Academic literature on the topic 'Rangeland conservation'
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Journal articles on the topic "Rangeland conservation"
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Arjjumend, Hasrat. "ENDANGERED NOMADIC PASTORALISM: A NEED FOR RESTRUCTURING THE POLICY PARADIGM OF RANGELAND COMMONS." Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development, no. 8(27) (2020): 56–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.37100/2616-7689/2020/8(27)/8.
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Fading fast all over the world, nomadic people have faced biases concerning their lifestyles and their symbiosis with rangelands. The nomadic grazing, which is helpful to biodiversity, not detrimental, in rangeland commons is perceived and advocated by deep ecologists, conservation administrators and policy makers as a threat to conservation of ecosystems. Consequently, both nomadic pastoralists and rangeland ecosystems have suffered a grim fate. On the contrary, the subsistence pastoralism is an established sustainable strategy of livelihood and ecosystem conservation in the rangelands. Unfortunately, some of the most nutritive foods and other sustainable products of nomadic pastoralists have not desirably been priced in modern markets. With the demonstrated cases exhibiting the nomadic pastoralists, such as Hutsul shepherd communities of Ukraine, as most sustainable societies on planet Earth, there is urgent need for restructuring the popular paradigm and State policies on rangeland commons. In isolation of nomadic people, the rangelands cannot truly be conserved or protected. To begin with, the resilience of nomadic pastoralists to the changing environments and their (unique) rangeland management can first be pondered. Accordingly, the policy and legal frameworks of States need to be reoriented and revised.
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Dong, Shikui, and Ruth Sherman. "Enhancing the resilience of coupled human and natural systems of alpine rangelands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau." Rangeland Journal 37, no. 1 (2015): i. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj14117.
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This special issue covers a wide range of topics on the protection and sustainable management of alpine rangelands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), including Indigenous knowledge of sustainable rangeland management, science-policy interface for alpine rangeland biodiversity conservation, adaptations of local people to social and environmental changes and policy design for managing coupled human-natural systems of alpine rangelands.
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Woinarski, J. C. Z., and A. Fisher. "Conservation and the maintenance of biodiversity in the rangelands." Rangeland Journal 25, no. 2 (2003): 157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj03013.
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There has been substantial loss of biodiversity in the Australian rangelands, and evidence suggests that the attrition is continuing. We argue that rangeland users should be more aware of, and concerned about, this problem: that we are sullying an international asset; that we are undermining the basis of a major rangeland industry, tourism; that we are sabotaging the potential for the development of alternative rangeland uses (most notably sustainable use of native wildlife); that such losses provide evidence that we are poor managers; that such losses diminish our lives; that such losses indicate that at least some of our environments are operating at reduced functionality; and that such losses take away or reduce important and wide-ranging environmental services. This loss is due to a complex array of factors, each affecting different components of biodiversity in different ways. Our responses are generally poorly coordinated across rangeland jurisdictions, and there is uncertainty about responsibilities across different land tenures. Given the diffuse but pervasive nature of the problem and the generally poorly coordinated and non-strategic current response, we suggest that biodiversity conservation needs to be far more clearly and systematically operationalised, that a clear goal for biodiversity conservation in the rangelands (maintenance of viable populations of all native species of plants and animals at appropriate spatial and temporal scales) needs to be developed, and that, from this, the community needs to set explicit targets relating to this goal, at continental, jurisdiction, regional and property scales. While we recognise that our existing knowledge base is imperfect, such limitation should not delay the implementation of these steps. We consider that there is sufficient management expertise to realise a rangeland biodiversity goal. However, there are two more serious impediments in achieving the goal: current lack of resources and of societal agreement.
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Morton, SR. "Changing Conservation Perceptions in the Australian Rangelands." Rangeland Journal 15, no. 1 (1993): 145. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9930145.
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Attitudes to conservation in the rangelands are shifting rapidly as cultural change alters the ways in which Australians view their history and environment. In earlier times, pastoralists of the outback were seen as admirable pioneers; today, not all Australians hold such a view. In an effort to predict how trends in social change might affect conservation issues I review recent events in the forest and fishing industries, which like the rangeland industries are to some extent based upon public land or resources. The forest industries have been under sustained attack from conservationists, whereas pressure on the fishing industry has emanated from scientists and governments worried about sustainability. Both industries are changing in response to these pressures, and it is possible that animal production in the rangelands will eventually experience similar forces. I suggest that in the long run the rangeland industries will be unable to ignore change, and that in fact the social currents may provide new opportunities.
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Duan, Cheng, Peili Shi, Minghua Song, Xianzhou Zhang, Ning Zong, and Caiping Zhou. "Land Use and Land Cover Change in the Kailash Sacred Landscape of China." Sustainability 11, no. 6 (March 25, 2019): 1788. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11061788.
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Land use and land cover change (LUCC) is an important driver of ecosystem function and services. Thus, LUCC analysis may lay foundation for landscape planning, conservation and management. It is especially true for alpine landscapes, which are more susceptible to climate changes and human activities. However, the information on LUCC in sacred landscape is limited, which will hinder the landscape conservation and development. We chose Kailash Sacred Landscape in China (KSL-China) to investigate the patterns and dynamics of LUCC and the driving forces using remote sensing data and meteorological data from 1990 to 2008. A supervised classification of land use and land cover was established based on field survey. Rangelands presented marked fluctuations due to climatic warming and its induced drought, for example, dramatic decreases were found in high- and medium-cover rangelands over the period 2000–2008. And recession of most glaciers was also observed in the study period. Instead, an increase of anthropogenic activities accelerated intensive alteration of land use, such as conversion of cropland to built-up land. We found that the change of vegetation cover was positively correlated with growing season precipitation (GSP). In addition, vegetation cover was substantially reduced along the pilgrimage routes particularly within 5 km of the routes. The findings of the study suggest that climatic warming and human disturbance are interacted to cause remarkable LUCC. Tourism development was responsible land use change in urban and pilgrimage routes. This study has important implications for landscape conservation and ecosystem management. The reduction of rangeland cover may decrease the rangeland quality and pose pressure for the carrying capacity of rangelands in the KSL-China. With the increasing risk of climate warming, rangeland conservation is imperative. The future development should shift from livestock-focus animal husbandry to service-based ecotourism in the sacred landscape.
