Pub Date : 2024-09-05DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.06.007
Anton Schmidt , Graham Kerley
The hypothesis that transformation of rangelands by domestic mesoherbivores follows state-and-transition models allows for the prediction that the vegetation could cross an ecological threshold. We examine this hypothesis by attempting to identify structural thresholds in Gamka Thicket, a structurally heterogeneous variation of Albany Thicket in South Africa. We relate the physical structure and density of thicket bush clumps to distance from artificial watering points in four piosphere treatments differing in rangeland management history. Furthermore, we compare the pattern, extent, and variation in transformation at the end regions of our piosphere treatments with each other and with a transformed and untransformed reference site. Changes to the density and leaf mass below 1.5 m of bush clumps indicate that their structure is profoundly altered by mesoherbivores. Nevertheless, the evidence is not sufficient to indicate that irreversible changes in the physical structure of bush clumps have taken place and therefore that structural thresholds have been crossed. A useful addition to our sampling design would be to include exclosure plots along the piosphere gradients.
{"title":"Responses in the Physical Structure and Density of Bush Clumps on Piosphere Gradients in an Arid Thicket Mosaic, South Africa","authors":"Anton Schmidt , Graham Kerley","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.06.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.06.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The hypothesis that transformation of rangelands by domestic mesoherbivores follows state-and-transition models allows for the prediction that the vegetation could cross an ecological threshold. We examine this hypothesis by attempting to identify structural thresholds in Gamka Thicket, a structurally heterogeneous variation of Albany Thicket in South Africa. We relate the physical structure and density of thicket bush clumps to distance from artificial watering points in four piosphere treatments differing in rangeland management history. Furthermore, we compare the pattern, extent, and variation in transformation at the end regions of our piosphere treatments with each other and with a transformed and untransformed reference site. Changes to the density and leaf mass below 1.5 m of bush clumps indicate that their structure is profoundly altered by mesoherbivores. Nevertheless, the evidence is not sufficient to indicate that irreversible changes in the physical structure of bush clumps have taken place and therefore that structural thresholds have been crossed. A useful addition to our sampling design would be to include exclosure plots along the piosphere gradients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142746895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pastoralism is one of the most important agricultural production systems in drylands worldwide. It plays an important role in both the economy and the cycle of ecosystem goods and services. However, it is vulnerable to climatic challenges such as prolonged drought and socioeconomic pressures such as administrative shortcomings and ineffective governance. Under neoliberal influence, political and economic reforms have been implemented over the last 30 years to address these threats. These reforms have promoted local institutions for rangeland management and agro-pastoral development. In this paper, we assess the impact of these reforms on pastoral devolvement and Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) by analyzing the performance of agro-pastoral community-based organizations CBOs in the province of Médenine (south-eastern Tunisia). We use a two-step methodology, with the first step focusing on a quantitative typology analysis of the performance of 31 CBOs. In a subsequent qualitative step, data from semi-structured interviews with 21 CBO chairpersons were used to identify the drivers of CBO performance.
Results show that only 10% of the CBOs studied are able to move towards autonomy and proper integration into local and regional institutional networks and development dynamics. About 42% of the CBOs need further support and are in a precarious situation as they are dependent on public support. The remaining 48% have a low growth potential and in the early stages of consolidation. The qualitative analysis suggests that these shortcomings are mainly related to the CBOs' lack of networking skills. In addition, CBOs should improve their reputation and gain more trust from pastoral communities. Our findings suggest that well-functioning institutions do contribute to rural development; however, the design of pastoralist policy and institutional reforms should include long-term complementary support for the institutions created and consideration of the pastoralist community and regional contexts in order to achieve long-lasting transformative outcomes.
