Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Improving Livestock Production Assuring Natural Grassland Ecosystem Conservation: Three Key Management Practices At Farm Level, Oscar Blumetto, Santiago Scarlato, Andrés Castagna, Guadalupe Tiscornia, Andrea Ruggia, Gerónimo Cardozo

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Ecosystem changes by human activities are a central topic in environmental discussions and temperate grasslands are among the most altered ecosystems on the planet (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). The Rio de la Plata grasslands are among of the most extended temperate grasslands in the world, along with the prairie system of North America, the grasslands in east Europe and Mongolia, the grassvelds in South Africa and the New Zealand plains. They cover the central-eastern part of Argentina, Uruguay and south of Brazil. Natural grasslands are very rich in terms of number of species, reaching up to more than 3,000 vascular …

Planet At Risk From Grazing Animals?, Albrecht F. Glatzle

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The famous FAO report “Livestock’s Long Shadow” (Steinfeld et. al. 2006) and hundreds of subsequent publications blamed domestic livestock, in general, and grassland-based production systems in the (sub) tropics, in particular, of causing serious environmental hazards such as climate change, claiming that 18% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are from livestock, more than from the transport sector. Few reviews challenged this claim, and those that did received little attention from the media. Pitseky et al. (2009) revealed the double standard applied by the FAO in this matter. Whereas for livestock products a full life cycle assessment for …

Agroecosystem Health Cards: A Practical Tool For Sustainable Management Of Grasslands, Iker Mijangos, Isabel Albizu, Mikel Anza, Iker Martin, Sorkunde Mendarte, Lur Epelde, Carlos Garbisu

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The traditional grazing activity carried out for centuries in mountainous areas of the Basque Country (Northern Atlantic Spain) facilitated the presence of different extensive pasture habitats, such as those included in the Gorbeia Natural Park and surrounding valleys (43° 02’N, 2° 49’W). Currently, these pastures are highly valued due to the ecosystem services they provide. In this context, one of the main objectives of the LIFE-SOILMONTANA project (ref. LIFE 10 NAT/ES/579) is to develop a practical tool that allows grassland managers (farmers, scientists and authorities) to auto-evaluate the suitability of alternative agronomic practices in relation to the conservation of these …

Mixed Species Seeding: A Means To Increase Production In Temperate Pastures, Michael P. Schellenberg, Bili Biligetu, Valentin Picasso

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Seeding mixed species for forage production has been suggested as a means of increasing productivity and stabilizing yields under a changing climate. Forages have traditionally been sown as monocultures or binary mixtures only, with the emphasis being on species and not necessarily their function or compatibility. While natural plant communities typically may be dominated by a single species, they are comprised of several species and function-al groups.

This paper provides the results of sowing multiple species at semiarid sites within the North American Great Plains and identifies a similar result from a more humid region reported within the literature.

Designing High-Yielding, High-Diversity And Low-Input Temporary Grasslands, Karen Søegaard, Tine B. Mortensen, Jørgen Eriksen

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Species-rich swards have received increasing interest due to their focus on ecosystem services, animal welfare and product quality. However, in high-yielding swards the proportion of herbs is often limited and there is little knowledge of their management. Seed mixture composition, cutting frequency, fertilization and grazing/cutting strategies were examined over 4 years in 3 experiments to quantify their effects on herbage yield and botanical composition. Inclusion of herbs in the sward gave similar or higher annual yields but swards established with 100% herbs depended on the presence of a driver species. The effects of management differed between species. Herb content in …

Floristic Quality Assessments Of Remnant Natural Areas In The Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Region: Evaluating Botanical Change Since The 1890s, Alan W. Stockdale, Garrett Crow, David P. Warners

Faculty and Professional Research

In 1901, Emma J. Cole, a beloved high school teacher and distinguished botanist, published Grand Rapids Flora. Cole’s floristic inventory remains the most comprehensive botanical study of the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan region, even though this area has experienced significant land- scape alterations since her publication. To address this knowledge gap, in 2014 we embarked on a multiple-year project aimed to discover and reassess the sites Cole described, as well as to catalog other natural remnant locations within the Grand Rapids area. This paper reports botanical invento- ries that were completed at eight sites within Kent County during 2015 and …