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Read, J. L. "Are miners the bunnies or the bilbies of the rangelands?" Rangeland Journal 25, no. 2 (2003): 172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj03014.
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In order to be preferred land-users of the Australian rangelands, mining operations should legacy net environmental, social and economic benefits in the regions that they operate. The positive and negative environmental implications of the Olympic Dam mine in arid South Australia are compared in this study. Criteria assessed include the relative area of affected v. improved landscape, environmental research, pest control and the facilitation of proactive conservation and sustainable diversification outcomes. A call is made for consistent treatment of potential environmental impacts across all rangeland users and the adoption of biodiversity trading to improve regional conservation outcomes. A challenge is issued to miners and other rangeland land-users to demonstrate that, like bilbies, their net environmental effects are beneficial.
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Prakash, Prem. "Grazing management in temperate grassland of Kumaun Himalaya for soil water conservation." Journal of Applied and Natural Science 5, no. 2 (December 1, 2013): 345–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.31018/jans.v5i2.330.
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Overgrazing by livestock has caused major changes in the productivity and composition of rangeland vegetation in India. The main problem stems from the fact that the carrying capacity of rangelands is low as a result of low vegetation cover, and is decreasing with range degradation. This has an impact on land degradation which affects the rangeland hydrology. Thus the aim of this study was to determine the physio-hydrological responses of soil to different intensities of livestock grazing and land management by comparing the effect of uncontrolled grazed land and fenced off (ungrazed) land. There is a need to understand the hydrology of rangeland so as to propose ways of improving carrying capacity of rangeland. The study site had two different treatments: fenced off to prevent grazing, and uncontrolled grazed treatments. Plant biomass was measured at the end of the season. The results showed that there is a significant difference in infiltration rate and soil moisture among the two treatments. Infiltration rates were substantially greater in summer than in winter. On day 1 the steady infiltration rate in summer was twice the winter rate. The infiltration rate in summer on day 2, which is a better measure of the steady rate, was 2.5 times the winter rate. The differences between seasons were statistically very significant (p < 0.001). The effect of treatments on soil moisture was proportional to the effect of vegetation, as well as the effect of soil type on soil moisture, thus vegetation production depends on soil moisture.
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Barry, Sheila, Tracy K. Schohr, and Karen Sweet. "The California Rangeland Conservation Coalition." Rangelands 29, no. 3 (June 2007): 31–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.2111/1551-501x(2007)29[31:tcrcc]2.0.co;2.
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Barrera-Perales, Octavio T. "Economic valuation of rangelands in the north of Mexico: A study for its conservation." Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research 19, no. 3 (September 2021): e0110-e0110. http://dx.doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2021193-17041.
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Aim of study: To estimate grazing fee and the economic value of the communal rangelands of two groups of ranchers. Area of study: Ejido Tanque de Arenas (ETA) and ejido Tanque de Dolores (ETD) in Catorce, San Luis Potosí, Mexico Material and methods: The contingent valuation method with referendum format was used to propose a grazing fee that would allow conservation and continuity in the use of the common resource. The field information was collected by interviews and was processed in the PASW Statistics 22 software NLOGIT Version 5.0. Main results: Perception of rangeland deterioration, age, size of the herd, and level of income are characteristics of ranchers that influence the willingness to pay. From the coefficient of rangeland of the region (24.2 ha/AU) a monthly grazing fee of USD 7.18 per animal was calculated.
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Macleod, ND, and BG Johnston. "An economic framework for the evaluation of rangeland restoration projects." Rangeland Journal 12, no. 1 (1990): 40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9900040.
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Statements concerning rangeland degradation and restoration issues are often supported by technically oriented evaluations, with limited consideration of the economic implications of resource conservation or rehabilitation. In the few cases where an attempt has been made to incorporate economic elements into analyses, some shortcomings have been evident in the methodology adopted. This has sometimes produced misleading results, and has made comparisons of different restoration technologies difficult. This paper examines several issues that are important in obtaining an economic perspective on the restoration of degraded rangelands. The formal procedure of benefit-cost analysis is presented as a rational framework for the economic evaluation of such activities. The framework is applied, via a case study approach, to examine the private economic value of several technologies for rangeland restoration. However, because the analysis is based on limited data, the conclusion is indicative rather than definitive. Issues relevant to the extension of the analysis to encompass social evaluations of rangeland restoration management are canvassed.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Rangeland conservation"
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Saydell, Justin T. "Upper Salinas Headwaters Conservation Plan." DigitalCommons@CalPoly, 2011. https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/633.
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The Upper Salinas Headwaters Conservation Plan is an effort to understand the cultural and ecosystem resources in the region, develop tools for conservation planning, and suggest a strategy and plan of action for implementation of those strategies. The plan covers a 218 square mile area between the Santa Lucia and the La Panza mountain ranges, south of Atascadero and east of the City of San Luis Obispo. The Conservation Area consists of rugged terrain made up of vast-relatively untouched open space. The area consists of several different vegetative communities including oak savannah grasslands, mixed hardwood and oak stands, shrubland, wetland and riparian corridors. The region is host to a number of land uses predominantly agriculture (mainly cattle ranching), some urban development, outdoor recreation, and a few mining operations.
Approximately fifty-five percent of the acreage within the Conservation Area is designated public land (federal, state, and county), while the remaining acreages are dominantly private lands with Rural or Agriculture designations. Places of interest within the Conservation Area include the Upper Salinas River, Santa Margarita Reservoir, the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, and the town of Pozo.
The region that contains the Conservation Area has been identified as having significant ecological resources (migratory corridors, important/rare vegetation communities, and a system of tributaries critical to Salinas River water quality and supply downstream.) The recognition of this important area has come from the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition statewide landscape priorities, The Nature Conservancy, the South Coast Wildlands Program, and a countywide report completed for The Conservancy by Catherine Lambert in 2007, which utilized Geographic information Systems (GIS) to assess ecosystem attributes and growth pressure parameters. The region containing the Conservation Area received a moderate to high combined score as a result of the assessment, suggesting a need for conservation efforts and resources from the Conservancy.
