Grazing and Range Management

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a stoloniferous clonal legume. Dynamics of white clover populations are controlled by the recruitment of both seedlings (genets) and node production (ramets). To understand the role of seedling dynamics in natural populations of white clover, the recruitment and mortality of seedlings in a lawn and pasture clover population were followed and the roles ofbiotic and abiotic factors in seedling recruitment and survival were assessed. Seedling recruitment '

Grasslands in wet tropical climates are unique ecosystems because water availability does not limit the establishment of trees. The Terai Duars Savanna and Grasslands ecoregion (hereafter, Terai) is a heterogeneous woodland-grassland mosaic where pure grasslands occur despite relatively high rainfall. The factors that maintain grasslands under such conditions are poorly understood. We studied grassland persistence in a Terai ecosystem in northeastern India by deriving land use land cover (LULC) classification from Landsat images

Workshop 1.1 Valorisation of natural and cultural heritage for local development 1.2 How to better use and conserve the Alpine geoheritage resource? 1.3 Alpine branding and mountain branding: Preliminary research and good practices in food and non-food mountain products 1.4 The role of mountain cultural and landscape heritage in economic development and quality of life 1.5 Feeding the Alps: An intangible heritage and a cultural asset to be preserved 1.6 Walking and dreaming in "minority" Alpine valleys: Proposals for an emotional tourism before Expo 2015 and beyond (Emozion-Alpi)

The role of indigenous grazing management practices in sustainable natural resource use has been widely identified and recognised in the literature. However, the grazing management practices of Nama pastoralists in the semi-arid regions in Namaqualand in South Africa have not been adequately studied in terms of GPS-based seasonal grazing distribution. This study aimed to assess the seasonal livestock grazing distributional patterns across three communal rangelands in Namaqualand using GPS collars. The objectives were to: (1) generate grazing distributional maps to identify patterns of seasonal rangeland use, (2) compare area covered at different grazing intensities of livestock between seasons, (3) delineate different grazing zones at different times of day, and (4) contrast seasonal differences within these grazing zones regarding grazing activity. CatLog GPS collars were mounted on livestock and T-LoCoH R package and Google Earth were used to generate grazing distribution maps showing areas most and least frequently used by livestock and daily movement patterns. The results showed that Namaqualand herds grazed only a small proportion (21.1%) of their mean home range (809.6 ± 76.2 ha) at high and moderate grazing intensities, regardless of season, corresponding to areas of 48.1 ± 13.5 ha and 287.7 ± 41.60 ha, respectively. In the wet season, herds used a 16.8% larger area than in the dry season. The area associated with high grazing densities was significantly smaller than areas grazed at lower grazing pressure. No significant differences in mean area associated with seasonal variation within each level of grazing suggests herders are not seasonally altering areas associated with high grazing intensity, which are sometimes associated with permanent water sources. It is also likely that herders are concerned about ensuring their livestock have sustained access to optimal forage sources by avoiding other flocks using the same areas. Grazing activity is indirectly proportional to grazing speed. Grazing activity is lower in the herded zones (the morning-excitement/appetite moderation zone and the early afternoon-target zone, mean speed = 0.955 ± 0.006 km h-1) than when in an unherded zone (late afternoon-late afternoon meal, mean speed = 0.852 ± 0.010 km h-1). Mean distance travelled daily by herds in the herded zones was greatest (4.773 ± 0.029 km). In the wet season (7.365 ± 0.055 km) and a greater area was covered daily (10.6 ± 1.2 ha) as resources become more abundant relative to the dry season. This suggests that indigenous herding practices in Namaqualand require ecologically aware decision-making processes associated with effective resource use. Contemporary grazing management policies should be more inclusive of indigenous management as aspects of holistic grazing management have been embedded in these practices for centuries.

Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. The JSTOR Archive is a trusted digital repository providing for long-term preservation and access to leading academic journals and scholarly literature from around the world. The Archive is supported by libraries, scholarly societies, publishers, and foundations. It is an initiative of JSTOR, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to help the scholarly community take advantage of advances in technology. For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact

India is home to an estimated 35 to 40 million pastoralists-one of the largest pastoral populations on Earth. Its grasslands, rangelands, and pastoral commons span the Thar Desert, the Deccan Plateau, the semi-arid zones of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the terai grasslands at the Himalayan foothills, the alpine meadows of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and the open savannas of central India. These landscapes are ecologically irreplaceable: they are the primary habitat of the Great Indian Bustard, the Indian Wolf, the Blackbuck, the Striped Hyena, and dozens of species of globally threatened raptors and grassland birds. They are major carbon sinks. They are the economic foundation of pastoral communities whose dairy, wool, and leather production contributes significantly to rural incomes and national food security. Yet India has no national Grassland Act. It has no national Pastoralism Policy. Its grasslands are classified as 'wastelands' in land revenue nomenclature inherited from the colonial period. Its pastoral communities navigate a fractured landscape of forest law, environmental regulation, wildlife management, and land revenue administration-without a coherent legal framework that recognises their rights, protects their land, or values their ecological contributions. This paper-the second in a three-part series-provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the national and state-level legal frameworks that govern pastoralism and grasslands in India. It covers: the central legal framework (Indian Forest Act, Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Environment Protection Act, Forest Rights Act, and related legislation); the state-level frameworks of Maharashtra,

Gastrointestinal parasitism severely impacts small ruminant production in tropical regions. This study investigated prevalence, risk factors, infection intensity, and co-infection patterns in 1013 goats across five districts in Southern India, while evaluating the field applicability of FAMACHA© scoring as a practical clinical indicator. Overall parasite prevalence was 80.4%, dominated by strongyle nematodes (84.9% of infected animals) and Eimeria spp. (57.3%), with 71.5% mixed infections. Multivariable logistic regression identified breed, sex, season, age, and deworming history as independent predictors of infection. Molai Adu goats exhibited the highest risk (Adj OR = 2.65, p < 0.001), females exhibited a 2.09-fold higher risk of infection compared to males (p < 0.001), and animals > 18 months had substantially lower risk (Adj OR = 0.39, p < 0.001). Non-dewormed animals had 2.79 times higher odds of infection (p < 0.001) with markedly greater mean EPG (718.3 vs. 329.2). Crucially, FAMACHA© scores strongly correlated with infection intensity (r = 0.615, p < 0.001), with geometric mean EPG increasing 15-fold from non-anemic animals (32 eggs/gram) to severely anemic animals (484 eggs/ gram) (p < 0.001 for all pairwise comparisons). This dose-response relationship strongly supports the use of FAMACHA© as a practical, non-invasive field-based indicator of clinically relevant gastrointestinal nematode infection. Strategic interventions combining seasonal deworming, targeted treatment of vulnerable groups, and FAMACHA©-guided selective deworming are essential for sustainable parasite control in tropical goat systems.

This internship report presents the findings of a two-month internship with the Forest Department in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. The internship aimed to gain experience in forest management and conservation practices. During the internship, I participated in forest surveys, tree identification, habitat assessment, and wildlife monitoring. I also assisted in the Billion Tree Tsunami project and observed forest range management practices. The report highlights the importance of sustainable forest management and conservation in Dera Ismail Khan. It discusses the challenges faced by forest managers, including deforestation and human-wildlife conflict. The report concludes with recommendations for improving forest management and conservation practices in the region.

