Rangeland Ecology & Management最新文献_第2页

Comparison of the Efficacy of Different Bush Control Methods in a Montane Rangeland 不同灌丛防治方法在山地草地上的效果比较

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-12-19 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.001

Retselisitsoe J. Stephen , Lerato Seleteng-Kose , Botle Mapeshoane , Makoala V. Marake , Peter Chatanga

Bush encroachment into rangelands is a topical issue across the globe, especially in semiarid regions, including southern Africa. Because this has negative implications for livestock production and biodiversity conservation, effective and sustainable methods for managing bush encroachment should be explored. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of four methods of bush control (manual uprooting, fire, chemical control, and high-density overnight kraaling [HDOK]) on herbaceous vegetation and bush species in a montane rangeland in Sehlabathebe, Qacha’s Nek District, Lesotho. The study conducted a field experiment in which four bush control treatments were applied to different sections of a rangeland for one season. Herbaceous vegetation and shrub vegetation attributes were assessed before and after bush control treatments. The assessment recorded a total of 92 herbaceous species, belonging to 68 genera and 25 families, before treatments and a total of 147 species, belonging to 102 genera and 37 families, after treatments. There was a significant increase in herbaceous species richness following fire and manual uprooting bush control treatments (p < 0.001). The abundance of forb species (p < 0.01) was enhanced by fire, while the abundance of highly palatable grass species was enhanced by HDOK. The analysis of the four most frequent bush species revealed that Chrysocoma ciliata, Helichrysum trilineatum, Inulanthera thodei, and Selago flanaganii were significantly reduced by manual uprooting, fire, and HDOK bush control treatments. HDOK was the most effective method, followed by manual uprooting, fire, and chemical control, in decreasing order of effectiveness. In addition, a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in bush species richness and evenness was recorded following the HDOK treatment. Thus, the study demonstrated important preliminary evidence that HDOK could be the best method for bush control in the montane rangelands of Lesotho, followed by manual uprooting, fire, and chemical control, in that order.

布什入侵牧场是全球的热门话题，尤其是在半干旱地区，包括非洲南部。由于这对畜牧业生产和生物多样性保护具有负面影响，因此应探索有效和可持续的管理丛林入侵的方法。本研究旨在比较莱索托Qacha 's Nek区sehlabathbe山区草本植被和灌木的4种防治方法（人工拔除、火灾、化学防治和高密度夜间灭杀[HDOK]）的效果。该研究进行了一项田间试验，在一个季节内，在一个牧场的不同区域施用四种灌木防治处理。对防治灌木处理前后草本植被和灌木植被属性进行了评价。处理前共记录草本植物92种，隶属于25科68属；处理后共记录草本植物147种，隶属于37科102属。在火灾和人工拔除灌木控制处理后，草本物种丰富度显著增加（p < 0.001）。火能提高草本植物的丰富度（p < 0.01），火能提高牧草的丰富度（p < 0.01）。对4种最常见的灌木进行分析发现，人工连根拔除、火灾和HDOK灌木防治措施显著减少了毛毛金虫、三线蜡菊、菊甲和雪雀的数量。HDOK是最有效的方法，其次是人工连根拔、火灾和化学防治。此外，HDOK处理显著降低了灌木物种丰富度和均匀度（p < 0.01）。因此，该研究提供了重要的初步证据，证明HDOK可能是莱索托山地草地灌木控制的最佳方法，其次是人工连根拔，其次是火灾，最后是化学控制。

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引用次数: 0

Evaluating Nondestructive Age Estimation Methods for Big Sagebrush, a Long-Lived, Wide-Ranging Shrub 长寿命、广域灌木—大山艾树无损年龄估计方法的评价

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-12-19 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.003

Treyton S. Harris , Joshua B. Grinath , Richard Rachman , Jennifer Sorensen Forbey , Kathryn G. Turner