The Conservation Area is based roughly on the shape of the subwatersheds that make up part of the larger Upper Salinas watershed. Several headwater tributaries flow into the Salinas River; a river utilized by several municipalities and agricultural operations as it flows north to Monterey Bay. Land use changes in the region can negatively affect water quality and supply downstream as well as degrade important habitat for fish and wildlife. Projected urban develop pressures from the City of Atascadero and an increase in more intensive agricultural production places increasing pressure on both local ranching operations and the regional ecosystem. The large amount of contiguous public land presents an opportunity for a conservation strategy aimed at creating expansive public-private protected lands that will ensure long-term protection of agricultural, hydrological, and wildlife resources.
This conservation plan was developed primarily using GIS information from The Conservancy and data used with permission from the County of San Luis Obispo. GIS maps were created and utilized along with aerial photos from Google Earth to analyze the landscape for the following: vegetation communities stream flow direction and order types of development land ownership/parcel data agricultural soils geology existing protected areas conservation potential potential project sites for restoration/enhancement
The GIS maps, aerial photo analysis, and information collected from interviews with several family ranchers are intended to be used as decision-support tools for future conservation projects in the region. However, for this plan, strategic and implementation recommendations are suggested in the form of long-term conservation agreements, land use management and restoration/enhancement techniques based on analysis of the information that was collected.
The conservation strategy of this plan emphasizes the utilization of existing protected landscapes, primarily public land, along with the establishment of partnerships with private landowners within the Conservation Area to develop large contiguous tracts of protected land in the headwaters region of the Salinas River. The ranching heritage in the region, diversity of habitat and wildlife, sensitivity of hydrological resources, moderate to high levels of development potential from urban development, and more intensive agricultural production makes the Conservation Area in the Upper Salinas Watershed an essential target for conservation efforts.
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Driver, Thackray Sebastian. "The theory and politics of mountain rangeland conservation and pastoral development in colonial Lesotho." Thesis, University of London, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.299474.
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Montague-Drake, Rebecca School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences UNSW. "Strategic management of artificial watering points for biodiversity conservation." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2004. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/30122.
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Since pastoralism began in Australia???s rangelands, the number of artificial watering points (AWPs) has increased dramatically, such that today, few areas of rangeland are further than 10 km from water. This increased availability of water has caused many ecological impacts. Unfortunately, such impacts are poorly understood in the context of an Australian conservation reserve, thus hindering strategic management. This study examined the spatial distribution of vertebrate (kangaroos, small mammals, lizards and avifauna) and vegetative variables around open AWPs as well as AWPs that have been closed since pastoralism (sheep-grazing) ceased nearly thirty years ago in Sturt National Park, arid New South Wales. The study also examined vertebrate use of AWPs, with a particular emphasis on kangaroos and avifauna. The study revealed that most variables showed few differences in spatial distribution with distance from open and closed AWPs, thus suggesting that the observed piospheric impacts were primarily attributable to historical sheep-grazing. Indeed, piospheric patterns were weak suggesting some recovery over the last thirty years. That kangaroos did not exhibit water-focused grazing is no surprise, since despite their regular use of AWPs, particularly during hot, dry times, the current spatial arrangement of AWPs facilitates regular travel to, and from, such resources allowing kangaroos, like much other fauna, to distribute themselves in relation to food and shelter preferences rather than in relation to water supply. In contrast, the majority of avifaunal groups (excluding ground-dwelling species) were clustered around open AWPs, often irrespective of season, because of food and water requirements. Such spatial concentrations of avifauna are thought to cause a range of interspecific effects. Experimental AWP closure and GIS modelling showed that whilst closure of AWPs will increase the average distance to water, which will have key benefits, the majority of areas in Sturt National Park would still be accessible to most water-dependent species even if all unused AWPs were closed. Strategic retention of AWPs to replace water sources lost since European settlement, aid threatened and migratory species??? conservation and enhance nature-based tourism opportunities is thus recommended and an example of a strategic management and monitoring plan outlined.
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De, Villiers Ancois Carien. "Towards resilience : differences in management practices between land managers adopting conventional approaches and holistic management." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/79824.
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Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reductionism, an approach to understanding complex systems based on reducing the system to its individual components and the interactions between these components, is the linear and rigid approach to traditional management and research that allows us to understand complicated systems. Yet its application to complex systems has likely added to the degradation of social-ecological systems. In recognition of this, there is currently a shift to holism: the concept that a system is greater than the sum of its components and that the system has emergent properties that are only present through the complex interactions of the whole system. The inclusion of this natural complexity within social-ecological systems is thought to promote resilience – the ability of a system to absorb shock and thus promote sustainability. However, these concepts are largely theoretical and few examples exist that demonstrate ways of transferring them to pragmatic land management. Holistic ManagementTM (HM) could potentially be such a working example. It is a decision-making framework that provides a holistic context for the adaptive management of natural resources. However, limited peer-reviewed research has been applied to this potential to promote sustainability. Thus the current study aimed to address this apparent gap by determining if HM land managers were a distinct group from non-HM (NHM) land managers in regards to their management practices and if HM land managers had a greater adaptive capacity (the management of resilience) than non-HM land managers. The study was conducted in a community of livestock farmers in the arid rangelands of the Karoo, South Africa. Data were mainly gathered through face-to-face interviews with land managers – including 20 self-defined HM land managers and 20 self-defined NHM land managers. To compare the reported management approaches of land managers, two scoring systems were developed. The HM Adoption Index measured the extent to which participants were aligned with key principles and practices of HM (including having a holistic goal, testing decisions, applying the Holistic Planned Grazing, demonstrating continuous learning and innovation). The Adaptive Capacity Index measured the extent to which participants demonstrated key traits of adaptive capacity as identified from the literature. In addition, participants were also asked to describe the strategies they apply to deal with local livestock farming challenges including parasite control, predation management and drought management. A significant difference was found between HM and NHM land managers for both the HM Adoption Index and Adaptive Capacity Index (p<0.01). The majority of HM land managers adopted ―true holistic and ―adaptive management practices (80%) while NHM land managers were mostly ―semi holistic and ―coping (65%). HM land managers also notably tended to report more innovative and environmentally aware methods in dealing with farming challenges and were more likely to be part of study groups which build social capital and promote social learning. Results imply that HM provides a framework that introduces holistic principles to land management, making the holistic context and resilience accessible to individual managers for practical day-to-day decision-making.