Local Loss And Spatial Homogenization Of Plant Diversity Reduce Ecosystem Multifunctionality, Yann Hautier, Forest Isbell, Elizabeth T. Borer, Eric W. Seabloom, W. Stanley Harpole, Eric M. Lind, Andrew S. Macdougall, Carly J. Stevens, Peter B. Adler, Juan Alberti, Jonathan D. Bakker, Lars A. Brudvig, Yvonne M. Buckley, Marc Cadotte, Maria C. Caldeira, Enrique J. Chaneton, Chengjin Chu, Pedro Daleo, Christopher R. Dickman, John M. Dwyer, Anu Eskelinen, Philip A Fay, Jennifer Firn, Nicole Hagenah, Helmut Hillebrand, Oscar Iribarne, Kevin P. Kirkman, Johannes M. H. Knops, Kimberly J. La Pierre, Rebecca L. Mcculley

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Biodiversity is declining in many local communities while also becoming increasingly homogenized across space. Experiments show that local plant species loss reduces ecosystem functioning and services, but the role of spatial homogenization of community composition and the potential interaction between diversity at different scales in maintaining ecosystem functioning remains unclear, especially when many functions are considered (ecosystem multifunctionality). We present an analysis of eight ecosystem functions measured in 65 grasslands worldwide. We find that more diverse grasslands—those with both species-rich local communities (α-diversity) and large compositional differences among localities (β-diversity)—had higher levels of multifunctionality. Moreover, α- and β-diversity synergistically affected …

Impacts Of Strategic Grazing And Fire On Soil Seed Bank Heterogeneity In Mixed-Grass Prairie, Kassidy Weathers, Lan Xu, Patricia Johnson

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Native plant communities in the Northern Great Plains evolved under periodic fire and substantial grazing pressure from native herbivores, two main drivers maintaining the heterogeneity of grassland ecosystems. However, contemporary management practices focus on maximizing livestock production through fire suppression and uniform grazing strategies, resulting in decreased vegetation heterogeneity, species richness, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity. Objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of patch-burn grazing (PBG) and winter-patch grazing (WPG) managements on soil seed bank heterogeneity in terms of species 1) richness, 2) composition, 3) abundance, and 4) diversity. Two soil cores (10-cm dia × 10-cm …

Can Increasing Grass-Fungal Endophyte Symbiotic Diversity Enhance Grassland Ecosystem Functioning?, Mahtaab Bagherzadeh

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is important in maintaining agroecosystem sustainability. Plant-microbe symbioses, such as exists between the grass tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceum) and the asexual fungal endophyte Epichloë coenophiala, can be utilized to enhance agroecosystem functions, such as herbivore resistance. “Novel” E. coenophiala strains that vary in the production of mammal- and insect-toxic compounds have been identified, inserted into tall fescue cultivars, and are planted in pastures globally. Novel fungal endophyte-tall fescue associations may have divergent ecosystem function effects. This study assessed effects of different fescue-endophyte symbiotic combinations on pasture ecosystem function, including aboveground …

Lichen Conservation In Eastern North America: Population Genomics, Climate Change, And Translocations, Jessica Allen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Conservation biology is a scientific discipline that draws on methods from diverse fields to address specific conservation concerns and inform conservation actions. This field is overwhelmingly focused on charismatic animals and vascular plants, often ignoring other diverse and ecologically important groups. This trend is slowly changing in some ways; for example, increasing number of fungal species are being added to the IUCN Red-List. However, a strong taxonomic bias still exists. Here I contribute four research chapters to further the conservation of lichens, one group of frequently overlooked organisms. I address specific conservation concerns in eastern North America using modern methods. …

