Life Sciences Commons^™

Rich Information In The Acoustic Signals From Feeding And Grazing In Ruminants, Montague W. Demment, J. R. Galli, Carlos A. Cangiano, Emilio A. Laca

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Because of their impact on productivity and the environment, feeding behaviour, ingestion and rumination are critical to understand intake in grazing ruminants. Many systems, mainly mechanical, have been developed to measure ingestive behaviour. However, these systems have problems, including mechanical failure and the inability to distinguish between the complex jaw movements of prehension and ingestion (Laca et al., 1994). The sounds generated by these behaviours are rich in information that holds potential not only to distinguish and count behaviours, but also identify aspects of the nature of the foods ingested.

Ecological Science Infrastructure For Sustainability Transformations In Rangelands, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, J. E. Herrick, J. R. Brown, D. M. Browning, B. Densambuu, E. Elias, S. E. Mccord, H. R. Peinetti, S. Spiegal, N. P. Webb, J. C. Williamson

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Sustainability transformations—deliberate and radical shifts in values, governance, and management regimes to achieve sustainability—are needed in rangelands as in other components of the Earth system. We review four concepts comprising an ecological science infrastructure to support such transformations. The foundation is standard measurement of rangeland conditions in the field, especially vegetation and soil properties that underpin the environmental aspects of sustainability. Big data resources, especially gridded spatial datasets produced by models and remote sensing, can be combined with field data and computational approaches to upscale information about rangeland conditions and produce additional indicators of ecosystem functions and services. State and …

Cloud Computing Solution For Monitoring Arid Rangeland Dynamics: Case Of Moroccan Highlands And Southern Acacia Ecosystems, Said Lahssini, Said Moukrim, H. Mharzi-Alaoui, N. Rifai, L. El Mansouri, F. El Wahidi

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The wide availability of free satellite imagery, the recent development of cloud platforms dedicated to big spatial data (Big Data) that integrates both image archives from different providers, processing algorithms, distributed processing capabilities as well as an application programming interface (API) that facilitate scripting and automation process opened new perspectives for the use of vegetation observation time series over long timestamps and over large spatial scales (almost planetary).

This work aims at harnessing these technologies and building up an automated solution to monitor rangeland rehabilitation dynamics in arid lands and to assess the effectiveness of stakeholder’s management strategies. Such solution …

Land Users – Land Watchers, J. H. Stefánsson, B. Marteinsdóttir

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

GróLind is a collaborative project with the aim of monitoring Icelandic vegetation and soil resources. It was founded in 2017 by the Icelandic National Associations of Sheep Farmers, the Farmers Association of Iceland, Ministry of Industries and Innovation, and the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland. GróLind is a collaborative project and cooperation with stakeholders, such as the science community, landowners, and others, is a fundamental concept in the project.

In this project, the state of vegetation and soils are evaluated. Currently, a citizen science project is being developed within GróLind, in which land-users will annually monitor, using a mobile app, …

Grólind – Sustainable Land Use Based On Ecological Knowledge, B. Marteinsdóttir, E. F. Þórarinsdóttir, G. Halldórsson, J. H. Stefánsson, J. Þórsson, K. Svavarsdóttir, R. Finnsdóttir, S. Jónsdóttir

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The highlands of Iceland play an important role as summer rangelands for sheep. Large areas are badly degraded and the sustainability of this practice has been questioned. To achieve sustainable land management it is necessary both to obtain data on ecosystem changes over time and to ensure that the results are used by land users and policy makers in their management plans.