{"title":"Assessing Pastoral Reforms Through the Performance of Agro-Pastoral Community-Based Organizations in South Tunisia","authors":"Mariem Sghaier , Aymen Frija , Julio Postigo , Stijn Speelman , Véronique Alary , Mongi Sghaier","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pastoralism is one of the most important agricultural production systems in drylands worldwide. It plays an important role in both the economy and the cycle of ecosystem goods and services. However, it is vulnerable to climatic challenges such as prolonged drought and socioeconomic pressures such as administrative shortcomings and ineffective governance. Under neoliberal influence, political and economic reforms have been implemented over the last 30 years to address these threats. These reforms have promoted local institutions for rangeland management and agro-pastoral development. In this paper, we assess the impact of these reforms on pastoral devolvement and Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) by analyzing the performance of agro-pastoral community-based organizations CBOs in the province of Médenine (south-eastern Tunisia). We use a two-step methodology, with the first step focusing on a quantitative typology analysis of the performance of 31 CBOs. In a subsequent qualitative step, data from semi-structured interviews with 21 CBO chairpersons were used to identify the drivers of CBO performance.</div><div>Results show that only 10% of the CBOs studied are able to move towards autonomy and proper integration into local and regional institutional networks and development dynamics. About 42% of the CBOs need further support and are in a precarious situation as they are dependent on public support. The remaining 48% have a low growth potential and in the early stages of consolidation. The qualitative analysis suggests that these shortcomings are mainly related to the CBOs' lack of networking skills. In addition, CBOs should improve their reputation and gain more trust from pastoral communities. Our findings suggest that well-functioning institutions do contribute to rural development; however, the design of pastoralist policy and institutional reforms should include long-term complementary support for the institutions created and consideration of the pastoralist community and regional contexts in order to achieve long-lasting transformative outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 49-62"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142746788","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}
Pub Date : 2024-08-31DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.013
Xingyi Wang, Jingfa Zhong, Yuefen Li
L. chinensis is considered an important plant for saline-sodic soil restoration. Ecological stoichiometry of multiple nutrient elements in Leymus chinensis (L. chinensis) and soils subjected to long-term saline-sodic stress remains unclear, which hinders our understanding of the mechanisms regulating nutrient cycling in the plant-soil environment. We examined nutrient element levels in saline-sodic soil and L. chinensis in western Jilin Province. Soil analysis revealed medium to high levels of available N, K, P, Mo, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn. The Mn/Fe and N/P ratios exceeded the national soil average of China, while those of Fe/Cu, Fe/Zn, and P/K were comparatively lower. Furthermore, L. chinensis exhibited deficiencies in the Mn, Zn, and P. Mo/Mn, Mo/Zn, and Fe/Zn ratios, which were significantly higher compared to healthy plants, while Mn/Fe and P/K showed the opposite trend. Soil pH had the most significant effect on element stoichiometry in both the soil and in L. chinensis. Particularly, the soil available Mn, Zn, K, along with L. chinensis Mn, Fe, Cu, and P levels exhibited sensitivity to pH fluctuations. Additionally, we observed significant synergistic or antagonistic effects between the soil available element concentration and stoichiometry ratios. Among these, only Mn, Fe, Fe/Zn, Mo/Zn, N/K, and Mo/Fe in L. chinensis were significantly modeled (P < 0.05). The Mo/Fe homeostasis index was the lowest at 0.97, followed by Fe (1.16), N/K (2.28), Mo/Zn (2.59), Fe/Zn (3.38), and Mn (4.92), while other elements and their stoichiometric ratios remained stable. Overall, L. chinensis, as the dominant species in saline-sodic soil, demonstrated high homeostasis.
