African Journal of Range & Forage Science最新文献

{"title":"An Ecological Guide to the Bush","authors":"Ian McDonald","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2023.2183256","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2023.2183256","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90795349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of plant spacing and cutting intensity on the morphology andproductivity of forage cactus [Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw.]","authors":"Claudia Maciel Ferreira, Márcio Vieira Cunha, M. V. F. dos Santos, A. C. L. de Mello, D. C. dos Santos, Maria da Conceição Silva, J. J. Coêlho","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2023.2183524","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2023.2183524","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88996978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutritional properties and in vitro gas production in cactus pear (Opuntia stricta) and cassava (Manihot esculenta) shoot silages","authors":"C. L. D. Araújo, Marcelo de Siqueira Pinto, G. F. Oliveira, Jessica Julielle da Silva Rodrigues, Diego de Sousa Cunha, Claudenilde de Jesus Pinheiro Costa, Daniel Anderson de Souza Melo, A. Magalhães, G. D. de Araújo, F. Campos, G. C. Gois","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2023.2175036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2023.2175036","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76166236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) pastures associated with white clover (Trifolium repens) in small-scale dairy systems in the highlands of central Mexico","authors":"D. A. Plata-Reyes, C. G. Martínez-García, O. Hernández-Mendo, C. Arriaga-Jordán","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2022.2144946","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2022.2144946","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80265479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A balanced perspective on the contribution of extensive ruminant production to greenhouse gas emissions in southern Africa","authors":"M. Scholtz, F. Jordaan, N. Thuli Chabalala, G. Pyoos, M. Joel Mamabolo, Frederick WC Neser","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2022.2155247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2022.2155247","url":null,"abstract":"There is a general perception that ruminants produce large quantities of greenhouse gases (GHG) which contribute to global warming. Ruminant production is also known as the world’s largest user of land, and southern Africa is no exception. Recent estimates indicate that livestock are responsible for approximately 4% of the world’s GHG emissions through methane production, compared with an initial estimate of 18% by the FAO. Estimates indicate that the total GHG emissions directly related to livestock production in southern Africa did not increase over a period of 20 years, whereas the intensity of livestock–production-related GHG emissions (per kg animal product) was reduced by 40%. This may be the result of increased livestock productivity and breed selection. For instance, increases in the productivity of four indigenous beef cattle breeds decreased the calculated carbon footprint by 7–12%. Recent studies indicated that the methane intensity between beef breeds in South Africa can differ by 44%, and that crossbreeding can have small to moderate effects on the carbon footprint of weaner calf production. Interventions such as the use of indigenous and adapted genotypes, alternative breeding objectives, alternative production systems as well as sustainable management will be key to environmentally friendly livestock production.","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82039671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expansion of the Grassland Biome in the eastern Karoo corresponds with changes in rainfall and livestock numbers","authors":"G. Arena, M. Hoffman, H. van der Merwe, T. O’Connor","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2023.2175035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2023.2175035","url":null,"abstract":"The persistent spread of shrublands is a global phenomenon observed across semiarid grassland-shrubland boundaries. Observations in South Africa, however, have detected a contrasting trend of increasing grass cover across the transition between the Nama-Karoo and Grassland Biomes over the last few decades. A west-to-east gradient of increasing mean annual rainfall, and underlying geology, controls the natural transition of Karoo dwarf shrublands to semiarid grasslands. The availability of historical vegetation surveys and landscape photographs, weather, and livestock census records, made it possible to assess the nature, extent, and drivers of vegetation change across this biome transition. Rainfall has been generally higher over the last four decades compared to the years prior to the original surveys. This, together with a reduction in livestock numbers, is the main driver of the westward expansion by ∼100 km of perennial grasses, and a general increase in dwarf shrub and total vegetation cover. Rangeland condition, as indexed by estimates of grazing capacity, has improved significantly. Despite a structural shift towards grassland-dominance, the original species complement has persisted. The rainfall-driven increase in grass fuel loads in the region, however, places these rangelands at risk of becoming altered by increasing fire frequency.","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80124386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial variability of herbage yield, grazing capacity and plant diversity in a tropical savannah rangeland ecosystem","authors":"ND Anane, R. Ayizanga, F. Sarkwa, T. Ansah, E. Timpong-Jones","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2023.2171127","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2023.2171127","url":null,"abstract":"To improve ruminant livestock production, evaluation of rangelands must be a routine. Rangeland evaluation gives information about the vegetation structure, biomass yield and quality. The Guinea savannah rangelands of Ghana lack research that characterises the spatial variability of herbage yield and quality. It was hypothesised that there is spatial heterogeneity in herbage yield, grazing capacity and plant diversity in the Guinea savannah rangelands of Ghana. The objective was to evaluate the spatial structure of herbage production and grazing capacity in the Guinea savannah rangelands of Ghana for sustainable livestock production. Data were collected from 105 sampling sites and integrated into geo-statistics, using ordinary kriging interpolation to generate herbage yield and grazing capacity estimates. Herbage yield and grazing capacity ranged from 0.63 t ha−1 to 13.43 t ha−1 and 0.18 LU ha−1 to 3.79 LU ha−1 respectively. The root mean square error and the average standard error values were close (2.38 and 2.51 respectively for herbage yield and 0.67 and 0.71 respectively for grazing capacity). Species diversity using the Shannon’s index ranged from 1.13 to 2.40. There was spatial heterogeneity in herbage yield, grazing capacity and species diversity in Ghana’s Guinea savannah rangelands with some parts needing effective site-specific improvement strategies for sustainable livestock