Life Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Brown Midrib Trait On The Decomposition Rate Of Sorghum-Sudangrass Residue In Pastures, C. D. Teutsch, B. P. Dooley, J. A. Bush, B. L. Hendrix

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor var. bicolor x bicolor var. sudanense) can provide high quality summer grazing. Some varieties possess the brown midrib (BMR) trait which results in reduced lignin resulting in higher digestibility and animal performance. If microbes in the rumen can digest BMR sorghum-sudangrass more completely, then soil macro/micro flora and fauna may do so as well. This could result in nutrients being returned to the soil faster from plants containing the BMR trait. The objective of this study was to determine the decomposition rate of BMR and non-BMR sorghumsudangrass. The experimental design was a random complete with four …

Back To The Future: How Do We Get There From Here? Making Restoration Work, K. Swilling, E. Bisangwa, Pat D. Keyser

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Extreme temperatures and long periods of drought observed with increasing frequency in the southeastern United States (U.S.) have demonstrated the need to develop more robust forage systems. Native warmseason grasses (NWSGs) are well adapted to fill this role, but their expanded use comes with several challenges, most notably, reliable establishment. The high cost of site preparation, high cost of seed, and slow initial growth of NWSG seedlings must be addressed to achieve increased adoption of NWSG in the eastern U.S. If these challenges are overcome, incorporating NWSG into grazing systems would benefit producers by filling the summer forage gap, mitigating …

Ecologically-Based Rodent Pest Management: Research Progress In Plateau Zokors On Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Su Junhu, Kang Yukun

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rodent management has been an ongoing global challenge. The emergence of ecologically based rodent management (EBRM) has improved a series of dilemmas in traditional rodent control that are poorly targeted, unsustainable, and environmentally harmful. The plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) is a key species in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). In recent years, due to its high population density, this subterranean rodent has caused serious damage to the grassland ecosystems on the QTP. Currently, a series of explorations of EBRM on plateau zokors have been initiated. We review progress about EBRM on plateau zokor in this paper, which mainly includes …

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 (1977-2023)

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

Challenges And Opportunities To Increase Carbon Sequestration In Subtropical Grazing Lands, Maria L. S. Silveira, João M. B. Vendramini, Elizabeth H. Boughton, Rosvel Bracho, Marta M. Kohmann, Abmael S. Cardoso

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock production has a significant environmental footprint. However, adoption of regenerative grazing land management practices can serve as a means of producing food with lower, or even net positive environmental impacts. Globally, much of the grazing land ecosystems are degraded due to improper management. This is particularly true in the southeastern US, where extensive areas of planted pastures are degraded due to inadequate nutrient and soil management. In this presentation, we will discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with increasing soil and ecosystem C sequestration in subtropical grazing lands through regenerative management practices. Introduction

Impact Of The Brachiaria Hybrids On Both Soil Health And Carbon Stock On Livestock Production, A. Silva, T. Madeira, D. Florian, E. A. Pizarro, R. N. Jauregui, G. Lobato, A. Santi, D. Fagundes, F. Pinheiro, A. Rieger, A. Cagliari

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastures occupy 30% of Earth and 80% of the entire agricultural area of the planet. To ensure food to the world and contribute to the quality of the environment, pasture-based animal production systems will also have to undergo through a more intense evolution. The intensification of tropical grasslands is an important strategy of land utilization in developing countries, contributing to increase production and minimize environmental impact through the best management practices. In this sense, the use of Brachiaria hybrids represents an excellent option, since combining the best traits of different Brachiaria species, with higher nutritive value, forage, and seed yield. …

Grazing Effects On Soil Seed Banks: A Global Synthesis, Shi Yafei

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Livestock grazing is a major disturbance affecting plant diversity and abundance in terrestrial ecosystems. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) predicts that moderate-intensity grazing should produce the highest species diversity, while the Milchunas-Sala-Lauenroth (MSL) model posits that the IDH is valid only for mesic areas. However, it remains unclear how grazing affects soil seed bank and whether or not the IDH or MSL models are valid for soil seed bank communities. Here, we presented a global meta-analysis synthesizing 483 observations: we found that grazing had a negative effect on soil seed bank abundance, but did not alter seed bank richness. Further …

