Rangeland Ecology & Management最新文献

{"title":"Remote Sensing of Forage Droughts in the Dry Chaco (Argentina)","authors":"Lisandro Blanco ,&nbsp;Walter Agüero ,&nbsp;Alicia Sancho ,&nbsp;Marcos Texeira","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Drought is widely recognized as one of the most complex natural hazards due to its gradual onset and long-lasting impacts. With climate change, droughts are becoming increasingly intense, frequent, and prolonged, particularly in arid and semiarid rangelands, posing a serious threat to the sustainability of livestock systems. The objective of this study was to develop, calibrate, and validate a methodology for detecting forage droughts and monitoring their spatial and temporal patterns using satellite-derived anomalies in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), hereafter NDVI anomalie (NDVIA).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Forage droughts are defined as temporary reductions in forage productivity in rangelands, grasslands, and pastures caused by rainfall falling below the long-term average. These reductions are so severe that even with adaptive forage management, the forage biomass accumulated during the growing season is insufficient to sustain livestock during the vegetative rest period (forage drought model). The study focuses on the dry Chaco region of Argentina. NDVIA values were correlated with forage biomass data collected in the field at 20 sites over a 10-yr period. Using a logistic regression model, the NDVIA threshold indicating the presence or absence of forage drought was determined.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results revealed a significant relationship (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) between NDVIA and forage drought presence/absence. During the study period (2001–2023), forage droughts in the region typically recurred every 5 ± 2 growing seasons. A cluster analysis identified two subzones with significant differences (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in the temporal dynamics of forage drought occurrence.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>The combined application of the forage drought model and this NDVI-based monitoring system could serve as a “guidebook” for implementing forage management strategies at the farm scale (e.g., adaptive forage management) and shaping public policies at the regional scale (e.g., satellite index-based insurance). This methodological approach, first-of-its-kind in region, could be adapted to other arid and semiarid ecosystems globally, enhancing the early warning and management of forage droughts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 93-103"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144916993","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":"Flexible Stocking: Livestock Production and Economic Responses in Mixed-Grass Prairie","authors":"Justin D. Derner ,&nbsp;John P. Ritten ,&nbsp;Tevyn Baldwin ,&nbsp;Tamarah Jorns ,&nbsp;Matt Mortenson ,&nbsp;David J. Augustine","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.01.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.01.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>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.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 535-544"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139823801","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":"Thicketization by Yaupon Holly Increases Canopy Interception in the Texas Post Oak Savannah","authors":"Jordan E. Gignac ,&nbsp;Shishir Basant ,&nbsp;Pedro A.M. Leite ,&nbsp;Bradford P. Wilcox","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past century, the Post Oak Savannah ecoregion of Texas has experienced widespread woody plant encroachment, particularly by yaupon holly (<em>Ilex vomitoria</em>). 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.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 431-440"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465561","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 Winterfat Seedling Emergence Using Hydrophobic Seed Coatings","authors":"Kyle A. Cook ,&nbsp;Brad Geary ,&nbsp;Phil S. Allen ,&nbsp;April Hulet ,&nbsp;Kevin L. Gunnell ,&nbsp;Melissa Landeen ,&nbsp;Shannon V. Nelson ,&nbsp;Sage K. Johansen ,&nbsp;Colin T. Mckee ,&nbsp;Matthew D. Madsen","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Direct seeding of native plant species is a widespread technique in rangeland restoration; however, its efficacy can be limited by numerous factors. Restoration of winterfat (<em>Krascheninnikovia lanata</em>) may be constrained by poor seed flowability and premature seed germination that can cause overwinter mortality of fall-sown seeds. Hydrophobic seed coatings may be effective in addressing these barriers. We compared seedling emergence from seeds that were left uncoated, coated with calcium carbonate (blank coated), and coated with calcium carbonate plus an exterior hydrophobic coating. Total seedlings were counted and assigned as dead or alive. This total seedling count was used to estimate mortality for each treatment. Seeds were planted in the fall of 2021 at two sites within the Great Basin Region of the United States. The number of seedlings that emerged from hydrophobic-coated