Pastoralism-the practice of herding livestock across diverse landscapes in seasonal and spatial patterns dictated by ecological availability-is among the oldest and most ecologically significant human land-use systems. It supports the livelihoods of an estimated 500 million people across all continents and underpins the ecological integrity of rangelands that cover more than one-quarter of the Earth's land surface. Yet, globally, pastoralism remains among the least legally secured livelihood systems: pastoral communities are routinely excluded from land-tenure frameworks, their migration corridors are severed by infrastructure and enclosure, their common grazing lands are converted without compensation, and their traditional ecological knowledge is ignored in conservation planning. This paper-the first in a three-part series-undertakes a systematic comparative analysis of the legislation, policy frameworks, and governance models that twelve jurisdictions have developed to regulate, protect, and govern pastoralism and rangelands. The jurisdictions covered are: the United States, China, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and Argentina. The paper analyses each jurisdiction's primary legal instrument, its tenure model, its governance architecture, its conservation provisions, and its climate-change response. It then extracts cross-cutting principles and identifies best-practice models most transferable to developing-country contexts.

The high inherent variability in rainfall and forage availability in arid regions makes it very difficult for a rancher to establish a herd size that is suited to the environment and also complicates management decision-making regarding the distribution of animals within and between areas of a single ranch. We recorded the temporal and spatial variability in rainfall and grass production on a local scale on 3 ranches in arid Namibia over 3 years, to determine their effects on potential stocking density, stock movement decisions and timing of grazing. We conducted a 3-year experiment to test the effects of the timing of grazing on grass regrowth. Furthermore, we tested the reliability of a rule-of-thumb used by ranchers to ascertain whether a drought year is likely and whether they should sell some of their cattle in advance of drought. We expanded the scale of the study to include 31 ranches over a 700 km-long rainfall gradient to determine the reliability of extrapolating conclusio...

Intensified grazing pressure and forest conversion to pasture affect biodiversity of the forest-grassland transition zone in Imo River watershed, Nigeria. This study assessed how different grazing systems influence soil properties and plant biodiversity in an intensively managed agricultural watershed. It is hypothesized that plant diversity and richness would decrease substantially with continuous grazing (CG) and heavy grazing whereas rotational grazing (RG) would enhance soil N, C, aboveground net primary production (ANPP), and biodiversity under light grazing. In a research period that covered two seasons (2023 and 2024), vegetation, soil, and climate data were collected. ANOVA was used to determine the differences and effects of the grazing systems on the vegetation parameters. Management systems (P = 0.011) and grazing intensities (P = 0.023) significantly affected the ANPP, NPPdiff (P = 0.045) and RGR (P = 0.000). Similarly, plants' composition was significantly affected by different management systems (P = 0.016), grazing intensities (P = 0.001), and year (P = 0.035). Soil total N in RG was over 50 % higher than the content in CG and 15 % higher than that under UG. During the specified study seasons, species diversity and richness were over 30 % higher in RG than in CG and UG. In contrast, the specific plant height (SPH) and ANPP values observed in UG were over 40 % larger than those recorded in either RG or CG. Except for the forbs, all the species coverages were at least 10 % higher under light grazing compared to heavy grazing. Consequently, a sustainable grazing system (e.g. RG) with light or moderate stocking rate could increase soil N, plant diversity, and aboveground biomass productivity in Imo watershed. The study could be beneficial to the smallholder farmers and all the stakeholders in food security and production chain, especially in the prevailing climate change.

The effects of reducing sheep grazing on upland vegetation and wild herbivores was studied at 11 sites in the Scottish Highlands. Areas where sheep had been removed for periods of up to 25 years were compared with areas where stocking rates had remained unchanged. At 5 sites, removal of sheep was associated with taller vegetation and more signs of vole activity. While the removal of sheep appeared to have resulted in relatively few changes in floristic composition at these sites, patches of dwarf shrubdominated vegetation tended to be larger and patches of grassland to be smaller where sheep had been removed. One previously open site was being invaded by birch woodland after sheep removal. At the remaining 6 sites removal of sheep appeared to have had little or no effect on vegetation or on wild herbivore activity. This was probably due to an increase in grazing by red deer, along with continued heather burning, at these sites. It is concluded that sheep removal is only likely to cause significant changes in vegetation composition and structure in the Scottish Highlands where red deer numbers are low and heather burning infrequent. When this occurs, vole numbers are likely to increase.

