Pub Date : 2025-10-08DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.002
Zeng Tang , Lu Peng , Shijun Jiang , Funing Li , Menglin Zhao , Ying Liu , Yubing Fan
Weather index-based livestock insurance offers a promising risk management tool for pastoral systems, yet demand remains low due to affordability issues. Understanding pastoralists’ willingness to pay (WTP) for this innovative insurance product provides valuable insights for policymakers and insurers. This study investigates the WTP for a hypothetical snow disaster yak index insurance in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) using a double-bounded contingent valuation method with data from 480 households. The results indicate a significant proportion of participants (88.9%) demonstrate a desire to acquire this yak index insurance, with an approximate average WTP of 54.125 CNY per yak. The estimated WTP surpasses the premium of the current indemnity-based yak insurance (15 CNY/yak) but falls short of the actuarially fair premium for this hypothesized yak index insurance (117 CNY/yak). Herd size and income structure serve as key WTP determinants, with larger commercial operations demonstrating higher WTP levels. These findings suggest that yak index insurance is unlikely to achieve commercial viability without additional support in the QTP. It is important to view it as a supplementary rather than a replacement answer to current insurance choices. Furthermore, directing incentives toward pastoralists who are focused on commercial activities can increase the rate of adoption.
{"title":"Willingness to Pay for Weather Index-Based Livestock Insurance in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China","authors":"Zeng Tang , Lu Peng , Shijun Jiang , Funing Li , Menglin Zhao , Ying Liu , Yubing Fan","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Weather index-based livestock insurance offers a promising risk management tool for pastoral systems, yet demand remains low due to affordability issues. Understanding pastoralists’ willingness to pay (WTP) for this innovative insurance product provides valuable insights for policymakers and insurers. This study investigates the WTP for a hypothetical snow disaster yak index insurance in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) using a double-bounded contingent valuation method with data from 480 households. The results indicate a significant proportion of participants (88.9%) demonstrate a desire to acquire this yak index insurance, with an approximate average WTP of 54.125 CNY per yak. The estimated WTP surpasses the premium of the current indemnity-based yak insurance (15 CNY/yak) but falls short of the actuarially fair premium for this hypothesized yak index insurance (117 CNY/yak). Herd size and income structure serve as key WTP determinants, with larger commercial operations demonstrating higher WTP levels. These findings suggest that yak index insurance is unlikely to achieve commercial viability without additional support in the QTP. It is important to view it as a supplementary rather than a replacement answer to current insurance choices. Furthermore, directing incentives toward pastoralists who are focused on commercial activities can increase the rate of adoption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 281-287"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265990","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 : 2025-09-29DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.014
Caroline Wade , Mark Trotter , Caitriana Steele , Lara Prihodko , Derek W. Bailey
Abiotic and biotic factors influence sheep and goat landscape distribution. Resource selection functions allow us to determine which factors influence distribution the most. This study tested distance to water, distance to trees, tree count, wind direction, and vegetation metrics as resources influencing the distribution of sheep and goats on extensive pastures in Queensland, Australia. Vegetation metrics were computed from remotely sensed data, and are measured as green vegetation, nongreen vegetation, bare ground, and total standing dry matter. We found the location of water, trees, and the prevailing wind direction were the most influential factors affecting sheep and goat distribution. Both sheep and goats selected for areas close to water, trees, and in the direction of the prevailing wind. At one site, goats showed a preference for green vegetation mainly in treed areas, while sheep showed a preference for nongreen vegetation which in the drought conditions of this study were found in less treed areas and can be interpreted as a selection for herbaceous material. At the other sites, the influence of water, trees, and wind was too strong to see a direct influence of vegetation on resource selection. Further research in nondrought conditions would help to better explain vegetation influence on sheep and goat landscape utilization.
