Rangeland Ecology & Management最新文献

{"title":"A Machine-Learning-Driven Multisensor Approach for Assessing Urban Land Transformation and Ecoclimatic Variability","authors":"Liang Yan ,&nbsp;Xulong Duan ,&nbsp;Khadeijah Yahya Faqeih ,&nbsp;Somayah Moshrif Alamri ,&nbsp;Eman Rafi Alamery ,&nbsp;Muhammad Azeem Liaquat ,&nbsp;Rana Muhammad Zulqarnain ,&nbsp;Qaiser Abbas","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rapid urbanization in China has led to significant environmental transformations, necessitating comprehensive monitoring of land use dynamics and their ecological consequences. This study examines the spatiotemporal patterns of urbanization and environmental change in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, from 2020 to 2024 using multitemporal remote sensing data. We employed Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 imagery to analyze land use and land cover changes, vegetation dynamics through the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), water body variations using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), land surface temperature (LST) patterns, and atmospheric pollutant concentrations including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Results reveal a persistent expansion of built-up areas, particularly concentrated in the eastern and northeastern urban core, increasing from 2020 to 2024. Concurrently, rangeland and vegetation cover showed spatial reorganization, with declining NDVI values in urbanizing zones and elevated LST in built-up regions. Atmospheric pollutant analysis demonstrated spatial variations, with CO concentrations ranging from 0.0336 to 0.0485, NO₂ from 7.09 × 10⁻⁵ to 2.07 × 10⁻⁴, and SO₂ from −5.42 × 10⁻⁵ to 3.68 × 10⁻⁴ across the study period. NDWI analysis indicated stable water body distribution with localized fluctuations, while LST exhibited an increasing trend from 13.28–28.35°C (2020) to 16.50–30.33°C (2024), highlighting urban heat island intensification. These findings underscore the environmental challenges associated with rapid urban development and provide critical insights for sustainable urban planning and environmental management in major Chinese cities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"105 ","pages":"Pages 15-24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum to “Monitoring and Prediction of Land use and Land cover using Remote Sensing and CA-ANN” [Rangeland Ecology & Management, volume 102, September 2025, pages 160-171]","authors":"Frank Juma Ong’ondo ,&nbsp;Shrinidhi Ambinakudige ,&nbsp;Philista Adhiambo Malaki ,&nbsp;Hafez Ahmad ,&nbsp;Qingmin Meng ,&nbsp;Domnic Kiprono Chesire ,&nbsp;Kuria Anthony ,&nbsp;Yahia Said","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"105 ","pages":"Page 1"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145957765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the Impact of Vegetation and Terrain on Land Use Changes Using Multisensor Data","authors":"Mingxia Liang ,&nbsp;Qingzhao Wang ,&nbsp;Ping Lei ,&nbsp;Muhammad Haseeb ,&nbsp;Zainab Tahir ,&nbsp;Syed Amer Mahmood ,&nbsp;Hania Arif ,&nbsp;Salma Hameed ,&nbsp;Mohammad Suhail Meer ,&nbsp;Khadeijah Yahya Faqeih ,&nbsp;Somayah Moshrif Alamri ,&nbsp;Eman Rafi Alamery","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Land use and land cover (LULC) changes have significantly altered landscapes worldwide, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions. With a rise in industrialization and economic development, China has seen great changes in LULC that also affect the environment. This article uses remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to investigate LULC shifts between the years 2003 and 2023 in the Suzhou–Wuxi–Changzhou metropolitan area. Using Landsat satellites, the images were classified, and further accurate assessments were completed through ground truthing. The findings show that in urban regions, there was an increase of 31% from 4 315.66 km² in 2003 to 5 689.18 km² in 2023. Other than that, the amount of cropland decreased by 10% from 9 758.64 to 8 716.74 km². This study also indicates that there was an 18% reduction in forest cover, which worsened the effect of urban heat islands (UHIs), while water bodies were steady. The study discusses the urbanization of the region and its significance in modifying LULC changes and its consequences toward ecological and hydrologic imbalances, added by the UHI phenomenon. The findings emphasize the necessity for sustainable land use planning, improved green space conservation, and integrated policy measures to mitigate adverse environmental impacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"105 ","pages":"Pages 2-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multisensor Visual Image Design Based on Machine Learning to Evaluate Urban Land Transformation and Ecological Environment Variation","authors":"Pei Wang ,&nbsp;XiaoPeng Niu ,&nbsp;Yue Shen ,&nbsp;Anum Liaqut ,&nbsp;Khadeijah Yahya Faqeih ,&nbsp;Somayah Moshrif Alamri ,&nbsp;Eman Rafi Alamery ,&nbsp;Hammad Mehmood ,&nbsp;Rao Bilal Karim ,&nbsp;Muhammad Azeem Liaquat ,&nbsp;Rana Muhammad Zulqarnain ,&nbsp;Qaiser Abbas","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The accurate detection and monitoring of seasonal lake dynamics and rangeland variations in high-altitude regions present significant challenges, particularly during