Rangeland Ecology & Management最新文献

{"title":"US Beef Cattle Inventory Trends With Implications for Land Use and Rangelands","authors":"Hana Fancher ,&nbsp;Amy Nagler ,&nbsp;John Ritten ,&nbsp;J.D. Wulfhorst","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.01.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.01.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The US beef industry faces multiple challenges to social sustainability and community security, manifesting differently across regions, states, communities, and operations. Using industry-related economic data, we explore a spatial history leading to the current relationship between the number of cattle and the number and size of producers.</div><div>Cattle inventory alongside beef production data provides evidence of how the industry has become more efficient. Considering inventory by region and sector allows a more nuanced understanding. At the broadest scale, we document trends of cattle moving northward to the central part of the country as well as into more concentrated operations.</div><div>Animals are not dispersed equally across various cattle production operations. Over time, the beef industry has changed to include fewer total operations and a greater proportion of smaller cattle operations. Again, there is notable spatial variation, with a greater proportion of large ranches in western regions compared with eastern regions.</div><div>The combination of cattle inventory and operation size – the tension between resilience and efficiency – will affect the trajectory, viability, and security of the industry. One of the most defining features of the industry is the diversity of operations that enables the industry to thrive in the face of evolving challenges.</div><div>Amidst these challenges and the shifting structure of beef production, millions of acres of grazing lands face potential land-use changes, with increased stock densities in some areas and loss of grazing animals in others. Understanding historical and spatial trends in cattle inventories and operations allows cattle producers and industry partners to better face risk implications and adapt to changes in regional production and marketing infrastructure, with clear implications for rangeland management needs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 545-553"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789897","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":"Season and Migration Strategies Influence Mule Deer Response to Landscape Mosaic","authors":"Elizabeth M. Schuyler ,&nbsp;Lisa M. Ellsworth ,&nbsp;Dana M. Sanchez ,&nbsp;Donald G. Whittaker","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Landscape-scale ecosystem degradation in the western United States has been attributed to altered fire regimes, tree expansion into shrublands, and the invasion of exotic annual grasses. These changes have impacted populations of many wildlife species, including mule deer (<em>Odocoileus hemionus</em>). We examined how wildfire, dominant vegetation type, western juniper (<em>Juniperus occidentalis</em>) cover, vegetation productivity, and elevation influenced seasonal habitat selection for a population of mule deer that exhibits mixed-migration strategies. We used 51 416 global positioning system locations collected from adult (&gt;1.5-yr-old) female mule deer to develop three separate population-level resource selection functions for the shared winter range (<em>n =</em> 148; December–March) and migratory summer range (<em>n =</em> 94; June–August), and resident summer range (<em>n =</em> 34). We found that both migratory and resident deer used older burns (11–20 yr) on summer ranges. Conversely, deer used more recent burns (&lt;10 yr) more than unburned areas during winter. During the winter, deer also used areas with little juniper cover (&lt;10%) and patches dominated by exotic grass. Our results indicate that wildfire has both positive and negative effects on mule deer habitat selection, depending on the season and age of burn. Furthermore, our results identify a threshold of juniper canopy cover selected by mule deer on their winter range.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 37-45"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144830908","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":"Efficacy of Four Non-destructive Methods for Estimating Aboveground Biomass in Subtropical Grasslands","authors":"Akiem M. Gough,&nbsp;Kathryn G. Smith,&nbsp;Grégory Sonnier,&nbsp;Karen E. Rice,&nbsp;Emily Anderson,&nbsp;Fern Barker,&nbsp;Tyler Bernard,&nbsp;Emmy Stewart,&nbsp;Jacqueline Valiente,&nbsp;Elizabeth H. Boughton","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.08.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reliably measuring aboveground vegetative biomass is essential for managing grazing lands and protecting the ecosystem services these lands provide. Destructive methods of measuring aboveground biomass (clipping and weighing biomass) are time-consuming and labor-intensive. We evaluated the efficacy of four non-destructive methods for estimating aboveground biomass: visual obstruction (VO<span><span>¹</span></span>) measured with a Robel pole, vegetation height with a meter stick, a 1.6 kg weighted plate, and a 3.7 kg weighted plate.