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Reduksie, 'n benadering om komplekse sisteme te verstaan deur om die sisteme te besnoei tot sy individuele komponente en interaksies tussen die komponente, is die liniêre en rigiede benadering tot tradisionele bestuur en navorsing. Dit laat ons toe om komplekse sisteme te verstaan. Tog het die toepassing van reduksie op komplekse sisteme waarskynlik bygedra tot die degradasie van sosiaal-ekologiese sisteme. In herkenning van laasgenoemde is daar tans 'n skuif na holisme: die konsep dat 'n sisteem groter is as die somtotaal van al sy komponente en dat die sisteem voortkomende eienskappe het wat net navorekom deur die komplekse interaksies van die sisteem. Die insluiting van die natuurlike kompleksiteit binne sosiaal-ekologiese sisteme bevorder moontlik weerstandigheid; die vermoë van 'n sisteem om 'n skok te absorbeer en so volhoubaarheid te bevorder. Hierdie konsepte is egter meestal teoreties en min voorbeelde bestaan wat metodes demonstreer om die konsepte oor te dra na pragmatiese grondbestuur. Holistiese BestuurTM (HB) kan moontlik so 'n werkende voorbeeld wees. Dit is 'n raamwerk vir besluitvorming wat 'n holistiese konteks verskaf vir die aanpasbare bestuur van natuurlike hulpbronne. Daar is min eweknie-hersiende navorsing wat HB se potensiaal om volhoubaarheid te bevorder ondersoek. Dus het die huidige studie beoog om die gaping aan te spreek deur te bepaal of HB praktiseerders onderskei kan word van 'n groep van nie-HB (NHB) praktiseerders in terme van bestuurspraktyke en of HB praktiseerders 'n groter aanpasbaarheid (die bestuur van weerstandigheid) toon as NHB praktiseerders. Die studie het plaasgevind in 'n gemeenskap van veeboere in die dorre veld van die Karoo, Suid Afrika. Data was versamel deur aangesig tot aangesig onderhoude met grondbestuurders; 20 self-geïdentifiseerde HB praktiseerders en 20 self-geïdentifiseerde NHB praktiseerders. Twee puntestelsels is ontwikkel om die gerapporteerde benaderings van grondbestuurders te vergelyk. Die HB Toepassing Puntelys het gemeet tot watter mate 'n deelnemer inskakel met die kern beginsels van HB (insluitend om 'n holistiese doelwit te hê, om besluite te toets, om Holistiese Beplande BewydingTM toe te pas en om 'n voortsetting van leer en innovasie te demonstreer). Die Aanpasbaarheid Puntelys het gemeet tot watter mate 'n deelnemer die kern kenmerke van aanpasbaarheid, soos geïdentifiseer in literatuur, demonstreer. Bykomend was deelnemers ook gevra om die strategieë te beskryf wat hulle toepas om die uitdagings van plaaslike veeboerdery tegemoed te kom insluitend die beheer van parasiete, die bestuur van roofdiere en die bestuur tydens droogtes. 'n Betekenisvolle verskil was gevind tussen HB en NHB praktiseerders vir die HB Toepassing Puntelys en die Aanpasbaarheid Puntelys (p<0.01). Die meederheid van HB praktiseerders het ―ware holistiese en ―aanpasbare praktyke toegepas (80%) terwyl NHB praktiseerders se metodes meestal ―semi-holisties en ―korttermyn probleem hantering was (65%). HB praktiseerders het ook 'n waarneembare neiging gehad om innoverende en omgewingsbewuste metodes te rapporteer in verband met veeboerdery uitdagings en was meer waarskynlik deel van 'n studie groep wat sosiale kapitaal gebou en sosiale leer bevorder het. Die resultate het aangedui dat HB 'n raamwerk voorsien wat holistiese beginsels oordra na grondbestuur en so die holistiese konteks en weerstandigheid toeganklik maak vir die individuele bestuurder vir daaglikse praktiese besluitneming en toepassing.
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Dinneen, Nathan. "Ranges of consideration: crossing the fields of ecology, philosophy and science studies." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2002. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3292/.
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Environmental issues are often complex with many different constituents operating according to a broad range of communication techniques. In order to foster negotiations, different perspectives need to be articulated in lucid ways sensitive to various viewpoints and circumstances. In my thesis I investigate how certain approaches to environmental discourse effect dialogue and negotiation. My first two chapters focus on environmental problems surrounding rangeland ecology along the U.S./Mexico border; whereas the last two chapters explore more theoretical conflicts concerning the philosophy of nature. Throughout the thesis I show the significance of nonhumans (prairie dogs, cattle, biological assessment sheets, environmental laws, etc.) in the human community. Only by considering the roles of nonhumans do we broaden and enrich the conversation between ourselves concerning environmental issues.
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Snyman, Dirk. "A comparison of standard scientific methods and pastoralists’ perceptions of vegetation responses to livestock exclusion in Namaqualand, South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4208.
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Thesis (MSc (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.ENGLISH SUMMARY: Protected areas do not always achieve the desired level of biodiversity conservation, while often reducing the welfare of indigenous communities by reducing availability of land for subsistence. Traditional agricultural landscapes are significant biodiversity refugia and can contribute meaningfully to conservation. Rangelands comprise one-third to one-half of the world’s terrestrial surface, providing livelihoods for around 220 million people, usually in a communal subsistence system. Colonial practices impinged on traditional land-use practices with far-reaching social and environmental impacts. This has resulted in management based on assumptions regarding vegetation dynamics and traditional lifestyles that are increasingly shown to be inaccurate. A comparison of a vegetation survey based on conventional scientific methods and a survey of the perceptions of pastoralists was undertaken to highlight differences and similarities between the two knowledge systems with the hope of providing guidelines for more sustainable land-use practices in the communal rangelands of Namaqualand, South Africa. Vegetation responses to removal of grazing pressure revealed complex interactions that do not correspond with the prevailing management paradigm. Rather than a predictive relationship between livestock and vegetation, environmental factors play a large role in determining plant composition, abundance and cover. Pastoralists’ perceptions reflected this complexity in rangeland resource dynamics. The impact of livestock on rangeland resource dynamics was perceived by herders to be secondary to a range of environmental and climatic factors. Both sets of results were at odds with the theories that currently govern management in this system. Studies in rangeland systems must take the complexity of the subject into account. Research into such socio-ecological systems must take a multiplicity of factors – social, environmental, economic, political and other – into account. Implications for management are that it is inappropriate to adhere strictly to the conventional, conservative strategies that are prescribed by conservation and agricultural authorities. Rather, a more flexible, opportunistic grazing strategy would allow the persistence of traditional subsistence livelihoods without serious negative consequences for biodiversity conservation.