{"title":"Resource Selection by Sheep and Goats in Queensland Australia","authors":"Caroline Wade , Mark Trotter , Caitriana Steele , Lara Prihodko , Derek W. Bailey","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abiotic and biotic factors influence sheep and goat landscape distribution. Resource selection functions allow us to determine which factors influence distribution the most. This study tested distance to water, distance to trees, tree count, wind direction, and vegetation metrics as resources influencing the distribution of sheep and goats on extensive pastures in Queensland, Australia. Vegetation metrics were computed from remotely sensed data, and are measured as green vegetation, nongreen vegetation, bare ground, and total standing dry matter. We found the location of water, trees, and the prevailing wind direction were the most influential factors affecting sheep and goat distribution. Both sheep and goats selected for areas close to water, trees, and in the direction of the prevailing wind. At one site, goats showed a preference for green vegetation mainly in treed areas, while sheep showed a preference for nongreen vegetation which in the drought conditions of this study were found in less treed areas and can be interpreted as a selection for herbaceous material. At the other sites, the influence of water, trees, and wind was too strong to see a direct influence of vegetation on resource selection. Further research in nondrought conditions would help to better explain vegetation influence on sheep and goat landscape utilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 270-280"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145220196","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 : 2025-09-25DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.011
Nawaraj Shrestha , Aaron R. Mittelstet , Yi Qi , Daniel R. Uden
Woody plant encroachment is one of the primary threats to the grasslands of the North American Great Plains. Woody plant encroachment not only reduces biodiversity but also alters ecosystem services, such as groundwater recharge and livestock forage production, which are vital to the socio-economy of the region. In this study, we used machine learning, Markov chains, and cellular automata modeling to map the current and future cover of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana). Eastern redcedar, a native species to the United States, is a dominant woody evergreen species in landscapes of the Central Great Plains. We used a multilayer perceptron to classify Landsat image archives (2000, 2010, and 2020) with training samples generated from the classification of high-resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program images. A sampling-based approach was used to estimate the encroachment rate between 2000 and 2020. We used transition probabilities between 2000 and 2010 to represent four different encroachment scenarios and predicted redcedar encroachment using transition potentials for the years 2020, 2050, and 2100. Results from image classification indicated that redcedar increased annually by 0.34–3.31% in 2000–2010, 3.88–4.15% in 2010–2020, and 2.10–3.73% in 2000–2020. The most encroachment occurred in counties with high proportions of loess canyons and hills. Redcedar’s distribution, predicted using Markov chains and cellular automata modeling, increased by > two-fold (3 999 km2) in 2050 and four-fold (7 226 km2) in 2100 compared with an area of 2 006 km2 in 2020. Our results demonstrate that despite differences in transition probabilities and accompanying rates of spread, redcedar is likely to continue spreading at the expense of grassland ecosystems. Redcedar encroachment scenarios with various encroachment patterns can be used to guide proactive conservation, inform decision-making, and provide inputs for biophysical models to simulate the effects of encroachment on various ecosystem services in the absence of large-scale management success.
{"title":"Current and Future Redcedar Encroachment: Potential Implications for Central Nebraska Landscapes","authors":"Nawaraj Shrestha , Aaron R. Mittelstet , Yi Qi , Daniel R. Uden","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Woody plant encroachment is one of the primary threats to the grasslands of the North American Great Plains. Woody plant encroachment not only reduces biodiversity but also alters ecosystem services, such as groundwater recharge and livestock forage production, which are vital to the socio-economy of the region. In this study, we used machine learning, Markov chains, and cellular automata modeling to map the current and future cover of eastern redcedar (<em>Juniperus virginiana</em>). Eastern redcedar, a native species to the United States, is a dominant woody evergreen species in landscapes of the Central Great Plains. We used a multilayer perceptron to classify Landsat image archives (2000, 2010, and 2020) with training samples generated from the classification