scholarly journals Seasonality constraints to livestock grazing intensity

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 1636-1647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Fetzel ◽  
Petr Havlik ◽  
Mario Herrero ◽  
Karl‐Heinz Erb
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Livestock Grazing

scholarly journals Experimental evidence that livestock grazing intensity affects the activity of a generalist predator

2013 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 12-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nacho Villar ◽  
Xavier Lambin ◽  
Darren Evans ◽  
Robin Pakeman ◽  
Steve Redpath
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Generalist Predator

scholarly journals Towards more meaningful scenarios of biodiversity responses to land-use change in Central Asia

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Kamp ◽  
Martin Freitag ◽  
Norbert Hölzel
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Land Use Patterns ◽  
Use Patterns

Abstract We here respond to Nunez et al. (Reg Environ Chang 20:39, 2020), recently published in Regional Environmental Change. Nunez et al. project biodiversity responses to land-use and climate change in Central Asia. Their projections are based on scenarios of changing socio-economic and environmental conditions for the years 2040, 2070, and 2100. We suggest that the predicted magnitude of biodiversity loss might be biased high, due to four shortfalls in the data used and the methods employed. These are (i) the use of an inadequate measure of “biodiversity intactness,” (ii) a failure to acknowledge for large spatial variation in land-use trends across the five considered Central Asian countries, (iii) the assumption of a strictly linear, negative relationship between livestock grazing intensity and the abundance of animals and plants, and (iv) the extrapolation of grazing-related biodiversity responses into areas of cropland. We conclude that future scenarios of biodiversity response to regional environmental change in Central Asia will benefit from using regional, not global, spatial data on livestock distribution and land-use patterns. The use of extra-regional data on the relationships between biodiversity and land-use or climate should be avoided.

scholarly journals Carbon budgets for an irrigated intensively-grazed dairy pasture and an unirrigated winter-grazed pasture

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Hunt ◽  
Johannes Laubach ◽  
Matti Barthel ◽  
Anitra Fraser ◽  
Rebecca L. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Ecosystem Respiration ◽  
Gross Primary Production ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Eddy Covariance Method ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Intensively Managed

Abstract. Intensification of pastoral agriculture is occurring rapidly across New Zealand, including increasing use of irrigation and fertiliser application in some regions. While this enables greater gross primary production (GPP) and livestock grazing intensity, the consequences for the net ecosystem carbon budget (NECB) of the pastures are poorly known. Here, we determined the NECB over one year for an irrigated, fertilised, and rotationally-grazed dairy pasture and a neighbouring unirrigated, unfertilised, winter-grazed pasture. Primary terms in the NECB calculation were: net ecosystem production (NEP), biomass-carbon removed by grazing cows, and carbon (C) input from their excreta. Annual NEP was measured using the eddy-covariance method. Carbon removal was estimated with plate-meter measurements calibrated against biomass collections, pre- and post-grazing. Excreta deposition was calculated from animal feed intake. The intensively-managed pasture gained C (NECB = 103 ±42 g C m−2 yr−1) but would have been subject to a non-significant C loss if cattle excreta had not been returned to the pasture. The unirrigated pasture was C-neutral (NECB = −13 ±23 g C m−2 yr−1). While annual GPP of the former was almost twice that of the latter (2679 vs. 1372 g C m−2 yr−1), ecosystem respiration differed by only 68 % between the two pastures (2271 vs. 1352 g C m−2 yr−1). The irrigated pasture used the total annual water input 37 % more efficiently than the unirrigated pasture to produce biomass. The NECB results agree qualitatively with those from many other eddy-covariance studies of grazed grasslands, but they seem to be at odds with long-term carbon-stock studies of other New Zealand pastures.