seeds was three-fold greater than that of noncoated seeds and five-fold greater than that of blank-coated seeds. The percentage of seedlings that died after emerging was highest for noncoated seeds and lowest for those with hydrophobic coatings. These results suggest that coating alone may not improve seeding success, but coating seeds with a hydrophobic polymer to delay germination can improve seedling emergence of winterfat. Thus, seed coatings could play a crucial role in restoring winterfat to degraded rangelands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 288-294"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265991","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":"Shrub Removal Practices in Livestock Environments of the Argentine Arid Chaco: Changes on Soil Physicochemical Properties","authors":"Luis M. Guzmán ,&nbsp;Pablo E. Villagra ,&nbsp;Raul E. Quiroga ,&nbsp;Diego I. Pereyra ,&nbsp;Martin E. Pelliza","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increase in shrub cover, driven by factors such as climate change, overgrazing, and reduced fire frequency, is a global process that is also affecting the native forests of the Arid Chaco in Argentina. One of its main effects is the reduction in the production of native and non-native grasses, which are important forage resources for extensive livestock farming. To counteract this, shrub removal practices such as roller-chopping and hand cutting are implemented, often combined with the seeding of <em>Cenchrus ciliaris</em> L. (buffelgrass). Despite its widespread regional application, little is known about the medium-term (5–10 years) changes these practices induce in the soil. In this study, we explored the effects of roller-chopping and hand-cutting on soil physicochemical properties. To do so, we compared plots with different land-use histories: without shrub removal (conserved woodland and degraded rangeland) and with shrub removal (roller-chopping and hand-cutting, both in degraded rangeland), across five livestock farms. We found that, compared to conserved woodland and degraded rangeland, soil mechanical resistance was higher in the removal treatments, being greatest in the hand-cutting plots, which also exhibited the highest bulk density. In both cases, these values increased with depth, showing an inverse pattern to that of conserved woodland and degraded rangeland. Similarly, we detected a lower infiltration rate in the shrub removal treatments. We found no significant differences in most soil nutrient concentrations between treatments, except for phosphorus, which showed significantly higher values in the degraded rangeland and roller chopping. The increase in soil compaction and the reduction in water infiltration in roller-chopping and hand-cutting treatments could affect key ecosystem functions, such as net primary productivity dynamics and the water and carbon cycles. This study provides key information for decision-making in the management of livestock-forestry systems, contributing to the design of vegetation interventions that are compatible with soil quality conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 319-328"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323858","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":"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":"2025-11-01","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":"Mule Deer Response to Invasive Annual Grasses: Implications for Strategic Management in Sagebrush Priority Areas","authors":"Kurt T. Smith ,&nbsp;Brian A. Mealor ,&nbsp;Jerod A. Merkle","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Invasive annual grasses (IAG) are a widespread threat to the sagebrush steppe (<em>Artemisia</em> spp. L) rangelands and associated wildlife of the western United States. Multiple ungulate species including mule deer (<em>Odocoileus hemionus</em> Rafinesque) rely on sagebrush steppe seasonally. While substantial efforts have been made to conserve critical mule deer habitat, less attention has been given to mule deer habitat affected by IAGs and there is limited information about how mule deer respond to IAG invasions. We evaluated mule deer resource selection in a sagebrush grassland community impacted by IAGs in northeast Wyoming. We then used empirical model estimates to forecast how IAG management could impact mule deer habitat in the future following a strategic IAG framework focused on defending and growing sagebrush core areas most threatened by IAGs. We found that mule deer responded to IAGs in a nonlinear pattern across all seasons and strongly avoided areas once cover exceeded approximately 20%. When projecting results 20 yr into the future, we found that over half of the study area is expected to experience significant declines in mule deer habitat quality if IAGs continue to spread at the same rate observed over the past two decades. However, with targeted IAG treatments, we predicted widespread improvements in mule deer habitat, particularly in priority areas where ecological integrity can be restored with future IAG management. Our findings reinforce the emerging notion that ecosystem-based frameworks designed to defend and grow intact sagebrush steppe through strategic management efforts also have the potential to benefit species of conservation interest. As current conservation efforts to mitigate IAGs are not progressing fast enough to address the magnitude of the IAG problem in sagebrush across the west, strategic management efforts will be necessary to maintain important habitats for numerous sagebrush occurring wildlife.