Rangeland Ecology & Management最新文献

{"title":"Aboveground Biomass Partitioning and Utilization in Festuca dolichophylla: Implications for Rangeland Management","authors":"Ysai Paucar ,&nbsp;Flor L. Mejía ,&nbsp;Enrique R. Flores ,&nbsp;Paul H. Mayhua ,&nbsp;Deysi Ruiz-Llontop ,&nbsp;José A. Saucedo-Uriarte ,&nbsp;William Bardales ,&nbsp;Leandro Valqui ,&nbsp;Lucrecia Aguirre","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peruvian rangelands are dominated by grasses; whose aerial biomass is distributed among blades, culms, sheaths, and inflorescences serving as essential forage for livestock. Effective management of these rangeland require an accurate assessment of biomass utilization to determine carrying capacity properly. Biomass partitioning varies by species, whereas utilization estimation depends on both, species characteristics and methodological approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the partitioning and utilization of aboveground biomass in geographically different populations of <em>Festuca dolichophylla</em> under similar conditions, a key grass species in Peruvian rangelands. <em>F. dolichophylla</em> from: Pastales Huando Peasant Community–Huancavelica (Huancavelica-community), Lachocc South American Camelid Research and Development Center of the National University of Huancavelica (Huancavelica-university), Junín, Pasco, and Puno were transplanted to an environment with uniform soil and climate. Aboveground biomass partitioning was analyzed using a linear model analysis of variance with fixed and nested effects, including covariate adjustment, followed by Tukey’s post hoc tests. Biomass utilization was estimated using height–weight relationships, allowing for the evaluation of how plant structure relates to available forage. The Puno population exhibited significantly higher aboveground biomass (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in blades and culms + sheaths, whereas inflorescence biomass did not differ among populations (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). In terms of biomass partitioning, no significant differences were observed for inflorescences (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05); however, the populations of Pasco and Puno were different (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Plants from Pasco allocated a greater proportion of biomass to blades, while those from Puno exhibited a higher allocation to culms + sheaths. Logarithmic regression provided a more accurate model (<em>R</em>² ≥ 0.88) for estimating biomass utilization compared with linear regression (<em>R</em>² ≤ 0.77), with <em>F. dolichophylla</em> population-specific variations. The observed differences in biomass partitioning and utilization highlight the necessity of population-specific management strategies. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the sustainable management of rangelands dominated by <em>F. dolichophylla</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 210-217"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145108680","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":"Free-Roaming Horse Diet and Body Condition Differences Across Seasons and Ecologically Diverse Herd Management Areas","authors":"Courtney E. Buchanan ,&nbsp;Stephanie J. Galla ,&nbsp;Jared Studyvin ,&nbsp;Jonathan D. Lautenbach ,&nbsp;John Derek Scasta ,&nbsp;Gregory D. Randolph ,&nbsp;Jennifer S. Forbey ,&nbsp;Jeffrey L. Beck","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Increasing populations of free-roaming horses (<em>Equus caballus</em>) residing on federal lands pose management challenges across the American West, affecting rangeland health and co-occurring wildlife and livestock species. To better understand how free-roaming horses interact with rangeland ecosystems through herbivory, we used amplicon sequencing (P6 loop of chloroplast <em>trnL</em>) of horse fecal material to quantify plant composition of diets across a gradient of herbaceous availability in 16 Herd Management Areas (HMAs) managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These HMAs encompassed several ecosystems, including the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, Mojave Desert, and Wyoming Basin. We collected 1,409 visual body condition scores (BCS) (on a 1-to-9 scale) and 465 individual fecal collections in summer 2020 and winter 2020/2021 across HMAs. Because horses are considered grazers, we explored whether the dietary proportion of graminoids (i.e., grasses and grass-like plants) changed seasonally between and among HMAs. The proportion of graminoids in fecal material differed by HMA and ranged from 31.17% to 83.50% in summer and 11.00% to 82.60% in winter. Summer diets trended toward higher graminoid composition in most HMAs, and many winter diets shifted to include nongraminoid plants in the Asteraceae and Chenopodiaceae families. Despite varying dietary graminoid composition, herd average BCS indicated most free-roaming horses were in good condition. Across HMAs, herd average BCS in summer averaged 5.01 (minimum 4.59 and maximum 5.24) and averaged 4.98 in winter (minimum 4.72 and maximum 5.22). Understanding which plant groups form seasonal diets of free-roaming horses across different environments is important for managers balancing potential forage competition among free-roaming horses, wildlife, and livestock. Our results indicate that while free-roaming horses are considered grazers, they are also capable of subsisting and maintaining good body condition while consuming a variety of plants, with graminoids not always forming the majority of the diet.