Currently, the first long-term national vegetation and soil monitoring programme (GróLind) is being developed in Iceland. The programme is based on an agreement between the Icelandic National Associations of Sheep Farmers, the Farmers Association of Iceland, Ministry of …

Remote Sensing Monitoring For The Key Phonological Stages Of Rangeland — A Case Study About Xilingol Grassland, Aijun Liu, Jianguo Han

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Aspects Of Range Condition Recovery In The Southern Jebel Al Akhdar, Northeastern Libya, Adel Mahmoud, Ashraf Gadallah, Sanose Mohemmed, Musbah Mohamed, Adel Abdel‐Ghani, Ramadan Alhendawi, Peter J. Russell

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Restoration Technologies To Improve The Grazing Capacity Of Degraded Arid‐And Semi‐Arid Rangelands In South Africa, Klaus Kellner, Loraine Van Den Berg

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Capability Assessments Of Landsat Satellite Data For Vegetation Cover Monitoring (Case Study: Lar Dam Basin), S. A. R. Mousavi, Mehdi Farahpour, S. Gholinejad

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

National Rangeland Monitoring And Inventory Of Iran, Hossein Arzani, M. Azimi, H. Kaboli, Mehdi Farahpour

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Information Technologies For Rangeland Monitoring: What Is Available And What Will Be Available In The Future?, Craig D. James, M. R. C. Ashley, G. N. Bastin, A. J. Bubb

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Research On The Folk Assessment Indicator System Of The Surviving Environment Of Pastoral Area‐Taking Damao Banner As An Example, Jing Xin, Yong Gao, Zhi He

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Changes In Range Condition In The Arid Shrublands Of Western Australia: Application Of Spatialand Temporal Analysis To Long‐Term Monitoring Data, Peter J. Russell, Ian W. Watson, Phil W. E. Thomas, Brien E. Norton

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Decline In Land Condition In Astrebla Grassland During Prolonged Drought In Australia, David G. Phelps, David M. Orr, I. W. Houston, L. Rolfe, J. Silcock

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Indicators Of Sustainability For Production And Biodiversity Conservation In Australian Rangelands, Margaret H. Friedel, G. N. Bastin, A. K. Smyth

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Topographical Condition On Radioactive Cesium Pollution Of Herbaceous Plants In A Mountainous Grazing Pasture After Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident, Shin-Ichiro Ogura, Masanori Saito

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011, followed by tsunami, incurred the accident of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS). The radioactive fallout was dispersed by wind and deposited in large part of eastern Japan by rainfall or snowfall after the accident (Chino et al., 2011; Katata et al., 2012; Terada et al., 2012). That caused extensive pollution by radioactive cesium (Cs) (the sum of 134Cs and 137Cs) in agricultural lands (MEXT, 2011) including permanent pastures and meadows. In mountainous areas, it can be thought that radioactive Cs migrated from convex to concave regions by snow …

Strengths And Weaknesses Of National Agricultural Research Systems: Attracting The Next Generation Of Grasslands Researchers, James E. Pratley, Casper W. Roxburgh

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In the 1960s and 1970s the world faced up to the poverty and hunger facing a significant proportion of the global population, which at the time was around 4 billion people. The efforts of Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution resulted in food production increasing as the technologies and knowledge known at the time were directed to that task. The success of the Green Revolution was such that governments and the world communities turned attention to other issues and agricultural development slid down the list of priorities. The world population is now over 7 billion and projected to be over …

Using Participatory Research, Remote Sensing And Field Surveys To Build A State And Transition Model For The Native Pastures Of Northern Uruguay, Marcelo Pereira Machín

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Native grasslands cover 55% of the agricultural lands of Uruguay. Balancing conservation, agricultural production and human well-being is a major management challenge. Adaptive management approaches have been developed for leased land, underpinned by a newly developed state and transition model (STM). The model was tested in northern Uruguay, in the Department of Paysandú, covering an area of 8300 ha. Floristic surveys were used to define five states, based on the relative cover of key plant species and functional types. Each state was characterized in terms of livestock density, sheep/cattle ratio and years since last ploughing. Aboveground Net Primary Production (ANPP) …

Identifying Grazing-Driven Plant Indicators Of Rangeland Degradation In Semi Arid Zones Of Uzbekistan, Toshpulot F. Rajabov, Bakhtiyor K. Mardonov, Mahmud A. Muminov

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The development of practical indicators of vegetation degradation is an important element in predicting and assessing rangeland health due to disturbances such as livestock grazing. Once established, phytoindicators provide a simple and visual operative way to diagnose active and possibly undesirable vegetation changes. This paper aimed to identify rapid, yet realistic and easily communicated plant indicators of rangeland degradation caused by intense grazing. The grazing gradient approach is applied to study plant traits affected by increased levels of grazing pressure. Qualitative and quantitative changes in key species of the plant community alongside successive changes of vegetation attributes along an apparent …