Accurately assessing the age structure of plant populations is essential for understanding their dynamics and predicting responses to environmental change. Long-lived shrubs, like big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), play foundational roles in sagebrush ecosystems across Western North America. Yet, their age demographics are often underexplored due to the challenges of nondestructively estimating age. Here, we first assessed nondestructive techniques for estimating age in one subspecies of big sagebrush, identifying basal stem circumference as the morphological trait most strongly correlated with age (r² = 0.508). However, the strength of this relationship differed considerably across sites, with r² values spanning from 0.116 to 0.709. We then evaluated the predictive accuracy of this trait across populations of two subspecies of big sagebrush. While basal stem circumference remained a robust predictor of age, its accuracy varied between subspecies and across populations, suggesting that local environmental factors may influence its reliability. Prediction accuracy was modest overall, with errors exceeding 10 yr and accuracy declining at the youngest and oldest ages. Prediction accuracy varied among subspecies and sites in response to local environmental conditions. Despite these limitations, these methods have practical implications for conservation and restoration, as circumference-based estimates can help managers quickly gauge whether recovering stands contain a mix of age classes, evaluate restoration success without destructive sampling, and anticipate how sagebrush populations may respond to disturbance or climate change.

准确评估植物种群的年龄结构对了解其动态和预测其对环境变化的响应至关重要。长寿命的灌木，如大山艾树（Artemisia tridentata），在北美西部的山艾树生态系统中起着基础作用。然而，由于非破坏性估计年龄的挑战，他们的年龄人口统计往往未得到充分研究。在这里，我们首先评估了用于估计大山艾属一个亚种年龄的无损技术，确定基部茎周长是与年龄最密切相关的形态学特征（r2 = 0.508）。然而，这种关系的强度在不同的地点差异很大，r²值从0.116到0.709不等。然后，我们评估了这一特征在大山艾树两个亚种种群中的预测准确性。虽然茎基周长仍然是一个可靠的年龄预测指标，但其准确性在亚种和种群之间存在差异，这表明当地环境因素可能影响其可靠性。总体而言，预测准确度一般，误差超过10年，在最年轻和最年长的年龄，准确度下降。不同亚种和地点的预测精度因当地环境条件而异。尽管存在这些局限性，但这些方法对保护和恢复具有实际意义，因为基于周长的估算可以帮助管理者快速衡量恢复的林分是否包含不同年龄层的混合，评估恢复成功而不进行破坏性采样，并预测山艾树种群如何应对干扰或气候变化。

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引用次数: 0

Effects of Seeding Rate and Sowing Season on the Establishment Success of Wyoming Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata subsp. wyomingensis) 播量和播种季节对怀俄明大艾属植物成活率的影响。wyomingensis)

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-12-19 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.11.002

Melissa Landeen , Kevin Gunnell , Daniel D. Summers , Matthew D. Madsen , Antonio Villanueva-Morales

Sagebrush seedings in Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems often experience high failure rates. We tested the hypotheses that 1) sowing season impacts spring seedling emergence, 2) increasing seeding rate will result in higher seedling emergence, 3) pressing seed into the soil surface improves seeding outcomes, and 4) year is an important factor in sagebrush seedling emergence. Over four study years, we used a randomized complete block split-plot design to compare eleven seeding rates sown on seven dates throughout fall and winter at two locations in central Utah. We also seeded paired plots during the fall sowing seasons with a roller-packer wheel treatment to improve seed-soil contact. Each spring, seedling density was recorded. Data was analyzed using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and Pearson correlation. Year strongly impacted seedling density (P < 0.0001), with emergence limited or nonexistent in two study years. In years where emergence occurred, seeding rate was related to seedling density with a positive linear relationship (r = 0.32; P < 0.0001) indicating a similar percentage of seed emerged regardless of seeding rate. Mid-fall and fall sowings resulted in 7 to 8-fold higher seedling density than a traditional mid-winter sowing. The application of a roller-packer treatment did not affect seedling emergence when compared across multiple years (P = 0.5493) or multiple sowing seasons within a single year (P = 0.9920). Finally, a correlation analysis indicated a negative relationship between snow depth at the time of sowing and seedling density the following spring (r = −0.18; P < 0.0001). Overall, these findings show that sagebrush seeding efforts can be improved by altering the sowing season from winter to fall and increasing seeding rates, but annual environmental conditions serve as a primary bottleneck in sagebrush establishment.