</div><div>This study was conducted at Archbold Biological Station’s Buck Island Ranch, a working cattle ranch in south-central Florida. Ninety plots were measured within ten 16-ha pastures for each month of the five-month study: eight cultivated improved pastures (IMP<span><span>²</span></span>) and two semi-native pastures (SNP<span><span>³</span></span>). We hypothesized that (1) VO measured with a Robel pole would provide the most reliable measurements while the meter stick would provide the least reliable measurements and (2) non-destructive methods would have a higher correlation to clipped biomass in more homogenous IMP. Linear regressions were used to determine if correlations existed between observed biomass weights and vegetation height from each of the non-destructive sampling methods. All methods showed a positive relationship with biomass, but in both IMP and SNP, the 3.7 kg weighted plate had the strongest correlation with biomass (R² = 0.72, 0.62, respectively) and the meter stick had the least (R² = 0.54, 0.23, respectively).</div><div>However, different methods were found to be more effective at estimating biomass when dominant species were modeled individually. This study demonstrated that there are reliable, less time-consuming, and labor-intensive alternatives to destructive methods of biomass estimation. Less intensive measurements may allow land managers to make more efficient grazing decisions or simplify calibrating remote sensing products that will allow biomass estimates to be taken at scales relevant to management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 163-170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095842","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":"Compost and Native Seeding Interactively Increase Bulk Soil Carbon, but Compost Addition Favors Nonnative Plants","authors":"Justin C. Luong ,&nbsp;Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz ,&nbsp;Pam Krone","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.07.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rangelands are globally distributed habitats with high potential for supporting nature-based climate solutions. Yet, rangelands will be affected by human disturbances that result in severe habitat degradation and may need intervention to sufficiently recover. Compost addition can help improve soil carbon and water holding capacity, whereas native seeding can help bolster plant cover and richness; synergistically, they could have cascading effects on plant communities and forage quality. To better understand the utility of combining these range improvements, we treated a degraded working grassland (used to stage wildfire-fighting operations) in coastal California with compost broadcasting (1.48 kg · m⁻²) and native seeding (eight California species) treatments annually for 3 consecutive yr (2020–2022). We evaluated plant community composition, forage quality and toxicity, and soil biogeochemistry (soil inorganic carbon [SIC] and soil organic carbon [SOC] concentrations [%] and bulk soil carbon [T C · ha⁻¹]). Compost addition resulted in higher concentrations of soil organic matter (SOM) but did not increase SOC and SIC. Nonnative plant cover increased over time only in compost addition plots. Native cover and richness were unaffected by native seeding, but native cover was lower with compost addition. Compost resulted in higher relative cover of low-quality and less toxic forage, but also lower relative cover of high-quality forage. Bulk soil carbon was unaffected by independent compost addition or native seeding but increased significantly when treatments were combined. Our results demonstrate that compost application and native seeding have the potential to support soil recovery of SOM and bulk soil carbon in a degraded rangeland. The findings also suggest there are trade-offs in these practices, as compost addition could promote nonnative species and higher relative plant cover of low-quality forage. Low success from native seeding indicates that recommended seeding rates may be insufficient to establish plants in a degraded rangeland with compacted soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 104-112"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144919911","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":"Changing Soil Microbial Community Stability and Its Influencing Factors During the Restoration of Degraded Alpine Meadow","authors":"Yu Chai ,&nbsp;Xilai Li ,&nbsp;Chengyi Li ,&nbsp;Yunqiao Ma ,&nbsp;Yizhi Zhou ,&nbsp;Pei Gao ,&nbsp;Yufang Zhang ,&nbsp;XinRu Du ,&nbsp;Xinian Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiluo Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been severely degraded, forming a large number of bare patches (BP). The recovery and succession of these BP may lead to changes in the stability of soil microbial communities in the meadow ecosystem. Currently, it is unclear how microbial community characteristics and stability respond to the recovery and succession of the BP. We selected four types of patches, including BP, initial-term recovery patches, long-term recovery patches, and healthy alpine meadows, and different succession stages of the patchily degraded alpine meadow were analyzed to determine the properties of their plants, soil, and soil microbial communities. The results showed that during the recovery and succession of the patchily degraded alpine meadow, belowground biomass (BGB), plant community diversity index, soil moisture, and soil electrical conductivity, as well as the contents of soil organic carbon, STN, ammonium nitrogen, leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase, and the composition and niche breadth of soil bacteria