Sustainable Grazing Management For Temporal And Spatial Variability In North Australian Rangelands–A Synthesis Of The Latest Evidence And Recommendations,
2020
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia
Sustainable Grazing Management For Temporal And Spatial Variability In North Australian Rangelands–A Synthesis Of The Latest Evidence And Recommendations, Peter O’Reagain, Joe C. Scanlan, Leigh Hunt, Robyn A. Cowley, Dionne Walsh
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Rainfall variability is a major challenge to sustainable grazing management in northern Australia, with management often complicated further by large, spatially heterogeneous paddocks. This paper presents the latest grazing research and associated bio-economic modeling from northern Australia and assesses the extent to which current recommendations to manage for these issues are supported. Overall, stocking at around the safe long term carrying capacity will maintain land condition and maximize long term profitability. However, stocking rates should be varied in a risk-averse manner as pasture availability varies between years. Periodic wet season spelling is also essential to maintain pasture condition and allow …
Management Effects On The Vegetation Of Rangeland In The Middle Of Southern Slope Of Tianshan Mountains,
2020
Tarim University, China
Management Effects On The Vegetation Of Rangeland In The Middle Of Southern Slope Of Tianshan Mountains, Linqiao Xi, Shuqi Wu, Hui Liu, Dong Wang, Chunhui Ma
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Rangeland degradation is a widespread problem and its restoration remains a major challenge. In recent years, many scientists have discussed the primary causes of over-grazing and approaches to restoration of China’s grasslands (e.g. Harris 2010; Wang and Han 2005; Lu et al. 2005). The major evidence of grassland degradation is lower plant productivity, reduced biodiversity and increase in poisonous weeds (Zhao et al. 2010), increased frequency of rodent and grasshopper infestations, and large scale dust storms (Lu et al. 2005). Restoration of these impacted ecosystems is an important and challenging task, especially in Xinjiang Province, China, …
Resource Variations Across The Landscape Mediate The Impact Of Grazing On Vegetation In Mongolian Rangeland Under High Climatic Variability,
2020
University of Tokyo, Japan
Resource Variations Across The Landscape Mediate The Impact Of Grazing On Vegetation In Mongolian Rangeland Under High Climatic Variability, Kaoru Kakinuma, Tomoo Okayasu, Takehiro Sasaki, Undarmaa Jamsran, Toshiya Okuro, Kazuhiko Takeuchi
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Assessment of grazing-induced degradation of arid and semi-arid rangelands with stochastic rainfall regimes is challenging. For the last two decades, rangeland ecologists have been discussing the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors in controlling vegetation dynamics. According to the non-equilibrium concept, which emerged as a new paradigm to describe ecosystems in highly variable and poorly predictable environments, vegetation dynamics are driven primarily by abiotic factors such as rainfall, rather than by internal biotic regulation (e.g. grazing impact). Although a number of studies have emphasized the non-equilibrium nature of most rangelands, they have produced inconsistent results and there …
Spatial Variability And Seasonal Change Of Radioactive Caesium Concentration In Grassland Vegetation,
2020
Iwate University, Japan
Spatial Variability And Seasonal Change Of Radioactive Caesium Concentration In Grassland Vegetation, Mikinori Tsuiki, Saaya Eguchi, Yusuke Nagata, Takeki Maeda
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The damage from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 resulted in serious radioactive pollution over Eastern Japan. The distribution of radioactive fallout was largely determined by wind and rainfall patterns in March 2011. Distribution patterns were not necessarily in accordance with the distance from the nuclear power plant. In Iwate Prefecture (160 to 340 km north of the nuclear power plant), the amount of fallout of radioactive material in the southern region was greater than in the northern, but the distribution pattern was complex (Fig. 1, Tsuiki …
Graphical Analysis Of Spatio-Temporal Patterns In Forage Quality,
2020
Research Station Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux, Switzerland
Graphical Analysis Of Spatio-Temporal Patterns In Forage Quality, A. Bracher, M. Böhlen, F. Cafagna, A. Taliun
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Due to the highly structured topography in Switzerland, crop growth conditions vary within short distances. Differences in altitude are one of the major causes for climatic variation resulting in significant spatio-temporal effects on forage quality in terms of nutrient content and feeding value, particularly in grassland dominated regions. It is one of the goals of the Swiss feed database to support queries that visualize and quantify the temporal and spatial influence on feed quality.