Interactive Effects Of Cover Crops, Invertebrate Communities And Soil Health In Corn Production Systems, Claire Lacanne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The adoption of regenerative farming practices is gaining traction, but the costs and benefits are not often considered on a systems level. Encouraging biodiversity and soil health is the goal of many agricultural practices used in regenerative farming; regenerative systems employ practices which abide by the two main principles of increasing biodiversity and decreasing disturbance, with the goal of encouraging ecosystem functioning to minimize inputs and maximize the productivity of a farm. I examined the management of corn (Zea mays) fields across four states in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. Regenerative systems in this study …

Invasive Plant Ecology In Vermont: Insights From Spatial Analysis And Interactions Of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata) With Native Plants And Invertebrates, Chenin Kathleen Limback

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Causes and patterns of invasive plant species establishment and success depend broadly upon their ecology, including habitat suitability and interactions with other plants and animals. Here I examine the traits and distribution of invasive plants in Vermont, using spatial analysis, laboratory and field studies. I used GIS to investigate environmental factors correlated with presence of 19 invasive plant species in Vermont campgrounds. My results support the assumption that human dispersal of invasive plant seed and stock may be more important than natural dispersal of these plant species to new sites. I also investigate in-depth the relationships of invasive herbaceous garlic …

Ecologically And Socially Sustainable Livestock Development In Marginal Areas, Ilse Köhler-Rollefson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

“Marginal areas” are perceived as difficult and unproductive landscapes, always under the threat of drought, desertification and poverty. Yet, both dryland and high altitude marginal areas have an extraordinary output of livestock products; in the efficiency of producing human-edible protein they far surpass more fertile areas. This productivity under adverse climatic conditions rests on sophisticated strategies and social institutions developed by pastoral communities to deal with variability in the availability of resources. It depends on the use of animal genetic resources that are adapted to make best use of local vegetation and can cope with seasonal variations in availability. Livestock …

The Significance Of Micro-Prairie Reconstruction In Urban Environments, Bruno Borsari, Neal Mundahl, Malcom F. Vidrine, Marc Pastorek

The Prairie Naturalist

An aggressive urban sprawl during the last half century has not only contributed to habitat disturbance and extirpation, as well as a loss of knowledge and appreciation for biodiversity. Across the United States, prairie reconstruction has been a very effective approach for developing sustainable landscape designs in city parks and other open spaces. The purpose of this work is to focus on restoration and reconstruction of selected micro-prairies as a vehicle for enhanced place-based education and to partially remediate the consequences of global climate change and loss of pollinators. From the coastal prairies of southwestern Louisiana, to the eastern edge …

Monteverde: Ecology And Conservation Of A Tropical Cloud Forest - 2014 Updated Chapters, Nalini M. Nadkarni, Nathaniel T. Wheelwright

Bowdoin Scholars' Bookshelf

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has captured the worldwide attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists and has been the setting for extensive investigation over the past 40 years. Roughly 40,000 ecotourists visit the Cloud Forest each year, and it is often considered the archetypal high-altitude rain forest. “Monteverde: Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest”, edited by Nalini Nadkarni and Nathaniel T. Wheelwright (Oxford University Press, 2000 and Bowdoin’s Scholar’s Bookshelf. Book 1 ), features synthetic chapters and specific accounts written by more than 100 biologist and local residents, presenting in a single volume everything known in 2000 about …

Increased Weed Diversity, Density And Above-Ground Biomass In Long-Term Organic Crop Rotations, Samuel E. Wortman, John L. Lindquist, Milton J. Haar, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

While weed management is consistently a top priority among farmers, there is also growing concern for the conservation of biodiversity. Maintaining diverse weed communities below bioeconomic thresholds may provide ecosystem services for the crop and the surrounding ecosystem. This study was conducted to determine if weed diversity, density and biomass differ within and among organic and conventional crop rotations. In 2007 and 2008, we sampled weed communities in four long-term crop rotations near Mead, Nebraska, United States using seedbank analyses (elutriation and greenhouse emergence) and above-ground biomass sampling. Two conventional crop rotations consisted of a corn (Zea mays) …