all increased. The stability of soil microbial network was enhanced. The stability of soil bacterial resistance and resilience stability showed an increasing trend with recovery length, whereas soil fungi showed a decreasing trend. The main environmental factors affecting the stability of soil microbial communities were identified as BGB, Shannon–Wiener index of soil fungi, ammonium nitrogen content, and soil electrical conductivity. Soil physical properties directly or indirectly affected vegetation characteristics, soil nutrients, soil enzyme activities, and soil microbial diversity, all of which, in turn, affected the stability of soil microbial communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 450-461"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465564","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":"Effects of Long-Term Grazing Exclosure and Plateau Pika Disturbance on Biochemical Cycling in an Alpine Meadow, West China","authors":"Chengyi Li ,&nbsp;Yuanwu Yang ,&nbsp;Xinhui Li ,&nbsp;Xilai Li","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grazing exclusion and excessive disturbance by plateau pika can change grassland carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles, with their effect being particularly pronounced in areas affected by overgrazing. Specifically, grazing exclusion mitigates soil disturbance and vegetation damage caused by grazing in such regions, while plateau pika of a high population density can further regulate nutrient cycling processes through behaviors like burrowing and herbivory. These two sets of changes also exert impacts on net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE). However, the regulatory role of such nutrient cycle changes and NEE in response to grassland degradation remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted a 10-year fenced experiment with three treatments including regular grazing (CK), fenced without (FN) pika and with pika (FP) disturbance to explore the linkage between NEE and plant-soil C:N:P stoichiometry in long-term (up to 10 years) grazing-excluded and plateau pika-disturbed alpine meadows. Results showed that compared with fenced meadows devoid of pika disturbance, the regularly grazed meadows had significantly reduced microbial biomass carbon, above-ground biomass and NEE, but no significant differences in the elemental concentrations and ratio in leaves, roots, or soil. Plateau pika disturbance further reduced leaf N and P, soil C, N, and P, above-ground biomass and NEE, while increasing leaf C:N and C:P ratios, compared to fenced meadows without plateau pika. In contrast, P concentrations in roots were reduced significantly in the enclosed pika-active meadows, together with the pre-existing reduction in leaves and soil, resulting in increased leaf C:N, C:P, N:P, root N:P, and microbial C:N, and C:P, compared to the regularly grazed meadows. Leaf element concentrations and ratios have a direct effect on NEE, and soil element concentrations and their ratios have an indirect effect on NEE by affecting above-ground biomass and microbial element concentrations. Our results emphasize that above- and below-ground C:N:P stoichiometry strongly regulated NEE, and incorporating C:N:P stoichiometry into next generation Earth system models may improve predictions of climate-grassland feedbacks in the Anthropocene. Additionally, targeted rodent control may be necessary to restore grassland balance in post-enclosure pika-disturbed areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 441-449"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465563","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":"Providing Temporal Context to Channel Morphological Dynamics in Great Plains Intermittent Streams","authors":"Benjamin Menapace ,&nbsp;Miranda Meehan ,&nbsp;Garret Hecker ,&nbsp;Peter O’Brien","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>State and transition models (STMs) are used by landowners to make land management decisions by providing insight into the processes that govern degradation and recovery of ecosystems. Intensive monitoring and inclusion of long-term data is critical for an advanced understanding of riparian ecosystem dynamics and stream channel morphology. This study used repeated measures of stream channel morphology on intermittent streams in low gradient alluvial valleys to assess transitions for improved riparian STM development. Cross sectional and longitudinal surveys of channel morphology were conducted five to seven years apart. Each site was assigned a channel type and stability class so transitions between classifications could be compared. Analysis of multiple channel stability metrics and the multivariate trajectory of sites over time revealed general trends toward stability across the study area. Channels that were initially observed in a stabilizing state and channels that changed stability class had the greatest degree of change over time. This study supports the theory that destabilized channels will always seek an alternative stable state. Stabilizing channels are in a state of building resistance and resilience. Management of stabilizing channels should include practices that promote floodplain development through the establishment of riparian plant communities. This study provides context for the length of time that the stages of channel evolution take on intermittent streams in the Northern Great Plains. Managers are able to make well informed decisions when provided with a time