{"title":"Ecological Stoichiometry of Multiple Nutrients in Leymus chinensis and Soils Subjected to Long-Term Saline-Sodic Stress in Western Jilin Province, China","authors":"Xingyi Wang, Jingfa Zhong, Yuefen Li","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>L. chinensis</em> is considered an important plant for saline-sodic soil restoration. Ecological stoichiometry of multiple nutrient elements in <em>Leymus chinensis (L. chinensis)</em> and soils subjected to long-term saline-sodic stress remains unclear, which hinders our understanding of the mechanisms regulating nutrient cycling in the plant-soil environment. We examined nutrient element levels in saline-sodic soil and <em>L. chinensis</em> in western Jilin Province. Soil analysis revealed medium to high levels of available N, K, P, Mo, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn. The Mn/Fe and N/P ratios exceeded the national soil average of China, while those of Fe/Cu, Fe/Zn, and P/K were comparatively lower. Furthermore, <em>L. chinensis</em> exhibited deficiencies in the Mn, Zn, and P. Mo/Mn, Mo/Zn, and Fe/Zn ratios, which were significantly higher compared to healthy plants, while Mn/Fe and P/K showed the opposite trend. Soil pH had the most significant effect on element stoichiometry in both the soil and in <em>L. chinensis</em>. Particularly, the soil available Mn, Zn, K, along with <em>L. chinensis</em> Mn, Fe, Cu, and P levels exhibited sensitivity to pH fluctuations. Additionally, we observed significant synergistic or antagonistic effects between the soil available element concentration and stoichiometry ratios. Among these, only Mn, Fe, Fe/Zn, Mo/Zn, N/K, and Mo/Fe in <em>L. chinensis</em> were significantly modeled (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The Mo/Fe homeostasis index was the lowest at 0.97, followed by Fe (1.16), N/K (2.28), Mo/Zn (2.59), Fe/Zn (3.38), and Mn (4.92), while other elements and their stoichiometric ratios remained stable. Overall, <em>L. chinensis</em>, as the dominant species in saline-sodic soil, demonstrated high homeostasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 125-133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142224907","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}
Pub Date : 2024-08-31DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.011
Anabel Dombro, Lisa Raatz, Edward W. Bork
Annual bromegrasses are some of the most widespread and problematic weeds in North America and present a challenge in managing rangeland, with control options needed. The herbicide indaziflam has shown promise in long-term annual brome reduction on western United States rangeland, though how this strategy applies to northern temperate grasslands, including those of western Canada, remains uncertain. We studied the effect of indaziflam rate (0, 37.5, 75, and 150 g ai ha−1) and timing (fall vs. spring) of application on long-term biomass and density of annual brome at two field sites in Canada's northern Mixedgrass Prairie. Reductions in brome were not evident until the second growing season following treatment. During the third growing season, the current recommended rate (75 g ai ha−1) of indaziflam reduced brome biomass and density by at least 90% at both sites. By the fourth season, indaziflam continued to reduce brome biomass by 11% and 66%, and brome density by 76% and 95%, at the two sites, respectively. While reductions in brome biomass and density occurred at rates as low as 37.5 g ai ha−1, this rate was not as reliable as higher rates of 75 and 150 g ai ha−1. The timing of indaziflam application had little impact on long-term brome reduction. We conclude that a single application of indaziflam can reduce annual brome, including corn brome (Bromus squarrosus L.), in northern Mixedgrass Prairie grasslands for up to 4 years, and therefore provides another tool to manage the spread of these species.