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 230-246"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145117773","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":"Seed Storage Conditions Shape Germination Outcomes: Differing Responses in Two Closely Related Grass Species","authors":"Jenna LeBlanc,&nbsp;S. Eryn McFarlane","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Seed dormancy is a protective adaptation meant to reduce the risk of germination in unsuitable or unpredictable conditions. However, dormancy can complicate or undermine restoration efforts if care is not taken to understand how dormancy-influencing seed storage conditions can affect germination outcomes. Additionally, assuming that closely related species will respond similarly to the same storage and germination conditions may obscure important life history differences, potentially leading to ineffective or biased restoration strategies. We examined how seed storage conditions influence germination outcomes in two foundational grassland species (<em>Festuca hallii</em> [Vasey] Piper and <em>Festuca campestris</em> Rydb.) by subjecting seeds of both species to different combinations of storage duration, temperature, and moisture, before conducting a germination assay under identical controlled conditions. We found that the two species had drastically different responses. <em>F. campestris</em> exhibited low overall germination (13%), which was not meaningfully influenced by any of our storage treatment combinations. <em>F. hallii</em>, meanwhile, had a mean germination of 69%, which increased to 94% simply by soaking the otherwise untreated seeds for 24 h before the germination assay. Our findings highlight the importance of considering seed handling and storage as critical steps in the restoration pipeline, with the potential to significantly impact germination and establishment success. They also highlight the need to consider species-specific management strategies, even among closely related taxa, and for clear communication among seed suppliers, land managers, and restoration practitioners to ensure shared understanding of seed histories and conditions before planting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 202-209"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095846","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":"Herbicide Application in Mojave Desert Shrublands: Invasive Grass Reduction, Native Forb Resilience, and Shrub Mortality","authors":"Ranae M. Sullivan ,&nbsp;Beth A. Newingham","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nonnative grasses such as red brome (<em>Bromus rubens</em>) are widespread in the Mojave Desert, causing significant harm to native flora and wildlife habitats. These invasive grasses alter fire cycles, degrade habitats, and reduce biodiversity. We evaluated the effectiveness of proactive herbicide treatments in reducing nonnative grasses in otherwise intact plant communities. Using a split-plot design, we examined how single and twice-applied herbicide applications affect native and nonnative plant communities. Pre-emergent herbicide (imazapic) was aerially applied at four sites in Gold Butte National Monument in fall 2019, with an additional application on a portion of each plot in fall 2020, resulting in once- and twice-treated sections. Vegetation was monitored during the 2020–2022 growing seasons to track changes in nonnative grass cover, annual forb cover, and shrub cover. Initial treatments reduced <em>B. rubens</em> cover in 2020 by as much as 6.3% ± 1.2%, but effects diminished in subsequent years. Twice-applied treatments did not show further reduction until the second year. Native forbs decreased by as much as 2.9% ± 0.6% after the first treatment but recovered in following years. Shrub cover was unaffected overall, though drought-induced <em>Ambrosia dumosa</em> mortality was greater in imazapic treated plots. Although imazapic initially reduced <em>B. rubens</em> cover, severe drought that began in 2020 reduced the emergence of annual plants, potentially negating or masking the herbicide’s benefits. Furthermore, increased drought-induced mortality of a foundational shrub in twice-applied treatments suggests a significant tradeoff with treatments intended to reduce invasive grasses. This study highlights the need for timing pre-emergent herbicide treatments with adequate precipitation to enhance their efficacy. Effective management of invasive grasses requires a proactive approach, considering both treatment timing and environmental conditions to sustain native plant communities and prevent habitat degradation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 184-195"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095844","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":"Does Initial Body Size Influence Weight Gain of Stocker Steers During the Growing Season in Semiarid Western Great Plains Rangeland?","authors":"Justin D. Derner ,&nbsp;David J. Augustine ,&nbsp;J. Gonzalo Irisarri ,&nbsp;John P. Ritten ,&nbsp;Edward J. Raynor","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ranchers in the western Great Plains grazing yearlings (i.e., stockers) during the growing season need to understand how variation in starting animal weights influences subsequent end weights for marketing opportunities and prices received. Whether variation in stocker steer body size (i.e., entry weight) at the start of the growing season influences weight gains during the summer grazing (midMay through September), period on semiarid shortgrass prairie rangeland remains unclear. We used 10 yr (2014–2023) of weight gains from 2 162 stocker steers (<em>Bos taurus</em>) that had entry weights ranging from 222.7 to 370.0 kg to assess if grazing season weight gains under traditional, season-long grazing management with moderate stocking rate were influenced by entry weights under varying levels of spring (April through June) precipitation and pasture forage productivity (low vs. high productivity soils). Entry weight had no effect on grazing season weight gains regardless of precipitation