he paper “Estimates of Monetary Values of Ecosystem Services” examines how the economic value of ecosystem services can be quantified in monetary terms to support environmental accounting and policy analysis. The study compiles and analyzes existing valuation studies to estimate the monetary benefits provided by ecosystems—such as food production, water regulation, carbon sequestration, and recreational services—and expresses these values in comparable units (e.g., monetary value per hectare per year). Using these estimates, the authors develop Ecosystem Service Yield Factors (ES-YFs), which measure the relative productivity or value of ecosystem services across different countries and ecosystems. These factors enable comparisons of ecological contributions to economic welfare and can be used in natural capital accounting, land-use planning, and sustainability assessments.

Floodplain wetlands of the Lachlan River valley have undergone substantial hydrological alteration, nutrient enrichment, and sediment mobilisation due to river regulation and land‑use pressures. These changes have impaired wetland water quality and ecological function, prompting the need for targeted environmental flow management. This study examined nutrient and sediment dynamics in three contrasting billabong wetlands—Bocabidgle Creek, Wilga Lagoon, and Robsar Billabong—between Forbes and Condobolin, with the aim of evaluating the predictions of IMEF Hypothesis 7. The hypothesis proposes that restoring components of natural flow variability, particularly freshes and high‑flow events, should reduce nutrient and sediment concentrations through dilution, deposition, and enhanced biogeochemical processing.
Wetlands were sampled at multiple spatial points and temporal scales during July–August 2000, capturing conditions before and after managed environmental flow releases. Water‑quality parameters included nitrogen fractions (TKN, TON, NH₄), phosphorus fractions (TP, PO₄), turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen; sediment samples were also analysed for particle size and extractable nutrients. Statistical analyses indicated that wetland identity was the dominant source of variation for most parameters, reflecting strong geomorphic and connectivity controls. Environmental flows consistently reduced TSS, turbidity, TKN, and TON, demonstrating clear improvements in water quality and supporting IMEF Hypothesis 7. Responses in phosphorus and ammonia were more variable, likely influenced by internal nutrient cycling, wetland morphology, and local disturbances such as grazing pressure and carp activity.
Overall, the findings highlight the capacity of connected wetlands to trap sediments and process nutrients when hydrological exchange is reinstated, while underscoring the need for adequate flow volumes and durations. Effective management will require coupling environmental flows with strategies to limit carp impacts and grazing‑induced disturbance. The study provides essential baseline data and informs future monitoring and modelling of nutrient dynamics in Lachlan River floodplain wetlands.

The use of anthelmintics is strongly limited in organic farming. This may induce a change in the intensity (no of worms) and diversity (proportions of species) of helminth infection. Helminths remain a major preoccupation in organic sheep farming: high levels of infection have been recorded on several farms and helminth diversity is always higher. The helminth infection in milk cattle of northern Europe is controlled and diversity is higher in organic farms, as recorded in sheep. The role of helminth diversity on intensity is still unclear. Grazing management is one of the means to controlling helminths. The use of safe pastures for calves and sheep after weaning is one of the major components of control. The use of alternate or mixed grazing is common for cattle in northern countries but is uncommon for sheep in France. Grazing management is not sufficient to controlling infection in sheep and conventional anthelmintic treatments are performed. Additionally, alternative treatments are used. The alternative therapies based on phytotherapy or homeopathy are largely recommended in organic farming but do not have any demonstrated efficacy. More research is needed to evaluate such therapies. ruminant organic farm / helminth / grazing management / anthelmintic / phytotherapy Résumé -Gestion des helminthes de ruminants en agriculture biologique. L'emploi des anthelminthiques est fortement limité en élevage biologique. Cette diminution de leur utilisation peut conduire à des changements en ce qui concerne l'intensité (nombre de vers) et la diversité (proportion des espèces) des parasites. Les helminthes sont une préoccupation majeure en élevage biologique ovin : les infestations sont très fortes dans certaines fermes et la diversité est plus élevée que dans les élevages conventionnels. L'infestation des bovins laitiers par les helminthes dans les pays du nord de l'Europe est assez bien contrôlée et la diversité est plus forte également en élevage biologique. Le rôle de la diversité sur l'intensité n'est pas encore clair. La gestion des pâturages est l'un des moyens de contrôler l'infestation. L'utilisation de pâtures saines pour les veaux ou les agneaux après le sevrage est l'une des composantes essentielles de la gestion des parasites. L'utilisation de pâturage alterné ou mixte avec des espèces différentes est commun dans les régions nordiques pour les bovins mais n'est 625