{"title":"Indaziflam Provides Long-Term Reduction of Annual Brome Grass (Bromus spp.) in Canada's Mixedgrass Prairie","authors":"Anabel Dombro, Lisa Raatz, Edward W. Bork","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Annual bromegrasses are some of the most widespread and problematic weeds in North America and present a challenge in managing rangeland, with control options needed. The herbicide indaziflam has shown promise in long-term annual brome reduction on western United States rangeland, though how this strategy applies to northern temperate grasslands, including those of western Canada, remains uncertain. We studied the effect of indaziflam rate (0, 37.5, 75, and 150 g ai ha<sup>−1</sup>) and timing (fall vs. spring) of application on long-term biomass and density of annual brome at two field sites in Canada's northern Mixedgrass Prairie. Reductions in brome were not evident until the second growing season following treatment. During the third growing season, the current recommended rate (75 g ai ha<sup>−1</sup>) of indaziflam reduced brome biomass and density by at least 90% at both sites. By the fourth season, indaziflam continued to reduce brome biomass by 11% and 66%, and brome density by 76% and 95%, at the two sites, respectively. While reductions in brome biomass and density occurred at rates as low as 37.5 g ai ha<sup>−1</sup>, this rate was not as reliable as higher rates of 75 and 150 g ai ha<sup>−1</sup>. The timing of indaziflam application had little impact on long-term brome reduction. We conclude that a single application of indaziflam can reduce annual brome, including corn brome (<em>Bromus squarrosus</em> L.), in northern Mixedgrass Prairie grasslands for up to 4 years, and therefore provides another tool to manage the spread of these species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 73-82"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142745772","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}
Pub Date : 2024-08-23DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.012
Xiulin Gao , Dylan W. Schwilk , Robin Verble
Prescribed fires are an important management tool for containing woody plant encroachment in rangeland ecosystems. Grasses are the dominant fuel type in rangelands. Past work has shown that grass canopy architecture, which varies among grass species, can influence flammability. Whether variation in grass fuel structure can influence postfire plant responses has not yet been tested. To bridge this gap, we set up field burning experiments with different fuel treatments and examined postfire mortality of Juniperus virginiana L. in a tallgrass prairie in southwestern Missouri. We sampled 60 trees and measured tree height and diameter at breast height before the fire. Fuels surrounding each tree were manipulated to vary independently in both fuel load and fuel structure. Flame temperatures were measured during the fire, and both stem and canopy injuries were evaluated 1 d after the fire. We surveyed tree mortality 7 mo after the fire. We found no effects of either fuel load or fuel structure on postfire mortality or on canopy injury in J. virginiana. Canopy injury was a critical fire severity measurement determining postfire mortality in J. virginiana, and taller trees are more fire resilient. Despite laboratory-observed fuel structure effects on flammability, this study finds no evidence for the importance of grass fuel load and canopy architecture in influencing postfire tree response. This result might arise from the low crown depth and low canopy water content of J. virginiana, which can promote canopy fire and result in a high mortality rate across fuel treatments. Notwithstanding the negative results, testing laboratory-based findings in field settings is important for further examining laboratory observations and upscaling individual-level processes to ecosystems to help identify the key ecological processes determining population dynamics and community assembly. Our study also suggests that prescribed fire is an effective tool to remove encroaching J. virginiana in tallgrass prairies at an early stage.
预设火种是遏制木本植物侵占牧场生态系统的重要管理工具。草是牧场的主要燃料类型。过去的研究表明，不同草种的草冠结构会影响可燃性。至于草地燃料结构的变化是否会影响植物的火后反应，目前尚未进行过测试。为了弥补这一空白，我们在密苏里州西南部的高草草原上进行了不同燃料处理的野外燃烧实验，并考察了L.的火后死亡率。我们对 60 棵树进行了取样，并在火灾前测量了树高和胸径。我们对每棵树周围的燃料进行了处理，使其在燃料负荷和燃料结构方面各不相同。火灾期间测量了火焰温度，火灾 1 d 后评估了茎干和树冠的损伤情况。火灾发生 7 个月后，我们对树木死亡率进行了调查。我们没有发现燃料负荷或燃料结构对火灾后树木死亡率或树冠损伤有任何影响。树冠损伤是火灾严重程度的一个重要衡量标准，它决定了Ⅳ级飓风的火后死亡率，而高大的树木在火灾中的抗灾能力更强。尽管实验室观察到燃料结构对可燃性有影响，但本研究没有发现任何证据表明草地燃料负荷和树冠结构对火后树木反应的重要影响。造成这一结果的原因可能是Ⅳ级草地的树冠深度低、冠层含水量低，这可能会促进冠层着火并导致各种燃料处理的高死亡率。尽管结果是负面的，但在野外环境中检验基于实验室的研究结果对于进一步研究实验室观察结果和将个体水平的过程放大到生态系统非常重要，有助于确定决定种群动态和群落组合的关键生态过程。我们的研究还表明，处方火是一种有效的工具，可以在早期清除高草草原上的蚕食物种。