snow-covered periods. This study introduces an integrated multisensor approach combining Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical remote sensing and visual image design for monitoring seasonal changes in Saif ul Malook Lake and surrounding rangelands, Pakistan. We leveraged Google Earth Engine’s cloud computing capabilities to process and analyze Sentinel-1 SAR and Landsat imagery, implementing Random Forest classification (achieving 92% accuracy during melt season) for land use/land cover mapping, including rangeland delineation using visual image design. The methodology incorporated multiple water indices (Automated Water Extraction Index, Modified Normalized Difference Water Index, and Normalized Difference Water Index) and topographic parameters derived from digital elevation models. Additionally, visual image design was applied to improve the clarity of multisensor observations, enabling more intuitive detection of seasonal transitions in lake and rangeland conditions. This enhancement supported better interpretation and strengthened the overall monitoring framework. During the melt season (October–November), optical indices successfully detected the lake extent (2.8 km²) with high accuracy (&gt;95%). However, their performance significantly decreased during snow-covered periods (January–February), with accuracy dropping to approximately 60%. SAR-based detection maintained consistent performance across seasons, successfully identifying lake extent even under snow cover. Land use classification revealed significant seasonal variations, with vegetation cover and rangeland areas decreasing from 45% to 15% during snow-covered periods, while snow/ice coverage expanded to 65% of the study area. The integration of Topographic Wetness Index and stream flow analysis provided crucial context for understanding the lake’s hydrological connectivity and its impact on adjacent rangeland ecosystems. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining SAR and optical remote sensing and visual image design for year-round lake and rangeland monitoring, particularly in challenging high-altitude environments. The findings highlight the importance of multisensor approaches and machine learning techniques for accurate lake detection and rangeland assessment under varying seasonal conditions, contributing to improved understanding of high-altitude lake dynamics and rangeland responses to environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 72-83"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Urbanization, Rangeland, and Environmental Indicators Using Remote Sensing and Google Earth Engine","authors":"Yunhai Hu,&nbsp;Qin Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rangeland ecosystems in rapidly urbanizing regions face unprecedented pressures from land use transitions, climate variability, and anthropogenic activities. This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of rangeland change in Hangzhou, China, using multitemporal satellite data and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform from 2016 to 2023. The research integrates Land Use Land Cover (LULC) classification, vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI), water availability indicators (NDWI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and atmospheric pollutants (CO, NO₂, SO₂) to understand rangeland transformations in the context of urban expansion. Results reveal a remarkable expansion of rangeland from 52.7 km² (4%) in 2016 to 90.5 km² (7%) in 2023, representing a 71.7% increase over the study period. This expansion occurred simultaneously with a significant decline in cropland area from 464.2 km² (36%) to 346.8 km² (27%) and an increase in built area from 477.5 km² (37%) to 649.1 km² (51%). Spatial analysis indicates that rangeland gains predominantly occurred in areas previously used for agriculture, suggesting patterns of land abandonment or conversion. Environmental indicator analysis shows complex relationships between rangeland dynamics and atmospheric conditions, with CO concentrations remaining relatively stable (0.0334–0.0391), while NO₂ and SO₂ exhibited spatial heterogeneity across the study area. The integration of remote sensing data with the GEE platform proved effective for monitoring rangeland changes at the landscape scale, providing critical insights for sustainable land management and ecosystem conservation in rapidly changing urban-rural interfaces.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 84-97"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving Germination and Salinity Tolerance in Snail Medic (Medicago scutellata L.) Through Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) Seed Priming","authors":"Saeed Sharafi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Ahmadi","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salinity is a major environmental constraint that limits agricultural productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study investigated the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) seed priming on germination and early seedling growth of snail medic (<em>Medicago scutellata</em> L.) under salinity stress. A factorial germination experiment was conducted using H₂O₂ concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 μM across salinity levels of 0, −3, −6, −9, and −12 MPa. Salinity stress