怀俄明州大山艾树（Artemisia tridentata Nutt.）生态系统的山艾树种子经常经历高失败率。结果表明：播种季节影响春苗出苗，播种率提高可提高出苗率，种子压入土壤表面可提高出苗效果，年份是影响山艾苗木出苗的重要因素。在四年的研究中，我们采用了随机完全块分割地块设计，比较了犹他州中部两个地点在秋季和冬季七个日期播种的十一种播种率。我们还在秋播季节用滚轮封隔器处理成对地块进行播种，以改善种子与土壤的接触。每年春天记录幼苗密度。数据分析采用广义线性混合模型（glmm）和Pearson相关。年份对苗木密度影响较大（P < 0.0001），两个研究年份苗木出苗率有限或不出苗率。在出苗期，出苗率与幼苗密度呈线性正相关（r = 0.32;P < 0.0001），表明无论出苗率如何，种子出苗率相似。秋中期和秋季播种的幼苗密度比传统的冬中期播种高7至8倍。不同年份（P = 0.5493）和一年内多个播种季节（P = 0.9920）施用滚封处理对幼苗出苗没有影响。最后，相关分析表明播种时积雪深度与次年春季幼苗密度呈负相关（r = −0.18;P < 0.0001）。综上所述，通过冬秋交替播种季节和提高播种率可以提高山艾树的播种效率，但年度环境条件是山艾树播种的主要瓶颈。

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引用次数: 0

Drivers of Weed Control Implementation and Challenges: Perspectives From Weed Management Professionals 杂草控制实施的驱动因素和挑战：来自杂草管理专业人士的观点

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.10.001

Kristina E. Young , Aaron Lien , José Carvalho de Souza Dias , Katherine Hovanes , Elise S. Gornish

Invasive, nonnative plant species are a major driver of global change due to their ability to disrupt ecological structure and function. However, despite substantial promising research into effective weed management strategies, large-scale invasive plant (hereafter “weeds”) reduction is rarely achieved. While the reasons for this disconnect are multifaceted, one documented cause is the limited overlap between researchers studying weed management and the practitioners enacting it. Here, we help close this research-implementation gap by surveying those involved with weed management across Utah and Arizona, two states in the American West that face considerable weed infestations on working landscapes. We asked weed management professionals across working landscapes to indicate how often they use different weed control techniques recommended by integrated weed management practices (specifically, prescribed fire, herbicide, grazing, and seeding), how effective they find the techniques to be, and concerns related to each treatment. Because the literature implies that many of these techniques are effective alone or in concert, we expected logistical concerns (i.e., cost, access to equipment, lack of information) would be the dominant reasons for not pursuing a weed control strategy. We found that weed management professionals are relying heavily on herbicide and are using other weed control techniques at a much smaller frequency. Weed management professionals list multiple concerns with different weed control treatments, but most concerns were not logistical in nature. Instead, concerns centered around ecological and weather constraints such as inadequate weed control when grazing, lack of seed establishment, and losing control of fire. We recommend ways in which researchers can work with practitioners to address weed treatment concerns to increase the diversity of weed control treatments used in working landscapes.

外来入侵植物由于其破坏生态结构和功能的能力而成为全球变化的主要驱动力。然而，尽管对有效的杂草管理策略进行了大量有前途的研究，但很少实现大规模入侵植物（以下简称“杂草”）的减少。虽然造成这种脱节的原因是多方面的，但一个有记录的原因是研究杂草管理的研究人员和实施杂草管理的从业人员之间的重叠有限。在这里，我们通过调查犹他州和亚利桑那州的杂草管理人员来帮助缩小研究与实施之间的差距，这两个州位于美国西部，在工作景观中面临着相当大的杂草侵扰。我们询问了工作区域内的杂草管理专业人员，他们使用综合杂草管理实践推荐的不同杂草控制技术的频率（具体来说，规定的火灾、除草剂、放牧和播种），他们发现这些技术的效果如何，以及与每种处理相关的问题。由于文献表明，许多这些技术单独或协同有效，我们预计后勤问题（即成本，获取设备，缺乏信息）将是不采取杂草控制策略的主要原因。我们发现杂草管理专业人员严重依赖除草剂，使用其他杂草控制技术的频率要小得多。杂草管理专业人士列出了不同杂草控制方法的多种问题，但大多数问题本质上不是后勤问题。相反，人们的担忧集中在生态和天气限制上，比如放牧时杂草控制不足、种子建立不足、火灾失控。我们建议研究人员可以与从业人员合作解决杂草处理问题，以增加工作景观中使用的杂草控制处理的多样性。

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引用次数: 0

Collaborative Adaptation to Institutional Shocks: Drivers and Outcomes of Communication Network Between Herders 对制度冲击的协同适应：牧民沟通网络的驱动因素与结果