of high-resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program images. A sampling-based approach was used to estimate the encroachment rate between 2000 and 2020. We used transition probabilities between 2000 and 2010 to represent four different encroachment scenarios and predicted redcedar encroachment using transition potentials for the years 2020, 2050, and 2100. Results from image classification indicated that redcedar increased annually by 0.34–3.31% in 2000–2010, 3.88–4.15% in 2010–2020, and 2.10–3.73% in 2000–2020. The most encroachment occurred in counties with high proportions of loess canyons and hills. Redcedar’s distribution, predicted using Markov chains and cellular automata modeling, increased by > two-fold (3 999 km<sup>2</sup>) in 2050 and four-fold (7 226 km<sup>2</sup>) in 2100 compared with an area of 2 006 km<sup>2</sup> in 2020. Our results demonstrate that despite differences in transition probabilities and accompanying rates of spread, redcedar is likely to continue spreading at the expense of grassland ecosystems. Redcedar encroachment scenarios with various encroachment patterns can be used to guide proactive conservation, inform decision-making, and provide inputs for biophysical models to simulate the effects of encroachment on various ecosystem services in the absence of large-scale management success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 258-269"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157536","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 : 2025-09-24DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.010
Inés Mesa Gandolfo , Justin D. Derner , R. Mark Enns , Larry A. Kuehn , Melissa K. Johnston , Sean P. Kearney , Sara E. Place , Edward J. Raynor , John P. Ritten , Anna M. Shadbolt , Kimberly R. Stackhouse-Lawson , Juan de J. Vargas , Pedro H.V. Carvalho
This study assessed the changes in growth performance and enteric gas flux of stocker steers across the postweaning phase and stocker phase of the production system in the western Great Plains. The objectives were to (1) evaluate growth performance and gas flux of steers originating from different production environments (e.g., diet and management) in the two phases of backgrounding, and (2) compare automated head-chamber system (AHCS)-measured enteric methane (CH4, g CH4 d−1) emissions to predictions using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 methodology. In the winter postweaning phase, one group was stocked on shortgrass rangeland, and two groups were managed in drylot before all three groups were collectively stocked on summer rangeland. Steers winter-stocked on Colorado rangeland (hereafter, Colorado-grazing steers) doubled their average daily gain (ADG, kg steer−1 day−1) during the summer stocker phase on extensive rangeland. Conversely, steers that spent the winter postweaning phase in drylot in Nebraska (hereafter, Nebraska-drylot steers) or Colorado (hereafter, Colorado-drylot steers) had the same or reduced ADG in the stocker phase compared with the postweaning phase. Colorado-grazing steers produced 58% more CH4 in the stocker phase than in the postweaning phase, whereas Nebraska-drylot steers emitted 11% lower CH4 in the stocker phase than in the postweaning phase. Methane production was similar between phases for Colorado-drylot steers. Concomitantly, CH4 intensity (g CH4 kg−1 ADG−1) decreased for Colorado-grazing and Nebraska-drylot steers, whereas no difference was detected for Colorado-drylot steers between phases. A comparison of measured enteric CH4 emissions to IPCC predictions for the same animal class and diet in each production phase revealed that predictions for five of six animal-phase combinations diverged from AHCS-measured CH4 production. This longitudinal experiment suggests that accounting for the variation in gas flux across each phase in growing steers may inform assessments of the sustainability of beef cattle related to greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.
本研究评估了大平原西部生产系统断奶后阶段和饲养阶段饲牛生长性能和肠道气体通量的变化。目标是(1)在两个背景阶段评估来自不同生产环境（例如，饮食和管理）的阉牛的生长性能和气体通量，以及(2)将自动头室系统（AHCS）测量的肠道甲烷（CH4, g CH4 d- 1）排放量与使用政府间气候变化专门委员会（IPCC）第2层方法的预测进行比较。冬季断奶后，1组放养在短草草地上，2组放养在旱地上，3组放养在夏季草地上。冬季放养在科罗拉多牧场的阉牛（以下简称科罗拉多放牧阉牛）在夏季放养阶段的平均日增重（日增重，kg阉牛−1天−1）翻了一番。相反，在内布拉斯加州（下称内布拉斯加州-旱地）或科罗拉多州（下称科罗拉多州-旱地）的旱地度过冬季断奶后阶段的阉牛，在库存阶段的平均日增重与断奶后阶段相同或更低。科罗拉多放牧阉牛在放牧期产生的CH4比断奶后多58%，而内布拉斯加旱地阉牛在放牧期产生的CH4比断奶后低11%。科罗拉多旱地舵手在不同阶段的甲烷产量相似。与此同时，colorado -放牧和nebraska -旱地的CH4强度（g CH4 kg - 1 ADG - 1）下降，而colorado -旱地的CH4强度在不同阶段之间没有差异。将测量到的肠道甲烷排放量与IPCC对同一动物类别和饮食在每个生产阶段的预测进行比较，发现对六种动物阶段组合中的五种的预测与ahcs测量的甲烷排放量存在差异。这一纵向实验表明，考虑肉牛生长各阶段气体通量的变化，可以为与温室气体减排战略相关的肉牛可持续性评估提供信息。
