Plant Sciences Commons^™

Pfra Grazing Management Conserves Biodiversity, B Bristol, T Weins

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Shrinking grassland habitats across Prairie Canada are resulting in increased societal values for biodiversity within the remaining rangeland resources. The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) manages 929,000 hectares in the Prairie and Boreal Plain Ecozones across three Prairie Provinces. Management of these range resources accomplishes two main objectives: (1) sustaining economic viability of the rural community through provision of livestock grazing and (2) conservation of soil, water and biodiversity resources. PFRA uses the tools of inventory, research and management to accomplish these objectives. The 87 pastures are managed toward the “good and excellent” range condition classes which conserves biodiversity and …

Rangeland-Centered Agroecosystems In Indian Central Himalayas: Operationalizing Ecological Sustainability In Mountain Agriculture, Vir Singh

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Himalayan Mountains are home to unique agroecosystems harboring unique inter- and intra-species diversity in uncultivated and cultivated lands. The uncultivated lands are largely the rangelands which are ecologically more stable ecosystems than the cultivated lands which are ecologically prone areas. Rangelands, cultivated areas, and livestock in mountain agriculture are in organic linkages with each other, woven into a complex unitary whole, functionally oriented to produce foods and other life-supporting products – such as feed, fiber, fuel, fertilizers, etc. – and provide vital ecological functions. Rangelands in fragile Himalayan mountains serve as a key component of agriculture and the biodiversity conserved …

Soil Carbon Monitoring Program For Ranches In Dryland Ecosystems, David E. Prado-Tarango, S. Ates, J. Talbot

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Implementation of ranching practices that lead to greater soil carbon sequestration has become increasingly important due to rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Sustainable ranching practices are suggested to improve soil health and sequester more carbon in the soil. However, there is a paucity of measured data from replicated on-farm studies to support this premise. Thus, we developed a soil carbon monitoring program for a ranch located in the state of Oregon. Our monitoring program is focused on measuring the net carbon budget and the soil carbon sequestration totals. To achieve this goal, we combined field-sampling data with the COMET-Farm model. A …

Regenera+.Uy: Designing A Co-Innovation Process To Apply The Principles Of Regenerative Livestock Production, Oscar Blumetto, M. Bustamante, A. Castagna, D. Caresani, G. Ciappesoni, R. Baptista, I. De Barbieri

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Consumers around the world are beginning to demand products whose production systems have environmental guarantees. Among them, those derived from regenerative agriculture have a growing demand in many markets. A comprehensive environmental assessment was carried out in 9 case studies of mixed livestock production farms (cattle and sheep) in Uruguay as a basis for the development of a system redesign process following the principles of regenerative agriculture. The results show that emission intensity was 16.0, 10.5, and 49.2 kg CO2 eq kg-1 of beef, sheep meat, and greasy wool, respectively. Also, a simulation exercise shows a significative reduction of emission …

Grasslands, Rangelands, Pastoralists – What Do We Mean?, D. M. Kelly, Ann Waters-Bayer, K. L. Johnson, Maryam Niamir-Fuller, Chris Magero, Tungalag Ulambayer

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The terms grasslands and rangelands are often confused, but the terms used to describe the people who live and manage these areas are even more confusing. The myriad of words used about these people includes: pastoralists, farmers, ranchers, herders, transhumants, indigenous peoples, nomads, graziers, gauchos. The terms used vary across the world, and meanings vary across time and space. One definition of pastoralists is “livestock-keepers who specialise in taking advantage of variability, managing grazing itineraries at a variety of scales so that livestock feed better than without a herder” (Krätli 2019). The United Nations Decade of Family Farming defines farmers …

Carbon-Nitrogen Ratios In Rangeland Soils In Various Agriculture Response Units In Three Watersheds In The Central Himalayas, India, Nanda Nautiyal, Vir Singh

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

CN ratios of rangeland soils in selected agriculture response units (ARUs) prevailing in three watersheds, Kosi, Alaknanda, and Pindar, in the Indian Central Himalayan mountains were analyzed. The ratios varied significantly (P<0.05) with ARUs and seasons. Interaction between ARUs and season was also found significant (P<0.05). In Alaknanda Watershed soil CN ratios ranged from 6.62 to 20.58. Soil CN ratio values differed significantly (P<0.05) with seasons and ARUs. Soil CN ratios in the rangelands of Pindar Watershed were recorded between 6.54 and 11.29. The ratios varied significantly (P<0.05) in seasons and ARUs. Interaction between ARUs and season was also found significant (P<0.05). Rangeland soil CN ratio values of all ARUs were further statistically analyzed in all three watersheds. Minimum soil CN ratios were seen at Pindar and maximum at Alaknanda watershed. The ratios variation was seen in all the rangelands and it was found significant at a significance level of 5%. Interaction between Kosi and Alaknanda was found non-significant while between Kosi and Pindar and Alaknanda and Pindar it was significant (P<0.05) throughout the study. Variation in soil CN ratios in both agricultural and rangeland soils was seen in each watershed. In the Kosi watershed, soil CN ratios ranged from 6.74 to 15.06; in Alaknanda from 6.36 to 20.58 and in Pindar from 5.75 to 14.38. CN ratios have an absolute relationship with temperature and are higher when higher rainfall occurs and moisture prevails. The ratios also impact soil acidity and other soil quality parameters.

