Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sustainable Intensification In Crop-Livestock Systems, P. Rovira, Paulo C. De F. Carvalho, J. Terra, F. Lattanzi, R. Pizzio, W. Ayala

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Extensive livestock production is the main animal source food system in the Pampas and Campos sub-regions in South America. Beef cattle and sheep convert forage biomass that humans cannot eat into nutrient-dense human-edible foods (meat and milk) and valuable co-products (wool). However, diverse global pressures are acting on Pampas systems including increasing demand for protein sources (food security), climate change, environmental footprint, and competition for land. The integration of small areas of pasture-crop rotations is an alternative for increasing efficiency and sustainable intensification of agroecosystems based on natural grasslands. Rotations led by improved pastures increase the carrying capacity and productivity …

Developing A Glossary Of People-Focused Terms Related To Rangelands And Grasslands, Dana Kelly, Katherine I. Johnsen, Chris Magero, Tungalag Ulambayer, Ann Waters-Bayer

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Excellent glossaries on rangelands and grasslands have been developed by the Society for Range Management (SRM), the International Grassland Congress (IGC) and the International Rangeland Congress (IRC). However, these are largely confined to biophysical and technical terminology and contain very few concepts referring to social, institutional and policy aspects of using rangelands and grasslands. After the 10^th IRC in Saskatoon, Canada, in 2016, an informal group started to develop a glossary of such “people-focused” terms. The short and non-academic definitions are meant to improve communication and understanding by users/practitioners in rangeland and grassland management, policymakers, teachers, students, journalists and …

Application Of The Tessa Methodology In A Pilot Protocol For Participatory Evaluation Of Ecosystem Services And Agents Of Change In The Pampa Grasslands. Method Description And Lessons Learned, Daniela Schossler, Carlos Nabinger, Pablo Boggiano, Diana L. Restrepo-Osorio, Claudio Ribeiro

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The Toolkit for Site-Based Assessment (Landscape) of Ecosystem Services (TESSA) is intended to be an accessible guide for low-cost methods to assess the benefits that people receive from nature at particular sites in order to generate information that can be used to influence decision-making (Pehl et al 2015). However, TESSA does not have defined protocols for grasslands ecosystems. This article focuses on the description and discussion of the lessons learned in the participatory workshops that include engaging with policy and decision-making actors. The work consisted of identifying 1) the area occupied by each coverage or use, 2) the threats and …

Global Assessment Of Grassland Carrying Capacities And Relative Stocking Densities Of Livestock, J. Piipponen, M. Jalava, J. De Leeuw, A. Rizayeva, C. Godde, M. Herrero, M. Kummu

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Although many suggest that future diets should include more plant-based proteins, animal-sourced foods are unlikely to completely disappear from our diet. Grasslands yield a notable part of the world’s animal protein production, but thus far, there is no global insight into the relationship between current livestock stocking densities and the availability of grassland forage resources. This inhibits acting upon concerns over the negative effects of overgrazing in some areas and utilising the potential for increasing production in others. Previous research has examined the potential of sustainable grazing but lacks generic and observation-based methods needed to fully understand the opportunities and …

Changes In Defoliation Patterns Of Plant Functional Groups Under Variable Herbage Allowance In Campos Grasslands, N. Caram, F. Casalás, Pablo Soca, M. Wallau, M. Cadenazzi, P. Boggiano

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Several studies have evaluated separately forage production, botanical composition, leaf traits and animal performance. However, few of them have focused on defoliation patterns at the level of functional groups (FGs) under different and variable herbage allowance (HA), especially in natural, diverse grasslands. The objective was to evaluate the relationship between HA and leaf traits on defoliation patterns of mature beef cows in the autumn, winter and spring. We evaluated the grazing probability (GP), intensity of defoliation (ID), and leaf traits on 14 species that represent more than 80% of total dry matter of the pasture. The experiment at which we …

The Relationship Between Grassland Composition On Stemborer Abundance On Grasses Surrounding Maize Farms, Nelima Maryselah, Mutyambai M. Daniel, Kuyah Shem, Netondo Godfrey, Mattias Jonsons

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Grasslands are known to host crop pests and may act as the reservoir of pests affecting maize production. This research aimed at determining the effect of grassland composition on abundance of stemborers on grasses sorrouding maize farms in western Kenya. The experimental set up followed a complete random block design (CRBD); with four elevations at Lambwe, Homabay, Luanda and Mt. Elgon assigned as blocks based on different altitudes. Sampling was done in two seasons, during the short rain season of 2019 and the long rain season of 2020. Grasslands surrounding four pairs of push-pull and non-push-pull maize farms were assessed. …

Dilemma: Increase In Human Food Production Or Use Of Grasslands For Environmental And / Or Social Purposes, A. D. Meister

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

In the title for this paper we find three major objectives: to feed the world, sustain the environment and provide resources for social purposes, and a dilemma. Even though the word ‘dilemma’ usually implies choice between undesirable alternatives, it is obvious that the alternatives here are not undesirable. Is the dilemma then, that we can only do one at the time, or that the consequences of favouring one over the other can lead to undesirable outcomes? It is my opinion that we are talking about the latter interpretation. It is the foreclosing of options by allowing one objective to dominate …

De-Intensification Of Grasslands: Understanding The Processes To Find The Balance, K. C. Hodgkinson

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is a growing trend in Australia and other developed countries for deintensification of animal production from grasslands and for grasslands to be used for purposes other than livestock grazing. These shifts are occurring for a variety of reasons including unsustainable land management practices, environmental pollution, loss of conservation value, poor commodity prices and declining rural infra-structure and communities. In Australia, the shifts are under way in agricultural grasslands, where sown pastures occur in a matrix of semi-natural woodlands, but less so in the other three major natural grasslands that forms the arid and semi-arid rangelands.

The conversion of natural …

De-Intensification Of Grasslands: Current State And Trends, Michael Duru, Bernard Hubert

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

De-intensified use of grasslands, and more generally of the livestock systems they support, has been triggered by a growing sensitivity of citizens to environmental quality (nitrogen) and quality of animal products, and by the warnings addressed to political authorities by scientists about the environmental consequences of economic imbalances (decreasing biodiversity, drop in soil fertility, greenhouse effect), and in particular of food overproduction in Europe.

From an ecological standpoint, grassland de-intensification must be envisaged whenever the techniques implemented disrupt resource sustainability. The grassland resource itself may be at risk when a rate of vegetation offtake by herbivores that is incompatible with …