{"title":"Steer Growth Performance and Enteric Gas Flux Across Backgrounding Phases in the Western Great Plains","authors":"Inés Mesa Gandolfo , Justin D. Derner , R. Mark Enns , Larry A. Kuehn , Melissa K. Johnston , Sean P. Kearney , Sara E. Place , Edward J. Raynor , John P. Ritten , Anna M. Shadbolt , Kimberly R. Stackhouse-Lawson , Juan de J. Vargas , Pedro H.V. Carvalho","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assessed the changes in growth performance and enteric gas flux of stocker steers across the postweaning phase and stocker phase of the production system in the western Great Plains. The objectives were to (1) evaluate growth performance and gas flux of steers originating from different production environments (e.g., diet and management) in the two phases of backgrounding, and (2) compare automated head-chamber system (AHCS)-measured enteric methane (CH<sub>4,</sub> g CH<sub>4</sub> d<sup>−1</sup>) emissions to predictions using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 methodology. In the winter postweaning phase, one group was stocked on shortgrass rangeland, and two groups were managed in drylot before all three groups were collectively stocked on summer rangeland. Steers winter-stocked on Colorado rangeland (hereafter, Colorado-grazing steers) doubled their average daily gain (ADG, kg steer<sup>−1</sup> day<sup>−1</sup>) during the summer stocker phase on extensive rangeland. Conversely, steers that spent the winter postweaning phase in drylot in Nebraska (hereafter, Nebraska-drylot steers) or Colorado (hereafter, Colorado-drylot steers) had the same or reduced ADG in the stocker phase compared with the postweaning phase. Colorado-grazing steers produced 58% more CH<sub>4</sub> in the stocker phase than in the postweaning phase, whereas Nebraska-drylot steers emitted 11% lower CH<sub>4</sub> in the stocker phase than in the postweaning phase. Methane production was similar between phases for Colorado-drylot steers. Concomitantly, CH<sub>4</sub> intensity (g CH<sub>4</sub> kg<sup>−1</sup> ADG<sup>−1</sup>) decreased for Colorado-grazing and Nebraska-drylot steers, whereas no difference was detected for Colorado-drylot steers between phases. A comparison of measured enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions to IPCC predictions for the same animal class and diet in each production phase revealed that predictions for five of six animal-phase combinations diverged from AHCS-measured CH<sub>4</sub> production. This longitudinal experiment suggests that accounting for the variation in gas flux across each phase in growing steers may inform assessments of the sustainability of beef cattle related to greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 247-257"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145117772","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 : 2025-09-24DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.013
Frank Juma Ong’ondo , Qingmin Meng , Domnic Kiprono Chesire , Peter Njoroge , Tariq Aqil , Hafez Ahmad , Serge Leugoue Kameni , Philista Adhiambo Malaki
Citizen science has become increasingly essential for assessing species population trends and guiding conservation strategies. However, integrating citizen science input and datasets with spatial analysis remains underutilized, despite its critical potential to enhance ecological understanding and inform targeted conservation efforts. This study utilized bird data from the Kenya Bird Map initiative (January 2019–December 2023), combining with satellite imagery processed through Google Earth Engine (GEE) over the same period, to investigate the environmental factors that influenced species richness in Nairobi National Park and its surrounding buffer zone. Our methodology incorporated multiple satellite-derived datasets, selecting key environmental variables based on their ecological relevance, spatial resolution, and temporal consistency. We focused on vegetation productivity and climatic factors as critical determinants of species richness, using NDVI and EVI to assess vegetation cover and evaluating the roles of precipitation, soil moisture, and temperature in shaping species distribution and habitat quality. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was applied to analyze the relationship between species richness and these environmental covariates. NDVI exhibited a significant positive association with species richness (0.280 ± 0.052, P < 0.001), indicating that higher vegetation productivity supports greater bird diversity. Precipitation also had a positive effect (0.165 ± 0.056, P = 0.003), whereas soil moisture negatively influenced species richness (−0.159 ± 0.052, P = 0.002), suggesting that excessively wet conditions may reduce habitat suitability. Temperature did not exhibit a significant relationship (0.016 ± 0.043, P = 0.717). Nonlinear trends were observed, with intermediate levels of NDVI and soil moisture maximizing species richness. Interaction effects revealed that vegetation, precipitation, and soil moisture collectively influenced richness, highlighting the complexity of species-habitat associations. These findings emphasize the importance of sustainable land-use practices that align with conservation priorities to safeguard biodiversity in rapidly changing environments.
