profitability of beef-grazing enterprises is imperative to better inform cattle producers and policy makers. The present study assessed the effect of grazing pressure and land condition on the productivity and profitability of a steer-turnover enterprise utilising buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) pastures in central Queensland. A property-level, regionally relevant herd model was used to determine whole-of-business productivity and profitability over a 30-year investment period. Growth paths for steers from weaning to marketing were developed for 16 scenarios encompassing a range of pasture-utilisation rates (30%, 35% and 50% of annual biomass growth), land condition (A, B and C) and market targets (feedlot entry at 474 kg or slaughter at 605 kg). The economic effect of each scenario was assessed by comparison to a base scenario of 30% pasture utilisation and turn-off of slaughter steers. Our analyses demonstrated a large economic advantage from increasing grazing pressure above 30% utilisation for buffel grass pastures, even with assumptions of declining land condition and animal performance. For instance, producing slaughter steers under a 50% pasture-utilisation regime with a continuous decline in land condition from A to C (and, hence, productivity) over Years 10–30 was AU$21 772/annum more profitable than was a 30% pasture-utilisation strategy, which is widely recommended as closer to a long-term, safe utilisation rate. The present research has provided insights into the relationship between grazing pressure and economic returns of beef producers over the medium term. However, it should be considered as a scoping study due to the paucity of data for effects of utilisation rate on the productivity of buffel grass pastures and, hence, on land-condition rating. Further research is required to better understand the effects of utilisation rate of buffel grass, and other sown pasture grass and legume species, on plant biomass production, plant-diet quality for cattle, land-condition decline and cattle productivity.
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Biazin, Birhanu, Dong-Gill Kim, and Tefera Mengistu. "Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks Following Land Use Changes in a Sub-Humid Climate." Environment and Natural Resources Research 8, no. 1 (January 5, 2018): 70. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/enrr.v8n1p70.
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There has been an incessant conversion of natural forests to agricultural land uses such as farmlands, grasslands and parkland agro-forestry in Africa during the last century. This study investigated changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks following the conversion of a natural forest to coffee-based agro-forestry, grazing grassland and well-managed maize farm in a sub-humid tropical climate of Ethiopia. Soil samples (up to 1m depth) were taken from each of these four land use types. Taking the natural forest as a baseline and with duration of 35 years since land use conversion, the total SOC and TN stocks were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the different land use types when the entire 1m soil depth was considered. However, in the upper 0-10cm soil depth, the SOC and TN stocks were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the natural forest than the agricultural land use types. There were different patterns of SOC and TN distributions along the soil depths for the different land use types. The SOC stocks decreased with depth in natural forest, but did not show any increasing or decreasing trends in maize farm, grazing grassland, and coffee-based agroforestry. The results of this study revealed that the negative effects of converting natural forests to agricultural land use types on SOC and TN can be prevented through appropriate land management practices in cultivated and grazing lands and use of proper agroforestry practices in a sub-humid tropical climate.
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Kharal, Sudarshan, Babu Khanal, and Dinesh Panday. "Assessment of Soil Fertility under Different Land-Use Systems in Dhading District of Nepal." Soil Systems 2, no. 4 (October 29, 2018): 57. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040057.
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Unscientific land use and cropping techniques have led high soil erosion and degradation of soil quality in the mid-hills of Nepal. To understand the effects of land use systems for selected soil chemical properties in mid-hills, composite soil samples at 0 cm to 20 cm depth were collected from five different land-use systems: Grassland, forest land, upland, lowland, and vegetable farms from Dhading district of Nepal in 2017. Soil samples were analyzed for soil fertility parameters: Soil pH, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), available potassium (K) and its effect due to different land use systems were compared. Results showed that soil pH was neutral in vegetable farms (6.61), whereas the rest of the land-use systems had acidic soils. Soil OM (3.55%) and N (0.18%) content was significantly higher in forest, but the lowest soil OM (1.26%) and N (0.06%) contents were recorded from upland and lowland farms, respectively. Available P was the highest in the vegetable farm (41.07 mg kg−1) and was the lowest in grazing land (2.89 mg kg−1). The upland farm had significantly higher P levels (39.89 mg kg−1) than the lowland farm (9.02 mg kg−1). Available K was the highest in the vegetable farm (130.2 mg kg−1) and lowest in grazing land (36.8 mg kg−1). These results indicated that the land under traditional mixed cereal-based farming had poor soil health compared with adjacent vegetable, grazing, and forest lands among the study area. The variations in soil fertility parameters suggest the immediate need for improvement in soil health of traditional farmlands.
