Earth Sciences Commons^™

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-68_68, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-68_80, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-68_95, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-68_10, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-68_51, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-68_69, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Can High Density, Short Duration Grazing Replace Fire In A South African Mesic Grassland?, N. M. Chonco, S. C. Nkuna

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

High density grazing (HDG), defined as the concentration of many livestock on a small area for a short period of time has become increasingly popular in the South African mesic grassland yet little is known about it impact. HDG is usually applied without fire, based on the assertion that it is a key contributor to desertification of grasslands. However, fire plays an important role in the development and growth of most South African mesic grassland plant species, as it stimulates resprouting and reduces competition for light. The aim of this study was to determine the impacts of high density grazing …

Back To The Roots - Do Traditional Maasai Management Strategies Work Towards Resilience Against Unpredictable Rainfall And Grazing Pressure In Northern Tanzania?, S. A. Baumgartner, A. C. Treydte

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Despite the importance for people´s livelihoods, many semi-arid African savannas are prone to heavy degradation due to overutilization by people, livestock and increased climate variability. Rangeland management, such as transhumance and deferred grazing systems, practiced by the Maasai in northern Tanzania, can be useful in combating the negative consequences of overuse and increasing rainfall variability. But little is known on how different rangeland regimes, practiced by the Maasai, impacts the productivity of these rangelands.

We collected data on regrowth rates under different rangeland management regimes (rainy season grazing land, dry season grazing land, and seasonal exclosures), different harvest rates (month, …

Assessment Of Rangeland Condition In A Dryland System Using Uav-Based Multispectral Imagery, V. Amputu, K. Tielbörger, N. Knox

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Dry savannahs are water-limited and under increasing anthropogenic pressure. Thus, considering climate change and the unprecedented pace and scale of rangeland deterioration, we need methods for assessing the status of such rangelands that are easy to apply, yield reliable and repeatable results that can be applied over large spatial scales. Global and local scale monitoring of rangelands through satellite data and labour-intensive field measurements respectively, are limited in accurately assessing the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of vegetation dynamics to provide crucial information that detects degradation in its early stages. Fortunately, newly emerging techniques such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), associated miniaturized sensors …

An Integrated Framework To Study Ecological Tipping Points In Social-Ecological Systems, F. A. Männer, L.-M. Schwarz, D. A. Menestrey-Schwieger, V. Amputu, M. C. Bilton, K. Brinkmann, G. Dressler, N. Hamunyela, H. Heita, S. Heshmati, S. Liehr, M. Mbidzo, F. Munyebvu-Chambara, W. C. Nesongano, M. Rauchecker, A. Sandhage-Hofmann, K. Tielbörger, K. Zimmer, A. Linstädter

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sudden regime shifts or tipping points pose a major threat to various ecosystems and people's livelihoods worldwide. However, tipping points are still hard to predict and often occur without warning. To avoid dramatic social-ecological consequences, it is crucial to understand tipping point behaviour and to identify early warning indicators. Previous studies have hardly implemented an integrated social-ecological approach, which has led to a fragmented understanding and oversimplification of tipping point phenomena. Against this background, we present a systemic research framework that harmonizes ecological and social perspectives to gain a mechanistic understanding of tipping point behaviour. We utilize a social-ecological systems …

An Integrated Assessment And Management Optimization System For Grazinglands, D. Toledo, J. E. Herrick, S. Goslee, M. Sanderson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rangelands and pasturelands are often assessed using different methodologies. The Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health and Pasture Condition Scoring methodologies, two techniques used widely across the USA, were developed for rangelands and pasturelands respectively. These two grazingland assessment techniques were determined to be complementary and if integrated could provide an optimized approach to measure grazinglands without regards to specific use (i.e. range or pasture). We present an improved grazingland assessment protocol that merges indicators and attributes from Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health and Pasture Condition Scoring methodologies. This Integrated Grazingland Assessment (IGA) approach allows evaluators to assess site conditions and …

Transforming Science Into Practice, Janice Jiggins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The space for action that might move agricultural systems toward sustainability is narrowing. In so far as increasing dis-order in agroecosystems and food systems is caused by human agency, then remedial action must take account of cognition. This article argues that an understanding of cognitive processes is essential, as the foundation for participatory R, D & E that builds platforms of cooperation, binding actors into communities of learning that are trasnforming both science and practice.

Technology Transfer And Education Training And Extension In Grassland Farming, K. G. Rickert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stakeholders in grassland farming, including farmers, rural communities, urban consumers, politicians, educators, and service agencies, widely agree that the goal for grassland farming is the triple bottom line: farming systems that are ecologically sustainable, profitable and socially acceptable. This paper considers how extension and training might contribute to that worthy goal by encouraging practitioners to better manage their management environment. The notion of a management environment refers to a holistic consideration of those factors that impact on farmers, farm advisors or educators, that subset of grassland farming ‘practitioners’ within the wider range of stakeholders.

The difficulty faced by these practitioners …

Gis-Based Forage Species Adaptation Mapping, David B. Hannaway, C. Daly, W. Gibson, G. Taylor, J. P. Bolte, I. Sriprisan, T. Griggs

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Selecting forage crops adapted to the climatic and edaphic conditions of specific locations is essential for economic sustainability and environmental protection. Yet, currently, proper selection is difficult due to the absence of advanced selection tools. Significant improvements are being made in the process through Geographic Information System (GIS)-based mapping. Climate and soil GIS layers are being matched with forage characteristics through rules describing species tolerances. Better matching will reduce economic risks and environmental hazards associated with sub-optimal crop selection and subsequent performance. Once developed, these forage crop selection strategies and tools can be adapted for use with other crops. A …

On Farm Riparian Grazing Demonstration, J. T. Green Jr., M. H. Poore, S. P. Morgan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Two farm demonstrations were designed to show effects of periodic grazing of riparian areas. Sites were monitored for vegetative cover, degree of treading or hoof prints and dung deposition within three m of stream edge following grazing by beef cattle. A fenced enclosure was established along a 350 m stream reach on Farm-1, and eleven permanent stations were monitored following six graze periods over 12-months. Farm-2 involved grazing of two 0.13 ha paddocks, each of which contained a 22 m stream reach. On Farm-1 the cover improved following riparian exclusion, and evidence of treading in the 11 stations declined following …

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_8, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_12, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_2, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_6, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_3, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_10, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_13, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_14, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_17, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_9, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_18, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_19, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_22, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_23, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre-23_25, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.