production.","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87188089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"African Rangelands and Pastoralism in a changing continent: Perspectives and Opportunities","authors":"M. I. Samuels, A. Egeru, P. Mugabe","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2023.2182070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2023.2182070","url":null,"abstract":"iii Eighty-five years ago, Africa was described as a land of promise because it provided an immense opportunity for maximum return in the minimum time (Olaniyan 2000). It was treated this way because it was considered more for its deposits of natural wealth and less for its potential for settlement or as a destination market for goods and services produced in Europe and elsewhere (Le Clair 1937). For over 50 years, this narrative held ground but in the last 20 years, perception has shifted with Africa becoming a destination market and a growth opportunity creator, whilst holding ground as a resource provider (Sy 2016). These externally driven perceptions are shifting how key natural resources on the continent are viewed, used and managed. Accordingly, contestations are emerging especially around the environmental–demographic realities. This is because of the emphasis currently placed on continuous economic growth requiring more resource inputs. This will ultimately lead to increased natural resources conflict (Abbink 2018). The exploitative narrative over Africa had become pervasive with respect to the categorisation and valuation of its natural resources. Accordingly, despite covering 43% of the continent’s land surface, rangelands have been subjected to a relatively negative narrative being described as undeveloped areas (Kratli 2010), and centers of degradation, erosion, desertification, droughts, famine and conflict (Martínez-Valderrama and Ibáñez 2023; Twinomuhangi et al. 2023). Such negative narratives influenced the kinds of intervention in rangelands, confining these large swaths of land to conservation areas such as national parks and game reserves (Jones 2006; Cavanagh et al. 2020), constraining livestock to species such as goats (Doro 2023), and expropriating lands from the Indigenous Peoples (Homewood et al. 2009; Guyo 2017). However, more recently, ecologists and economists have revisited the place of rangelands in the continent to provide alternative perspectives on the importance of these natural resources (Vetter 2013). Current evidence counteracts previous notions that African rangelands and pastoralism are unproductive and mismanaged systems (Liniger and Studer 2019). The contribution of rangelands to the livelihoods of African people is considerable and diverse. Most of the continent’s livestock providing diverse products including meat and milk produced from the rangelands (Holechek et al. 2017). Additionally, rangelands are increasingly recognised for their diverse role in the provision of ecosystem services (Ruvuga et al. 2019; Gatwaza and Wang 2023), including carbon sequestration (Denboba 2022) and other valuable provisions. As the population in Africa has grown rapidly over the last three decades and is projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050, food demand has also grown and will continue to rise (Dorin 2017). Rangelands have often been the frontiers for agricultural expansion and urban development, and land use conv","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91283617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Customary ecological conservation of Mwanda-Marungu Pastoral Commons in Taita Hills, south-west Kenya","authors":"D. M. Mwamidi, A. Nunow, Pablo Domínguez","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2022.2138972","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2022.2138972","url":null,"abstract":"Rural commons in East-Africa have historically played key socio-economic and environmental sustainability. Despite growing interest in this arena, there are still surprisingly few studies that examine rural customary management of pastoral communities in East Africa. This is striking given that this region is an exemplary area for pastoralism and thus ideal for communal systems such as commons. Deficient studies and political support in this area could be linked to widespread prejudice of branding pastoralism as perilous to the environment. We set out to conduct a study to examine and test pastoralists’ customary norms that underpin environmental sustainability/unsustainabity of pastoral commons focusing on Mwanda-Marungu, in Taita hills, Kenya where the first author originates and brought up as a pastoralist up to the age of 24. Through ethnographic approaches and semi-open interviews to 193 respondents conducted in 2019–2021 during water and pasture stress during the dry months of July–October, we examined whether customary governance of Mwanda-Marungu would offer sustainable model that conforms to the IUCN’s Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs). Our study showed that pastoral communities in this area have been developing inventive measures for generations that improve good management and ecological protection. These may be tied to the principles of OECMs which contests the misconception about pastoralism.","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85198846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transhumance pastoralism in West Africa – its importance, policies and challenges","authors":"E. Timpong-Jones, I. Samuels, F. O. Sarkwa, K. Oppong-Anane, Ayodele Oluwakemi Majekodumni","doi":"10.2989/10220119.2022.2160012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2022.2160012","url":null,"abstract":"The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recognises transhumance pastoralism as a beneficial livestock production system that can contribute to food security together with economic and political stability. Thus, the subregional bloc put together the ECOWAS Protocol on Transhumance and supporting regulations to actualise these benefits. These policies seek to regulate transhumance pastoralism by ensuring that herd movements are along defined migratory corridors among member states. This review assesses the importance of transhumance pastoralism in West Africa, local and cross-border policies, and associated challenges, with emphasis on herder–farmer conflicts. It was realised that the movement of large numbers of livestock into rangelands (1) provides employment for many, and thus improves livelihoods; (2) improves productivity through high milk production and high fertility; (3) reduces moribund and combustible forage materials in the dry season; and (4) enhances seed dispersal, soil fertility and plant diversity on rangelands. This review shows that the ECOWAS cross-border transhumance protocols have led to infrastructural developments in some member states, but the partial enforcement of protocols has led to herder–farmer conflicts. We conclude that transhumance pastoralism and the regulatory policies have several benefits. However, to ensure policy compliance and avoid herder–farmer conflicts, the policies need to be reviewed and discernible gaps eliminated.","PeriodicalId":50841,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Range & Forage Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2023-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85034550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}