High altitude rangeland and livelihood systems in Bhutan are undergoing changes in resource availability, population and user rights. This paper explores the existing governance structures of high altitude rangelands in Bhutan using Ostrom's design principles as a framework for analysis. Qualitative interviews and focus group discussions were used to capture perceptions of 151 herders, sedentary livestock farmers and government officials across three case study sites. The research showed that most high altitude rangelands in the three case study sites have clear boundaries using natural and manmade landmarks along with a list of eligible users (design principle 1). Herders and livestock farmers have developed customary norms and rules to enforce and engender collective choice agreements for governance of high altitude rangeland (design principle 3). Community guards, appointed on a rotational basis, guarded communal pastures against infringement (design principle 4). Herders and livestock farmers have developed a graduated penalty system (design principle 5) and they were generally able to resolve most conflicts locally, however some were resolved through district courts (design principle 6). However, rights to organise (design principle 7) and a nested enterprise approach (design principle 8) did not feature explicitly in local governance discourses and narratives. Incongruence between provision and appropriation activities under existing governance structures of high altitude rangeland in the case study sites may be attributed to the assignment of incomplete property rights (e.g. lack of management rights) in the bundle of rights. The research demonstrated assigning management rights in the bundle of rights and conformance to design principle 2 are inextricably linked, and vital for sustainable governance of high altitude rangeland. One way to institutionalise Ostrom's design principles into natural resource governance is formalising and codifying them in the form of a written group constitution and by-laws. The role of government policies, acts and laws that inform and constrain high altitude rangeland management are explored and changes suggested for improving the current governance system of high altitude rangeland in Bhutan.

Effective agronomic nitrogen management strategies ensure optimum productivity, reduce nitrogen losses, and enhance economic profitability and environmental quality. Farmers in western Canada make key decisions on formulation, rate, timing, and placement of fertilizer nitrogen that are suitable for soils, weather, and farming operations within which they operate. Suitability of agronomic nitrogen management options are assessed by estimates from linear interpolations and extrapolations of temporally and spatially discrete field-plot measurements of nitrogen responses. Such estimates do not account for non-linear and offsetting biogeochemical feedbacks of nitrogen cycles and cannot provide comprehensive nitrogen budgets for alternative nitrogen management options. These limitations can be overcome by using process-based agro-ecosystem models that adequately simulate basic processes of nitrogen biogeochemical cycles and are rigorously tested against site observations. Ecosys is a proc...

do CNPq RESUMO Avaliaram-se os efeitos da estratégia de pastoreio rotacionado sobre a dinâmica do rebaixamento do milheto (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) pastejado por vacas leiteiras. Os tratamentos consistiram de um fatorial entre duas alturas pré-pastejo, 60 e 40cm, e duas pós-pastejo, 20 e 10cm, alocados em um delineamento em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. A estrutura do pasto foi avaliada durante o processo de pastejo a cada 10 minutos, por meio de medições de altura. A taxa de rebaixamento da altura do pasto no tratamento 40-20 apresentou-se relativamente constante ao longo de todo o rebaixamento. O tratamento 60-10 apresentou o maior declínio na taxa de rebaixamento. A taxa de rebaixamento no tratamento 40-10 diminuiu em ritmo mais lento em relação à dos tratamentos com 60cm de altura prépastejo. As maiores taxas de ingestão foram observadas nos tratamentos de altura pré-pastejo de 60cm, e considerou-se como a melhor estratégia de manejo a combinação 60-20cm de altura do pasto. Palavras-chave: estrutura do pasto, Pennisetum glaucum, vacas leiteiras, taxa de ingestão This study aimed to evaluate the effects of rotational grazing strategies on the dynamics of the grazing pastures of millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) grazed by dairy cows. Treatments consisted of two pre-grazing heights (60 and 40cm) and two post-grazing heights (20 and 10cm) allocated in a randomized block design with four replications. The sward height was evaluated during grazing every 10 minutes. The rate of grazing down of the sward height of the pasture on the 40-20 grazing strategy was relatively constant throughout the grazing down. Treatment 60-10 showed the largest decline in the rate of grazing down. The rate of grazing down in the 40-10 treatment decreased with a slower intensity when compared to the treatments with 60cm of pre-grazing sward height. The major intake rates were observed in treatments with pre-grazing sward height of 60cm. The best management strategy was considered the combination of 60-20cm of sward height.