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Hadush, Muuz. "Examining the Effect of Animal Resource Scarcity on Farm Labor and Farm Production in Northern Ethiopia." Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 52, no. 2 (February 4, 2020): 264–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aae.2019.43.
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AbstractRural households in Ethiopia suffer from the scarcity of grazing land and water. This article examines the economic impact of time spent looking for water and grazing lands for livestock on crop farming labor and crop output based on a nonseparable farm household model. We estimated a general Cobb-Douglas production function using 518 farmers in Ethiopia. Our results confirm a negative relationship between labor input to crop farming and resource scarcity. On average, a 1% reduction in the time spent looking for water, grazing, and straw led to an increase in food production by 0.16%, 0.28% and 0.33%, respectively.
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McAllister, Jim, and Barbara Geno. "Class, Status and Land Conflict: The Democratisation of Grazing Lands in Queensland." Rural Society 11, no. 2 (January 2001): 115–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.5172/rsj.11.2.115.
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Byambaa, Bayarmaa, and Walter T. de Vries. "The Production of Pastoral Space: Modeling Spatial Occupation of Grazing Land for Environmental Impact Assessment Using Structural Equation Modeling." Land 10, no. 2 (February 20, 2021): 211. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10020211.
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Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a key tool for both environmental and land management. It identifies potential adverse and unintended consequences of the projects on land use and the environment and derives possible mitigation measures to address these impacts. Calculating the volume and severity of impacts is complex and often relies on selections and simplifications. Moreover, calculating impacts associated with nomadic-pastoral (dynamic) land use is still an unresolved methodological problem. A full understanding of the patterns of dynamic land use in nomadic pastoralism is still lacking. Consequently, EIAs are currently able to predict the negative impacts associated with dynamic land use insufficiently. This article addresses this lacuna by modeling the spatial occupation of grazing land using a statistical modeling technique of structural equation modeling (SEM) and the R package lavaan for SEM, in order to explain the behavior of dynamic land use for EIA. Based on the concepts of the production of space and pastoral spatiality, we specified and tested a model of spatial occupation of grazing areas hypothesizing interrelationships between factors influencing the pastoral space using empirical data from two different ecological zones in Mongolia. The findings suggest that grazing areas, herd mobility, and herd size and composition have direct positive effects on each other. Compared to broad-scale pastoral movements, the herd size and composition significantly affect the size of grazing areas and the extent of fine-scale herding mobility. Herders occupy more pastoral space and increase their daily herding movements at their campsites when the population of livestock increases. By contrast, the herd size and composition do not considerably affect the herders’ decision to migrate for extensive grazing between their seasonal campsites. Likewise, the scale of grazing areas and fine-scale pastoral mobility do not affect significantly the broad-scale herding mobility between campsites. The broad-scale herding mobility is relatively independent of the fine-scale mobility; however, they covary. This is the first study to analyze and quantify the effects of grazing areas, herding mobility, and herd size and composition in the same study. EIA impact prediction should consider grazing areas as a dynamic space that is influenced by grazing orbits, fine and broad-scale herding movements including otor, livestock species, the number of animals as well as households at campsites.
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Adugna, Alemayehu, and Assefa Abegaz. "Effects of land use changes on the dynamics of selected soil properties in northeast Wellega, Ethiopia." SOIL 2, no. 1 (February 12, 2016): 63–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-63-2016.
