Rangelands, Drylands & Pastoralism

PURPOSE: Visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) reflectance measurements may be an alternative technique to identify suspended sediment sources in streams of headwater catchments. In this study, we examined if Vis-NIR reflectance measurements are capable of estimating sediment source contributions to sediment yield and compared this technique with a more conventional (i.e. geochemical) technique.

Grassland agriculture plays an important role for livestock production and land management throughout the world. It is challenging to estimate the available feed on pasture plots. For this study, a rising plate meter was calibrated in swards of the organic experimental station of Trenthorst in northern Germany to calculate grazing intake of cattle and to determine biomass regrowth.

The Mediterranean region covers about 854 million ha, but only 118 million (or 14 per cent) are suitable for agricultural production. In North Africa and the Middle East (MENA), agricultural land covers about 5 per cent; in Egypt and Algeria, it occupies less than 4 per cent and, in Libya, less than 2 per cent of the total national land area.

Grazing intensity and bush encroachment are disturbance factors that may alter the floristic composition of herbaceous species. This paper investigates impacts of grazing (intensity) and bush encroachment on herbaceous species and rangeland conditions in Borana, southern Ethiopia.

This study used linear programming (LP) to analyse land-use alternatives in the traditional Umbundu farming system in the Angolan central highlands. Farmers of the region have traditionally produced maize and pulses for subsistence and vegetables and timber as cash crops. Different pasture and forest fallow rotations are used along catena production sites.

Burning of savanna is a globally important source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Australia, burning of savanna contributes between 2% and 4% annually of the nation’s reportable emissions. Complete removal of this source of emissions is unrealistic because fire is a ubiquitous natural process and important land-management tool.

Permanently maintained pastures in France are often located in less desirable areas of the country and are extensively used for grass based farming, dairy farming an mountainous regions), and suckler farming (cattle and sheep, down into the valleys). These production systems are of interest because they employ practices respectful of the environment and local biodiversity.

Numerous studies have focused on vegetation traits and soil properties in grassland, few of which concerned about effects of human utilization patterns on grassland yet. Thus, this study hypothesized that human disturbance (e.g., grazing, mowing and fencing) triggered significant variation of biomass partitioning and carbon reallocation.

Pastoralism is a highly traditional production system for livestock and livestock products. Under the surface of a seeming stability a variety of pressures of the modern time all seem to accumulate to put the sustainability of the pastoralist production system to the test.

Beef cattle grazing is the dominant land use in the extensive tropical and sub-tropical rangelands of northern Australia.

Investigations were made of plant and soil responses to severe degradation through heavy grazing and browsing in arid, succulent, subtropical thicket. Severe degradation of thicket is of major concern in terms of threatened biodiversity, unsustainable utilization and collapse of other ecosystem services.

Historical tensions between Nigeria's pastoralist Fulani and settled indigenous farmers have intensified in recent years, with dwindling natural resources and land availability greatly contributing to the ongoing, escalating conflict in the north of the country.