Rangeland Ecology & Management最新文献

{"title":"The Impact of Cooperatives on Livestock Production Efficiency in China","authors":"Lijia Wang,&nbsp;Ziyun Wang,&nbsp;Zeng Tang,&nbsp;Haopeng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of mechanisms to encourage herders' entry into cooperatives is considered as an important policy tool to increase production efficiency. This study examines whether cooperatives increase livestock production efficiency among herders in Xizang, China, by comparing technical efficiency (TE), cost efficiency (CE), and scale efficiency (SE) between cooperative members (CM) and non-members (NCM). Utilizing a two-stage DEA-Tobit model and survey data from 206 herders, the research evaluates the efficiency scores and identifies determinants of productivity. The results reveal that CM exhibit higher TE (0.705) and SE (0.297) but lower CE (0.250) compared to those of NCM (0.685, 0.206, and 0.323), respectively. CM efficiency is driven by the education of the head of household, the area of grassland, income from non-livestock and technical training, while NCM efficiency is shaped by age, Mandarin proficiency, family size and the quality of grassland under management. The findings underline the role of cooperatives in improving technical and scale efficiency, but also highlight the allocative inefficiencies in cost management. Policy implications include optimizing input allocation, strengthening technical support for cooperatives, promoting grassland transfer for scale economies, and prioritizing education and language training to bridge the efficiency gaps.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 60-70"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Distribution of Plant Functional Groups in Relation to Continuous Grazing and Distance to Water Sources for Livestock in the Arid Chaco, Argentina","authors":"Juan Antonio Scaglia ,&nbsp;Daniel German Flores ,&nbsp;Raúl Tapia ,&nbsp;Mariana Martinelli ,&nbsp;María Gabriela Navea ,&nbsp;Marcia Diaz Peluffo","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the Arid Chaco savannahs, the presence of permanent water sources for livestock affects the spatial patterns of grazing, generating a gradient of grazing intensity that affects the composition of plant communities and the functioning of the ecosystem. The characteristics of plant species give rise to species-specific responses to environmental stimuli. These characteristics can group species into different functional plant groups that determine the effect of various disturbances on the functioning of the ecosystem. In this context, our study proposes the hypothesis that continuous grazing associated with permanent water sources generates a cumulative livestock pressure that determines different ecological conditions for plant communities in different geomorphological units. Under this hypothesis, we make the following predictions: 1) The distribution of water sources directly and indirectly influences the spatial distribution of functional plant groups, and 2) Variation in the quality of forage resources is associated with the distribution of some functional plant groups. Five plant functional groups were defined: annual nonfodder herbaceous plants, perennial nonfodder herbaceous plants, fodder woody plants, fodder herbaceous plants, and nonfodder woody plants. The plant functional groups significantly affected were those related to the production of fodder herbaceous plants and nonfodder woody plants. The relationship between the contribution of the functional groups of plants and the forage quality of the plant communities in the geomorphological units studied shows that forage grasses have a positive relationship and nonforage woody plants have a negative relationship. At distances greater than 1 250 m in the alluvial plain and 1 900 m in the foothills, the growth of forage species increase significantly. This can serve as a reference for planning the distribution of water sources for livestock in semi-arid plains, such as the area studied.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 48-59"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Drivers of Land Use and Land Cover Change Around Mkomazi National Park and Its Conservation Implications","authors":"Odilia J. Jofrey,&nbsp;Flora F. Manyama,&nbsp;Filemon Elisante","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies on land use and land cover change (LULCC) and their drivers are of great importance in promoting sustainable conservation of biodiversity. This study examined the extent, trends, and drivers of LULCC within and around Mkomazi National Park over a 30-yr period (1994–2023). Using remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and supervised image classification techniques, changes in five land cover classes—vegetation, water, bare land, agricultural land, and settlements—were analyzed. Household survey, direct observation, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews were also conducted in the study area to identify human-induced drivers of LULCC. Results indicated significant changes in land use and land cover within the study area. Between 1994 and 2023, there was overall decrease in dense vegetation and water coverage, whereas agricultural land, bare land and settlements increased by varying percentages. Additionally, it was found that agriculture (67%), settlement expansion (20%), and population growth (13%) emerged as the primary drivers of LULCC patterns. The study emphasizes the need for integrated land-use planning, community engagement, and enforcement of conservation regulations. Strategies such as sustainable land management, habitat restoration, and awareness campaigns are essential to mitigate adverse LULCC impacts and to ensure the long-term conservation of biodiversity in and around Mkomazi National Park.