{"title":"No Field Evidence of Grass Fuel Structure effects on Postfire Tree Mortality in Juniperus virginiana","authors":"Xiulin Gao , Dylan W. Schwilk , Robin Verble","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prescribed fires are an important management tool for containing woody plant encroachment in rangeland ecosystems. Grasses are the dominant fuel type in rangelands. Past work has shown that grass canopy architecture, which varies among grass species, can influence flammability. Whether variation in grass fuel structure can influence postfire plant responses has not yet been tested. To bridge this gap, we set up field burning experiments with different fuel treatments and examined postfire mortality of <em>Juniperus virginiana</em> L. in a tallgrass prairie in southwestern Missouri. We sampled 60 trees and measured tree height and diameter at breast height before the fire. Fuels surrounding each tree were manipulated to vary independently in both fuel load and fuel structure. Flame temperatures were measured during the fire, and both stem and canopy injuries were evaluated 1 d after the fire. We surveyed tree mortality 7 mo after the fire. We found no effects of either fuel load or fuel structure on postfire mortality or on canopy injury in <em>J. virginiana</em>. Canopy injury was a critical fire severity measurement determining postfire mortality in <em>J. virginiana</em>, and taller trees are more fire resilient. Despite laboratory-observed fuel structure effects on flammability, this study finds no evidence for the importance of grass fuel load and canopy architecture in influencing postfire tree response. This result might arise from the low crown depth and low canopy water content of <em>J. virginiana</em>, which can promote canopy fire and result in a high mortality rate across fuel treatments. Notwithstanding the negative results, testing laboratory-based findings in field settings is important for further examining laboratory observations and upscaling individual-level processes to ecosystems to help identify the key ecological processes determining population dynamics and community assembly. Our study also suggests that prescribed fire is an effective tool to remove encroaching <em>J. virginiana</em> in tallgrass prairies at an early stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 110-117"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142224909","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}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.007
Hannah M. Baker , Hannah E. Shear , Derrell S. Peel , Kellie Curry Raper , Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
Rangeland management decisions require cattle producers to select practices that improve the sustainability of rangelands to maintain cattle production while remaining profitable. The invasion of Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) across the Great Plains due to fire suppression is limiting grazeable land for cattle. Woody plant encroachment (WPE), combined with drought impacts and high input costs, becomes expensive for cattle producers who are forced to supplement, destock, or both. Patch-burn grazing is a practice based on the understanding of the interaction of fire and grazing (pyric herbivory) that divides a pasture into sections, burning one section rotationally each year. It offers improved rangeland productivity by providing high-quality forages, mitigation for drought impacts, and control of WPE. Despite these benefits, the adoption of patch-burn grazing by cattle producers is limited. Our goal involved increasing awareness of the benefits of patch-burn grazing by estimating the costs and long-term economic benefits and comparing them to those of one of the more traditional approaches of burning an entire pasture every 3 yr. In building an economic analysis, our objectives were to calculate utilization costs and quantify the benefits of high-quality forages and drought impact mitigation.
Results indicated that patch-burn grazing will cost approximately $5.94 more per hectare per year than burning the entire pasture every 3 yr. The benefit of cows having continual access to high-quality forages in recently burned areas results in savings of $20 per head per year in winter supplementation costs. Additionally, utilizing patch-burn grazing before a drought, not burning during a drought, and resuming after the drought reduce supplementation and burn costs by 4.5% and increase future value of savings by $100.21 per cow compared with those caused by traditional management practices after 6 yr. An economic analysis of patch-burn grazing provides beneficial economic information to aid cow–calf producers in the decision-making process of rangeland management.