AFRIKAANSR OPSOMMING: Die instelling van beskermde gebiede lewer nie altyd die gewenste vlak van biodiversiteitsbewaring, terwyl die welvaart van plaaslike gemeenskappe dikwels daaronder ly deur die afname in grond beskikbaar vir bestaanspraktyke. Tradisionele landboulandskappe is beduidende biodiversiteitshawens wat ‘n belangrike bydrae tot bewaring kan maak. Weivelde bevat ‘n derde tot ‘n helfte van die wêreld se landsoppervlakte en ondersteun rondom 220 miljoen mense, gewoonlik binne ‘n gemeenskaplike bestaansstelsel. Kolonialisasie het inbraak gemaak op tradisionele bestuurspraktyke, met verrykende sosialeen omgewingsimpakte. Dit het gelei tot bestuurspraktyke gebaseer op standpunte oor plantegroeidinamika en traditionele lewenswyses wat toenemend verkeerd bywys word. ‘n Vergelyking van ‘n plantegroei opname gebaseer op konvensionele wetenskaplike metodes en ‘n opname van die standpunte van veewagters is onderneem om die verskille en ooreenkomstes tussen die twee kennisstelsels uiteen te lê met die hoop om riglyne vir meer volhoubare bestuurspraktyke in die meentgronde van Namakwaland, Suid-Afrika te verskaf. Plantegroei reaksies tot die verwydering van weidingsdruk wys op komplekse interaksies wat nie ooreenstem met die heersende bestuursparadigma. Eerder as ‘n voorspelbare verwantskap tussen vee en plantegroei, omgewingsfaktore speel ‘n groot rol in die bepaling van plantgemeenskapsamestelling, -getalle en grondbedekking. Die veewagters se standpunte het hierdie kompleksiteit in plantegroeidinamika weerspiëel. Die impak van vee op die weiveldhulpbron is deur veewagters as sekondêr beskou teenoor ‘n reeks omgewings- en klimaatsfaktore. Beide stel resultate is in teenstelling met die teoriëe wat tans bestuur in hierdie stelsel bepaal. Studies in weiveldstelsels moet die kompleksiteit daarvan in ag neem. Navorsing oor hierdie sosio-ekologiese stelsels moet ‘n verskeidenheid faktore – sosiale-, omgewings-, ekonomiese-, politiese- en ander – in ag neem. Implikasies vir bestuur is dat dit onvanpas is om te volhard met konvensionele, konservatiewe strategiëe voorgeskryf deur bewarings- en landboukundige gesagte. ‘n Meer aanpasbare, voordeelnemende weidingsstrategie sal die voortbestaan van traditionele bestaanslewenspraktyke toelaat sonder ernstige negatiewe nagevolge vir biodiversiteitsbewaring.
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Ndhlovu, Thabisisani. "Impact of Prosopis (mesquite) invasion and clearing on ecosystem structure, function and agricultural productivity in semi-arid Nama Karoo rangeland, South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6751.
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Thesis (MScConEcol (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: I evaluated the impact of Prosopis invasion and clearing on ecological structure, function and agricultural productivity in heavily grazed Nama Karoo rangeland on two sheep farms near the town of Beaufort West in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. My aims were to (1) determine the effects of invasion and clearing on rangeland vegetation composition, diversity (alien and indigenous species richness) and structure (alien and indigenous species cover), soil vegetation cover (plant canopy and basal cover) and agricultural productivity (grazing capacity), (2) describe the vegetation processes that underlay the invasion and clearing impacts and (3) evaluate the success of clearing in facilitating unaided restoration of ecological structure, function and agricultural productivity in formerly invaded rangeland. I hypothesised that invasion would significantly change rangeland vegetation composition and structure, leading to greater alien species richness and cover and lower indigenous species richness and cover while clearing would lead to lower alien species diversity and cover and greater indigenous species richness and cover. In addition I hypothesized that invasion would reduce rangeland plant canopy and basal cover and grazing capacity while clearing would substantially increase them. Finally I predicted that vegetation composition, alien and indigenous species cover and richness, plant canopy and basal cover and grazing capacity would revert to pre-invasion status and levels within four to six years of clearing. My results suggest that in heavily grazed Nama Karoo rangeland Prosopis invasion (~15 percent canopy cover) and clearing can significantly change rangeland vegetation composition, with invasion leading to greater alien species cover and lower indigenous species richness, while clearing leads to lower alien species richness and cover and greater indigenous species richness and cover. However invasion seems to have no effect on alien species richness and overall indigenous species cover. Clearing appears to facilitate the spontaneous restoration of alien species cover and indigenous species richness within four to six years but not species composition, alien species richness and indigenous species cover. In addition my results also indicate that Prosopis invasion can lower rangeland plant canopy and basal cover and grazing capacity while clearing, even under heavy grazing, can substantially raise them. Clearing however does not seem to facilitate the restoration of rangeland plant canopy and basal cover and grazing capacity to pre-invasion levels within four to six years after clearing.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ek het die impak van Prosopis indringing en verwydering van indringers op ekologiese struktuur, funksie en landbou produktiwiteit in ‘n swaar beweide Nama Karoo gebied op twee skaapplase naby Beaufort-Wes in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika geëvalueer. My doelwitte was om (1) te bepaal wat die gevolge van die indringing en verwydering van indringers op die natuurlike plantegroei samestelling, diversiteit (uitheemse en inheemse spesiesrykheid) en struktuur (uitheemse en inheemse spesies bedekking) sal wees, sowel as die effek op plantegroei bedekking (kroon en basalebedekking) en landbou produktiwiteit (weidingkapasiteit), (2) die plantegroei prosesse te beskryf wat onderliggend deur die impakte van indringing en verwydering van indringers veroorsaak word, en (3) die sukses van die verwydering van indringers te evalueer deur die fasilitering van blote restorasie van ekologiese struktuur en funksie en landbou produktiwiteit in voorheen ingedringde gebiede. My hipotese is dat indringing ‘n aansienlike verandering in natuurlike plantegroeisamestelling en struktuur sal veroorsaak, wat sal lei tot groter uitheemse spesiesrykheid en bedekking met minder inheemse spesiesrykheid en bedekking, terwyl die verwydering van indringers sou lei tot minder uitheemse spesie diversiteit en bedekking met 'n groter inheemse spesiesrykheid en bedekking. Verder vermoed ek dat indringing die natuurlike kroon- en basalebedekking en weidingkapasiteit sal verminder, terwyl die verwydering van indringers dit aansienlik sal verhoog. Ten slotte voorspel ek dat plantegroei samestelling, uitheemse en inheemse spesiesbedekking en -rykheid, kroon- en basalebedekking en weidingkapasiteit