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.10.002

Dayuan Xing , Haibin Chen , Liqun Shao , Han Zhang , Xianli Xia

Small-holder herders in pastoral areas are confronted with multisource risks, among which conservation policies represent a prominent institutional shock. Collaboration is widely advocated to address such complex and uncertain challenges, yet studies on how local herders informally collaborate to adapt to institutional shocks remain limited. Taking a pastoral village on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as a case study, the paper employs the Exponential Random Graph Model to investigate the drivers of communication network formation and the Auto-Logistic Actor Attribute Model to examine its impacts on individual adaptability, assessed by whether they can comply with stocking rate requirements imposed by rangeland conservation programs while sustaining their livelihoods. A tightly bonded network was found to emerge from relational transitivity and promote the adoption of adaptive actions. Network decentralization was observed to diversify information sources, thereby enhancing adaptability. Preferential attachment and homophily significantly influenced network formation, though different actor attributes played divergent roles and produced counterbalancing effects on individual adaptability. To achieve the dual goals of resource conservation and livelihood sustainability, we emphasize that collaborative networks should be weaved to align with the nature of collective dilemmas, meanwhile, measures should be implemented to mitigate adverse effects from potential network polarization.

牧区小农牧民面临多源风险，其中保护政策是一个突出的制度冲击。协作被广泛提倡以应对这些复杂和不确定的挑战，但关于当地牧民如何非正式协作以适应制度冲击的研究仍然有限。一个紧密结合的网络从关系及物性中出现，并促进了适应性行为的采用。网络去中心化可以使信息源多样化，从而增强适应性。偏好依恋和同质性对网络的形成有显著影响，但不同行为者属性在网络中的作用是不同的，并产生了个体适应性的抵消效应。为实现资源保护和生计可持续的双重目标，我们强调应根据集体困境的性质编织合作网络，同时应采取措施减轻潜在网络极化的不利影响。

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引用次数: 0

Economic Assessment of Virtual Fencing Technology in Dairy Systems: A Model Study in Temperate Climates 虚拟围栏技术在奶牛系统中的经济评价：温带气候下的模型研究

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.014

Anna Kiefer , Johannes Isselstein , Enno Bahrs

Recent developments in Europe indicate a continuous decline in pasture-based dairy farming, despite its recognized advantages in grassland regions, including reduced food–feed competition, lower feed costs, and enhanced animal welfare. The management of large herds across extensive grazing areas typically requires precise and labor-intensive fencing operations using electrical physical fences (EPFs), which depend on fixed or semi-mobile infrastructure—such as wires, posts, and energizers—to allocate fresh pastures according to animals’ nutritional demands. Virtual fencing (VF) represents an emerging technological alternative that utilizes GPS-enabled collars and software-based geofencing to regulate livestock movement without physical barriers. This approach offers the potential to reduce labor requirements and increase flexibility in pasture management. However, the economic and technical disparities between EPF and VF systems necessitate an assessment of farm-specific conditions under which VF can serve as a feasible substitute. This study investigated the economic and managerial determinants influencing the adoption of VF systems in temperate dairy production. The findings demonstrate that the economic performance of VF is highly dependent on farm size, pasture management strategy, and the extent of necessary operational adaptations. While VF can considerably reduce labor input, its economic viability remains limited by substantial initial investment and adaptation costs unless management practices are specifically optimized. Profitability increases with a higher proportion of grazed herbage in livestock diets. The integration of VF with complementary digital technologies could further enhance its efficiency and practical applicability. Moreover, targeted policy measures–such as those within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP, 2023–2027)—and investments in research, training, and advisory services may foster wider adoption. Recognizing and compensating the ecosystem services facilitated by VF could further strengthen its economic sustainability. Nevertheless, integration into agri-environmental schemes requires further clarification of legal, ethical, and technical standards to ensure compliance with animal welfare and data governance frameworks.