Carbon Sequestration In Desertified Rangelands Of Hossein-Abad, Iran: A Participatory Approach, F. Amiraslani

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The Hossein-abad (H.A) area is located in Southern Khorasan Province of Iran and covers some 148,000 ha. This is one of the poorest regions in the country and has a large area of degraded rangelands. Following a request from local people and in line with national and global goals, a carbon sequestration initiative has been funded by I.R.Iran and GEF(Global Environmental Facility) from April 2003. The objective is to promote and model carbon sequestration through developing range species in cooperation with local people and using a participatory approach. The immediate target beneficiaries are the people living in the project area …

Enhancement Of Grassland Production Through Integration Of Forage Legumes In Semi-Arid Rangelands Of Kenya, P. N. Macharia, J. I. Kinyamario, W. N. Ekaya, C. K. K. Gachene

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Livestock production in semi-arid rangelands of Kenya is limited by the seasonal quantity and quality of fodder. Kirkman & Carvalho (2003) stated that these inter- and intra-seasonal quality and quantity fluctuations result in nutrient deficits that severely limit livestock production potential. The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of three forage legumes on the production of natural pastures in semi-arid rangelands of Kenya.

The Effect Of Fertiliser Treatment On The Development Of Rangelands In Argentina, Ezequiel M. Latorre, Mónica B. Sacido

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In Argentina grazing of rangelands may result in a decrease in winter gramineous species with an increase in summer weeds such as Cynodon dactylon. Lolium multiflorum is an important forage resource for grazing in the autumn, winter and spring. A delay in its emergence may occur because of summer weeds, which reduces the germination rate. The proportion of the seed bank as ryegrass allows the recovery of natural grassland and facilitates an increase in the productivity of livestock. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the impact of application of fertiliser in the short term on the …

Stocking Rate Theory And Profit Drivers In North Australian Rangeland Grazing Enterprises, Neil D. Macleod, A. J. Ash, John G. Mcivor

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Setting correct stock numbers is a key decision for successful pastoralism. In marginal environments, typified by northern Australia, this involves careful cattle herd management across landscapes and seasons characterised by heterogeneous land condition and extreme climatic uncertainty. Stocking rate theory which links animal production to stocking rates concentrates only on liveweight gain of sale animals and ignores complex herd (e.g. reproduction, mortality) and pasture dynamics (e.g. land condition) and costs of maintaining stock numbers (e.g. supplementary feeding). Related economic models are generally naïve and incomplete, being based on liveweight gain, meat prices and variable husbandry costs (e.g. Workman, 1986). Modelling …

An Ecosystem Modelling Approach To Rehabilitating Semi-Desert Rangelands Of North Horr, Kenya, G. A. Olukoye, W. N. Wamicha, J. I. Kinyamario

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Decreased rainfall, recurrent droughts and increased anthropogenic activities have led to a dramatic increase in wind erosion on pastoral lands of North Horr resulting in the reactivation of the once-stable sand dunes. This has degraded the vegetation and impoverished the local community. Mobile sand has a severe impact on dry season grazing areas (Omar & Abdal, 1994) and, therefore, affects pastoral livestock production. In North Horr, Suaeda monoica is important in camel production and for stabilising sand dunes but it has been over-utilized over the years. The objective of this study was to use ecosystem modelling approaches to examine the …

The Future Of The Big Sagebrush Ecosystem: Plant Community Response To Grazing, Wildfire, And Invasive Annual Grass In A Changing Climate, Margaret Eleanor England

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Climate change is increasingly affecting the plant communities across the world. In the Western United States, these changes are affecting plant communities and their risk of invasive species, as well as the frequency and severity of wildfire. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems of the Western United States are facing threats of increasingly frequent wildfire and invasion of the annual grass cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), which may be exacerbated by global climate change. Past studies have found cheatgrass to exhibit a positive feedback loop with wildfire, and climate change is expected to facilitate expansion of the cheatgrass …

Soil Fauna Accelerate Dung Pat Decomposition And Nutrient Cycling Into Grassland Soil, Kenneth S. Evans, Martha Mamo, Ana Wingeyer, Walter Schacht, Kent Eskridge, Jeff Bradshaw, Daniel Ginting

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil fauna play critical roles in various ecosystem functions and services, but empirical data measuring their impact on dung pat decomposition and subsequent nutrient cycling into rangeland soils are limited. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of soil fauna, using dung beetle as an indicator, on dung decomposition and subsequent translocation of dung nutrients into grassland soil over time. A field experiment was conducted early in the summer season and late in the summer season of 2014 and 2015. In each season, dung beetle abundance, changes in dung properties, and subsequent translocation of dung nutrients into …

The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …

The Impact Of Red Kangaroos On The Rangelands, Grant Norbury, Dale Norbury

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Kangaroos and other native animals should be maintained across their natural range, including areas set aside for pastoral use. But the added grazing pressure on native vegetation from sheep, cattle and feral animals, together with unnaturally high numbers of kangaroos, has seriously degraded much of our rangelands. Cattle and sheep numbers are relatively easy to control. The same cannot be said for kangaroos. Access to widespread man-made watering points has allowed kangaroos to continue breeding when normally a shortage of water would suppress reproduction.

Pastoralists complain that commercial kangaroo shooting is not always effective in preventing damage caused by kangaroos. …

Monitoring Western Australia's Rangelands, Ron Hacker, David Beurle, George Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Rangelands, native pastures used for grazing domestic livestock, occupy about 100 million hectares or 40 per cent of Western Australia, extending from the tropical grasslands of the Kimberley to the arid shrub steppe of the Nullarbor Plain.

The rangelands are characterized by highly variable seasonal conditions. Carrying capacity can fluctuate dramatically from year to year. Grazing management requires a tactical approach from one season to the next because of the great variation in the capacity of the land to support stock.

Rangeland monitoring provides pastoralists with objective information on these changes to assist their management decision making. The Western Australian …