Designing Data Collection For Decision-Making: Shaping The Coastal First Nations Regional Monitoring System To Meet The Needs Of The Nations, Erica Olson, Brendan Connors, Lara Hoshizaki, Jana Kotaska, Darcy Pickard, Marc Nelitz, Amy Groesbeck, Jordan Benner, Katherine Kellock, Anton Pitts

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Coastal First Nations (CFN) Regional Monitoring System (RMS) was redeveloped to support decisions related to threats to ecological and cultural values, resulting from changes to existing and impending resource use on the North and Central Coast of British Columbia. As First Nations reassert their governance authority, participate in shared decision-making with other governments, undertake land and marine use planning, and manage their territories and resources, the need for coordinated regional monitoring efforts are increasingly important. We used a systematic and inclusive strategy to determine a suitable monitoring approach to meet the needs of a diverse group of Nations across …

Kelp Forest Dynamics: Links To Climate And Long Term Trends, Helen Berry, Cathy Pfister, Tom Mumford

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Kelp forests are foundation species in the Salish Sea, and their dynamics are key to the fate of many other species. Research in other regions has shown that kelp abundance is driven in part by climate and can be impacted by human activities (for example, pollution and altered competition among species). While downward trends in kelp abundance have been of concern globally, trends are often locally distinct. We combined long term monitoring datasets and historical records to explore whether bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) dynamics in the Salish Sea region: 1) correlate with climate conditions, and …

Long-Term Monitoring In Central Puget Sound: Are Local Climate Anomalies Impacting Phytoplankton Populations?, Gabriela Hannach, Lyndsey M. Swanson, Kimberle Stark

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Puget Sound is a large and productive estuarine system at the southern end of the Salish Sea. King County’s comprehensive, long-term marine monitoring program tracks water quality in Puget Sound’s Central Basin through year-round collection of data for a suite of physical, chemical and biological parameters. Phytoplankton monitoring began with traditional microscopy methods in 2008, and expanded to include a particle imaging system in 2014. These data are critical to assess how changes from climate, physical conditions and other stressors linked to anthropogenic activity from the region’s growing population may impact the Sound’s biodiversity and trophic structure. Currently, twice-monthly surface …

Monitoring And Enforcement Of Laws And Policies In Canada: The Bad, The Ugly And How We Can Get To Good, Christianne Wilhelmson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The creation of strong environmental laws in BC and Canada has improved over the years, however the implementation of these laws is often undermined and their effectiveness to protect ecosystems and communities suffers. The reasons are many but often it’s a question of underfunding of the monitoring and enforcement mechanisms that are necessary to ensure compliance. Other reasons, in particular for regulations that apply to marine and freshwater systems, is the lack of clarity around jurisdictional responsibility and accountability. The confusion around roles, exacerbated by poor communication, results in poor monitoring and response, and laws that are paper dragons only. …

The Wria 9 Marine Shoreline Monitoring And Compliance Project Phase 2, Kollin Higgins

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

This phase builds off of the pilot project undertaken in 2012-2013. The pilot project found many shoreline changes within the WRIA were not permitted, especially on Vashon and Maury Islands. Since the pilot project was completed, King County has undertaken an effort to bring the unpermitted issues found on Vashon and Maury Islands into compliance. The pilot project and King County’s follow on compliance efforts have created community awareness on the islands about the problem and issues around shoreline modifications. This phase will undertake a similar set of boat based surveys of the 92 miles of marine shoreline of Watershed …

Tackling Nebulous Ideas: Building A Shared Monitoring Plan For Tracking Outcomes Of Integrated Floodplain Management In The Puyallup River Watershed, Ilon Logan, Isabel Ragland