Effect Of Tan-Sheep Rotational Grazing On Soil Erosion In Typical Steppe On The Loess Plateau Of China, Shi Li-Yuan, Hou Fu-Jiang, Lou Shan-Ning

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of stocking rate on soil erosion has been at the forefront of water and soil conservation studies in recent years. By observing soil erosion caused by rainfall in typical steppe on the Loess Plateau in China, this research aimed to further explore the effect of stocking rate on soil erosion. The results showed that all the concerned indicators of soil erosion (runoff, runoff coefficient, soil loss, soil organic carbon loss, and soil total nitrogen and total phosphorus loss) had a significant (P < 0.001) positive linear correlation with stocking rate alone, and precipitation alone, while the indicators of runoff and soil loss had a significant (P < 0.01) negative linear correlation with typicalsteppe biomass (aboveground biomass, litter mass, and belowground biomass). Both stocking rate and precipitation had large significant (P < 0.01) effects on soil erosion via changes in aboveground biomass, litter mass, and soil organic carbon.

Effects Of Different Grazing Intensities On Grasshopper Communities In Stipa Breviflora Desert Steppe, Guodong Han, Tingting Shen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As a common method of grassland management, grazing plays an important role in grassland conservation. Grasshoppers and large herbivores are integral parts of grassland biodiversity and food webs. However, to some extent there is still room for further research on how grasshoppers cope with grazing by large herbivores. A field grazing experiment in Stipa breviflora desert steppe in Inner Mongolia, China to investigate the effects of sheep grazing intensity on the abundance and richness of locust population and community. The grazing experiment started in 2004, and the grasshopper population and community were investigated in 2021. The results showed that: Grazing …

Carbon Sequestration Potential Of Pasture-Based Systems Along An Altitudinal Gradient In The North-Western Himalayas, Harish Sharma, K. S. Pant, Rohit Bishist, Ravinder Sharma, Uday Sharma, M. K. Brahmi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present investigation was carried out in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh (India) to identify the pasture-based land use systems being practiced by farmers and to find out their carbon sequestration potential along different altitudes. For carrying out the study, the area was divided into four altitudinal ranges viz., zone-I (amsl), zone-II (1000-1500 m amsl), zone-III (1500- 2500 m amsl) and zone-IV (> 2500 m amsl), according to agro-ecological zones in the state. Results revealed that the pasture-based systems practiced by the farmers in the altitudinal zone-I and zone-II were silvo-pasture and pastoral-silviculture, while, at altitudinal zone-III and zone-IV, …

Evaluating Functional Diversity As Potential Early-Warning Indicator Of Rangeland Degradation, L.-M. Schwarz, C. P. Carmona, M. C. Bilton, F. Munyebvu-Chambara, K. Behn, A. Linstädter

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Droughts and overgrazing play a crucial role in the degradation of semi-arid rangelands. This is evident in the loss of palatable long-lived grass species and bush encroachment. Early warning indicators are needed to mitigate long-term degradation and decline in essential forage provision. Functional diversity provides valuable information on ecosystem health. However, functional diversity indices have not yet been tested regarding their applicability as early warning indicators, revealing non-linear threshold behaviour. We therefore examined the following questions: (1) How do functional diversity indices respond to grazing pressure? (2) Does land tenure affect the relationship between functional diversity and grazing pressure? (3) …

Integrating Grazing With 2,4-D And Florpyrauxifen To Control Broadleaf Weeds And Maintain Red Clover Productivity In Grass-Legume Pastures, M. J. Renz, G. M. Imhoff