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Global Potential Vegetation Distributions Simulated By Cscs Approach,
2020
Lanzhou University, China
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Global Potential Vegetation Distributions Simulated By Cscs Approach, Qisheng Feng, Tiangang Liang, Jiexie Hong, Xiaodong Huang, Jizhou Ren
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The study of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) has been proposed as a way to examine the impact of changes in climate on the distribution of vegetation. This study analyzes the influence of climate change in the potential vegetation distribution at global scale, using the Comprehensive Sequential Classification System (CSCS) approach to explore the changes of area, shift distance and direction for each broad vegetation category.
Monitoring Snow-Caused Disasters Using Remote Sensing And Gis Technologies In Pastoral Areas,
2020
Lanzhou University, China
Monitoring Snow-Caused Disasters Using Remote Sensing And Gis Technologies In Pastoral Areas, Tiangang Liang, Wei Wang, Qisheng Feng, Xiaodong Huang
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
To date, the emphasis in snow-caused disasters that occur in pastoral areas in China has been in monitoring the change in the distribution of snow and in assessing livestock loss in post-disaster. The lack of an operational model and information system for real-time warning of snow dis-asters has made it difficult to make risk assessments and provide early snow disaster warnings (Liu et al. 2008). The aim of this study is to establish an indicator system for the early warning of snow-caused livestock disasters based on data collected from 2001 to 2010 on the Tibetan Plateau, China.
Structure And Formation Of Cattle Tracks In Sloping Pasture,
2020
University of Miyazaki, Japan
Structure And Formation Of Cattle Tracks In Sloping Pasture, Yoshiharu Hosokawa
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Cattle tracks are usually formed as lines of narrow de-pressed bare paths after cattle repeatedly move across sloping pasture. In steep pasture, we can often see cattle create parallel lines through their grazing behaviour. Factors that may influence the formation of cattle tracks include hoof pressure, pasture slope/angle, grazing infra-structure such as fences and water troughs, and type of vegetation. However, if these tracks connect up the pasture may be degraded to such an extent that bare areas emerge leading to soil erosion. Therefore, it is important to under-stand the characteristics of the structure and formation of cattle tracks, to …
Grazing Alters Ecosystem Functioning And C:N:P Stoichiometry Of Grasslands Along A Regional Precipitation,
2020
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Grazing Alters Ecosystem Functioning And C:N:P Stoichiometry Of Grasslands Along A Regional Precipitation, Yongfei Bai, Jianguo Wu, Chris M. Clark, Qingmin Pan, Lixia Zhang, Shiping Chen, Qibing Wang, Xingguo Han
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Grasslands have experienced dramatic shifts in structure and functioning driven primarily by human disturbances and global climate change. The long-term grazing has resulted in widespread declines in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. This is triggered by the direct and indirect effects of grazing and often mediated by the complex interactions between vegetation and environmental. Thus, it is critical to obtain a better understanding of how grazing, abiotic factors and biotic–abiotic interactions influence key properties of ecosystem functioning and sustainability and thereby provide guideline for improving grassland management practices in the Eurasian steppe. While abundant evidence demonstrates that heavy grazing …
The Impact Of Different Herdsmen’S Size On Grassland Ecosystem Of Eastern Transect In Tibetan Plateau: A Case Study From Maqu,
2020
Lanzhou University, China
The Impact Of Different Herdsmen’S Size On Grassland Ecosystem Of Eastern Transect In Tibetan Plateau: A Case Study From Maqu, Huilan Wei, Xin Zong, Da Guo, Longfei Yan, Yang Liu
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
In order to address grassland degradation, an individual contracting system, or namely, single-household rangeland management, based on Garrett Hardin theory of “tragedy of the commons”, had been conducted in Maqu since 1980s. Despite the support of local government, such a well-intentioned system saw little fruits on managing degradation, encountering extensive frustration due to its poor practical outcomes. Meanwhile, joint-household rangeland management, as an inheritance of locality-based management, has been vigorously pursued and has played an important role on Maqu’s grassland management system. In order to better illustrate the impact of size on managing the grassland ecosystem, an experiment was set …
