Rangeland Journal最新文献

{"title":"Modelling and assessment of climate change and policy response – the distribu tion and area of Kobresia meadow in the Three-River Headwaters Region, China","authors":"Huilong Lin, Yanfei Pu, Lin Li, Charles Nyandwi, Jean de Dieu Nzabonakuze, Rong Tang","doi":"10.1071/rj20090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/rj20090","url":null,"abstract":"How the suitable distribution of a given grassland type will respond to policy implementation and climate change is a prerequisite and the basis for effective grassland management and sustainable development. The maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model as a comprehensive evaluation method at species level was successfully used to simulate the temporal and spatial changes in the geographical distribution of Kobresia meadow in China’s Three-River Headwaters (TRH) region under the context of policy implementation and climate change. There were three main findings. First, there are the six dominant environmental variables affecting the distribution of Kobresia meadow (these being elevation, precipitation variation coefficient, March precipitation, April precipitation, April minimum temperatures, and May minimum temperatures: their threshold values are 3500–4000 m, 86–100, 8.5 mm, 12 mm, –3.5°C and 1.5°C, respectively, which indicate the most suitable conditions for Kobresia meadow distribution). Second, under current (2005–2014) climate conditions, the suitable distribution of Kobresia meadow gradually decreases from east to west, with the largest area in the east. Implementation of the ecological conservation policy in the TRH has greatly improved the ecological environment in lower elevation and high population areas. This has benefited the growth of Kobresia meadow and enlarged its suitable areas. Third, compared with the current distribution, areas suitable for Kobresia meadow will increase by 25.4–33.0% in the 2050s (2041–2060) and 17.4–33.0% in the 2070s (2061–2080) under four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. More importantly, from the 2050s to the 2070s, areas suitable for Kobresia meadow will decrease or stabilise, bringing new challenges for protection and utilisation.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46662787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phyllode fall and nutrient content in a mulga (Acacia aneura F.Muell. ex Benth.) community in central Australia in response to rainfall","authors":"J. Turner, M. Friedel, M. Neumann","doi":"10.1071/RJ21007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ21007","url":null,"abstract":"The fall of phyllodes from Acacia aneura F.Muell. ex Benth. (mulga) in central Australia was studied over 22 months from mid-1958 at four locations within a livestock reserve north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, in order to identify rainfall or seasonal triggers. Phyllode fall increased by at least an order of magnitude for short periods following rain of 15–20 mm or more on a ‘mature’ mulga site and similar trends were apparent for ‘young’ and ‘desert form’ mulga on the same site, and on a second, independent, ‘mature’ site. When rates of phyllode fall were high after substantial rain, at both ‘mature’ locations, ~30% of nitrogen and ~50% of phosphorus were withdrawn before abscission, suggesting that mulga was markedly conservative of these nutrients. Conversely, under dry conditions, when phyllode fall was relatively low (<200 mg m−2 day−1), concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in fallen phyllodes were higher. Concentrations of potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium did not vary consistently with increasing rate of phyllode fall, although overall levels of calcium and potassium were considerably higher in the second ‘mature’ location. This legacy study is of renewed interest given the potential of mulga communities to contribute to national carbon stocks, and the consequent need for robust field-based data on growth dynamics and carbon fluxes.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78308606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping drought declaration areas from 1936 to 1964 for Queensland, Australia","authors":"S. Irvine","doi":"10.1071/RJ20080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20080","url":null,"abstract":"Since 1964, maps showing areas of drought declaration in Queensland, Australia were created or updated as drought declarations changed. Prior to 1964, drought declarations were based on railway lines rather than specific areas. By using a railway distance buffer, drought declaration areas based on local government areas could be mapped. A literature review of the history of Queensland drought declarations, enabled mapping of the extent and duration of drought declarations for the period 1936–1964. Analysis of the changes in these areas enabled the duration of each drought episode to be determined. These data and information were then combined with the mapped drought declarations areas (1964–2020) to enable an assessment of drought area and duration in Queensland since 1936. There were 13 drought episodes of differing durations. Calculating the area percentage of Queensland that was drought declared from 1936 to the present (2020) identified an increasing duration of drought declaration. This increase appears to be due to the changes in the administration process to remove a drought declaration area (revocation) which have occurred since 1982.