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Simba LD, Te Beest M, Hawkins HJ, Larson KW, Palmer AR, Sandström C, Smart KG, Kerley GIH, Cromsigt JPGM. Wilder rangelands as a natural climate opportunity: Linking climate action to biodiversity conservation and social transformation. AMBIO 2024; 53:678-696. [PMID: 38296876 PMCID: PMC10991972 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01976-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Rangelands face threats from climate and land-use change, including inappropriate climate change mitigation initiatives such as tree planting in grassy ecosystems. The marginalization and impoverishment of rangeland communities and their indigenous knowledge systems, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, are additional major challenges. To address these issues, we propose the wilder rangelands integrated framework, co-developed by South African and European scientists from diverse disciplines, as an opportunity to address the climate, livelihood, and biodiversity challenges in the world's rangelands. More specifically, we present a Theory of Change to guide the design, monitoring, and evaluation of wilder rangelands. Through this, we aim to promote rangeland restoration, where local communities collaborate with regional and international actors to co-create new rangeland use models that simultaneously mitigate the impacts of climate change, restore biodiversity, and improve both ecosystem functioning and livelihoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavhelesani D Simba
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa.
| | - Mariska Te Beest
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), Grasslands, Forests and Wetlands Node, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Heidi-Jayne Hawkins
- Conservation International, Forrest House, Belmont Park, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Private Bag X1, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Keith W Larson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Climate Impacts Research Centre, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anthony R Palmer
- Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
| | - Camilla Sandström
- Department of Political Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kathleen G Smart
- Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
- Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON), Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Graham I H Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
| | - Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Gqeberha, 6031, South Africa
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
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Garrote PJ, Bugalho MN, Fedriani JM. Seedling responses to moderate and severe herbivory: a field-clipping experiment with a keystone Mediterranean palm. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:1058-1070. [PMID: 37713282 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant-ungulate interactions are critical in shaping the structure of Mediterranean plant communities. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of knowledge on how plant intrinsic and extrinsic factors mediate the sign and strength of plant-ungulate interactions. This is most relevant when addressing natural or assisted restoration of plant communities in human-disturbed areas. We conducted field-clipping experiments simulating how different intensities of ungulate herbivory may affect the natural regeneration and establishment of the Mediterranean dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis), a keystone species in Mediterranean ecosystems. We quantified seedling survival and size in two human-disturbed sites (SW Spain) where wild and domestic ungulates exert high herbivory pressure on vegetation. Severe clipping and seedling aging reduced rates of seedling survival. In contrast, moderate clipping did not affect seedling survival, suggesting a certain degree of C. humilis tolerance to herbivory. Severe clipping reduced seedling height strongly but not seedling diameter, and these effects seem to have decreased seedling survival. Nurse shrubs increased seedling size, which likely improved seedling survival. We also found seedling compensatory growth which varied between study sites. Field-clipping experiments can help disentangle effects of plant extrinsic and intrinsic factors on the sign and strength of plant-ungulate interactions and their ecological consequences on the dynamics of human-disturbed ecosystems. We call attention to the importance of appropriately managing scenarios of severe herbivory and summer droughts, particularly frequent in Mediterranean ecosystems, as synergic effects of such key drivers can negatively affect the structure and dynamics of plant communities and endanger their conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J Garrote
- Desertification Research Centre (CIDE), CSIC-UVEG-GV, Moncada (Valencia), Spain
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves" (CEABN-InBIO), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M N Bugalho
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves" (CEABN-InBIO), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J M Fedriani
- Desertification Research Centre (CIDE), CSIC-UVEG-GV, Moncada (Valencia), Spain
- Doñana Biological Station (EBD), CSIC, C/Américo Vespucio s/n, Isla de la Cartuja, Seville, Spain
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Irob K, Blaum N, Weiss‐Aparicio A, Hauptfleisch M, Hering R, Uiseb K, Tietjen B. Savanna resilience to droughts increases with the proportion of browsing wild herbivores and plant functional diversity. J Appl Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Katja Irob
- Freie Universität Berlin, Theoretical Ecology Institute of Biology Berlin Germany
| | - Niels Blaum
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany
| | - Alex Weiss‐Aparicio
- Freie Universität Berlin, Theoretical Ecology Institute of Biology Berlin Germany
| | - Morgan Hauptfleisch
- Biodiversity Research Centre Namibia University of Science and Technology Windhoek Namibia
| | - Robert Hering
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany
| | - Kenneth Uiseb
- Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Windhoek Namibia
| | - Britta Tietjen
- Freie Universität Berlin, Theoretical Ecology Institute of Biology Berlin Germany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) Berlin Germany