{"title":"Patch-Burn Grazing: An Economic Analysis of Pyric Herbivory Rangeland Management by Cow–Calf Producers","authors":"Hannah M. Baker , Hannah E. Shear , Derrell S. Peel , Kellie Curry Raper , Samuel D. Fuhlendorf","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rangeland management decisions require cattle producers to select practices that improve the sustainability of rangelands to maintain cattle production while remaining profitable. The invasion of Eastern red cedar (<em>Juniperus virginiana)</em> across the Great Plains due to fire suppression is limiting grazeable land for cattle. Woody plant encroachment (WPE), combined with drought impacts and high input costs, becomes expensive for cattle producers who are forced to supplement, destock, or both. Patch-burn grazing is a practice based on the understanding of the interaction of fire and grazing (pyric herbivory) that divides a pasture into sections, burning one section rotationally each year. It offers improved rangeland productivity by providing high-quality forages, mitigation for drought impacts, and control of WPE. Despite these benefits, the adoption of patch-burn grazing by cattle producers is limited. Our goal involved increasing awareness of the benefits of patch-burn grazing by estimating the costs and long-term economic benefits and comparing them to those of one of the more traditional approaches of burning an entire pasture every 3 yr. In building an economic analysis, our objectives were to calculate utilization costs and quantify the benefits of high-quality forages and drought impact mitigation.</div><div>Results indicated that patch-burn grazing will cost approximately $5.94 more per hectare per year than burning the entire pasture every 3 yr. The benefit of cows having continual access to high-quality forages in recently burned areas results in savings of $20 per head per year in winter supplementation costs. Additionally, utilizing patch-burn grazing before a drought, not burning during a drought, and resuming after the drought reduce supplementation and burn costs by 4.5% and increase future value of savings by $100.21 per cow compared with those caused by traditional management practices after 6 yr. An economic analysis of patch-burn grazing provides beneficial economic information to aid cow–calf producers in the decision-making process of rangeland management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 41-48"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142746900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.006
Vanessa M. Schroeder , Dustin D. Johnson , Kirk W. Davies , Chad S. Boyd , Rory C. O'Connor
Livestock grazing is the primary land use across sagebrush ecosystems in the western US and its effects have been subject to extensive research and debate. Historical overgrazing, annual grass invasion and associated increase in fire frequency, conifer encroachment, climate change, and human modification have resulted in the loss or degradation of 86% of sagebrush ecosystems, leading to intensified interest in how remaining intact rangelands are managed. Unlike historical, continuous grazing, contemporary practices generally incorporate planned periods of rest and recovery from grazing during the growing season. Dormant season grazing is one such practice that shows promise for improving degraded rangelands and reducing wildfire risk. However, no studies have compared moderate intensity dormant season grazing to contemporary spring-summer grazing and grazing exclusion in sagebrush rangelands dominated by perennial bunchgrasses. We evaluated the effects of contemporary spring-summer grazing, dormant season grazing, and grazing exclusion on plant community characteristics in a Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystem. We expected the effects of dormant season grazing to be comparable to grazing exclusion. Deep-rooted perennial bunchgrass cover and density and shallow-rooted perennial bunchgrass cover in grazed areas did not differ from grazing exclusion (control) sites, and we found no support that grazing altered the deep-rooted perennial bunchgrass community through time. Dormant season grazing reduced native annual forb and sagebrush cover, but increased density of the shallow-rooted perennial bunchgrass. Our results suggest contemporary spring-summer or dormant season grazing are unlikely to lead to a decline in desirable perennial bunchgrasses.