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43750421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new net primary productivity model and new management strategy of grassland classification based on CSCS in China","authors":"Huilong Lin, Haili Ma, Charles Nyandwi, Qisheng Feng, Tiangang Liang","doi":"10.1071/RJ20073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20073","url":null,"abstract":"The discovery of grassland field, form and biomass in China was central to the sustainable development of grassland. In this study, the realistic spatial distribution patterns of grasslands were clarified through the combination of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) and the Comprehensive and Sequential Classification System (CSCS). An optimal net primary productivity (NPP) model suitable for Chinese grasslands was introduced by integrating the classification indices-based model (CIM) with the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and comparing it with the standard classical model (Miami, Schuur, CIM, CASA model). Using the optimal model as the algorithm basis, the net primary production spatial pattern of grassland in China was determined. The results showed that: (1) the total area of grassland was ~374.3 × 104 km2 in 2018, mainly distributed in north-western China. Among the grassland super-class groups, Tundra and alpine steppe were largest, and Warm desert smallest; (2) the optimal modified CIM had the highest prediction efficiency, and the overall accuracy was higher than the standard classical model (Miami, Schuur, CIM, CASA model). It achieved the accurate calculation of grassland NPP in China; (3) different grassland super-class groups had different carbon fixation efficiency per unit area, resulting in huge differences in total NPP. Among the various grassland super-class groups, the temperate humid grassland, steppe, tundra and alpine steppe had high conversion efficiency per unit area of NPP, whereas that for warm desert and the savanna was low. The total NPP was 388.04 × 1012 g C/year in the study area in 2018. The results provide a basis for the rational arrangement of grassland ecological and productive functions, and are significant for developing a new strategy of grassland classification management in China.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82798392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of the locoweed (Astragalus variabilis Bunge) in improving the soil properties of desert grasslands","authors":"Wang Qinghai, Chao Chen, Zhuo Pang, Cui Li, Dejun Wang, Qing-Wen Ma, Ju-ying Wu","doi":"10.1071/RJ20028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20028","url":null,"abstract":"Astragalus variabilis Bunge is a widespread locoweed that threatens livestock production in desert grassland. No research has reported its possible ecological functions due to focus being on its negative effect on livestock production. This study aimed to assess the effects of A. variabilis on soil properties and its possible role in improving soil quality in desert grassland. Soil samples were collected in Astragalus patches and the adjacent bare patches over two successive growing seasons in Alxa desert grassland where A. variabilis was favoured to spread. Soil properties including texture, water content, dry bulk density, porosity, available nutrients, organic matter, and soil microbial biomass were determined at 15 study sites. There was no significant difference in soil texture between Astragalus-dominant and bare patches; but organic matter (OM), available N and P, and microbial biomass in surface soil (0–30 cm) were significantly higher in Astragalus patches. Furthermore, microbial biomass showed a significantly positive correlation with available nutrients and OM. Levels of water soluble salt were significantly lower in A. variabilis surface soils under drought conditions. Results suggested that A. variabilis was associated with some positive changes in soil properties, and was potentially important in improving soil chemical and microbial properties in desert grassland ecosystems. Consequently, total elimination of locoweed should not necessarily be considered the best solution to locoweed poisoning in livestock.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80352159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The substitution effect of grass-fed livestock products on grain-fed livestock products from the perspective of supply-side reform in China","authors":"Huilong Lin, Xiao-Yun Xiong, Yifan Liu, Yuting Zhao, Rong Tang, Charles Nyandwi","doi":"10.1071/RJ20072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20072","url":null,"abstract":"Clarification of the direction of China’s future agricultural structural transformation is important, particularly by analysing the dynamic characteristics of upgrading the food consumption structure, especially the relationship between grain and grass-fed livestock products, and by predicting future food consumption patterns. Based on the food equivalent unit (FEU) and the arable land equivalent unit (ALEU), characteristics of meat consumption elasticity across China and between regions were analysed using the extend linear expenditure system for