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 37-47"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144572341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Fire Influences Patch Selection by Cattle More Strongly than Previous Grazing Events","authors":"Esben L. Kjaer ,&nbsp;Ryan F. Limb ,&nbsp;Michael Hamel ,&nbsp;Benjamin Geaumont ,&nbsp;Jason P. Harmon ,&nbsp;Torre J. Hovick ,&nbsp;Kevin Sedivec","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding where animals graze and why they choose to graze there can be critical to rangeland and ecosystem management with misunderstandings of grazing distribution and behavior often being detrimental to management goals. Over time, grazing animals create grazing lawns that attract grazing animals due to ease of accessibility to more palatable regrowth. Similarly, fire can defoliate large areas of vegetation and promote new plant growth that is preferentially grazed by herbivores (i.e., pyric-herbivory in a patch-burn grazing framework). Grazer distribution in pyric-herbivory studies has been tracked through various metrics that produce valuable data. However, these data often lack precise information on what animals consume and do not account for differential plant production, limiting our ability to understand and apply pyric-herbivory to rangeland management through patch-burn grazing. Simultaneously monitoring plant biomass production and livestock grazing utilization would be the most comprehensive method to show site selection by grazing animals. To examine how previous grazing events influence grazing patterns, we collected data over 3 years on the utilization rate of patches by cattle in patch-burn grazing pastures and compared them to utilization rates in season-long grazed pastures. We found that regardless of management, grazing patterns were influenced by grazing in prior years. However, grazing in patch-burn pastures was more strongly influenced by fire than previous grazing events. Our results suggest that in the absence of additional disturbances, grazing patterns from previous years influence grazing patterns in the current year. However, disturbances that remove dead vegetation and promote regrowth, such as fire, override the influence of previous grazing patterns, modifying patch selection. Moving forward, these disturbances can be used to negate the effect of established grazing lawns and promote targeted grazing in areas with fresh regrowth, which benefits management goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 29-36"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144570106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Estimation of Plant Production in North-Central Rangelands of Iran: Emphasis on Response to Precipitation Thresholds","authors":"Hamed Joneidi Jafari ,&nbsp;Khaled Osati ,&nbsp;Bing Liu ,&nbsp;Nahid Azizi ,&nbsp;Pouyan Dehghan Rahimabadi","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Total annual precipitation cannot adequately represent the effective precipitation necessary for plant growth and production. In this research, forage production in north-central Iran rangelands was modeled by analyzing the effective precipitation during 10 water years, from 2005–2006 to 2014–2015. The production of key species, including <em>Artemisia sieberi, Ephedra intermedia, Zygophyllum eurypterum, Stipa barbata, Scariola orientalis, Anabasis setifera</em>, and annual plants, was measured. The relationship between forage production and total precipitation amounts, total precipitation exceeding 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mm, and temperature was quantified, and an optimal multivariate regression model was introduced to predict regional forage production for each species. Results revealed an average annual forage production of 57.71 kg · ha⁻¹. Notably, <em>Z. eurypterum</em> exhibited minimal production fluctuations, ranging from 16.1 to 18.4 kg · ha⁻¹, whereas annual species displayed a maximum coefficient of variation (79%). The most accurate model for estimating annual species forage production was based on April precipitation and April–May temperatures [Relative Root Mean Squared Error (RRMSE) = 0.19], which accounted for 98% of the variation (<em>P</em> value &lt; 0.01). The results also showed that the most accurate linear model for estimating total forage production was based on March–June precipitation events exceeding 5 mm, with <em>R</em> = 0.92 in the calibration step and RRMSE = 0.07 in the validation step. The results can be used for estimating the annual forage production, determining grazing capacity, predicting future changes in forage production, and informing optimal rangeland management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 18-28"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144563308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Movements and Survival of Adult Mule Deer Bucks in a Wildlife Enterprise Trophy Ranching Context","authors":"Louis C. Bender ,&nbsp;Mike Reardon ,&nbsp;Allen Darrow ,&nbsp;James Lucero","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ranch economics are increasingly dependent upon wildlife enterprises throughout the arid Southwestern USA and Mexico, and mule deer (<em>Odocoileus hemionus</em>) are perhaps the most economically important species in the region. Because significant investments by landowners are necessary for trophy management (i.e., high adult sex [buck:doe] ratio, high buck survival, and advanced [older] buck age structure), loss of bucks to adjacent properties and increased mortality on ranches (both a potential consequence of more intense competition among deer under trophy management) could represent significant disincentives to managers. Hence, we evaluated the movements and survival of adult bucks in a ranch context in northeastern New Mexico, USA, to evaluate these concerns. We found that both concerns were warranted, especially for small ranching enterprises. Despite small home ranges (16.0 km²) and core areas (4.4 km²) due to intensive management for quality deer habitat, deer spent ca. 40% of their time on adjacent properties regardless of season, and half of deer with &gt;50% of their annual ranges on adjacent properties were harvested there. Similarly, low body condition postrut predisposed all age (year)-classes of bucks to nonharvest mortality, likely an unavoidable consequence of trophy management. The most important consideration with respect to off-ranch movements is ranch size; properties &lt; 4× larger than adult buck home ranges in arid Southwestern environments should question if investment in trophy buck production is viable. For ranches lacking intensive deer habitat improvement programs, adult buck home ranges are likely &gt; 20 km², suggesting a size of ≥ 80 km² for ranches to ensure that a significant proportion of adult bucks are full-time residents, and hence allow managers to realize returns from trophy management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 11-17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Editorial Board/Journal Info","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/S1550-7424(25)00076-4","DOIUrl":"10.1016/S1550-7424(25)00076-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"101 ","pages":"Page