{"title":"Effects of Dormant Season and Contemporary Spring-Summer Grazing on Plant Community Composition in the Sagebrush Ecosystem","authors":"Vanessa M. Schroeder , Dustin D. Johnson , Kirk W. Davies , Chad S. Boyd , Rory C. O'Connor","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Livestock grazing is the primary land use across sagebrush ecosystems in the western US and its effects have been subject to extensive research and debate. Historical overgrazing, annual grass invasion and associated increase in fire frequency, conifer encroachment, climate change, and human modification have resulted in the loss or degradation of 86% of sagebrush ecosystems, leading to intensified interest in how remaining intact rangelands are managed. Unlike historical, continuous grazing, contemporary practices generally incorporate planned periods of rest and recovery from grazing during the growing season. Dormant season grazing is one such practice that shows promise for improving degraded rangelands and reducing wildfire risk. However, no studies have compared moderate intensity dormant season grazing to contemporary spring-summer grazing and grazing exclusion in sagebrush rangelands dominated by perennial bunchgrasses. We evaluated the effects of contemporary spring-summer grazing, dormant season grazing, and grazing exclusion on plant community characteristics in a Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystem. We expected the effects of dormant season grazing to be comparable to grazing exclusion. Deep-rooted perennial bunchgrass cover and density and shallow-rooted perennial bunchgrass cover in grazed areas did not differ from grazing exclusion (control) sites, and we found no support that grazing altered the deep-rooted perennial bunchgrass community through time. Dormant season grazing reduced native annual forb and sagebrush cover, but increased density of the shallow-rooted perennial bunchgrass. Our results suggest contemporary spring-summer or dormant season grazing are unlikely to lead to a decline in desirable perennial bunchgrasses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 214-222"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142746894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.005
Brian N. Muchema , Judith S. Mbau , Nzioka J. Muthama
Pastoral resource scarcity resulting from climate shocks, particularly drought, impoverishes and adversely affects pastoralists in arid and semiarid lands. Understanding how pastoralists apply established and contemporary risk management approaches is critical for policy and planning on social protection for vulnerable communities. Hence, this study sought to describe existing informal risk-sharing approaches and explore index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) as a formal risk-sharing approach employed by pastoralists to cope with pastoral resource scarcity. Based on the socioecological and disaster approaches to resilience theory, this research employed a qualitative descriptive design. Using semistructured in-person interviews, data were collected from a sample of 69 household respondents, a focus group discussion, and 4 key informants. This study found that although social networks enhance resource sharing, adverse climate stressors were strangling the traditional resource-sharing structures of pastoralism. As a result, this study noted a potential shift from collective risk sharing to household-based or self-insurance among pastoralists. IBLI uptake was recorded as low at 17% due to low awareness levels, a slowed premium sale supply, and a plausible product trust deficit. This study affirms that formal insurance can leverage informal insurance social networks to assist households in coping better with climate shocks, thus enhancing livelihood resilience. The study recommends establishing a framework that integrates both the traditional and modern approaches to risk sharing. Additionally, a focus on designing formal risk-sharing products that cater to household and collective shock recovery may be promising.
{"title":"Appraising Formal and Informal Insurance Approaches Within Pastoralist Social Networks in Northern Kenya","authors":"Brian N. Muchema , Judith S. Mbau , Nzioka J. Muthama","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.07.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pastoral resource scarcity resulting from climate shocks, particularly drought, impoverishes and adversely affects pastoralists in arid and semiarid lands. Understanding how pastoralists apply established and contemporary risk management approaches is critical for policy and planning on social protection for vulnerable communities. Hence, this study sought to describe existing informal risk-sharing approaches and explore index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) as a formal risk-sharing approach employed by pastoralists to cope with pastoral resource scarcity. Based on the socioecological and disaster approaches to resilience theory, this research employed a qualitative descriptive design. Using semistructured in-person interviews, data were collected from a sample of 69 household respondents, a focus group discussion, and 4 key informants. This study found that although social networks enhance resource sharing, adverse climate stressors were strangling the traditional resource-sharing structures of pastoralism. As a result, this study noted a potential shift from collective risk sharing to household-based or self-insurance among pastoralists. IBLI uptake was recorded as low at 17% due to low awareness levels, a slowed premium sale supply, and a plausible product trust deficit. This study affirms that formal insurance can leverage informal insurance social networks to assist households in coping better with climate shocks, thus enhancing livelihood resilience. The study recommends establishing a framework that integrates both the traditional and modern approaches to risk sharing. Additionally, a focus on designing formal risk-sharing products that cater to household and collective shock recovery may be promising.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 160-169"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142745711","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}
