Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Mongolian Rangelands Have A Great Potential For Natural Recovery, Bulgamaa Densambuu, Sumjidmaa Sainnemekh, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Budbaatar Ulambayar, Burmaa Dashbal, Erdenetsetseg Baasandai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Mongolians are aware that rangeland degradation is accelerating due to the combination of unsustainable use and drought events, but the natural recovery of degraded rangeland and timelines for recovery are less well studied. In this paper, we describe the use of “recovery class” concepts in rangeland classification that are being used to evaluate rangeland condition and management impacts across Mongolia. Recovery classes are analogous to degradation classes already used in Mongolia, but are based on ecological site descriptions (ESDs) and provide information about expected recovery rates based on quantitative measurements. While the degradation levels communicate the severity of plant community …

Livestock Corridors Working As Pollinator Refuges And Dispersal Hotspots: Lessons From Spain, P. Manzano, A. García-Fernández, J. Seoane, F. M. Azcárate, J. M. Iriondo, B. Peco

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Habitat fragmentation is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem productivity mediated by direct human impact. Its consequences include genetic depauperation, comprising phenomena such as inbreeding depression or reduction in genetic diversity. While the capacity of wild and domestic herbivores to sustain long-distance seed dispersal has been proven, the impact of herbivore corridors in plant population genetics has not been observed previously.

We conducted this study in the Conquense Drove Road in Spain, where sustained use by livestock over centuries has involved transhumant herds passing twice a year en route to winter and summer pastures. We compared …

Choosy Grazers And Plant Communities – Interactions Between Cattle Breeds And Vegetation In Semi-Natural Pastures, C. M. Pauler, Johannes Isselstein, J. Berard, T. Braunbeck, M. K. Schneider

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

It is well recognized that domesticated and wild ruminant grazers have an important impact on the composition of grassland vegetation, mainly by forage selection, trampling and defaecation. However, little is known on the effects of genetic diversity, for example differences among breeds of cattle. Cattle breeds differ in terms of robustness, growth rate, weight and probably also in movement and forage selection behaviour, which all could impact vegetation composition. Our study therefore aimed at identifying breed-specific differences in forage selection and behaviour and its consequences for vegetation. In a controlled experiment on semi-natural pastures in the Swiss Alps, suckler cows …

Germinable Soil Seed Bank Of Bothriochloa Macra Dominated Pasture In South-Eastern Australia, M. L. Mitchell, J. M. Virgona, A. Durling, F. W. Dempsey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In native pastures, soil seed banks play an important role in conserving the genetic material in a plant population, influencing community structure and providing protection against adverse climatic conditions. One important native grass is Bothrichloa macra (Steud.) S.T.Blake (Red grass, Red-leg grass). This grass is a C₄ indigenous perennial grass that is commonly found in native pastures in the high rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia.

At Tarrawingee, NE Victoria, (36°25´S, 146°31´E) and Wymah, southern NSW, (35°58´S, 147°11´E), Australia, two sites that had Bothriochloa macra as the dominant native grass were sampled. Three hundred cores (50 mm diameter and 50 …

Carbon And Nitrogen Pools In Soil Aggregates Were Affected By Grazing Component ---- Results From Dry And Wet Sieving Methods, N. Liu, Y. Q. Wei, Y. Pang, B. Wei, Y. J. Zhang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grazing intensity can affect soil carbon (C) sequestration in semiarid grassland, but less is known about the effects of grazing component (defoliation, trampling, excreta return and their combinations) on the C and Nitrogen (N) in soil aggregates. In this study, a simulated grazing experiment was established in a typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, and we investigated the impacts of different grazing component treatments on the different size of aggregates distribution and their C and N content from dry and wet physical separations. Different soil C fractions were showed in different sieving method. The C content of different aggregate size showed …

Rangeland Rehydration: Collaboration Between Land Managers, Government And Private Experts, P. Theakston, H. J. R. Pringle, L. Mashford

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the rangelands of New South Wales, Australia, many successful soil erosion control techniques have been developed. These techniques have been implemented by the Western Local Land Services (WLLS), rehabilitating 23,000 ha since 2004. However the focus was on degraded land with little regard to catchment dynamics and the threatening processes that were causing the degradation.

With the introduction of Ecosystem Management Understanding (EMU)™ in 2016, the focus was broadened to address grazing properties in a drainage ecosystem context. There is a focus on understanding landscape function and designing projects that address threatening processes.