significantly affected key ecological traits, including weight of mobilized seed reserve (WMSR), seed reserve depletion percentage (SRDP), seedling growth rate (SLGR), seed reserve utilization efficiency (SRUE), root length (RL), shoot length (SL), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), peroxidase (PER), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). The highest RL values were observed at 20 and 40 μM H₂O₂, measuring 5.75 and 5.31 mm, respectively. Maximum WMSR (0.145 mg seed-1) and SLGR (0.023 mg d-1) were recorded at 40 μM H₂O₂, representing increases of 2.07% and 15.6% compared with the control. Interaction effects indicated that H₂O₂ concentrations up to 80 μM alleviated the negative impacts of salinity on seedling growth, whereas increasing salinity from −9 to −12 MPa caused more complex responses in ecological traits and enzyme activities. A strong positive correlation was observed between WMSR and SLGR, with a one-unit increase in WMSR leading to a 7.53% increase in SLGR (R = 0.87**). The highest WMSR (0.174 mg seed-1) occurred at 20 μM H₂O₂ under −3 MPa salinity. Overall, H₂O₂ seed priming improved seedling growth and stress tolerance, highlighting its potential for enhancing the establishment of forage species in saline environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 98-109"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel Insights Into Grazing and Browsing Capacity Related to Rangeland Condition in an Understudied Area of Central Mozambique, Inhambane Province","authors":"Francois Deacon ,&nbsp;Wesley John Black","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Mozambique, 81% of the land is rangelands. Effective management requires understanding their agricultural potential, but deviations from ecological principles have led to environmental degradation. This study investigates the grazing and browsing capacity of rangelands in central Mozambique Province, characterized by Miombo woodland. This study seeks to thoroughly understand rangeland conditions by evaluating their potential to support grazing and browsing ruminants. The ideal is to balance ecological integrity with economic viability, ensuring the long-term health and productivity of the region’s diverse ecosystems. The research reveals that browsing capacity peaks during the wet season, with a maximum of 49.4 hectares per Browser Unit (ha/BU) at 1.5 m height, and declines in the dry season, reaching critically low values of 119.8 ha/BU in August. Grazing capacity is estimated at 11.3 hectares per Large Stock Unit (ha/LSU). These findings highlight the ecological dynamics and potential agricultural productivity of the region. Observed variations in grazing and browsing capacities are crucial for guiding sustainable agricultural practices and conservation efforts. By providing a foundation for determining appropriate stocking densities, the research supports the prevention of overgrazing and the maintenance of ecological balance. The implications for the rangeland profession include enhanced understanding of rangeland ecology, contributing to biodiversity conservation and agricultural support in Mozambique.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 67-71"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biophysical Challenges to Pastoral Mobility in Northern Tanzania","authors":"Anna Christina Treydte ,&nbsp;Amana Othman Kilawi ,&nbsp;Janeth Baraka Mngulwi ,&nbsp;Gladys Lendii","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rangelands, covering almost 50% of our global land surface, provide essential natural resources for pastoralists and their livestock. Most pastoralists follow a nomadic or seminomadic lifestyle, which is increasingly hampered due to high human and livestock populations as well as environmental, social, and political challenges. In eastern Africa, rangeland health is additionally threatened by overgrazing, land erosion, and increasing climatic extremes. Little is known about how pastoralists perceive these challenges, what their adaptation strategies are, and whether the latter are fostering new risks and challenges. Our mixed-methods approach used semistructured interviews with 69 pastoralists in Longido and Monduli districts, northern Tanzania. We also conducted four focus group discussions of both men and women pastoralists, combined with secondary data and expert interviews on livestock populations and mortalities from governmental offices. We applied statistical analyses (<em>t</em> test, analysis of variance, and Pearson’s correlation) and mapped rangeland use and movements in a geographic information system. We found that most pastoralists are well aware of declining pasture quality and have adapted to climatic and environmental challenges. The most frequent response was moving further with cattle while small livestock (goats and sheep) stayed at homesteads during severe droughts. Both female and male pastoralists mentioned that these longer movement routes bore risks of conflict, diseases, and famine. These novel, drought-triggered migration routes were up to 644 km long, directed North into Kenya or South into central or coastal Tanzania. Most pastoralists additionally used supplemental feed for livestock during difficult times. We conclude that, as rangeland quality declined, routes and movement in search of pasture increased in Tanzania, leading to increasing