level and soil type (as measured by ecological site). Stocker operations in this rangeland can anticipate steer weight gains of 135 kg steer⁻¹ under average precipitation and forage productivity. Summer grazing season weight gains did exhibit a quadratic relationship between spring precipitation and pasture productivity. A 25% reduction in spring precipitation decreased weight gains by 16% and 23% in the high and low productivity pastures, respectively; 50% reduction in spring precipitation lowered weight gains by 40% and 55%, respectively. Conversely, increasing spring precipitation by 50% increased weight gains by only 15% and 20% in the high and low productivity pastures, respectively. These findings highlight that abundant precipitation can result in substantial forage production, but forage quality reductions will limit additional weight gain. The plateau in steer weight gain when April to June precipitation exceeds 170 mm suggests that forage quality limitations could potentially be ameliorated by strategic protein supplementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 196-201"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095845","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":"Tallgrass Prairie Responses to Weather Variability and Management: Analyses of Vegetation Dynamics and Water Use","authors":"Pradeep Wagle ,&nbsp;Tanka Kandel ,&nbsp;Brian K. Northup ,&nbsp;Xiangming Xiao ,&nbsp;Corey Moffet ,&nbsp;Stephen Teet ,&nbsp;Sherry Hunt ,&nbsp;Stacey A. Gunter","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The tallgrass prairie of the Great Plains is an ecologically and economically important grassland ecosystem in the United States. Prairies face significant challenges from weather variability (such as changing precipitation patterns, increased droughts, and heat waves) and management-related disturbances (such as prescribed burns, hay production, and grazing). This study examines the responses of tallgrass prairie to weather variability and management practices using data from the long-term, multi-factor “<em>integrated Grassland-Livestock and Burning Experiment (iGLOBE)</em>” in central Oklahoma. The experiment includes a cluster of eddy covariance (EC) systems across five native tallgrass prairies managed with different grazing, hay production, and burning regimes. The major objectives were to 1) quantify the variations in EC-measured evapotranspiration (ET) at different temporal scales across differently managed prairies under varying environmental conditions, and 2) combine remotely sensed vegetation indices with ET to assess their potential for monitoring and examining ecosystem responses to variable weather and management. Interannual variations in precipitation patterns during the study period (2019–2024) influenced vegetation dynamics, forage production, and ET. Temperature variability also played a crucial role in modifying the impact of precipitation, particularly during the early and late growing seasons. The observed ranges of maximum daily, growing season (April-October), and annual ET were 4.9–8.64 mm d^-1, 468–716 mm, and 546–861 mm, respectively, across pastures. Annual ET: precipitation ratios ranged from 0.67 in wet years to 1.15 in dry years. This study provides a ground-truth ET dataset across different weather and management scenarios, enabling validation of ET estimates from models and satellite-derived products for tallgrass prairies, even where direct ET measurements are unavailable. A strong agreement (R² ≥ 0.70) between satellite-derived enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and EC-measured ET demonstrated the potential to combine these datasets for more precise quantification of how weather and management affect productivity and water use across native prairie landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 171-183"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095843","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":"Uninsured Pastoralists - Adoption and Attitudes towards Index-Based Livestock Insurance in Four Kenyan Counties","authors":"Göran Bostedt ,&nbsp;Per Knutsson ,&nbsp;Deborah Muricho ,&nbsp;Stephen Mureithi ,&nbsp;Ewa Wredle","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) is promoted as a proactive measure to protect against climate-related risks. Despite initial efforts to introduce the insurance, its adoption has generally been low in most developing countries. This paper compares adopters and nonadopters of IBLI in four arid or semi-arid counties in Kenya, focusing specifically on household demographics, climate effects, land tenure arrangements, and the interaction between other coping strategies and the decision to adopt livestock insurance. The household survey was conducted in 12 counties, whereby 491 respondents were interviewed, of which about 4.5% had insurance. The results showed that IBLI adoption was influenced by the socioeconomic, environmental, and existing adoption strategies. Lack of awareness was the most common reason (44.2% of respondents) for not adopting insurance, showing the need for simplifying information, because the respondents with more schooling were likely to purchase insurance. High precipitation reduced the need for livestock insurance due to low drought risk. Active fodder management positively influenced insurance uptake, likely due to the use of the indemnity for investment in other adaptive strategies. Otherwise, pastoralists were more likely to purchase insurance if they had to travel a long distance to the alternative grazing grounds. Likewise, insurance premiums limited insurance uptake due to the imperfect correlation between drought and indemnity payments (basis risk). Generally, insurance alone is not a panacea for pastoralists. Presently, they seem to be too expensive compared to the value they provide. Either the prediction accuracy of IBLIs must be increased, or premiums more heavily subsidized, for insurance to be a genuine alternative for pastoralists.