With the integration of the WLLS …

Plant Root Mass Fraction Response To Soil Resource Limitation In The Context Of Dry Mediterranean Rangeland, Guy Dovrat

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Root mass fraction (RMF) was proposed as a stable measurement of plant resource partitioning that can represent plant acquisition–conservation trade‐offs. We examined the effects of soil resources availability on RMF of abundant annual plant species of water-limited rangeland. We used data from controlled experiments in which nine species were grown under variable water and nitrogen availabilities and their root and shoot biomass were examined at flowering time. In legumes we examined also presence of N₂-fixation. In all of the species, reduced water and/or nitrogen availability was associated with increased RMF. However, the magnitude of variation in RMF found …

Climate Variability In The Woodbush Granite Grasslands Of South Africa: Effects On Grassland Diversity, M. Muller, F. Siebert, A. Linstädter, D. I. Thompson, S. J. Siebert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

South African old-growth grasslands are hyper-diverse ecosystems which evolved under naturally occurring rainfall variability. It is predicted that future precipitation patterns will become more variable, which could lead to increased frequencies of extreme and prolonged drought events. This study aimed to investigate the effects of climate variability on plant diversity of the fragmented pristine, mistbelt grasslands of the Woodbush Granite Grasslands (WGG) at Haenertsburg, South Africa. It has been reported that species composition has changed substantially in this area, as disturbance-tolerant species enter these systems or existing competitor species become more dominant. A Temporal Beta-diversity Index (TBI) was used to …

Effects Of Thinning Density On Soil Water Content Of Alfalfa And David Peach Intercropping In The Hilly Loess Plateau, China, Z. X. Chen, X. L. Yang, G. H. Wang, Yuying Shen

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Intercropping alfalfa (Medicago sativa) between the four meters inter-row spacing of David peach (Amygdalus davidiana) is one of replantation practices at the Longtan catchment in Gansu province of the western Loess Plateau in the early 1980’s. However, both alfalfa and David peach are deep-rooted species and their intercropping results in excessive consumption of soil water in the hilly Loess Plateau. To alleviate this, we set up four density/intercrop treatments, which includes: David peach+alfalfa (PA), David peach (P), 60% David peach+alfalfa (60% P+A) and 60% David peach (60% P). TRIME was used to quantify the soil water …

Exploring Drivers Of Invasiveness Of The Plant Species Senna Obtusifolia In Rangelands To Secure Forage Production In West Africa, O. Ouédraogo, A. Zaré, C. Bougma, S. Kambou, A. Linstädter

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rangelands in Sahelian countries are continuously over-grazed decreasing forage resources and causing rapid environmental changes. Senna obtusifolia is a less palatable plant species that becomes increasingly invasive. This research explored drivers of its invasiveness in the perspective to propose solutions to secure forage production in the pastoral reserves. Species composition and herbaceous aboveground biomass were assessed in rangelands with different levels of invasion of Senna obtusifolia along a climatic and land-use pressure gradient. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to test the competitiveness of this species. The development of Senna obtusifolia in rangelands affected significantly forage quantity. Indeed the biomass of …

Enhanced Grazing Management Assessment Using Drone-Based Lidar Measurements, V. W. Temu, W. C. Hession, P. Sforza, H. Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Globally, there is an urgent need of research-based technologies for small ruminant producers to benefit from rapidly growing market demands for ruminant meat and related food products from forage-based operations. However, effective forage-based animal production requires a rapid assessment, and monitoring of grazing management needs to adjust stocking rates and/or spatial animal distribution in a timely manner. Applicability of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for grazing management offers opportunities to rapidly estimate biomass build-ups, ground coverage, and monitor animal behaviour. The reliability of drone-based laser scanning (DLS) for monitoring warm-season grass responses to simulated grazing intensities was assessed at Virginia State …

Effects Of Parthenium Hysterophorus On Grassland Community In Nyando Sub-County, Kisumu County, Kenya, B. M. Mutua, W. Chiuri

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Parthenium hysterophorus is an invasive alien species native to South and Central America. The plant is ranked as one of the most dreaded weeds of the world. Parthenium hysterophorus affects grassland community through the release of allelochemicals that inhibit the germination and growth of grass species. However, little is known about its effects on native grassland community in Nyando sub-county of Kenya. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the effects of P. hysterophorus on grass species, livestock production and its control. A total of 121 farm household heads were interviewed using semi-structured interview schedules. Descriptive analysis and the T-test at …

Ecorestore: Decision Support System To Restore The Productivity Of Degraded Rangelands In Southern Africa, Klaus Kellner, Dirk Pretorius, C. Marais

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Land degradation is a multifaceted problem that affects the agricultural productivity of land due to a loss of vegetation cover and can often be ascribed to bush encroachment in savanna and grassland rangelands. Bush encroachment entails the increase in abundance and density of indigenous and alien woody vegetation (i.e. shrub thickening), which has a negative impact on the tree-grass ratio, biodiversity, as well as on a range of ecosystem services that affect the well-being of land users, often causing an increase in poverty and the introduction of non-sustainable land management practices, especially in arid- and semi-arid regions mostly affected by …

Rangeland Management In A Changing World – Active And Passive Restoration Case Studies From Ethiopia, Tanzania, And South Africa, A. C. Treydte, S. A. Baumgartner, S. K. Tuffa, A. A. Abdeta