sou terugkeer na voor-indringing status en vlakke binne vier tot ses jaar na die verwydering van indringers. My resultate daarop dat die indringing van Prosopis (~ 15 persent kroonbedekking) en die verwydering van indringers in swaar beweide Nama Karoo gebiede ‘n aansienlike verandering in die gebied se natuurlike plantegroei samestelling toon, waar indringing gelei het tot groter uitheemse spesiesbedekking en minder inheemse spesiesrykheid, terwyl die verwydering van indringers lei tot minder uitheemse spesiesrykheid en groter inheemse spesiesrykheid en - bedekking. Dit lyk egter of indringing geen effek op uitheemse spesiesrykheid en algehele inheemse spesiesbedekking het nie. Die verwydering van indringers blyk om die spontane herstel van indringerbedekking en inheemse spesiesrykheid binne vier tot ses jaar te fasiliteer, maar nie spesiesamestelling, uitheemse spesiesrykheid of inheemse spesiesbedekking nie. Benewens dui my resultate ook aan dat Prosopis indringing die natuurlike kroon- en basalebedekking sowel as weidingskapasiteit verlaag, terwyl die verwydering van indringers, selfs onder swaar beweiding, die bedekking aansienlik kan verhoog. Verwydering van indringers lyk egter nie asof dit die herstel van die gebied se natuurlike kroon- en basalebedekking en weidingkapasiteit na voor-indringing vlakke toe kan fasiliteer binne vier tot ses jaar na die verwydering van indringers nie.
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Gadd, Michelle Erin. "Ecology and conservation of elephants in African rangelands /." For electronic version search Digital dissertations database. Restricted to UC campuses. Access is free to UC campus dissertations, 2003. http://uclibs.org/PID/11984.
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Haveron, Sara Elizabeth. "Comparing small mammal assemblages between communal and commercial rangelands within a region of the Succulent Karoo, South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2367.
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Thesis (MScConsEcol (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008.The widespread ecological impacts of overgrazing by livestock within the Succulent Karoo have received considerable attention. Literature shows communal and commercial rangelands have been thoroughly studied, and vegetation responses have been investigated in an attempt to understand the effects of overgrazing. Regarding animal species, literature is in short supply. In a one-year study of small mammal assemblages, the effect of the rangelands, and subsequently vegetation, on small mammal assemblages was examined, as well as the effects on number of occupied, unoccupied and collapsed burrows. This study shows that vegetation composition differs between rangelands, with a greater perennial shrub cover on the communal rangelands and a greater perennial succulent cover on commercial rangelands, consequently creating different habitats for animal assemblages. This study supports the notion of small mammal composition relating to vegetation structure, with certain species being impacted by heavy grazing. Four small mammal species were found in greater abundances on commercial rangelands, with one being exclusive, while communal rangelands were exclusively occupied by three nocturnal species. Diet and habitat requirements are the most important factors regarding species occurrence. With small mammal species composition differing between rangelands, and species richness not being affected by rangeland type, this study illustrates that the disappearance of certain species may arise without these different rangelands. This could result in reduced species richness, and thus diversity being lost. Regarding species present on both rangelands, no differences were observed in body mass, body size or body condition. Despite no differences found in body condition, calculating a body condition index is a good method for investigating how a species is coping within an environment. The proportion and number of occupied and collapsed burrows can be seen as a measure of trampling effect. It was expected for grazing intensity, as well as vegetation changes, to affect the occurrence of such burrows. This study showed differences between the communal and commercial rangelands as negligible. As expected, numbers of burrowing small mammal species were negatively correlated with numbers of collapsed burrows. However, a lack of consistency deemed this result unimportant. Results show that the effects of overgrazing on small mammal populations are complex and require more attention if to be fully explained. This study provides insights into the effects of land use on small mammals and burrow numbers, which have implications for the conservation of these species within arid regions.
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Kent, Vivien Tempest. "The status and conservation potential of carnivores in semi-arid rangelands, Botswana : the Ghanzi farmlands : a case study." Thesis, Durham University, 2011. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/728/.
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The persistence of many species of carnivore may depend on their survival outside protected areas where they come into conflict with humans and their livestock. Knowledge of these wildlife populations and of the perceptions and attitudes of the stakeholders in the areas in which they live is of critical importance in the quest for coexistence. The Ghanzi farmlands in western Botswana are a prime example of semi-arid rangeland where humans, domestic livestock and wildlife live side by side with varying degrees of success. But little research has been conducted in the area into either the wildlife or the white Afrikaner minority who own the majority of the land. This study aimed to fill some of these gaps in knowledge by adopting an interdisciplinary approach, and employing methodologies from both the biological and social sciences, to determine the potential for conservation of carnivores in the area. The farm block was found to contain good carnivore species diversity and a reduced, but healthy, naturally occurring prey base. Densities of cheetah and leopard were low, but comparable to, or better than, those reported for other similar environments. A good population of brown hyaena was found to exist in the area which could be of importance to the conservation of the species as a whole. The farming community were supportive of conservation in principle, but generally intolerant of predators that killed their livestock. A wide variety of land management and livestock husbandry practices were apparent, with some farmers prepared to do more than others to actively protect their livestock. Farmers with small stock suffered from greater levels of depredation than those who farmed only cattle, while some species of predator elicited greater feelings of antipathy than others. Some farmers professed a distrust of government interference in their affairs which served to hamper efforts to obtain reliable data on livestock depredation and monitor the lethal control of predators.