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 128-137"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144925569","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":"2025-11-01","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":"Compost and Native Seeding Interactively Increase Bulk Soil Carbon, but Compost Addition Favors Nonnative Plants","authors":"Justin C. Luong ,&nbsp;Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz ,&nbsp;Pam Krone","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rangelands are globally distributed habitats with high potential for supporting nature-based climate solutions. Yet, rangelands will be affected by human disturbances that result in severe habitat degradation and may need intervention to sufficiently recover. Compost addition can help improve soil carbon and water holding capacity, whereas native seeding can help bolster plant cover and richness; synergistically, they could have cascading effects on plant communities and forage quality. To better understand the utility of combining these range improvements, we treated a degraded working grassland (used to stage wildfire-fighting operations) in coastal California with compost broadcasting (1.48 kg · m⁻²) and native seeding (eight California species) treatments annually for 3 consecutive yr (2020–2022). We evaluated plant community composition, forage quality and toxicity, and soil biogeochemistry (soil inorganic carbon [SIC] and soil organic carbon [SOC] concentrations [%] and bulk soil carbon [T C · ha⁻¹]). Compost addition resulted in higher concentrations of soil organic matter (SOM) but did not increase SOC and SIC. Nonnative plant cover increased over time only in compost addition plots. Native cover and richness were unaffected by native seeding, but native cover was lower with compost addition. Compost resulted in higher relative cover of low-quality and less toxic forage, but also lower relative cover of high-quality forage. Bulk soil carbon was unaffected by independent compost addition or native seeding but increased significantly when treatments were combined. Our results demonstrate that compost application and native seeding have the potential to support soil recovery of SOM and bulk soil carbon in a degraded rangeland. The findings also suggest there are trade-offs in these practices, as compost addition could promote nonnative species and higher relative plant cover of low-quality forage. Low success from native seeding indicates that recommended seeding rates may be insufficient to establish plants in a degraded rangeland with compacted soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 104-112"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144919911","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":"Changing Soil Microbial Community Stability and Its Influencing Factors During the Restoration of Degraded Alpine Meadow","authors":"Yu Chai ,&nbsp;Xilai Li ,&nbsp;Chengyi Li ,&nbsp;Yunqiao Ma ,&nbsp;Yizhi Zhou ,&nbsp;Pei Gao ,&nbsp;Yufang Zhang ,&nbsp;XinRu Du ,&nbsp;Xinian Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiluo Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been severely degraded, forming a large number of bare patches (BP). The recovery and succession of these BP may lead to changes in the stability of soil microbial communities in the meadow ecosystem. Currently, it is unclear how microbial community characteristics and stability respond to the recovery and succession of the BP. We selected four types of patches, including BP, initial-term recovery patches, long-term recovery patches, and healthy alpine meadows, and different succession stages of the patchily degraded alpine meadow were analyzed to determine the properties of their plants, soil, and soil microbial communities. The results showed that during the recovery and succession of the patchily degraded alpine meadow, belowground biomass (BGB), plant community diversity index, soil moisture, and soil electrical conductivity, as well as the contents of soil organic carbon, STN, ammonium nitrogen, leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase, and the composition and niche breadth of soil bacteria all increased. The stability of soil microbial network was enhanced. The stability of soil bacterial resistance and resilience stability showed an increasing trend with recovery length, whereas soil fungi showed a decreasing trend. The main environmental factors affecting the stability of soil microbial communities were identified as BGB, Shannon–Wiener index of soil fungi, ammonium nitrogen content, and soil electrical conductivity. Soil physical properties directly or indirectly affected vegetation characteristics, soil nutrients, soil enzyme activities, and soil microbial diversity, all of which, in turn, affected the stability of soil microbial communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 450-461"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465564","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}