Aims: This study aimed to assess farm and cow-level production characteristics and identify factors associated with milk yield and mastitis occurrence in dairy cows managed under intensive systems in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Study Design: A cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Five dairy farms located in different regions of Dhaka district, Bangladesh, and data collected from 1 January to 31 December 2023. Methodology: Data was collected through face-to-face interviews with farmers and by reviewing farm register books. A structured, pretested questionnaire was used to record farm-level variables (roughage and concentrate quantities, number of lactating cows, daily milk yield) and cow-level characteristics (breed, age, body weight, BCS, parity, lactation stage, feed intake, and disease frequency). Twenty-five cows (five per farm) were randomly selected. Descriptive statistics were performed, and categorical variables were expressed as percentages. Univariable linear regression was conducted using milk yield as the outcome variable, with significance set at p ≤ 0.20. Results: The farms averaged 45 lactating cows producing 670 litres per day (15 litres/cow/day), with mean daily roughage and concentrate intake of 934.4 kg (20.76 kg/cow/day) and 475.4 kg (10.56 kg/cow/day), respectively. Most cows were crossbred (96%), aged ≤6.4 years (52%), and had good BCS (60%). Milk fever (96%), acidosis (72%), and mastitis (60%) were common. Body weight (β=1.4) and roughage intake (β=1.5) showed positive associations with milk yield, whereas BCS and mastitis showed negative trends. Mastitis was more frequent among cows with higher milk yield, higher parity, and roughage intake of 21.1-30 kg/day. Conclusion: Cow-level traits, nutritional intake, and lactation factors influence milk yield and mastitis risk in intensive dairy systems, indicating the need for improved feeding management and targeted health interventions.

The demand for agricultural land is driving the conversion of moist Kenyan savannah into agroecosystems (grazing fields and croplands) and together with altered rainfall patterns, is likely modifying soil moisture, soil respiration and carbon store in the ecosystem. Nevertheless, the carbon dynamics of moist savannas plus of the converted ecosystems are poorly understood yet planning for sustainable use of the ecosystem need to be based on scientific knowledge. While previous studies in the savanna have been based on isolated land use plots receiving ambient rainfall, the ongoing transitions in land use and rainfall are occurring simultaneously, hence the need to identify the interactive influence of the environmental factors on the ecosystem. Measurements were conducted between June and November 2012, in Lambwe Valley, Kenya to determine the effects of climate and land use changes presently witnessed in moist savanna on soil moisture, soil respiration and soil carbon (C) storage. The study objectives were to (i) determine the influence of rainfall simulation on soil moisture under varying savanna management regimes, (ii) determine the response of soil respiration to management and soil moisture availability and (iii) determine the influence of savanna management on soil carbon store. The experimental design was split-plot, comprising land uses (grazed, ungrazed and abandoned) as main blocks and rainfall simulation as split plots, which were nested within the main plots. Ambient rainfall was reduced or increased by 50% using rainout shelters constructed above the canopy of the herbaceous layer. Soil water content (SWC) was significantly different (p<0.05) among the plots as well as rainfall treatment. In grazed, ungrazed and abandoned plots, rain addition led to increase in SWC by 18%, 5% and 12% respectively while rain reduction led to decline in SWC by 6%, 10% and 2% in the respective plots. The targeted 50% manipulation may have not been achieved due to soil structural differences resulting in varying soil water losses and retention. Abandoned and ungrazed plots had significantly high SWC than grazed plot, this was linked to low bulk densities in the former plots, which enhanced soil water percolation and increased vegetation cover, hence reducing water evaporation from soil. Abandoned and ungrazed plots had significantly high mean root biomass than grazed plots at both treatments and this was attributed to high SWC and vegetation cover. Significantly high respiration rates in abandoned and ungrazed plots were linked to high root biomass and lower bulk densities. The significantly high soil carbon in grazed plots was linked to increased animal excreta. The soil carbon and soil CO 2 efflux rates provide valuable data for refining ecological models for precise estimation of C budget both regionally and globally.