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 153-162"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095841","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":"Efficacy of Four Non-destructive Methods for Estimating Aboveground Biomass in Subtropical Grasslands","authors":"Akiem M. Gough,&nbsp;Kathryn G. Smith,&nbsp;Grégory Sonnier,&nbsp;Karen E. Rice,&nbsp;Emily Anderson,&nbsp;Fern Barker,&nbsp;Tyler Bernard,&nbsp;Emmy Stewart,&nbsp;Jacqueline Valiente,&nbsp;Elizabeth H. Boughton","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reliably measuring aboveground vegetative biomass is essential for managing grazing lands and protecting the ecosystem services these lands provide. Destructive methods of measuring aboveground biomass (clipping and weighing biomass) are time-consuming and labor-intensive. We evaluated the efficacy of four non-destructive methods for estimating aboveground biomass: visual obstruction (VO<span><span>¹</span></span>) measured with a Robel pole, vegetation height with a meter stick, a 1.6 kg weighted plate, and a 3.7 kg weighted plate.</div><div>This study was conducted at Archbold Biological Station’s Buck Island Ranch, a working cattle ranch in south-central Florida. Ninety plots were measured within ten 16-ha pastures for each month of the five-month study: eight cultivated improved pastures (IMP<span><span>²</span></span>) and two semi-native pastures (SNP<span><span>³</span></span>). We hypothesized that (1) VO measured with a Robel pole would provide the most reliable measurements while the meter stick would provide the least reliable measurements and (2) non-destructive methods would have a higher correlation to clipped biomass in more homogenous IMP. Linear regressions were used to determine if correlations existed between observed biomass weights and vegetation height from each of the non-destructive sampling methods. All methods showed a positive relationship with biomass, but in both IMP and SNP, the 3.7 kg weighted plate had the strongest correlation with biomass (R² = 0.72, 0.62, respectively) and the meter stick had the least (R² = 0.54, 0.23, respectively).</div><div>However, different methods were found to be more effective at estimating biomass when dominant species were modeled individually. This study demonstrated that there are reliable, less time-consuming, and labor-intensive alternatives to destructive methods of biomass estimation. Less intensive measurements may allow land managers to make more efficient grazing decisions or simplify calibrating remote sensing products that will allow biomass estimates to be taken at scales relevant to management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 163-170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095842","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 “Pollination Needs and Diverse Bees of a Prospective Fuelbreak Wildflower, Curlycup Gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) (Asteraceae)” [Rangeland Ecology & Management volume 102, September 2025, pages 186-192]","authors":"James H. Cane ,&nbsp;Byron G. Love ,&nbsp;Skyler Burrows ,&nbsp;Alexander Fortin ,&nbsp;Kelsey K. Graham","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Page 152"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049031","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":"Remote Sensing of Drought Impacts to Support Resilient Land Use and Urban Fringe Planning and Power Supply System","authors":"Siqi Zhang ,&nbsp;WenYang Xu ,&nbsp;Iram Naz ,&nbsp;Xiangtian Zheng ,&nbsp;Mohammad Suhail Meer ,&nbsp;Habib Kraiem ,&nbsp;Rana Muhammad Zulqarnain ,&nbsp;Qaiser Abbas","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drought poses a critical threat to rangeland ecosystems, land use sustainability, and the resilience of infrastructure systems, including energy networks near urban fringes. This study applies a multi-index remote sensing approach to evaluate the spatial and temporal impacts of drought on rangelands by comparing nondrought (2023) and drought (2024) conditions. Satellite-derived indices such as Vegetation Health Index (VHI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Moisture Index (SMI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Evaporative Stress Index (ESI), Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), and Drought Severity Index (DSI) were integrated to characterize drought manifestations. Principal Component Analysis identified three core drought dimensions: vegetation response, thermal stress, and soil moisture dynamics, explaining 78% of the total variance. Notably, VCI, NDWI, and TCI emerged as the most sensitive indicators of drought stress. Western regions rangelands experienced the highest severity, while eastern regions showed greater ecological resilience. Land cover analysis revealed a 1.2% increase in rangeland area during drought, largely due to the conversion of shrublands, indicating a potential shift in vegetation regimes. These findings inform not only ecological management but also urban fringe planning, where land-use shifts under drought may affect infrastructure vulnerability and power system reliability. By offering a comprehensive, spatially explicit drought assessment framework, this study supports integrated land-use planning and enhances the adaptive capacity of socio-ecological and energy systems in semi-arid urbanizing regions. The results enhance our understanding of how rangeland ecosystems respond to drought and offer a methodological framework for assessing drought impacts in comparable semi-arid regions worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 138-151"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988634","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}