Farmers And Nature Conservation: What Is Known About Attitudes, Context Factors And Actions Affecting Conservation?, Johan Ahnström, Jenny Höckert, Hanna L. Bergea, Charles A. Francis, Peter Skelton, Lars Hallgren

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Farmers’ attitudes towards viability of specific conservation practices or actions strongly impact their decisions on adoption and change. This review of ‘attitude’ information reveals a wide range of perceptions about what conservation means and what the impacts of adoption will mean in economic and environmental terms. Farmers operate in a tight financial situation, and in parts of the world they are highly dependent on government subsidies, and cannot afford to risk losing that support. Use of conservation practices is most effective when these are understood in the context of the individual farm, and decisions are rooted in land and resource …

Sheep Updates 2007 - Part 4, Dean Thomas, Dominique Blache, Dean Revell, Hayley Norman, Phil Vercoe, Zoey Durmic, Serina Digby, Di Mayberry, Megan Chadwick, Martin Sillence, David Masters, R. Silberstein, F. Byrne, P. G. H. Nichols, J. Young, L. Aitkins, M. G. Wilmot, A. J. Rintoul, T. Lambert, D. R. Mcclements, P. Raper, P. Ward, C. Walton, T. York, David Pethick, David Hopkins, Malcolm Mcphee, D. B. Savage, J. V. Nolan, I. R. Godwin, A. Aoetpah, T. Nguyen, N. Baillie, C. Lawler, Ken Geenty, John Smith, Darryl Smith, Tim Dyall, Grant Uphill, John Young, Michael Paton, John Dorrian

Sheep Updates

This session covers eight papers from different authors:

GRAZING

1. The impact of high dietary salt and its implications for the management of livestock grazing saline land, Dean Thomas, Dominique Blache, Dean Revell, Hayley Norman, Phil Vercoe, Zoey Durmic, Serina Digby, Di Mayberry, Megan Chadwick, Martin Sillence and David Masters, CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, WA.

2. Sustainable Grazing on Saline Lands - outcomes from the WA1 research project, H.C. Norman^1,2, D.G. Masters^1,2, R. Silberstein^1,2, F. Byrne^2,3, P.G.H. Nichols …

In The Heat Of The Law, It's Not Just Steam: Geothermal Resources And The Impact On Thermophile Biodiversity, Donald J. Kochan, Tiffany Grant

Donald J. Kochan

Significant research has been conducted into the utilization of geothermal resources as a ‘green’ energy source. However, minimal research has been conducted into geothermal resource utilization and depletion impacts on thermophile biodiversity. Thermophiles are organisms which have adapted over millions of year to extreme temperature and chemical compositions and exist in hot springs and other geothermal resources. Their ability to withstand high temperatures makes them invaluable to scientific and medical research. Current federal and California case law classify geothermal resources as a mineral, not a water resource. Acquisition of rights to develop a geothermal resource owned or reserved by the …

Sustainability Issues For Agriculture In Western Australia, Anne Bennett, Ross Kingwell, Ross George

Agriculture reports

This paper describes briefly the main challenges to the sustainability of agriculture in Western Australia and outlines some means of responding the the challenges: market-based approaches; agricultural and environmental research and development; accelerated adjustment; and global and national policy initiatives. Challenges include: land resource quality (salinity, soil acidity), biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, water availability, food safety, and pests and diseases.

Sustainability Issues For Agriculture In Western Australia, Anne Bennett, Ross Kingwell, Ross George

All other publications

Agriculture has been and will continue to be a major component of economic activity in several regions in Western Australia, and agricultural communities will remain an important part of the social fabric and landscape of the State. Promoting the sustainability of agriculture is likely to produce three main outcomes: vibrant rural communities; profitable agricultural systems; and conservation of the natural environment. This paper describes briefly the main challenges to the sustainability of agriculture and outlines some means of responding to the challenges: market-based approaches; agricultural and environmental research and development; accelerated adjustment; and global and national policy initiatives.