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Abstract. Land use change can have negative or positive effects on soil quality. Our objective was to assess the effects of land uses changes on the dynamics of selected soil physical and chemical properties. Soil samples were collected from three adjacent soil plots under different land uses, namely forestland, grazing land, and cultivated land at 0–15 cm depth. Changes in soil properties on cultivated and grazing land were computed and compared to forestland, and ANOVA (analysis of variance) was used to test the significance of the changes. Sand and silt proportions, soil organic content, total nitrogen content, acidity, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca2+ content were higher in forestlands. Exchangeable Mg2+ was highest in grazing land, while clay, available phosphorous, and exchangeable K+ were highest in cultivated land. The percentage changes in sand, clay, soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ were higher in cultivated land than in grazing land and forestland. In terms of the relation between soil properties, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca2+ were strongly positively correlated with most of soil properties, while available phosphorous and silt have no significant relationship with any of the other considered soil properties. Clay has a negative correlation with all soil properties. Generally, cultivated land has the least concentration of soil physical and chemical properties except clay and available phosphorous, which suggests an increasing degradation rate in soils of cultivated land. So as to increase soil organic matter and other nutrients in the soil of cultivated land, the integrated implementation of land management through compost, cover crops, manures, minimum tillage, crop rotation, and liming to decrease soil acidity are suggested.
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Adugna, A., and A. Abegaz. "Effects of land use changes on the dynamics of selected soil properties in the Northeast Wollega, Ethiopia." SOIL Discussions 2, no. 2 (October 14, 2015): 1075–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/soild-2-1075-2015.
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Abstract. Land use change can have negative or positive effects on soil quality. Our objective was to assess the effects of land uses changes on the dynamics of selected soil physical and chemical properties. Soil samples were collected from three adjacent land uses, namely forestland, grazing land and cultivated land at 0–15 cm depth, and tested in National Soil Testing Center, Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia. Percentage changes of soil properties on cultivated and grazing land was computed and compared to forestland, and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the significance of the changes. The results indicate that sand, silt, SOM, N, pH, CEC and Ca were the highest in forestlands. Mg was the highest in grazing land while clay, P and K were the highest in cultivated land. The percentage changes in sand, clay, SOM, pH, CEC, Ca and Mg were higher in cultivated land than the change in grazing land compared to forestland, except P. In terms of relationship between soil properties; SOM, N, CEC and Ca were strongly positively correlated with most of soil properties while P and silt have no significant relationship with any of other considered soil properties. Clay has negative correlation with all of soil properties. Generally, cultivated land has the least concentration of soil physical and chemical properties except clay and AP which suggest increasing degradation rate in soils of cultivated land. So as to increase SOM and other nutrients in the soil of cultivated land, integrated implementation of land management through compost, cover crops, manures, minimum tillage and crop rotation; and liming to increase soil pH are suggested.
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Langemeier, Michael R., P. D. Ohlenbusch, and R. D. Jones. "Summary of grazing research on Kansas CRP land." Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports, no. 1 (January 1, 1997): 34–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.1929.
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Johnson, Walter H., and E. Lee Fitzhugh. "Grazing helps maintain brush growth on cleared land." California Agriculture 44, no. 5 (September 1990): 31–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.3733/ca.v044n05p31.
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Nash, D. "Tracing phosphorous transferred from grazing land to water." Water Research 34, no. 7 (May 1, 2000): 1975–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0043-1354(99)00359-0.
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Weltz, M. A., L. Jolley, M. Nearing, J. Stone, D. Goodrich, K. Spaeth, J. Kiniry, et al. "Assessing the benefits of grazing land conservation practices." Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 63, no. 6 (November 1, 2008): 214A—217A. http://dx.doi.org/10.2489/jswc.63.6.214a.
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Meuret, M., C. Viaux, and J. Chadœuf. "Land heterogeneity stimulates intake rate during grazing trips." CrossRef Listing Of Deleted DOIs 43, no. 3 (1994): 296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/rnd:19940363.
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Frost, Rachel, John Walker, Craig Madsen, Ray Holes, John Lehfeldt, Jennifer Cunningham, Kathy Voth, et al. "Targeted Grazing: Applying the Research to the Land." Rangelands 34, no. 1 (February 2012): 2–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.2111/1551-501x-34.1.2.
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Scarnecchia, David L., and Henry Noel Le Houerou. "The Grazing Land Ecosystems of the African Sahel." Journal of Range Management 44, no. 6 (November 1991): 630. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/4003052.
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