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rangelands cover almost 50% of the earth’s land surface and are often found in marginal areas that often face climate extremes. The production of herbaceous biomass has strongly declined over the last decades due to overgrazing and adverse climatic conditions such as frequent droughts and flooding. While different rangeland restoration methods are being used, their effect on vegetation quality and quantity over time has rarely been experimentally tested and monitored. Our research comprises experiments of various rangeland restoration tools we have used across eastern and southern Africa. We conducted passive restoration through exclosure experiments and compared vegetation in and outside …

Counteracting Green Alder Shrub Expansion By Low-Input Grazing, M. K. Schneider, T. Zehnder, J. Berard, C. Pauler, M. Staudinger, Michael Kreuzer, A. Lüscher

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the past decades, the decline of traditional agriculture has caused an abandonment of marginal pastures in many mountain areas of Europe. In the Swiss Alps, green alder (Alnus viridis) is the most abundant successional shrub. A survey of 24 pasture-shrub gradients showed that the encroachment by green alder, in contrast to other shrubs, is associated with a substantial decline in plant species richness. The understorey of alder is primarily populated by very few, broad-leaved herbaceous species benefitting from the atmospheric nitrogen fixed by actinomycetes in symbiosis with green alder. However, the understory vegetation also provides an underestimated …

Characterization Of Degree Of Eco-Restoration By Tree-Grass Interaction In Degraded Lands Of Semi-Arid Tropics, R. V. Kumar, A. Ghosh, A. K. Singh, Sunil Kumar, A. K. Roy, Kamini Gautam

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Land degradation majorly declines soil health. Eco-restoration through tree-grass interaction provides a perfect solution to restore degraded lands. The study was carried out at Jhansi district of India during 2010 to 2019 with three fodder trees viz namely, Ficus infectoria, Morus alba, and Acacia nilotica and a shrub Leucaena leucocephala (along with three grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon fulvus and Panicum maximum). The main objectives of these study were to a) assess the changes in soil organic carbon pools and responses of soil enzymes as impacted by different eco-restoration strategies involving trees and grasses; and b) …

Bee-Friendly Beef: Developing Biodiverse Pastures To Increase Ecosystem Services, J. Wagner, S. Ghajar, M. O’Rourke, B. Tracy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The capacity of grasslands to provide ecosystem services, such as pollinator resources, is often limited by lack of plant biodiversity. This is true of grasslands in the eastern US that are dominated by tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) a non-native, cool-season grass that is typically toxic to cattle. This paper summarizes a research project in Virginia, USA exploring the idea that ecosystem services provided by tall fescue-dominated grasslands can be improved by increasing the plant biodiversity available to beef cattle and bees. Within three 6.5 ha tall fescue grasslands, we established 0.8 ha plots with a 17 species mix …

Rangeland In Marajó Island, Brazilian Amazon, A Long History Of Commons For Small-Breeders, T. Barbosa, M. Opplert, R. Folhes, S. Carvalho, Jean François Tourrand

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rangelands cover almost one third of the earth's surface and are characterized by a low productivity and high sociocultural value. But the lack of recognition of the environmental, social and economic values of rangelands, along with the expansion of agribusiness, tourism and urban sprawl give rise to a rangeland dilemma. This dilemma is found in various regions of the world, where this set of factors leads to the generally irreversible destruction of the rangeland. The process is recent in the Amazon rangeland, such as the eastern part of Marajó Island and the Low Amazon wetlands. A survey conducted on 90 …

Effects Of Herding On Rangeland Use Efficiency In Kenya, A. Seidel, F. Asch, B. Warth

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Within each foraging itinerary, herders can intervene in the forage selection process, encouraging herds to use highly palatable and less palatable rangeland resources. Such a herding strategy could prevent rangeland degradation and increase livestock productivity. The objectives of this study were to examine forage availability and identify factors influencing stocking rates around night resting places on a ranch in Laikipia County, Kenya.

Forage availability was measured along six regularly spaced transects around night resting places corralling one herd of camels, one mixed herd of goats and sheep, and two herds of cattle, with biomass sampling points at 50-, 150-, 250-, …

Identifying Land Use Options For Networked Māori Owned Land Blocks To Deliver On Collective Aspirations In New Zealand, N. Mccrossin, F. A. Walker, M. E. Wedderburn, R. Mato, W. Mcmillan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) have many opportunities and challenges to realise the potential provided by their whenua (land), wai (water) and tangata (people) to deliver to their goals and aspirations. The challenges are old and new, including environmental constraints, governance, geographic isolation, fragmented land ownership, access to finance, and lack of appropriate skills, knowledge, and networks. Extension programmes aimed at the general primary production sector have failed to attract or retain any or many Māori participants. Landowner to landowner learning built around landowner aspirations along with collective action has the potential to inform an extension approach of …