scholarly journals Multi-year CO<sub>2</sub> budgets in South African semi-arid Karoo ecosystems under different grazing intensities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Rybchak ◽  
Justin du Toit ◽  
Jean-Pierre Delorme ◽  
Jens-Kristian Jüdt ◽  
Kanisios Mukwashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Source ◽  
South African ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Carbon Uptake ◽  
The Past ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract. Climatic and land management factors, such as water availability and grazing intensity, play an important role in seasonal and annual variability of the ecosystem–atmosphere exchange of CO2 in semi-arid ecosystems. However, the semi-arid South African ecosystems have been poorly studied. Four years of measurements (November 2015–October 2019) were collected and analysed from two eddy covariance towers near Middelburg in the Karoo, Eastern Cape, South Africa. We studied the impact of grazing intensity on the CO2 exchange by comparing seasonal and interannual CO2 fluxes for two sites with almost identical climatic conditions but different intensity of current and historical livestock grazing. The first site represents lenient grazing (LG) and the vegetation comprises a diverse balance of dwarf shrubs and grasses, while the second site has been degraded through heavy grazing (HG) in the past but then rested for the past 10 years and mainly consists of unpalatable grasses and ephemeral species. Over the observation period, we found that the LG site was a considerable carbon source (82.11 g C m−2), while the HG site was a slight carbon sink (−36.43 g C m−2). The annual carbon budgets ranged from −90 ± 51 g C m−2 yr−1 to 84 ± 43 g C m−2 yr−1 for the LG site and from −92 ± 66 g C m−2 yr−1 to 59 ± 46 g C m−2 yr−1 for the heavily grazed site over the four years of eddy covariance measurements. The significant variation in carbon sequestration rates between the last two years of measurement was explained by water availability (25 % of the precipitation deficit in 2019 compared to the long-term mean precipitation). This indicates that studied ecosystems can quickly switch from a considerable carbon sink to a considerable carbon source ecosystem. Our study shows that the CO2 dynamics in the Karoo are largely driven by water availability and the current and historical effects of livestock grazing intensity on aboveground biomass (AGB). The higher carbon uptake at the HG site indicates that resting period after overgrazing, together with the transition to unpalatable drought-tolerant grass species, creates conditions that are favourable for carbon sequestration in the Karoo ecosystems, but unproductive as Dorper sheep pasture. Furthermore, we observed a slight decrease in carbon uptake peaks at the HG site in response to resuming continuous grazing (July 2017).

scholarly journals Quantifying Grazing Intensity Using Remote Sensing in Alpine Meadows on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingqing Ma ◽  
Linrong Chai ◽  
Fujiang Hou ◽  
Shenghua Chang ◽  
Yushou Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Gansu Province ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Scientific Management ◽  
Sensing Data

Remote sensing data have been widely used in the study of large-scale vegetation activities, which have important significance in estimating grassland yields, determining grassland carrying capacity, and strengthening the scientific management of grasslands. Remote sensing data are also used for estimating grazing intensity. Unfortunately, the spatial distribution of grazing-induced degradation remains undocumented by field observation, and most previous studies on grazing intensity have been qualitative. In our study, we tried to quantify grazing intensity using remote sensing techniques. To achieve this goal, we conducted field experiments at Gansu Province, China, which included a meadow steppe and a semi-arid region. The correlation between a vegetation index and grazing intensity was simulated, and the results demonstrated that there was a significant negative correlation between NDVI and relative grazing intensity (p < 0.05). The relative grazing intensity increased with a decrease in NDVI, and when the relative grazing intensity reached a certain level, the response of NDVI to relative grazing intensity was no longer sensitive. This study shows that the NDVI model can illustrate the feasibility of using a vegetation index to monitor the grazing intensity of livestock in free-grazing mode. Notably, it is feasible to use the remote sensing vegetation index to obtain the thresholds of livestock grazing intensity.

How land management and water availability control ecosystem-atmosphere carbon exchange in the Karoo, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Rybchak ◽  
Kanisios Mukwashi ◽  
Justin Du Toit ◽  
Gregor Feig ◽  
Mari Bieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Carbon Fluxes ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Carbon Uptake ◽  
The Past

&lt;p&gt;South African ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as increasing&amp;#160;temperatures, modifications in rainfall patterns, increasing frequency of extreme weather events and fire, and increased concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;). At the same time, ecosystems are impacted by livestock grazing, cultivation,&amp;#160;fuelwood collection, urbanization and other types of human land use. Climatic and land management factors, such as water availability and grazing intensity, play a dominant role in influencing primary production and carbon fluxes. However, the relative role of those parameters still remains less known in many South African ecosystems. Investigation of the carbon inter-annual variability at dwarf shrub Karoo sites will assist in understanding savanna dynamics and in constraining climate change scenarios as basis for climate adaptation strategies.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This research is part of the EMSAfrica (Ecosystem Management Support for Climate Change in Southern Africa) project, which aims at producing data and information relevant to land users and land managers such as South African National Parks (SANParks). A particular focus is given on the importance of carbon cycling in degraded vs. intact systems. We investigate the impacts of climate parameters and diverse land management on ecosystem-atmosphere variability of carbon fluxes, latent and sensible energy. Long-term measurements were collected and analyzed from two eddy-covariance towers in the Karoo, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Study areas had almost identical climatic conditions but differ in the intensity of livestock grazing. The first site represents controlled grazing and comprises a diverse balance of dwarf shrubs and grasses, while the second site is degraded through overgrazing in the past (rested for approximately 8 years) and mainly consists of unpalatable grasses and short-lived species. These ecosystems are generally characterized by alternating wet (December to May) and dry seasons (June to November) with the amount and distribution of rain (average 373 mm per year) and soil moisture as the main drivers of carbon fluxes. We observed peak CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; uptake occurring during the wet season (January to April) and a progressive decrease from wet to dry periods being highly controlled by the amount of precipitation. At the end of the observation period (November 2015 &amp;#8211; November 2019), we found that both study sites were considerable carbon sources, but during wet periods 'overgrazed in the past' site had stronger carbon sequestration compared to 'controlled grazing' site. The higher carbon uptake could be an indication that resting of the highly degraded site for a long period may improve carbon uptake in the Karoo ecosystems. Our study shows that CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; dynamics in the Karoo are largely driven by water availability and the effects of grazing intensity on above-ground biomass.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Carbon budgets for an irrigated intensively grazed dairy pasture and an unirrigated winter-grazed pasture