{"title":"Towards integrated frameworks for assessing bird species richness using citizen science and geospatial data","authors":"Frank Juma Ong’ondo , Qingmin Meng , Domnic Kiprono Chesire , Peter Njoroge , Tariq Aqil , Hafez Ahmad , Serge Leugoue Kameni , Philista Adhiambo Malaki","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citizen science has become increasingly essential for assessing species population trends and guiding conservation strategies. However, integrating citizen science input and datasets with spatial analysis remains underutilized, despite its critical potential to enhance ecological understanding and inform targeted conservation efforts. This study utilized bird data from the Kenya Bird Map initiative (January 2019–December 2023), combining with satellite imagery processed through Google Earth Engine (GEE) over the same period, to investigate the environmental factors that influenced species richness in Nairobi National Park and its surrounding buffer zone. Our methodology incorporated multiple satellite-derived datasets, selecting key environmental variables based on their ecological relevance, spatial resolution, and temporal consistency. We focused on vegetation productivity and climatic factors as critical determinants of species richness, using NDVI and EVI to assess vegetation cover and evaluating the roles of precipitation, soil moisture, and temperature in shaping species distribution and habitat quality. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was applied to analyze the relationship between species richness and these environmental covariates. NDVI exhibited a significant positive association with species richness (0.280 ± 0.052, <em>P</em> < 0.001), indicating that higher vegetation productivity supports greater bird diversity. Precipitation also had a positive effect (0.165 ± 0.056, <em>P</em> = 0.003), whereas soil moisture negatively influenced species richness (−0.159 ± 0.052, <em>P</em> = 0.002), suggesting that excessively wet conditions may reduce habitat suitability. Temperature did not exhibit a significant relationship (0.016 ± 0.043, <em>P</em> = 0.717). Nonlinear trends were observed, with intermediate levels of NDVI and soil moisture maximizing species richness. Interaction effects revealed that vegetation, precipitation, and soil moisture collectively influenced richness, highlighting the complexity of species-habitat associations. These findings emphasize the importance of sustainable land-use practices that align with conservation priorities to safeguard biodiversity in rapidly changing environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 218-229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145118023","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 : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.015
Ysai Paucar , Flor L. Mejía , Enrique R. Flores , Paul H. Mayhua , Deysi Ruiz-Llontop , José A. Saucedo-Uriarte , William Bardales , Leandro Valqui , Lucrecia Aguirre
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 Festuca dolichophylla under similar conditions, a key grass species in Peruvian rangelands. F. dolichophylla 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 (P < 0.05) in blades and culms + sheaths, whereas inflorescence biomass did not differ among populations (P > 0.05). In terms of biomass partitioning, no significant differences were observed for inflorescences (P > 0.05); however, the populations of Pasco and Puno were different (P < 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 (R2 ≥ 0.88) for estimating biomass utilization compared with linear regression (R2 ≤ 0.77), with F. dolichophylla 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 F. dolichophylla.
{"title":"Aboveground Biomass Partitioning and Utilization in Festuca dolichophylla: Implications for Rangeland Management","authors":"Ysai Paucar , Flor L. Mejía , Enrique R. Flores , Paul H. Mayhua , Deysi Ruiz-Llontop , José A. Saucedo-Uriarte , William Bardales , Leandro Valqui , 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> < 0.05) in blades and culms + sheaths, whereas inflorescence biomass did not differ among populations (<em>P</em> > 0.05). In terms of biomass partitioning, no significant differences were observed for inflorescences (<em>P</em> > 0.05); however, the populations of Pasco and Puno were different (<em>P</em> < 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><sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.88) for estimating biomass utilization compared with linear regression (<em>R</em><sup>2</sup> ≤ 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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.001
Courtney E. Buchanan , Stephanie J. Galla , Jared Studyvin , Jonathan D. Lautenbach , John Derek Scasta , Gregory D. Randolph , Jennifer S. Forbey , Jeffrey L. Beck
Increasing populations of free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) 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 trnL) 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.
{"title":"Free-Roaming Horse Diet and Body Condition Differences Across Seasons and Ecologically Diverse Herd Management Areas","authors":"Courtney E. Buchanan , Stephanie J. Galla , Jared Studyvin , Jonathan D. Lautenbach , John Derek Scasta , Gregory D. Randolph , Jennifer S. Forbey , 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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-20DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.015
Jenna LeBlanc, S. Eryn McFarlane
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 (Festuca hallii [Vasey] Piper and Festuca campestris 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. F. campestris exhibited low overall germination (13%), which was not meaningfully influenced by any of our storage treatment combinations. F. hallii, 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.
{"title":"Seed Storage Conditions Shape Germination Outcomes: Differing Responses in Two Closely Related Grass Species","authors":"Jenna LeBlanc, 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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.012
Ranae M. Sullivan , Beth A. Newingham
Nonnative grasses such as red brome (Bromus rubens) 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 B. rubens 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 Ambrosia dumosa mortality was greater in imazapic treated plots. Although imazapic initially reduced B. rubens 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.
{"title":"Herbicide Application in Mojave Desert Shrublands: Invasive Grass Reduction, Native Forb Resilience, and Shrub Mortality","authors":"Ranae M. Sullivan , 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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.009
Justin D. Derner , David J. Augustine , J. Gonzalo Irisarri , John P. Ritten , Edward J. Raynor
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 (Bos taurus) 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.
{"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 , David J. Augustine , J. Gonzalo Irisarri , John P. Ritten , 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<sup>−1</sup> 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}
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