欧洲最近的发展表明，尽管牧场奶牛养殖在草原地区具有公认的优势，包括减少食品饲料竞争、降低饲料成本和提高动物福利，但其持续下降。在广阔的牧区管理大型畜群通常需要使用电气物理围栏（epf）进行精确和劳动密集型的围栏操作，这依赖于固定或半移动的基础设施，如电线、柱子和电源，根据动物的营养需求分配新鲜的牧场。虚拟围栏（VF）是一种新兴的技术替代方案，它利用具有gps功能的项圈和基于软件的地理围栏，在没有物理障碍的情况下调节牲畜的运动。这种方法提供了减少劳动力需求和增加牧场管理灵活性的潜力。但是，紧急方案基金和野生动物基金系统之间的经济和技术差异需要评估野生动物基金作为可行替代品的具体农场条件。本研究调查了影响在温带乳制品生产中采用VF系统的经济和管理因素。研究结果表明，VF的经济效益高度依赖于农场规模、牧场管理策略和必要的经营适应程度。虽然VF可以大大减少劳动力投入，但其经济可行性仍然受到大量初始投资和适应成本的限制，除非管理实践得到特别优化。牲畜日粮中牧草的比例越高，盈利能力越高。将VF与互补的数字技术相结合，可以进一步提高其效率和实用性。此外，有针对性的政策措施——例如共同农业政策（CAP, 2023-2027）——以及对研究、培训和咨询服务的投资可能会促进更广泛的采用。承认和补偿森林生态系统服务可以进一步加强森林的经济可持续性。然而，融入农业环境计划需要进一步澄清法律、道德和技术标准，以确保符合动物福利和数据治理框架。

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引用次数: 0

Does Drought Intensify the Effects of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs on Livestock Production and Net Revenue in Semiarid Rangelands? 干旱是否加剧了半干旱草原黑尾土拨鼠对牲畜生产和净收入的影响？

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.04.011

David J. Augustine , John P. Ritten , David L. Hoover , Justin D. Derner

In the western Great Plains, black-tailed prairie dogs are well known to have substantial effects on the quantity and nutritional quality of grassland vegetation. However, the degree to which this affects livestock production has been challenging to quantify due to high temporal variability in precipitation and forage growth rates, as well as substantial variation in prairie dog populations induced by periodic disease outbreaks. Here, we examine the effects of black-tailed prairie dogs on the productivity and economic returns of yearling steers grazing semiarid rangeland of eastern Colorado during a series of years that included above-average precipitation and severe drought. We evaluated the degree to which drought suppresses livestock weight gains in the presence versus absence of prairie dogs, as well as how this effect varied by soil type (low vs. high productivity). Black-tailed prairie dogs significantly reduced livestock weight gain (kg steer⁻¹ cm precipitation⁻¹) on high productivity soils in the 2 drought yr (−23% in 2020; −38% in 2022), but not in a wet or average precipitation yr. Cattle from two pastures with prairie dogs were destocked earlier in the drought of 2022 (due to more severe forage shortages) than cattle from remaining pastures, which negatively affected net economic returns more than it did weight gain, resulting in a significant negative effect of prairie dogs on net revenue (−27%) across all soil types during severe drought. Net economic returns were more similar across soil types in wet years but were reduced by 41% and 25% on low- compared with high-productivity soils in the 2 drought yr. Coexistence of prairie dogs with livestock production may increasingly depend on spatially explicit management that seeks to minimize control costs and focus prairie dog conservation on soil types where impacts to livestock production are also minimized.

众所周知，在西部大平原地区，黑尾土拨鼠对草原植被的数量和营养质量有重要影响。然而，这对牲畜生产的影响程度很难量化，因为降水和饲料增长率的时间变化很大，而且周期性疾病爆发导致草原土拨鼠种群的变化很大。在这里，我们研究了在降水高于平均水平和严重干旱的一系列年份中，黑尾草原土拨鼠对在科罗拉多州东部半干旱牧场放牧的一岁阉牛的生产力和经济回报的影响。我们评估了干旱在草原土拨鼠存在与不存在的情况下对牲畜体重增加的抑制程度，以及这种影响如何因土壤类型（低生产力与高生产力）而变化。在2个干旱年，黑尾土拨鼠显著降低了高产土壤上牲畜的增重（kg阉牛−1 cm降水−1）(2020年为−23%；在2022年的干旱中（由于更严重的饲料短缺），来自两个草原犬鼠牧场的牛比其他牧场的牛更早地减少了库存，这对净经济回报的负面影响大于体重增加，导致在严重干旱期间，草原犬鼠对所有土壤类型的净收入产生了显著的负面影响（- 27%）。在湿润年份，不同土壤类型的净经济回报更为相似，但在2个干旱年份，与高产土壤相比，低生产力土壤的净经济回报分别减少了41%和25%。土拨鼠与畜牧生产的共存可能越来越依赖于空间明确的管理，这种管理旨在最大限度地降低控制成本，并将土拨鼠保护的重点放在对畜牧生产影响最小的土壤类型上。