Intensive rotational grazing is a recently proposed rangeland management strategy that has been praised by the public and media but has not been fully proven or widely accepted by rangeland ecologists. In this study, a threeyear experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of intensive rotational grazing on the rangeland ecosystem in a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, China. The experiment involved three treatments of rotational management with the same level of grazing intensity (1 sheep unit per ha in the first year and 1.3 sheep unit per ha for the next two years), including intensive rotational grazing (livestock rotated every 3-5 days), traditional rotational grazing (livestock rotated every 15 days), and continuous grazing (without livestock rotation). In addition, this experiment set up "no grazing treatment" as the reference and represents the widely used policy of "grazing forbidden". Compared with previous studies, this study first implemented rotational grazing at a low level of grazing intensity to obey the rangeland policy of Chinese governments, which aimed to balance the forage demand of livestock and the ecosystem conservation. The results revealed that the aboveground biomass and root biomass (0-10 cm deep) were significantly higher in the intensive rotational grazing treatment than in the other two grazing treatments. Moreover, the biomass of the dominant species (Leymus chinensis) and its proportion in the community were also higher in the intensive grazing treatment. Intensive rotational grazing could also promote the weight gain of grazing sheep. However, intensive rotational grazing did not improve the carbon sequestration of rangeland. These results indicated that intensive rotational grazing had considerable advantages in realizing the sustainable management of grazing grasslands when grazing intensity was at a relatively low level, which aims to balance plant growth and livestock production of grasslands. Furthermore, our results suggest that intensive rotational grazing is beneficial for promoting the progressive succession of degraded grasslands and providing economic revenue for local herders, thus worth studying in more regions and rangeland scenarios.

The present study examined a sub-Mediterranean pastoral system in the central Apennines (Italy) with a long history of grazing, where winter cold stress is alternated with summer drought stress. The research goals were to ascertain whether different floristic structures correspond to different stress conditions (xeric and semimesic), and whether peculiar functional plant traits (such as avoidance and tolerance mechanisms) respond to stress/disturbance intensities, and understand how vegetation reacts to changeable livestock pressure (through floristic and plant trait variations). Cluster analysis indicated that separate communities develop under different stress intensities. Other analyses highlighted how avoidance strategies predominate within the pastoral system. Observations of grazed and ungrazed patches conducted in 10-m transects revealed spiny cushion formation in semimesic grassland, where a brief period of overgrazing occurs in late summer, causing variations in plant community structure. All these results confirm the importance of historical grazing and current land use, showing how small disturbances and stress variations cause ecosystem responses. Best practices for management were identified. In xeric conditions, it is advisable that the intensity of disturbance be lessened, while in semimesic grassland overgrazing should be forbidden during the dry period, because it could facilitate the development of spiny patches, and subsequent spread of Brachypodium rupestre.