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Floodplains for the Future is a multi-organizational collaboration that seeks to improve habitat for salmon, protect communities and critical infrastructure from flooding while preserving agricultural lands in the Puyallup River Watershed. FFTF partners invest in their long-term vision when they dedicate staff time, fund studies and projects, and implement capital improvement plans in the in the Puyallup, White, and Carbon River floodplains. FFTF Partners understand that the key to successful collaborative floodplain management is ensuring that individual stakeholder goals are being integrated at both the project and watershed scales. Partners need to be able to observe progress toward goals. With …

Regional And Temporal Variability In Puget Sound Zooplankton: Bottom-Up Links To Juvenile Salmon, Julie Keister, Julia Bos, Bethellee Herrmann, Mya Keyers, Christopher Krembs, John Mickett, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton, Wendi Reuf, Amanda Winans

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

We use data from the Puget Sound Zooplankton Monitoring Program to explore patterns of spatial and interannual variability in zooplankton communities in response to environmental change during 2014-2017. This program is a collaborative effort involving 10 tribal, county, state, federal, academic, and nonprofit entities initiated via the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project with the goal of understanding the key role of zooplankton in food webs and ecosystems. Large interannual differences in the environment over this period strong effects on zooplankton community structure and abundance. 2014 began as a fairly normal year in Puget Sound until the Pacific Warm Anomaly event …

The Citizen Scientific Method: Tapping A Human Natural Resource In Ecosystem Restoration, Bianca S. Perla, Greg Rabourn

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Citizen science forms a nexus point between research and education, between social outreach and project implementation, and between local knowledge (traditional ecological knowledge) and scientific knowledge. For this reason, citizen science can be a valuable tool to integrate the many different players in ecosystem restoration projects and help projects succeed. Citizen science can increase civic engagement in ecosystem restoration, fill in data gaps, and help make adaptive ecosystem management a real community process. However, significant challenges often impede the ability of citizen science projects to reach their full potential. Here, we discuss trends and insights gained through examining three citizen …

The Fisher Slough Case Study: Seven-Year Monitoring Summary: Measuring Outcomes For Fish, Farms And Flooding, Jenny Lynn Baker

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Half of Puget Sound’s wild Chinook salmon come from the Skagit River. Although the number dropped dramatically as 80 percent of salmon habitat in the river delta was lost over the last two centuries, the Skagit remains a critical stronghold for Puget Sound Chinook. The Skagit Chinook Recovery Plan calls for 2,700 acres of estuary restoration. But with farms in Skagit County generating more than $500 million each year, there are concerns that habitat restoration would mean loss of agricultural land, and the economy and culture it supports. The Fisher Slough project was intended to overcome long-standing conflicts between farm …

Spatial Distribution Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Biomass In Puget Sound: Establishing A Baseline, Dany Burgess, Angela Eagleston, Margaret Dutch, Valerie Partridge, Sandra Weakland

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Since 1989, Ecology’s Marine Sediment Monitoring Program has collected data to assess the condition of Puget Sound’s sediment-dwelling invertebrate communities (benthos). These long-term data reveal declines in benthos abundance and taxa richness in parts of Puget Sound that do not appear to be correlated with concentrations of chemical contaminants in the sediment. In 2016, a biomass and size classification component was added to the suite of benthic community indices analyzed, as part of a large-scale program redesign intended to shed more light on alternate causes of declining benthos, such as climate change and nutrient enrichment. Benthic invertebrate biomass not only …

Patterns And Variability In Ocean Acidification Conditions In Puget Sound And The Strait Of Juan De Fuca, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton, Simone Alin, Beth Curry, Adrienne J. Sutton, John Mickett, Richard A. Feely, Marine Lebrec, Dana Greeley, Wendi Ruef, Andrea Fassbender, Terrie Klinger

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington Ocean Acidification Center is working with NOAA and other partners to increase understanding of ocean acidification dynamics and spatial variability in the Salish Sea, and how these correlate with planktonic responses. These data are critical for assessing water quality, areas with higher or lower OA stress, and to understand effects on the food web. Two main strategies are employed; seasonal ship cruises provide spatial coverage and the ability to collect plankton, while mooring buoys provide information on mechanisms and the range of variation due to the high-resolution and constant coverage they provide. Results show a strong degree of …