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In grass-legume pastures, 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl controls broadleaf weeds but red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is eliminated. Grazing within a week prior to herbicide application is likely to reduce leaf surface area and may reduce red clover injury and maintain productivity. Experiments were conducted in 2020 and in 2021 to determine if red clover could be productive when 560 g ae ha^-1 2,4-D-amine + 6.3 g ae ha-1 of florpyrauxifen-benzyl with 1% v/v methylated seed oil applied in the spring was grazed before or after herbicide application. Grazing timings occurred 6, 4, or 2 days prior to herbicide …

Effect Of Simulated Precipitation On Soil Enzyme Activity Of Stipa Breviflora Desert Steppe, Ren Zihuana, Wang Zhongwub, Han Guodongb

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The availability of nutrients for the grassland ecosystem is significantly influenced by changes in soil enzyme activity brought on by precipitation. Soil enzyme activity is an essential element controlling soil nutrient supply. This study used the Inner Mongolian desert steppe as its research subject and examined how different soil enzymes—urease, alkaline phosphatase, and invertase reacted to changing precipitation levels. According to the typical quantity of long-term precipitation in the area, four gradients of precipitation were established: 50% reduction (P1), control (P2), 50% increase (P3), and 100% increase (P4). First, the findings revealed that rising precipitation can boost invertase and alkaline …

Survival Rate And Morphological Growth Patterns Of Five Populations Of Festuca Dolichophylla Under Similar Conditions, Y. Paucar, E. R. Flores, H. M. Guillén, L. Aguirre

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The majority of the natural grasslands of Perú are located in the Puna region; they are the only source of feed for raising animals in this area, and they also protect the soil from erosion. Festuca dolichophylla is a representative species with high productivity in this ecosystem. The aim of this study was to evaluate survival rate and morphological growth patterns of five populations of Festuca dolichophylla under similar conditions. Five accessions were obtained from each population: Pastales Huando Peasant Community - Huancavelica (CCPH), Lachocc South American Camelids Research and Development Center of the National University of Huancavelica (CIDCSL), Junin, …

Enhancing Milk Production Of Lactating Camels In Kenya Via Supplementation Of The Invasive Cactus (Opuntia Stricta) In The Diet, W. O. Owino, Lucy W. Ikanya, J. G. Maina, C. K. Gachuiri, José C. B. Dubeux Jr.

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change leading to prolonged and recurrent droughts, changes in land use, primarily settlement of pastoralists, followed by overgrazing and subsequent land degradation, has made the highly drought resistant opuntia flourish and be aggressively invasive in the Kenya’s rangelands. Camel keeping has increasingly replaced cattle as a climate adaptation strategy and also as a result of a steady increase in demand for camel milk due to the associated nutritional and health benefits,To address the challenge of lack of pasture during prolonged drought, there is the need to utilize the invasive cactus as fodder. The invasive cactus can be a kind …

Potential Of Indigenous Desert Grasses For Forage Production In A Water-Scarce Region, A. E. Osman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Indigenous perennial grasses are widely distributed in the Arabian Peninsula. Their survival under limited rainfall and grazing suggests a potential role as grassland species and for rehabilitation of degraded rangelands. Forage productivity and water-use efficiency (WUE) was determined over 2 years for four indigenous grasses: buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.), dakhna (Coelachyrum piercei Benth.), da’ay (Lasiurus scindicus Henr.) and tuman (Panicum turgidum Forssk.) together with one exotic species, rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth) in the central region of the United Arab Emirates. Three irrigation treatments were used: R1 (1858–6758 m³ ha^-1 year^{-1 …}

Pawpaws: Ohio’S State Fruit, Don Cipollini

Runkle Woods Symposia

Dr. Don Cipollini presents his episode on Pawpaws from his show The Naturalist followed by a Q&A.

Dr. Cipollini takes us on a walk through the Wright State University Woods and his own backyard to talk about Ohio's state fruit, the Pawpaw and the trees that grow it. He discusses how to grow pawpaw, the biology of the tree, and how you can use and eat the fruit it produces.