IFC"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144481107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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 Degradation of Rangelands in Mongolia: An Actor-Centered Institutionalist Approach","authors":"Javkhlan Nyamjav ,&nbsp;Tanya Baycheva-Merger ,&nbsp;Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Mongolia, 65% of rangelands are degraded to variable extent compared to their reference state. Despite numerous efforts, a regulatory instrument in the form of a Rangeland Law has not yet been adopted and implemented. Previous studies have focused on the degradation of rangelands through investigations of vegetation, and of institutions responsible for land regulations. However, no study has yet attempted to analyze this regulatory gap (i.e., the absence of Rangeland Law), and studies on interlinkages between the institutional void and rangeland degradation continue to be rare in Mongolia. By employing a qualitative research method involving policy documents and semistructured interviews, this study addresses these gaps from a novel perspective by examining the institutional and actor-oriented factors that have impeded the adoption of the Rangeland Law for the past decades based on the Actor-Centered Institutionalism framework. The research findings indicate that institutional factors influence the adoption of the Rangeland Law more strongly than actor-oriented factors and that the challenges facing rangeland governance in Mongolia are deeply intertwined with political dynamics and vested interests. Addressing these challenges requires an effort to depoliticize the discourse, to prioritize sustainable management practices, and to safeguard the cultural heritage and well-being of Mongolia’s herding communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"102 ","pages":"Pages 1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Selectivity Strategy and Forage Plant Use by Dromedaries in Saharan Rangeland in the Region of Ouargla (Algeria)","authors":"Hassen Mahma ,&nbsp;Abdelmadjid Chehma ,&nbsp;Johann Huguenin","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study was to monitor the grazing and utilization of feed resources by dromedary camels in the Saharan rangelands around Ouargla Algeria, and to illustrate how camels contribute to the maintenance and improvement of their environment despite the limited vegetation. The research methodology employed the tooth strikes method, involving direct observation of biting. In this study, a camcorder was used for the first time as a means to record camel activity on the range, aiming to prevent any loss of information. Recording sessions of 1 hour each were conducted in the morning and afternoon for each female camel, under conditions of decreasing vegetation availability during each season. The monitoring results revealed that dromedaries exhibit a distinct attitude toward plants. They allow the regeneration of less abundant species by taking small bites while consuming more extensively from the more abundant species. Statistical analysis demonstrated a highly significant relationship between species abundance and grazing probability (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). According to the “Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector” method, species with an abundance exceeding 13% have a sampling probability with a precision of 76.8%. In contrast, species with an abundance between 6% and 13% have a 45% probability of grazing, while those with an occurrence rate of 6% have a 7% probability of grazing. Likewise, the analysis of variance test indicated a highly significant relationship between plant height and grazing time (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.000). Consequently, the number of plant parts consumed was found to be proportional to the plant’s height. The camel’s behavior toward its environment facilitates the regeneration and preservation of plant cover in its pastures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"101 ","pages":"Pages 147-154"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144272275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Patch-Burn Grazing is Similar to Annual Burning in Effects on Belowground Invertebrates in Tallgrass Prairie","authors":"Zachary L.T. Bunch ,&nbsp;Meghan L. Avolio ,&nbsp;Sally E. Koerner ,&nbsp;Kevin R. Wilcox ,&nbsp;Lydia H. Zeglin ,&nbsp;Kimberly J. Komatsu","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Patch-Burn Grazing (PBG) is a rangeland management strategy that aims to promote heterogeneity across a landscape by burning rotating discrete patches of land, which draws cattle to the most recently burned areas. This is in contrast to Annual-Burn Grazing (ABG), which is a commonly used management practice across the rangelands of the midwestern United States that tends to homogenize the grazing landscape. PBG has been thought to promote biodiversity of a variety of taxa, including birds, small mammals, and plants. However, the impacts of PBG on invertebrate communities are not well understood. Here we investigate the effects of these alternative fire-grazing management strategies on soil-dwelling invertebrate communities in a tallgrass prairie rangeland ecosystem. Specifically, we examine the effects of each management style on overall biodiversity and variability of belowground invertebrates across the landscape, as well as the responses within individual burn areas of PBG. We found that soil-dwelling invertebrate richness at the plot-scale was higher in ABG compared to PBG, while community composition and abundance did not differ between the two management methods. Additionally, richness, evenness, and abundance of belowground invertebrates did not differ across the PBG landscape based on years since burning. Finally, beta-diversity of belowground invertebrates across the landscape did not differ between PBG and ABG. Overall, our results suggest that PBG does not differ from ABG in its impact on biodiversity in belowground invertebrate communities. Further research investigating why some taxa (e.g., birds, small mammals) respond differently than others (e.g., belowground invertebrates) would help inform land management decisions across the region. Understanding these dynamics expands our insights surrounding how heterogeneity driven by fire-grazing interactions impacts rangeland invertebrates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"101 ","pages":"Pages 140-146"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144272276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}