national meat consumption elasticity and regional changes. Similarly, in addition to the substitution effect of grass-fed livestock products on grain-fed livestock products, the prediction of the future gap in demand for grass-fed livestock products was explored. Results indicated that: (1) from 2005 to 2012, the per-capita food consumption on average has stabilised at 460 kg FEU per year. The consumption of grain-fed livestock products is stable, and that for grass-fed livestock products has increased dramatically since 2000; (2) there is a substitution effect of consumption of grass-fed on consumption of grain-fed livestock products on individual and regional scales; (3) By 2035, the overall demand gap for future grass-fed livestock products in China will be 1.14 × 1010 kg, and the main demand will be in grain farming areas. Based on the aggregated advantage index of each region, the seven grassland ecological-economic regions are divided into three priority groups for grassland agricultural development.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"231 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72546195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shift of potential natural vegetation against global climate change under historical, current and future scenarios","authors":"Zhengchao Ren, Huazhong Zhu, Hua Shi, Xiaoni Liu","doi":"10.1071/RJ20092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20092","url":null,"abstract":"Potential natural vegetation (PNV), the final successional stage of vegetation, plays a key role in ecological restoration, the design of nature reserves, and development of agriculture and livestock production. Meteorological data from historical and current periods including the last inter-glacial (LIG), last glacial maximum (LGM), mid Holocene (MH) periods and the present day (PD), plus derived data from 2050 and 2070, in conjunction with the Comprehensive and Sequential Classification System (CSCS) model, were used to classify global PNV. The 42 classes of global PNV were regrouped into 10 groups to facilitate analysis of spatial changes. Finally, spatio-temporal patterns and successional processes of global PNV as well as the response to climate changes were analysed. Our study made the following five conclusions. (1) Only one missing class (IA1 frigid-extrarid frigid desert, alpine desert) arose in periods of LIG, MH, 2050, and 2070 for global PNV. (2) The frigid-arid groups were mainly distributed in higher latitudes and elevations, but temperate-humid groups and tropical-perhumid groups occurred in middle and low latitudes, respectively. Temperate zonal forest steppe, warm desert, savanna and tropical zonal forest steppe increased, while six other groups decreased. (3) The conversion from temperate zonal forest steppe to tundra and alpine steppe from LIG to LGM occupied the largest area, indicating a drastic shift in climate and the associated response of terrestrial vegetation sensitive to climate change. (4) The CSCS could be used to simulate the long-term succession of global PNV. (5) As a consequence of global warming, forests shifted to the northern hemisphere and Tibet, areas with much higher latitude and elevation. The PNV groups with greater shift distance revealed the more serious effects of global climate change on vegetation.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"28 12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86156432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Building cultural capital in drought adaptation: lessons from discourse analysis","authors":"Gillian Paxton","doi":"10.1071/RJ20077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20077","url":null,"abstract":"As governments and primary industries work to build the climate resilience of Australian agriculture, individual producers are often called upon to implement strategies to become more adaptive in the face of drought. These strategies include infrastructural changes to agricultural businesses, changes to practices, and the adoption of new skills and knowledge. The transition towards greater drought adaptiveness will also demand broader cultural shifts in the way that drought is defined and approached as an issue facing primary producers. This paper presents the results of a discourse analysis conducted as part of social research exploring the cultural barriers to drought preparedness within the Queensland Government’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program (DCAP). Focusing on media and government accounts, the analysis found two different ways of framing drought and its management in Queensland agriculture. The first, which is dominant in media accounts, emphasises the disruptive power of drought, presenting it as a profound difficulty for producers that is managed using endurance, hope and ingenuity. This frame adopts highly evocative discursive strategies oriented towards mobilising community sentiment and support for producers. The second, which is less prominent overall, downplays drought’s disruptive power and counters the emotionality of the adversity discourse by presenting drought as a neutral business risk that can be managed using rational planning skills and scientific knowledge. In discussing these two frames, this paper suggests strategies whereby drought adaptation frames might be made more powerful using more meaningful and emotive narratives that showcase it as a vital practice for ensuring agricultural livelihoods and rural futures in a changing climate.