Economics Of Conservation And The Application To The Runkle Woods, Indigenous American Cultural Student Association, Brad Kerry, Eliza Hendrix, Mateo Bush, Ryan Diza

Runkle Woods Symposia

Student Eliza Hendrix presents a brief history of local Native American culture to give context to Adjunct Professor Brad Kerry's portion of the presentation focusing on conservation through an economic lens.

Welcome, Audrey E. Mcgowin

Runkle Woods Symposia

The introduction to the 6th Annual Runkle Woods Symposium given by Audrey McGowin.

Woods Symposium 2023 Program, Wright State University

Runkle Woods Symposia

The program for the 6th annual Wright State University Runkle Woods Symposium that took place on November 17, 2023

Bettering Our Police Training; Strategies To Increase Physicality And Reduce Injuries, Piyush Baliyan, Matthew J. Garver

K-STAR Student Research Week

Background: Injuries during tactical, physical training (e.g., military, police academy) are common due to physical, mental, and physiological stresses and work demands. Absenteeism, decreased performance, and medical expenses can result. Purpose: The aim of this work will be to utilize micro-education and a group-mediated, cognitive-behavioral intervention strategy to supplement traditional training and improve training outcomes to enhance physicality and reduce injuries. Methods: Hematological (e.g., hemoglobin, hematocrit), physical (e.g., select components of fitness), and physiological (e.g., heart rate, oxygen consumption) data will be collected at baseline, midpoint, and post training. The micro-education classes will include topics such as: …

Globalization, Climate Variability And Food Security In Pakistan: The Moderating Role Of Population Density, Shazia Kousar, Muhammad Afzal, Adeel Nasir

CBER Conference

The aim of this study is twofold; first, this study examined the impact of globalization and climate variability on food security. Second, this study examined the moderating role of population density on the relationship between globalization, climate variability and food security. This study utilized the data for food security from FAO, while the data for globalization related to the KOF globalization index.

Effect Of Land Management On Grassland Carbon Dioxide Fluxes, M. O’Neill, S. F. Islam, J. Rambaud, G. J. Lanigan, K. G. Richards, M. B. Lynch

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland soils can act as both a source and sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Implementing grassland management practices that increase the rates of soil CO2 sequestration are urgently sought to offset Ireland’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. However, land management of Irish grasslands is not yet accounted for in the national inventories simultaneously posing a limitation and opportunity for refining modelled estimates of carbon sequestration. In this study, eddy covariance flux towers were established to monitor net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Re) in three grassland types (intensive dairy grazing, drystock grazing and zero- …

Fe And Mn Concentrations In Plants Correlated Negatively With Air Temperature Precipitation In Three Types Of Grassland, Jiao Ning, Fujiang Hou, Shengsheng Liu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alpine meadows, typical steppe, and deserts are globally important grassland ecosystems. We investigated the seasonal trends in Fe and Mn concentrations in the dominant species and community of plants from diverse grassland types in northwest China. It was found that seasonal Fe and Mn concentrations in most plant species were negatively correlated with seasonal precipitation, biomass, and temperature. Additionally, seasonal Cu concentrations in Reaumuria soongorica was significantly correlated with seasonal precipitation. The seasonal mean temperature explained more of the seasonal variation of the Fe and Mn concentrations in the plant community of these grasslands than precipitation, except for the concentrations …

Comprehensive Evaluation Of Endophytic Fungi And Rhizosphere Soil Fungi On The Growth Of Achnatherum Inebrians, X. M. Nie, X. X. Zhang, Z. B. Nan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This study was conducted to clarify the effect of endophytic fungi and rhizosphere soil fungi on the growth of Achnatherum inebrians. In this study, the seeds of A. inebrians with endophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) were used as materials. Eight fungi isolated from rhizosphere soil were inoculated through germination and greenhouse pot experiment. The results showed that the endophytes, rhizosphere soil fungi and their combined effect all had significant effect on the seed germination and plant growth of A. inebrians, and the affected factors varied with the tested materials and strains. Through comprehensive evaluation of principal component analysis …