Books on the topic "Rangeland conservation"
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United States. Natural Resources Conservation Service and Conservation Effects Assessment Project, eds. Conservation benefits of rangeland practices: Assessment, recommendations, and knowledge gaps. Davis, Calif.?]: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2011.
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Environmental Law Centre (Alta.), ed. Alberta public rangeland law and policy. Edmonton, Alta: Environmental Law Centre, 1993.
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Thurow, Thomas L. Tracked vehicle traffic effects on the hydrologic characteristics of central Texas rangeland. [Champaign, IL]: US Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, 1995.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Range program presentation, rangeland reform '94: Draft environmental impact statement. Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 1994.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Prineville District. Brothers/LaPine resource management plan: Record of decision : rangeland program summary (RPS). Prineville, Or: The District, 1989.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Prineville District. Brothers/LaPine resource management plan: Record of decision : rangeland program summary (RPS). Prineville, Or: The District, 1989.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Prineville District. Brothers/LaPine resource management plan: Record of decision : rangeland program summary (RPS). Prineville, Or: The District, 1989.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Prineville District. Brothers/LaPine resource management plan: Record of decision : rangeland program summary (RPS). Prineville, Or: The District, 1989.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Burns District. Three Rivers resource management plan: Record of decision, and rangeland program summary. Hines, Or: The Office, 1992.
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United States. Bureau of Land Management. Richfield District. Warm Springs Resource Area: The resource management plan : record of decision, rangeland program summary. [Richfield, Utah?]: The District, 1987.
Find full textBook chapters on the topic "Rangeland conservation"
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Arnalds, Andres. "Evolution of rangeland conservation strategies." In Rangeland Desertification, 153–63. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2000. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9602-2_13.
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Sanders, David. "The implementation of soil conservation programmes." In Rangeland Desertification, 143–51. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2000. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9602-2_12.
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Hannam, Ian. "Policy and law for rangeland conservation." In Rangeland Desertification, 165–79. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2000. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9602-2_14.
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Walker, B. H. "Rangeland Ecology: Managing Change in Biodiversity." In Biodiversity Conservation, 69–85. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 1995. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0277-3_5.
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Walker, B. H. "Rangeland Ecology: Managing Change in Biodiversity." In Biodiversity Conservation: Problems and Policies, 65–81. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 1994. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1006-8_5.
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Ottichilo, Wilber K., Jesse Grunblatt, Mohammed Y. Said, and Patrick W. Wargute. "Wildlife and Livestock Population Trends in the Kenya Rangeland." In Wildlife Conservation by Sustainable Use, 203–18. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2000. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4012-6_10.
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Kothmann, M. M. "Rangeland Ecosystems in the Great Plains: Status and Management." In Conservation of Great Plains Ecosystems: Current Science, Future Options, 199–209. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 1995. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0439-5_14.
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Bestelmeyer, Brandon T. "Is the Historical Range of Variation Relevant to Rangeland Management?" In Historical Environmental Variation in Conservation and Natural Resource Management, 289–96. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118329726.ch21.
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Msafiri, F. "Inventory and conservation of economic plant genetic resources in Kenya rangeland: a case study of Turkana district." In The Biodiversity of African Plants, 220–23. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 1996. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0285-5_29.
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Jia, Ka Ji. "Local Knowledge and Rangeland Protection on the Tibetan Plateau: Lessons for Conservation and Co-management of the Upper Nu-Salween and Yellow River Watersheds." In Knowing the Salween River: Resource Politics of a Contested Transboundary River, 259–77. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77440-4_15.
Full textReports on the topic "Rangeland conservation"
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Chambers, J. C., J. L. Beck, J. B. Bradford, J. Bybee, S. Campbell, J. Carlson, T. J. Christiansen, et al. Science framework for conservation and restoration of the sagebrush biome: Linking the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy to long-term strategic conservation actions. Ft. Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.2737/rmrs-gtr-360.
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Chambers, J. C., J. L. Beck, J. B. Bradford, J. Bybee, S. Campbell, J. Carlson, T. J. Christiansen, et al. Science framework for conservation and restoration of the sagebrush biome: Linking the Department of the Interior’s Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy to long-term strategic conservation actions. Ft. Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.2737/rmrs-gtr-360.
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Wyndham, Amber, Emile Elias, Joel R. Brown, Michael A. Wilson, and Albert Rango. Drought Vulnerability Assessment to Inform Grazing Practices on Rangelands of Southeastern Colorado’s Major Land Resource Area 69. United States. Department of Agriculture. Southwest Climate Hub, January 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2018.6876399.ch.
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Increased climate variability, including more frequent and intense drought, is projected for the southwestern region of the United States. Increased temperatures and reduced precipitation lower soil water availability resulting in decreased plant productivity and altering species composition which may affect forage quality and quantity. Reduced forage quality and increased heat stress attributable to warmer temperatures could lead to decreased livestock performance in this system, which is extensively used for livestock grazing. Mitigating the effects of increasing drought is critical to social and ecological stability in the region. Reduced stocking rates, change in livestock breeds and/or grazing practices are general recommendations that could be implemented to cope with increased climatic stress. Ecological Sites (ESs) and their associated state and transition models (STMs) are tools to help land managers implement and evaluate responses to disturbances. The projected change in climate will vary depending on geographic location. Vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies are needed at the local level to inform local management decisions and help ameliorate the effects of climate change on rangelands. The USDA Southwest Climate Hub and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) worked together to produce this drought vulnerability assessment at the Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) level based on ESs/STMs that will help landowners and government agencies identify and develop adaptation options for drought on rangelands. The assessment illustrates how site-specific information can be used to help minimize the effects of drought on rangelands and support informed decision-making for selecting management adaptations within MLRA 69.
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Wyndham, Amber, Emile Elias, Joel Brown, Michael Wilson, and Albert Rango. Drought Vulnerability Assessment to Inform Grazing Practices on Rangelands of Southeastern Colorado’s Major Land Resource Area 69. USDA Southwest Climate Hub, July 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2018.6947062.ch.
