Evolution of sedentary pastoralism in south India: case study of the Kangayam grassland
Kangayam grassland in the tropical region of south India has been sustainably managed for over one hundred and fifty years. In a region with meagre rainfall, growing grass is the farmers' main vocation. Between 1855 and 1881, the majority of government 'wastelands' were given on lease to farmers who organized the land into grazing paddocks and fenced with hedges of Balasmodendron berryi.
Restoration of Ecosystem Carbon Stocks Following Exclosure Establishment in Communal Grazing Lands in Tigray, Ethiopia
Degraded lands are common in human-influenced tropical semiarid areas, and the potential for C sequestration through rehabilitation of these areas is substantial.
Does land use change affect the interactions between two dry grassland species?
Over the last 20 years, a change in traditional land use practices has taken place in central Germany. Formerly species-rich dry grassland communities have been converted into communities with greatly reduced diversity in many places. Whereas grass species have expanded, several forbs have declined in abundance.
Assessing the short-term impacts of changing grazing regime at the landscape scale with remote sensing
Livestock grazing is an important form of land use, affecting ecosystems worldwide. In ecoregions that evolved with low densities of large ungulates, such as those in the western United States, there is ongoing debate as to the appropriate concentrations of livestock that can be sustained.
Persistent Acacia savannas replace Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests in South America
Mediterranean ecosystems are global hotspots of biodiversity threaten by human disturbances. Growing evidence indicates that regeneration of Mediterranean forests can be halted under certain circumstances and that successional stages can become notoriously persistent.
typology of graziers to inform a more targeted approach for developing natural resource management policies and agricultural extension programs
The use of landholder typologies to assist in the development of natural resource management (NRM) policies and agricultural extension programs has increased considerably in the past decade. In this paper we explore the potential of developing a typology of graziers to more effectively tailor policies and programs with the aim of improving land management outcomes.
Reducing contention amongst organisations dealing with commercially valuable but invasive plants: The case of buffel grass
Policy development can fail when organisations tasked with managing contentious species for different outcomes are at odds. Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L. syn. Pennisetum ciliare L. Link) has been planted worldwide and is a valuable pasture grass but it is contentious because of its environmental impacts.
Macronutrients in Hawaii's Coastal Wetland Pastures and Potential Phosphorus Release to Water
Coastal wetland pastures in Hawaii are based on naturalized hilograss (Paspalum conjugatum Bergius) and paragrass [Brachiaria mutica (Forssk.) Stapf] growing primarily on moderately acid (pH 5.4) to mildly alkaline (pH 7.8) and mildly calcareous (
Improved modeling of soil organic carbon in a semiarid region of Central East Kazakhstan using EPIC
Inappropriate land use and soil mismanagement produced wide-scale soil and environmental degradation to the short-grass steppe ecosystem in the semiarid region of central east Kazakhstan. A limitation for determining the impacts of land use changes on soil organic carbon (SOC) is the dearth of information on SOC stocks under the predominant land uses in the region.
Informal institutions as mechanisms to address challenges in communal grazing land management in Tigray, Ethiopia
The role of institutions providing rules, norms and regulations, in addressing challenges in communal resources management has been debated for several decades. This article analyses the role of informal institutions for addressing shortage of grazing land, conflicts among users of communal grazing land and resistance among users to shift from free grazing to zero grazing in Tigray, Ethiopia.
Mediterranean water resources in a global change scenario
Mediterranean areas of both southern Europe and North Africa are subject to dramatic changes that will affect the sustainability, quantity, quality, and management of water resources. Most climate models forecast an increase in temperature and a decrease in precipitation at the end of the 21st century.