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2927-2944 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Hunt ◽  
Johannes Laubach ◽  
Matti Barthel ◽  
Anitra Fraser ◽  
Rebecca L. Phillips
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Ecosystem Respiration ◽  
Gross Primary Production ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Eddy Covariance Method ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Intensively Managed

Abstract. Intensification of pastoral agriculture is occurring rapidly across New Zealand, including increasing use of irrigation and fertiliser application in some regions. While this enables greater gross primary production (GPP) and livestock grazing intensity, the consequences for the net ecosystem carbon budget (NECB) of the pastures are poorly known. Here, we determined the NECB over one year for an irrigated, fertilised and rotationally grazed dairy pasture and a neighbouring unirrigated, unfertilised, winter-grazed pasture. Primary terms in the NECB calculation were: net ecosystem production (NEP), biomass carbon removed by grazing cows and carbon (C) input from their excreta. Annual NEP was measured using the eddy-covariance method. Carbon removal was estimated with plate-meter measurements calibrated against biomass collections, pre- and post-grazing. Excreta deposition was calculated from animal feed intake. The intensively managed pasture gained C (NECB  =  103 ± 42 g C m−2 yr−1) but would have been subject to a non-significant C loss if cattle excreta had not been returned to the pasture. The unirrigated pasture was C-neutral (NECB  =  −13 ± 23 g C m−2 yr−1). While annual GPP of the former was almost twice that of the latter (2679 vs. 1372 g C m−2 yr−1), ecosystem respiration differed by only 68 % between the two pastures (2271 vs. 1352 g C m−2 yr−1). The ratio of GPP to the total annual water input of the irrigated pasture was 37 % greater than that of the unirrigated pasture, i.e. the former used the water input more efficiently than the latter to produce biomass. The NECB results agree qualitatively with those from many other eddy-covariance studies of grazed grasslands, but they seem to be at odds with long-term carbon-stock studies of other New Zealand pastures.

scholarly journals Livestock grazing intensity affects abundance of Common shrews (Sorex araneus) in two meadows in Denmark

BMC Ecology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels M Schmidt ◽  
Henrik Olsen ◽  
Herwig Leirs
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Sorex Araneus ◽  
Livestock Grazing

scholarly journals Effects of Grazing Intensity on the Regeneration of Woody Species in an Oak Woodland

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 597-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimilia LEMPESI ◽  
Alexia ELEFTHERIADOU ◽  
Zacharoula DELIVASI ◽  
Aikaterini PSYLLIDOU ◽  
Georgios KORAKIS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Oak Woodlands ◽  
Quercus Frainetto ◽  
Open Canopy ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Mediterranean Regions ◽  
Number Of Leaves

In the Mediterranean regions, oak forests are commonly used for livestock grazing. However, it is well documented that livestock grazing is an essential factor that can affect the success of natural regeneration of oak and other woody species of the understorey. Consequently, it influences the composition and structure of oak woodlands. The main objective of the present study was to examine the effects of grazing intensity on characteristics of oak seedlings establishment (density, height, number of leaves) and on the diversity of the woody species seedlings. The research was conducted in open canopy Quercus frainetto woodland, grazed by a herd of 500 goats for eight months per year, located in Evros region, north-eastern Greece. The distance from a goat corral was used to represent relative grazing intensity. In May 2016, vegetation measurements were made along transects placed at 50, 150, 300, 600 and 1200 m from the goat corral, running perpendicular to four replicates. According to the results, increased grazing intensity significantly reduced the density, the plant height and the number of leaves of Quercus frainetto seedlings. Grazing intensity did not affect significantly diversity, evenness and dominance indices for the woody species seedlings. However, heavy grazing reduced species richness and the Chao1 index.

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