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83460700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Achieving drought resilience in the grazing lands of northern Australia: preparing, responding and recovering","authors":"M. Bowen, F. Chudleigh","doi":"10.1071/RJ20058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ20058","url":null,"abstract":"Northern Australia is characterised by high rainfall variability and extended droughts that challenge sustainable and profitable management of grazing properties. To achieve drought resilience, emphasis must be placed on supporting livestock managers to prepare for drought as well as implementing appropriate drought response and recovery actions. Here we describe insights and learnings gained from working with scientists, industry development and extension officers, and property managers, to enable more profitable and drought resilient extensive livestock production systems across northern Australia. We provide examples from the modelling and analysis of hypothetical grazing properties representative of enterprises across northern Australia. To prepare for drought, we principally propose the application of the farm-management economics framework to identify investment strategies which can improve enterprise resilience through building wealth over the longer term. The critical first step in drought preparedness for beef businesses was the implementation of management strategies to achieve the optimal herd structure, steer sale age, and breeder body condition. Other key strategies to improve profitability across northern Australia were (1) addressing a phosphorus deficiency for cattle through effective supplementation and (2) establishing adapted perennial legume-grass pastures to improve steer nutrition. In addition, we identify the benefits of working closely with livestock managers and industry to gain adoption of proven technologies that effectively improve decision-making capacity and the drought preparedness of extensive livestock production systems. The usefulness of the farm-management economics approach to assess the relative value of alternative tactical destocking and restocking decisions during drought response and recovery is also discussed. These latter analyses can highlight important differences between options in terms of future profit and cash flow, as well as the ability to rapidly return the property to the most profitable herd structure and age of turnoff, with consideration of production and financial risk. Additionally, integrating pasture growth models with herd or flock economic models can provide insights into the effects, on profitability and sustainability, of alternative destocking and later restocking strategies over the longer term. Combined, the farm-management economics framework approach can support more informed decision-making by livestock producers and hence enable more profitable and drought resilient extensive livestock production systems. However, achieving drought resilience in the grazing lands of northern Australia will require emphasis on drought preparation, in addition to appropriate action in response and recovery phases of drought. Key to this approach is increasing the adoption of strategies that enhance drought preparedness.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90867305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From National Drought Policy to National Drought Agreement: the evolution of Australia","authors":"L. Botterill","doi":"10.1071/rj20065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/rj20065","url":null,"abstract":"Australia has had a formal National Drought Policy for nearly three decades. Over that time, the policy has morphed, with the programs that make up the policy being revised and replaced as it has sought to address both the concerns of the farm business and the welfare needs of farm families. The stated principles underpinning the policy have remained relatively stable, focusing on farmer self-reliance and risk management. The most recent iteration, embodied in a December 2018 National Drought Agreement, is very similar in stated intent to the original 1992 policy. Despite attempts to focus on risk management, however, the policy remains to a large extent crisis driven, with changes to the policy, particularly big-ticket spending, frequently announced during severe drought. As a result of the tension between the political imperative to respond during drought events and the desire to promote self-reliance and drought preparedness among farmers, the original policy’s ambition of avoiding ad hoc reactions has not been achieved, and the risk management/self-reliance theme is reflected more rhetorically than in policy substance. These tensions reflect the challenge of juggling the conflicting values around drought support, between broad community sympathy for farmers which is activated during drought, and aspirations of a risk management approach which requires longer term thinking and the avoidance of ad hoc policy making.","PeriodicalId":20810,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Journal","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74358159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}