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Xu L, Li D, Wang D, Ye L, Nie Y, Fang H, Xue W, Bai C, Van Ranst E. Achieving the dual goals of biomass production and soil rehabilitation with sown pasture on marginal cropland: Evidence from a multi-year field experiment in Northeast Inner Mongolia. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:985864. [PMID: 36247641 PMCID: PMC9557734 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.985864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Grassland is the primary land use in China but has experienced severe degradation in recent decades due to overgrazing and conversion to agricultural production. Here, we conducted a field experiment in northeastern Inner Mongolia to test the effectiveness of sown pastures in lowering the grazing pressure on grasslands and raising the quality of marginal soils. Alfalfa and smooth bromegrass monocultures and mixture were sown in a marginal cropland field in Hulunber in June 2016. Biomass productivity, soil physicochemical, and biological properties were monitored annually from 2016 to 2020. The results showed that the marginal cropland soil responded consistently positively to sown pastures for major soil properties. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) increased by 48 and 21%, respectively, from 2016 to 2020 over the 0-60 cm soil depth range. Soil microbes responded proactively too. The soil microbial biomass C (SMBC) and N (SMBN) increased by 117 and 39%, respectively, during the period of 2016-2020. However, by the end of the experiment, the soil of a natural grassland field, which was included in the experiment as a control, led the sown pasture soil by 28% for SOC, 35% for TN, 66% for SMBC, and 96% for SMBN. Nevertheless, the natural grassland soil's productive capacity was inferior to that of the sown pasture soil. The average aboveground biomass productivity of sown pastures was measured at 8.4 Mg ha-1 in 2020, compared to 5.0 Mg ha-1 for natural grassland, while the root biomass of sown pastures was averaged at 7.5 Mg ha-1, leading the natural grassland by 15%. Our analyses also showed that the sown pastures' biomass productivity advantage had a much-neglected potential in natural grassland protection. If 50% of the available marginal cropland resources in Hulunber under the current environmental protection law were used for sown pastures, the livestock grazing pressure on the natural grasslands would decrease by a big margin of 38%. Overall, these results represent systematic empirical and analytical evidence of marginal cropland soil's positive responses to sown pastures, which shows clearly that sown pasture is a valid measure both for soil rehabilitation and biomass production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Xu
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Da Li
- Department of Grassland Research, Baicheng Institute of Animal Husbandry, Baicheng, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Grassland Research, Baicheng Institute of Animal Husbandry, Baicheng, China
| | - Liming Ye
- Department of Geology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yingying Nie
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huajun Fang
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Xue
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunli Bai
- Grassland Research Institute, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, China
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Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162092. [PMID: 36009682 PMCID: PMC9404863 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many people believe that animal agriculture should be phased out and replaced with vegetarian substitutes. The livestock industry has also been attacked because it uses vast amounts of land. People forget that grazing cattle or sheep can be raised on land that is either too arid or too rough for raising crops. At least 20% of the habitable land on Earth is not suitable for crops. Rotational grazing systems can be used to improve both soil health and vegetation diversity on arid land. Grazing livestock are also being successfully used to graze cover crops on prime farmland. Soil health is improved when grazing on a cover crop is rotated with conventional cash crops, such as corn or soybeans. It also reduces the need for buying fertilizer. Grazing animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, or bison, should be used as part of a sustainable system that will improve the land, help sequester carbon, and reduce animal welfare issues.
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Stabach JA, Hughey LF, Crego RD, Fleming CH, Hopcraft JGC, Leimgruber P, Morrison TA, Ogutu JO, Reid RS, Worden JS, Boone RB. Increasing Anthropogenic Disturbance Restricts Wildebeest Movement Across East African Grazing Systems. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.846171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to move is essential for animals to find mates, escape predation, and meet energy and water demands. This is especially important across grazing systems where vegetation productivity can vary drastically between seasons or years. With grasslands undergoing significant changes due to climate change and anthropogenic development, there is an urgent need to determine the relative impacts of these pressures on the movement capacity of native herbivores. To measure these impacts, we fitted 36 white-bearded wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) with GPS collars across three study areas in southern Kenya (Amboseli Basin, Athi-Kaputiei Plains, and Mara) to test the relationship between movement (e.g., directional persistence, speed, home range crossing time) and gradients of vegetation productivity (i.e., NDVI) and anthropogenic disturbance. As expected, wildebeest moved the most (21.0 km day–1; CI: 18.7–23.3) across areas where movement was facilitated by low human footprint and necessitated by low vegetation productivity (Amboseli Basin). However, in areas with moderate vegetation productivity (Athi-Kaputiei Plains), wildebeest moved the least (13.3 km day–1; CI: 11.0–15.5). This deviation from expectations was largely explained by impediments to movement associated with a large human footprint. Notably, the movements of wildebeest in this area were also less directed than the other study populations, suggesting that anthropogenic disturbance (i.e., roads, fences, and the expansion of settlements) impacts the ability of wildebeest to move and access available resources. In areas with high vegetation productivity and moderate human footprint (Mara), we observed intermediate levels of daily movement (14.2 km day–1; CI: 12.3–16.1). Wildebeest across each of the study systems used grassland habitats outside of protected areas extensively, highlighting the importance of unprotected landscapes for conserving mobile species. These results provide unique insights into the interactive effects of climate and anthropogenic development on the movements of a dominant herbivore in East Africa and present a cautionary tale for the development of grazing ecosystems elsewhere.
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