challenges and risks associated with drought, conflicts, encountering dangerous animals, and exposure to zoonotic diseases while crossing landscapes. A holistic way of addressing these risks is urgently needed for long-term land use planning and sustainability of pastoral systems in eastern Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 58-66"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145842148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herbivore Dung Deposition Enhances the Decomposition of Fine Root Litter in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow","authors":"Yixuan Li,&nbsp;Shiting Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The effects of grazers’ dung deposition on leaf litter in Tibetan alpine meadows are well-established: generally having a positive influence on the decomposition process. However, little is known about how dung deposition influences root litter decomposition belowground, given that roots account for approximately a quarter of plant biomass in these meadows, which is a notable knowledge gap. Our objective was to investigate the effects of yak (the system’s primary grazer) dung on fine root litter decomposition. We conducted a root litter decomposition experiment in an alpine grassland over 2 yr, with and without experimental yak dung deposition. We measured root litter mass loss, chemical composition, and extracellular enzyme activity at intervals of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 yr. After 2 yr, sites with dung application demonstrated faster root litter mass loss (8%), a greater decomposition rate constant (<em>k</em>), and increased root litter nitrogen and phosphorus. At the 0.5 yr, sites with dung application demonstrated minimal outcomes on litter enzymes associated with decomposition, with only higher acid phosphatase (AP) activity. However, during 0.5–2 yr, all measured litter enzymes were affected by dung application, with higher β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) activity, and lower activities of both AP and <em>N</em>-acetyl-β-<span>d</span>-glucosaminidase (NAG). Our results suggest that dung application had no effects on fine root decomposition at early stage (0.5 yr), possibly due to the buffering effect of the soil layer. In contrast, dung application could accelerate fine root decomposition at middle stage (0.5–2.0 yr), mainly by enhancing BG activity associated with cellulose decomposition due to alleviating nutrient limitation on microbes. As the overall number of yaks in the Tibetan grasslands is anticipated to rise in the future, this could exert a profound influence on the ecosystem functioning by promoting the decomposition of fine roots.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145792062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-Term Monitoring Indicates Stability of Summer Range Forage Resources at the US Sheep Experiment Station","authors":"Hailey Wilmer ,&nbsp;Jonathan Spiess ,&nbsp;Corey Moffet ,&nbsp;Keith Klement ,&nbsp;John Walker ,&nbsp;Amira Burns ,&nbsp;J. Bret Taylor ,&nbsp;William Laycock","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation monitoring data can help managers better understand plant community dynamics and herbivore ecology, thereby supporting the resilience of rangelands. Monitoring data can be useful for managers of high-elevation grazing areas used by livestock during the summer months, where relatively little grazing ecology research has been conducted, and social acceptance of livestock grazing is declining. In this study, we examine plant community composition data collected across grassland, tall forb, open conifer, and sagebrush-dominated locations (<em>n</em> = 59) in 1959, 1978, and 1994 at the US Sheep Experiment Station Summer Range in Beaverhead County, Montana. Are research questions are: 1) to what extent do plant communities in four vegetation types in 1959 differ from one another?; 2) what environmental gradients are correlated with these differences?; and 3) to what extent do plant community composition, biomass, and rangeland cover characteristics in the four vegetation types differ over the 35 yr study period (1959–1994)? After processing the data with modern quality assurance methods, physically verifying plots, and cleaning the species database, we used a combination of linear mixed models and unconstrained ordination analyses. We detected 122 species or species groups. We found separation in the composition between sagebrush and grassland vegetation types, with notable overlap between open conifer, tall forb, and sagebrush communities. We detected little directional change in plant communities over the study period. Herbaceous biomass measurements tracked precipitation, remaining similar in 1959 and 1994 but peaking in 1978 for all vegetation life forms except shrubs. These results illustrate the resilience of diverse summer range plant communities under long-term range sheep grazing. The continued sustainability of these systems will depend on adaptive, flexible grazing management and continued research exploring relationships between disturbance regimes, plant communities, and agroecological management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"104 ","pages":"Pages 43-57"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145792074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}