Vicuñas’ (Vicugna Vicugna Mensalis) Diet Composition Under Community Management In The Puna Grasslands, Katherine Capuñay, Samuel Pizarro, Javier Ñaupari

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of the present study was to determine the composition of the vicuña (V. vicugna mensalis) diet at the end of the drought period (November, 2019) in the San Cristobal de Lucanas Community, in the department of Ayacucho, Peru. Eight sites were chosen, where vicuñas were observed grazing in Pajonal (tussock grassland), Cesped (short grassland), Pajonal-Cesped and Tholar-grass. For the botanical composition of the diet, fecal samples were collected in 80 dung piles, which were prepared for microhistological analysis and determined the plants consumed in the vicuña’s diet. The botanical composition of the diets in the different …

Degradation And Vulnerability To Climate Change In High Andean Rangelands, Samuel Pizarro, Javier Ñaupari

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rangeland degradation is a process associated with loss of ecosystem equilibrium. Therefore, this work seeks to identify the most important factors that cause the degradation process of rangelands, assess the degree of degradation and vulnerability to current climate change of these ecosystems; and determine if there is a relationship between the degree of rangeland degradation and vulnerability to climate change in high Andean rangelands. The study was located in the central highlands of Peru (Ancash, Junín, Pasco, Huancavelica and Lima) and involved the design of a framework to assess rangeland degradation based on field information and Landsat satellite products that …

Grass Diversity And Pasture Quality Baseline Assessement In Central Madagascar, O. P. Nanjarisoa, L. Randriamanalina, Wayne F. Truter, M. T. Rajaonah, C. E. R. Lehmann, C. Birkinshaw, L. Rakotonirina, D. Miarinjanahary, N. L. Raharinirina, M. S. Vorontsova

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Poaceae family contributes to Madagascar’s biodiversity hotspot with 217 of 541 grass species endemic to the island, although their forage value is unknown, at least in the scientific literature. Our research aims 1) to describe the diversity of native and endemic grasses thereby recognising the role of grass species diversity in forage and ecosystem management and 2) to provide new knowledge about pasture management based on the relationship between grazing capacity and productivity within experimental pastureland plots under different fire and grazing treatments. Our study seeks to provide information to inform improvements in livestock nutrition via grazing management of natural …

Effects Of Proximity To Roads On Tissue Surface Ph, Conductivity And Heavy Metal Contents Of A Grazing Grass Species, C. Munyati, M. S. Mathole

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Globally, road networks are expanding in the countryside. Though beneficial to society, the roads potentially have detrimental effects on grazing quality. The effects are seldom quantified. In this study Eragrostis lehmanniana, a common native grazing grass in parts of the world, was examined for indicative data on the impacts of roads on grasses. Aboveground tissue samples were collected monthly on three occasions during the growing season, at the same respective locations near three high traffic highways. Non-senescent specimens were sampled along transects of up to 400 m perpendicular to the highways, starting from the road edge and then at …

Screening Annual Ryegrass For Increased Tolerance To Blast (Pyricularia Oryzae), C. M. Adams, B. S. Baldwin, J. L. Morrison

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Annual ryegrass [Lolium perenne L. spp. multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot] is a high-quality forage utilized heavily in the Southeast for pasture and grazing. Gray Leaf Spot (Pyricularia oryzae) is a fungal pathogen that infects gramineous species and is a common problem in perennial and annual ryegrass stands. This study was designed to screen for resistance to P. oryzae in the annual ryegrass cultivar Vertyl (PI 619473, FRA) and a heat-tolerant germplasm (HTARG5) derived from Marshall (PI 600770, USA) with intent to use recurrent phenotypic selection to crossbreed the two accessions. Marshall was also included as a susceptible reference …