Introducing The Gis-Based Ecological Carrying Capacity Model Of Nutrition Resources,
2020
Islamic Azad University, Iran
Introducing The Gis-Based Ecological Carrying Capacity Model Of Nutrition Resources, Gholamreza Badjian
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The GIS-based Ecological Carrying Capacity Model of Nutrition Resources (ECCNR-GIS) software is a new approach based on rangeland assessment and the estimated energy content of forage. This software is derived from Badjian (2005) following studies on the ecological capacity model of livestock feed resources in Bakkan plain area, Southern Iran. ECCNR-GIS software is designed to calculate the regional ecological carrying capacity based on available forage resources and considers the energy metabolism (ME) requirements in relation to livestock management to estimate the animal needs. ECCNR-GIS software is written in Visual Basic, as a set of mathematical equations that represent a system …
Optimising Management To Achieve Sustainable Economic Yields From Grasslands,
2020
Charles Sturt University, Australia
Optimising Management To Achieve Sustainable Economic Yields From Grasslands, Karl Behrendt
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
This paper describes the output from the integration of a dynamic pasture resource development (DPRD) simulation model into a seasonal stochastic dynamic programming (SSDP) model. The combined modelling process was used to identify optimal tactical and strategic decision rules that achieve maximum economic yields from a grassland resource under climatic uncertainty on a sustainable basis. The model was calibrated based on the Cicerone farmlet experiment (Behrendt et al. 2013a).
Resilience And Degradation In A Tropical Wetland Overgrazed By Cattle,
2020
EMBRAPA, Brazil
Resilience And Degradation In A Tropical Wetland Overgrazed By Cattle, Sandra A. Santos, Humberto L. Perotto-Baldivieso, Dylan Young
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The Pantanal, one of the largest wetlands in the world, is highly valued for its diversity of flora and fauna, and the dynamic hydrological regime, combined with heterogeneous topography, has resulted in a mosaic of diverse habitats types in terms of species and physical structure. However, the Pantanal floodplains are also important for beef cattle production due to the abundance of forage resources. Cattle prefer grazing near water bodies because these areas have high quality forage as a result of flooding regimes (Santos et al. 2002). Many wetlands go through a wet/dry cycle that is essential to maintain their …
Estimating Pasture Land Cover In The New England Region Of Northern New South Wales,
2020
University of New England, Australia
Estimating Pasture Land Cover In The New England Region Of Northern New South Wales, Graham E. Donald, Mark Trotter, Elizabeth L. Hulm
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Land cover across the southern Australian temperate agricultural region comprises primarily of native pasture, introduced improved pastures and crops for livestock production and also perennial remnant vegetation. A feed-base pasture audit was carried out throughout southern Australia commencing mid-year 2011 (Donald and Burge 2012; Donald et al. 2012). The purpose of the audit was to map and analyse information obtained about the pasture feed-base for livestock production by surveying Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) across the southern states. The purpose of this Feed-Base audit was to survey pastures within agricultural NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and South-Western Australia, collate these …
An Efficient Sampling Protocol For Sagebrush/Grassland Monitoring,
2020
Oregon State University
An Efficient Sampling Protocol For Sagebrush/Grassland Monitoring, Larry L. Larson, Mounir Louhaichi, Patrick E. Clark, Douglas E. Johnson
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Rangeland scientists and quantitative ecologists have developed numerous methods and monitoring techniques that can be used for vegetation sampling (Barbour et al. 1987). The methods used to position samples (transects, quadrats, lines, and points) vary and can be classed as selective, capricious, systematic, or random. One of the prerequisites for valid statistical inference is that samples are taken randomly. A random sampling procedure implies that all elements or units of the population being studied have an equal chance of being represented in the sample. It also implies that selection of an element or unit does not influence the chance …
Landscape Change In Arid And Semi-Arid Rangeland Of Borana, Southern Ethiopia: Implication For Management,
2020
University of Dilla, Ethiopia
Landscape Change In Arid And Semi-Arid Rangeland Of Borana, Southern Ethiopia: Implication For Management, Teshome Abate, A. Angassa