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引用次数: 0

Importance of Stocking Rate, Grazing, and Browsing Capacity in Relation to Rainfall on a Wildlife Estate in the Central Free State of South Africa 南非中部自由邦野生动物庄园放养率、放牧和浏览能力对降雨量的重要性

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.011

Francois Deacon , Wesley John Black

In recent decades, the concept of wildlife estates has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional golf estates. Wildlife estates provide a novel approach to land management by integrating conservation goals with private property development. The establishment of wildlife estates reflects an innovative land use strategy that balances human development with environmental stewardship. These properties are typically small to medium-sized, necessitating active management to ensure their effectiveness as conservation areas. Scientific monitoring plays a crucial role in this process, particularly in assessing the grazing and browsing capacity of the land as well as the overall condition of the rangeland. Effective management is essential for maintaining the ecological integrity of these estates and ensuring their long-term sustainability. The Woodlands Wildlife Estate, located in the Central Free State Province, serves as a case study for evaluating the habitat conditions and rangeland health in the context of these challenges. This technical report analyses the veld condition, grazing, and browsing capacity of the estate, providing valuable insights into its current status and the effectiveness of its management practices. The findings highlight the importance of adapting conservation models to changing environmental conditions, including drought, and underscore the need for ongoing research and monitoring.

近几十年来，野生动物庄园的概念已经成为传统高尔夫庄园的一个令人信服的替代方案。野生动物庄园通过将保护目标与私人房地产开发相结合，为土地管理提供了一种新颖的方法。野生动物庄园的建立反映了一种创新的土地使用策略，即平衡人类发展与环境管理。这些属性通常是中小型的，需要积极的管理，以确保其作为保护区的有效性。科学监测在这一过程中起着至关重要的作用，特别是在评估土地的放牧和浏览能力以及牧场的总体状况方面。有效的管理对于维持这些庄园的生态完整性和确保其长期可持续性至关重要。位于中央自由邦省的伍德兰野生动物庄园是在这些挑战背景下评估栖息地条件和牧场健康的案例研究。这份技术报告分析了草原状况、放牧和牧场的浏览能力，为其现状和管理实践的有效性提供了有价值的见解。这些发现强调了使保护模式适应不断变化的环境条件（包括干旱）的重要性，并强调了持续研究和监测的必要性。

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引用次数: 0

Flexible Stocking: Livestock Production and Economic Responses in Mixed-Grass Prairie 灵活放养：杂草草原的牲畜生产和经济对策

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.01.007

Justin D. Derner , John P. Ritten , Tevyn Baldwin , Tamarah Jorns , Matt Mortenson , David J. Augustine

Matching animal demand to forage availability is a core principle in sustainable rangeland management. We evaluated the use of interannual flexibility in stocking rates compared with fixed stocking at light, moderate, and heavy stocking rates on livestock weight gains and economic responses for 7 yr (2016−2022) in North American northern mixed-grass prairie. The grazing season began in early June each year, so stocking rates in the flexible treatment were calculated on the basis of the amount of forage production predicted from actual precipitation received in April and May combined with long-term mean annual precipitation received at the study site in June, as well as an adjustment in stocking rate based on the amount of residual forage remaining at the end of the previous grazing season. Across years, mean stocking rate for the flexible stocking treatment (32.5 animal unit days [AUD] ha⁻¹) was between heavy (38.6 AUD ha⁻¹) and moderate (29.7 AUD ha⁻¹) and was twice as high as the light (15.8 AUD ha⁻¹). Cumulative total beef production for the 7 yr was highest with heavy stocking (282.6 kg ha⁻¹), 17% less in the flexible (234.2 kg ha⁻¹), and 19% less in the moderate (229.4 kg ha⁻¹) stocking rates. It was 55% lower with light stocking (128.4 kg ha⁻¹). Crude protein and digestible organic matter, as well as composition of plant functional groups in diets of yearlings, did not differ between the moderate versus the flexible stocking treatments. Compared with moderate stocking, flexible stocking resulted in 6.9% lower cumulative gross ($2 299) and 10.8% lower net ($1 407) economic returns per yearling. We suggest that future evaluations of flexible stocking strategies consider incorporating seasonal forecasts combined with intraseasonal adjustments in stocking rates as the growing season unfolds. Advancements in predictive forage forecasting tools and remote sensing capabilities are needed to support such a strategy.