Full textAbstract:
Increased climate variability, including more frequent and intense drought, is projected for the southwestern region of the United States. Increased temperatures and reduced precipitation lower soil water availability, resulting in decreased plant productivity and altering species composition, which may affect forage quality and quantity. Reduced forage quality and increased heat stress attributable to warmer temperatures could lead to decreased livestock performance in this system, which is extensively used for livestock grazing. Mitigating the effects of increasing drought is critical to social and ecological stability in the region. Reduced stocking rates, change in livestock breeds and/or grazing practices
are general recommendations that could be implemented to cope with increased climatic stress. Ecological Sites and their associated state–and-transition models (STMs) are tools to help land managers implement and evaluate responses to disturbances. The projected change in climate will vary depending upon geographic location. Vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies are needed at the local level to inform local management decisions and help ameliorate the effects of climate change on rangelands. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Southwest Climate Hub and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) worked together to produce this drought vulnerability
assessment at the Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) level, based on ecological sites and state-and-transition models that will help landowners and government agencies to identify and develop adaptation options for drought on rangelands. The assessment illustrates how site-specific information can be used to help minimize the effects of drought on rangelands and support informed decision-making for the selection of management adaptations within MLRA 69.
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Wyndham, Amber, Emile Elias, Joel Brown, Michael Wilson, and Albert Rango. Drought Vulnerability Assessment to Inform Grazing Practices on Rangelands of Southeastern Colorado’s Major Land Resource Area 69. USDA Southwest Climate Hub, March 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2018.6965584.ch.
Full textAbstract:
Increased climate variability, including more frequent and intense drought, is projected for the southwestern region of the United States. Increased temperatures and reduced precipitation lower soil water availability resulting in decreased plant productivity and altering species composition which may affect forage quality and quantity. Reduced forage quality and increased heat stress attributable to warmer temperatures could lead to decreased livestock performance in this system, which is extensively used for livestock grazing. Mitigating the effects of increasing drought is critical to social and ecological stability in the region. Reduced stocking rates, change in livestock breeds and/or grazing practices are general recommendations that could be implemented to cope with increased climatic stress. Ecological Sites (ESs) and their associated state and transition models (STMs) are tools to help land managers implement and evaluate responses to disturbances. The projected change in climate will vary depending on geographic location. Vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies are needed at the local level to inform local management decisions and help ameliorate the effects of climate change on rangelands. The USDA Southwest Climate Hub and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) worked together to produce this drought vulnerability assessment at the Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) level based on ESs/STMs that will help landowners and government agencies identify and develop adaptation options for drought on rangelands. The assessment illustrates how site-specific information can be used to help minimize the effects of drought on rangelands and support informed decision-making for selecting management adaptations within MLRA 69.
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Wyndham, Amber, Emile Elias, Joel R. Brown, Michael A. Wilson, and Albert Rango. Drought Vulnerability Assessment to Inform Grazing Practices on Rangelands in Southeast Arizona and Southwest New Mexico’s Major Land Resource Area 41. United States. Department of Agriculture. Southwest Climate Hub, August 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2018.6818230.ch.
Full textAbstract:
Increased climate variability, including more frequent and intense drought, is projected for the southwestern region of the United States. Increased temperatures and reduced precipitation lower soil water availability, resulting in decreased plant productivity and altered species composition, which may affect forage quality and quantity. Reduced forage quality and increased heat stress attributable to warmer temperatures could lead to decreased livestock performance in this system, which is extensively used for livestock grazing. Mitigating the effects of increasing drought is critical to social and ecological stability in the region. Reduced stocking rates and/or a change in livestock breeds and/or grazing practices are general recommendations that could be implemented to cope with increased climatic stress. Ecological Sites (ESs) and their associated state-and-transition models (STMs) are tools to help land managers implement and evaluate responses to disturbances. The projected change in climate will vary depending upon geographic location. Vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies are necessary at the local level to inform local management decisions and help to ameliorate the effects of climate change on rangelands. The USDA Southwest Climate Hub and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) worked together to produce this drought vulnerability assessment at the Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) level: it is based on ESs/STMs that will help landowners and government agencies to identify and develop adaptation options for drought on rangelands. The assessment illustrates how site-specific information can be used to help minimize the effects of drought on rangelands and to support informed decision-making for selecting management adaptations within MLRA 41.
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Wyndham, Amber, Emile Elias, Joel Brown, Michael Wilson, and Albert Rango Rango. Drought Vulnerability Assessment to Inform Grazing Practices on Rangelands in Southeast Arizona and Southwest New Mexico’s Major Land Resource Area 41. USDA Southwest Climate Hub, August 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2018.6947060.ch.
Full textAbstract:
Increased climate variability, including more frequent and intense drought, is projected for the southwestern region of the United States. Increased temperatures and reduced precipitation lower soil water availability, resulting in decreased plant productivity and altered species composition, which may affect forage quality and quantity. Reduced forage quality and increased heat stress attributable to warmer temperatures could lead to decreased livestock performance in this system, which is extensively used for livestock grazing. Mitigating the effects of increasing drought is critical to social and ecological stability in the region. Reduced stocking rates and/or a change in livestock breeds and/or grazing
practices are general recommendations that could be implemented to cope with increased climatic stress. Ecological Sites (ESs) and their associated state-and-transition models (STMs) are tools to help land managers implement and evaluate responses to disturbances. The projected change in climate will vary depending upon geographic location. Vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies are necessary at the local level to inform local management decisions and help to ameliorate the effects of climate change on rangelands. The USDA Southwest Climate Hub and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) worked together to produce this drought vulnerability assessment at the
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) level: it is based on ESs/STMs that will help landowners and government agencies to identify and develop adaptation options for drought on rangelands. The assessment illustrates how site-specific information can be used to help minimize the effects of drought on rangelands and to support informed decision-making for selecting management adaptations within MLRA 41.
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A decade of science support in the sagebrush biome (NOTE: to be released late September 2021). Natural Resources Conservation Service, September 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.32747/2021.7488985.
Full textAbstract:
Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) invests in science to proactively target conservation investments and quantify outcomes. This report summarizes more than a decade of WLFW science’s current understanding of identified sagebrush biome threats on western working rangelands and how best to address them through voluntary conservation actions. More than 350 plant and animal species are benefitting from this conservation, notably sage grouse, sagebrush songbirds, and migratory big game populations. 61 peer-reviewed publications are referenced in the report that are helping guide targeted conservation of the sage brush biome, conserve core areas, along with scientifically quantifying outcomes.