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The Borana rangelands in southern Ethiopia (between 4°3’N to 5°0’N and 37°4’E to 38°2’E) comprise important cultural landscapes with a unique feature of the tula-well landscapes. Until a few decades ago, the Borana rangelands were considered one of the most productive and resilient ecosystems in East Africa. In recent years, however, the Borana rangelands have undergone a large reduction in grassland cover probably as a result of anthropogenic and natural-induced factors (Coppock 1994), with consequences on the livelihood of the local communities. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate the dynamics of landscape change in the Borana …
Calibration Of The Rising Plate Meter For Pasture Yield Determination In Kikuyu (Pennisetum Clandestinum) Over-Sown With Ryegrass (Lolium Spp.),
2020
Western Cape Department of Agriculture, South Africa
Calibration Of The Rising Plate Meter For Pasture Yield Determination In Kikuyu (Pennisetum Clandestinum) Over-Sown With Ryegrass (Lolium Spp.), Janke Van Der Colf, Philip R. Botha, Robin Meeske, Wayne F. Truter
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Accurate feed budgeting and management of forage in grazing systems requires frequent assessment of forage mass and growth of pastures (Gabriёls and Van den Berg 1993; Sanderson et al. 2001). The rising plate meter (RPM) developed by Earle and McGowan (1979) has been used widely by researchers and farmers to estimate pasture dry matter (DM) production. The advantages associated with using the RPM for the estimation of pasture DM yield include its low sensitivity to environmental conditions, stability of calibration equations across years and seasons (if pasture composition remains similar), and the fact that its robustness and ease of …
Spatial Gis Database For Adaptive Grassland Management In Dudhwa National Park, India,
2020
WWF-India, India
Spatial Gis Database For Adaptive Grassland Management In Dudhwa National Park, India, Neha Midha, Pradeep K. Mathur
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Ecologically important tall grasslands of Dudhwa National Park (DNP) in Northern India are being threatened by various natural and biotic factors including varying grassland burning regimes viz. cut and burn, harrowed and burn, or only burn adopted by management for their maintenance (De 2001). Uncertainty regarding resultant grassland composition and disturbance to grassland obligate species prompted the management and scientific communities concerned to develop an adaptive management strategy for long term conservation goals (Chadden et al. 2004). In view of this, the present study attempted to develop comprehensive GIS (Geographic Information System) spatial database and associated hard copy …
Describing Ecological Potential And Ecological States Of Rangeland To Support Livestock Management In Mongolia,
2020
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Mongolia
Describing Ecological Potential And Ecological States Of Rangeland To Support Livestock Management In Mongolia, D. Bulgamaa, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, U. Budbaatar, S. Sumjidmaa, T. S. Enkh-Amgalan, J. W. Van Zee, B. Bolormaa, L. Otgontuya
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
Perception of rangeland degradation in Mongolia and its causes are well known but herders and policy makers lack clear messages on how much rangeland is degraded, whether is it reversible, and what management changes should be implemented. This paper illustrates a portion of our ongoing efforts to develop ESDs that can be used at the grass roots level as management tools. At the Undurshireet soum study site, which is split mainly into Gravelly, Loamy, Sandy, and Deep sandy ecological sites, rangeland community shifts in Gravelly and Loamy ecological sites are interpreted as reversible shifts in species composition or species proportion …
Identifying Grazing-Driven Plant Indicators Of Rangeland Degradation In Semi Arid Zones Of Uzbekistan,
2020
Samarkand State University, Uzbekistan
Identifying Grazing-Driven Plant Indicators Of Rangeland Degradation In Semi Arid Zones Of Uzbekistan, Toshpulot F. Rajabov, Bakhtiyor K. Mardonov, Mahmud A. Muminov
IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)
The development of practical indicators of vegetation degradation is an important element in predicting and assessing rangeland health due to disturbances such as livestock grazing. Once established, phytoindicators provide a simple and visual operative way to diagnose active and possibly undesirable vegetation changes. This paper aimed to identify rapid, yet realistic and easily communicated plant indicators of rangeland degradation caused by intense grazing. The grazing gradient approach is applied to study plant traits affected by increased levels of grazing pressure. Qualitative and quantitative changes in key species of the plant community alongside successive changes of vegetation attributes along an apparent …