The movement and removal of nitrate (NO 3 -) along a groundwater flow path within a riparian wetland was investigated during a 24-day period in late autumn-early winter, using a lithium bromide (LiBr)-potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) tracer solution containing 19 200 mg/litre as Br -and 193.8 mg/litre as NO 3 -N. The tracer solution was added as an instantaneous dose of tracer solution at a depth of 10-20 cm to four injection wells in two 1 m 2 plots within a sheep-grazed pastoral catchment at the Whatawhata Agricultural Research Centre near Hamilton, New Zealand. Bromide and NO 3 -N concentrations were measured periodically in: (1) wetland groundwater samples from piezometers installed at 15 and 30 cm depths and located at 30, 60, and 100 cm down gradient from the injection wells; and (2) surface flow samples. Peak concentrations of 50-250 mg/litre of Br -and 0.2-1.1 mg/litre of NO 3 -N were reached within 1-2 days after application at most piezometers. Nitrate concentrations decreased thereafter more sharply than did those of Br -, resulting in decreased NO 3 -N/Br -ratios from Days 2 through 7. More than 99% of groundwater samples collected after the tracer application had NO 3 -N/Br -less than the value in the tracer solution indicating removal of NO 3 -N during transport. Mass flux estimates indicated removal of >90% of added NO 3 -N along the 100 cm flow path from the injection, with essentially all of the NO 3 -removed within the first 30 cm of transport. On Days 10 and 24, just after rain events, surface flow from the experimental plots had greatly elevated NO 3 -N concentrations that were not accompanied by correspondingly elevated Br -concentrations, indicating that NO 3 -N originating from the surrounding catchment was transported over the wetland surface with little penetration or mixing with wetland groundwater. Despite a significant capacity for NO 3 -N removal from shallow groundwater equivalent to an annualised value of 50 kg/ha in these wetland study plots, large amounts of NO 3 -N from the catchment are likely to move over the wetland surface during rain events without adequate soil contact time for efficient denitrification and retention.

Several recent papers published on tropical pastures have pointed out that under rotational stocking management regrowth should be interrupted when canopy light interception is 95% (LI). Further, these studies have revealed a positive and high correlation between LI and sward height, allowing LI management targets to be defined in terms of sward height. However, there are some indications that lower pre-grazing heights relative to those targets would result in similar leaf accumulation without interfering with sward persistence. The objective of this paper was to verify a possible flexibility of such pre-grazing height targets. A replicated experiment was conducted with treatments corresponding to four pre-grazing height targets (25 cm, corresponding to a canopy light interception of 95%; 20; 15 and 10 cm), which were associated with a single severity of grazing equivalent to removal of 50% of initial height, leaving four post-grazing heights (12.5, 10.0, 7.5 and 5 cm, respectively)...

Low productivity cattle ranching, with its linkages to rural poverty, deforestation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, remains one of the largest sustainability challenges in Brazil and has impacts worldwide. There is a nearly universal call to intensify extensive beef cattle production systems to spare land for crop production and nature and to meet Brazil's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution to reducing global climate change. However, different interventions aimed at the intensification of livestock systems in Brazil may involve substantial social and environmental tradeoffs. Here we examine these tradeoffs using a whole-farm model calibrated for the Brazilian agricultural frontier state of Mato Grosso, one of the largest soybean and beef cattle production regions in the world. Specifically, we compare the costs and benefits of a typical extensive, continuously grazed cattle system relative to a specialized soybean production system and two improved cattle management strategies (rotational grazing and integrated soybean-cattle) under different climate scenarios. We found clear tradeoffs in GHG and nitrogen emissions, climate resilience, and water and energy use across these systems. Relative to continuously grazed or rotationally grazed cattle systems, the integreated soybean-cattle system showed higher food production and lower GHG emissions per unit of human digestible protein, as well as increased resilience under climate change (both in terms of productivity and financial returns). All systems suffered productivity and profitability losses under severe climate change, highlighting the need for climate smart agricultural development strategies in the region. By underscoring the economic feasibility of improving the performance of cattle systems, and by quantifying the tradeoffs of each option, our results are useful for directing agricultural and climate policy.