将动物需求与饲料供应相匹配是可持续牧场管理的核心原则。我们评估了在北美北部混草草原7年（2016 - 2022年）的牲畜增重和经济响应中，使用年际灵活放养率与固定放养率在轻、中、重放养率下的比较。每年的放牧季节开始于6月初，因此灵活处理的载畜率是根据4月和5月实际降水预测的饲料产量，结合研究地点6月的长期平均年降水量，并根据前一个放牧季节结束时的剩余饲料量调整载畜率来计算的。多年来，灵活放养处理的平均放养率（32.5动物单位日[AUD] ha−1）介于重度（38.6 AUD ha−1）和中度（29.7 AUD ha−1）之间，是轻度（15.8 AUD ha−1）的两倍。7年累计牛肉总产量最高的是重度放养（282.6 kg hm2 - 1），弹性放养（234.2 kg hm2 - 1）减少17%，中度放养（229.4 kg hm2 - 1）减少19%。轻放养（128.4 kg ha - 1）时产量降低55%。适度放养与弹性放养对幼雏日粮中粗蛋白质、可消化有机物及植物功能群组成无显著影响。与适度放养相比，灵活放养导致每年累积总经济收益（2 299美元）降低6.9%，净经济收益（1 407美元）降低10.8%。我们建议未来对灵活放养策略的评估应考虑将季节性预测与随着生长季节展开的放养率的季节性调整结合起来。需要在预测饲料预测工具和遥感能力方面取得进展来支持这种战略。

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引用次数: 0

Thicketization by Yaupon Holly Increases Canopy Interception in the Texas Post Oak Savannah 冬青树增密增加了德克萨斯州后橡树大草原的冠层拦截

IF 2.4 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Rangeland Ecology & Management

Pub Date : 2025-11-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.013

Jordan E. Gignac , Shishir Basant , Pedro A.M. Leite , Bradford P. Wilcox

Over the past century, the Post Oak Savannah ecoregion of Texas has experienced widespread woody plant encroachment, particularly by yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria). This expansion has transformed open savannahs into densely thicketized woodlands, raising concerns about its impact on ecohydrological processes. Because much of the region overlies the recharge zone of the Carrizo–Wilcox aquifer—a critical regional water source—thicketization may reduce groundwater recharge by increasing rainfall interception. Despite yaupon’s rapid proliferation, few studies have quantified its hydrological impacts. This study assessed how yaupon-dominated thicketization influences interception—an underacknowledged component of the water budget—by comparing throughfall under thicketized and treated (cleared) conditions. Rainfall was monitored over a 12-mo period to evaluate how vegetation structure, rainfall intensity, and seasonality affect interception dynamics. Our results show that thicketized sites intercepted significantly more rainfall than treated sites, reducing throughfall by approximately 31%. These findings suggest that woody understory encroachment may substantially alter water availability at the soil surface, with potential consequences for aquifer recharge. This work provides one of the first field-based assessments of interception in yaupon-dominated systems and offers valuable insights for land managers seeking to balance ecological restoration with water conservation in the Post Oak Savannah.

在过去的一个世纪里，德克萨斯州的后橡树萨凡纳生态区经历了广泛的木本植物入侵，特别是冬青（冬青）。这种扩张将开阔的稀树草原变成了茂密的林地，引发了人们对其对生态水文过程影响的担忧。由于该地区的大部分地区位于卡里佐-威尔科克斯含水层的补给区——一个关键的区域水源——加厚可能会通过增加降雨拦截来减少地下水补给。尽管雨蓬迅速扩散，但很少有研究量化其水文影响。本研究通过比较增稠和处理（清除）条件下的通流，评估了由水松主导的增稠如何影响截留——水收支中一个未被充分认识的组成部分。监测了12个月的降雨量，以评估植被结构、降雨强度和季节性对截流动态的影响。我们的研究结果表明，与处理过的站点相比，灌丛站点拦截的降雨量显著增加，减少了约31%的降雨量。这些发现表明，木本林下植被的入侵可能会大大改变土壤表面的水分有效性，并对含水层的补给产生潜在的影响。这项工作提供了第一个基于实地的拦截评估，并为寻求在后橡树大草原平衡生态恢复与水资源保护的土地管理者提供了有价值的见解。

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引用次数: 0