Pub Date : 2024-08-21DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2024.06.017
Catherine V. Lechnar , George K. Gyan , Robert Puckett , Robert D. Cox , Blake A. Grisham , Nathan S. Gill
Prescribed fire in coastal prairies maintains habitat diversity, improves nutrient cycling, and reduces impacts of invasive species. However, some invasive species thrive after disturbance, necessitating more nuanced management strategies. Managers in the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge use combinations of prescribed fire and herbicide to control the spread of Macartney rose (Rosa bracteata). However, literature suggests that the efficacy of such a strategy has been inconsistent, perhaps owing to differences in the seasonal timing and frequency of herbicide and burning treatments. We compared the timing of herbicide applications in relation to prescribed fire and their effects on Macartney rose by monitoring 160 × 100 m2 belt transects distributed among four categories of treatment strategy: prefire herbicide, postfire herbicide, both, or no herbicide (fire only). Prefire herbicide applications were conducted followed by prescribed fires in December 2021–January 2022, and postfire herbicide was applied in April–May 2022. We conducted plant surveys and measured Macartney rose density and cover in between and after each treatment. After all treatments, we collected arthropods by sweep netting and identified them to the order level. We also baited and collected ants and later identified and counted red imported fire ants under a microscope. We found that Macartney rose density declined by ∼40% and cover exhibited a five-fold decrease in transects that received herbicide both before and after fire, whereas plant and arthropod diversity were unchanged regardless of herbicide treatment. Prescribed fire and herbicide application are essential tools for modern coastal prairie management, but nuances regarding the different ways these tools might be combined should be considered to optimize invasive species control while limiting undesirable effects. In the case presented in this study, Macartney rose was most significantly reduced, and plant and arthropod diversity were maintained using strategies that combined fire and herbicide differently than most common practice.
{"title":"Postfire Herbicide Application Reduces Macartney Rose in Attwater's Prairie-Chicken Habitat","authors":"Catherine V. Lechnar , George K. Gyan , Robert Puckett , Robert D. Cox , Blake A. Grisham , Nathan S. Gill","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.06.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2024.06.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prescribed fire in coastal prairies maintains habitat diversity, improves nutrient cycling, and reduces impacts of invasive species. However, some invasive species thrive after disturbance, necessitating more nuanced management strategies. Managers in the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge use combinations of prescribed fire and herbicide to control the spread of Macartney rose (<em>Rosa bracteata</em>). However, literature suggests that the efficacy of such a strategy has been inconsistent, perhaps owing to differences in the seasonal timing and frequency of herbicide and burning treatments. We compared the timing of herbicide applications in relation to prescribed fire and their effects on Macartney rose by monitoring 160 × 100 m<sup>2</sup> belt transects distributed among four categories of treatment strategy: prefire herbicide, postfire herbicide, both, or no herbicide (fire only). Prefire herbicide applications were conducted followed by prescribed fires in December 2021–January 2022, and postfire herbicide was applied in April–May 2022. We conducted plant surveys and measured Macartney rose density and cover in between and after each treatment. After all treatments, we collected arthropods by sweep netting and identified them to the order level. We also baited and collected ants and later identified and counted red imported fire ants under a microscope. We found that Macartney rose density declined by ∼40% and cover exhibited a five-fold decrease in transects that received herbicide both before and after fire, whereas plant and arthropod diversity were unchanged regardless of herbicide treatment. Prescribed fire and herbicide application are essential tools for modern coastal prairie management, but nuances regarding the different ways these tools might be combined should be considered to optimize invasive species control while limiting undesirable effects. In the case presented in this study, Macartney rose was most significantly reduced, and plant and arthropod diversity were maintained using strategies that combined fire and herbicide differently than most common practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"98 ","pages":"Pages 237-245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142746829","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}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号