frame for the changes a management practice is expected to support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 295-301"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265992","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":"Correspondence Between Satellite-Derived and Long-Term Field Observations of Vegetation Cover at Great Basin Experimental Treatments","authors":"Matthew Rigge ,&nbsp;Madelon F. Case ,&nbsp;Scott E. Shaff ,&nbsp;Lisa Ellsworth ,&nbsp;Brett Bunde ,&nbsp;Kory Postma","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation treatments are frequently utilized in Western US rangelands to reduce woody plant cover in sagebrush stands threatened by increased wildfire risk and in pinyon-juniper woodlands expanding into formerly high-value sagebrush habitats. Despite widespread use of these treatments, monitoring data to evaluate long-term vegetation responses are often insufficient or absent. Long-term field experiments and remote-sensing based vegetation data may be complementary for assessing treatment effectiveness across temporal and spatial scales. The SageSTEP project experimentally implemented treatments at numerous sites across the Intermountain West and monitored the subsequent response of vegetation cover components with 15+ yr of field observations. However, while pretreatment data were collected in the year of implementation, long-term observations of pretreatment vegetation conditions are lacking in the SageSTEP database. Remote-sensing based time-series maps (1985–2023) of vegetation cover from Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) could fill temporal gaps in monitoring data and scale findings across broader extents. We evaluate the relationship between pretreatment vegetation cover in the RCMAP data and the post-treatment response in both the RCMAP and field observations. Additionally, we explore the correspondence between SageSTEP field observations and RCMAP at various scales, and examine key factors related to the strength of relationships. Overall, SageSTEP and RCMAP data show a similar direction of treatment effect for each component, and to a lesser extent the magnitude of effect. SageSTEP and RCMAP data tended to agree most strongly where treatment effects were strong; when averaged across broader spatial scales; and for components such as tree and bare ground that are more easily distinguished spectrally. Remote sensing tools such as RCMAP, in combination with field-based climate and vegetation observations, can help assess postdisturbance recovery trajectories and facilitate regional decision-making around treatment alternatives, fire risk reduction, and protection of critical habitats.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 341-355"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323856","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":"Morphological, Productive, and Pest Susceptibility Characteristics of Forage Cactus Clones in Semiarid Regions of Brazil","authors":"Paulo Sérgio Ferreira da Silva ,&nbsp;Mércia Virginia Ferreira dos Santos ,&nbsp;Mário de Andrade Lira ,&nbsp;Márcio Vieira da Cunha ,&nbsp;Alexandre Carneiro Leão de Mello ,&nbsp;André Pereira Freire Ferraz ,&nbsp;José Carlos Batista Dubeux Jr. ,&nbsp;Maria da Conceição Silva ,&nbsp;Djalma Cordeiro dos Santos ,&nbsp;Dayanne Camelo","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.09.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forage cactus is an important fodder resource for livestock in semiarid region. Understanding how morphological and productive variability and susceptibility to cochineal among cactus clones is key to select clones that are best adapted to each region. This research hypothesized that morphological and productive characteristics of forage cactus clones, as well as their susceptibility to cochineal attacks, vary significantly among genotypes and environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological and productive characteristics and the presence of cochineal (<em>Dactylopius opuntiae</em> and <em>Diaspis echinocacti</em>) in six forage cactus clones in two semiarid regions, during 2 yr. The studied six clones were: F21, IPA-Sertânia and Miúda (<em>Nopalea cochenillifera</em> Salm-Dyck), IPA-20 [<em>Opuntia ficus-indica</em> (L.) Mill.], F8 (<em>Opuntia atropes</em> Rose), and Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (OEM) [<em>Opuntia stricta</em> (Haw.) Haw.] in two sites, Arcoverde (Sertão) and São Bento do Una (Agreste), Pernambuco, Brazil. The design was randomized complete block with three replications for each site. The clones F8 and Miúda showed greater height when cultivated in São Bento do Una (108 and 112 cm) than in Arcoverde (67 and 61 cm). In São Bento do Una, clones F21, IPA-Sertânia, and Miúda produced more (18, 24, and 16 Mg · DM · ha⁻¹ 2 yr) compared with Arcoverde (7, 10, and 8 Mg · DM · ha⁻¹). Clone F8 showed complete resistance to <em>D. opuntiae</em> and <em>D. echinocacti</em>. Clone IPA-20 was most susceptible to <em>D. opuntiae</em>, and OEM was most susceptible to <em>D. echinocacti</em>. Environmental conditions significantly affected cactus productivity. Pest-resistant clones such as F8 are crucial in pest-prone areas. São Bento do Una offers more favorable conditions for forage cactus cultivation. We conclude that the OEM clone is more suitable for cultivation in Arcoverde, whereas the IPA-Sertânia clone is better suited for São Bento do Una, due to their superior dry matter production, water use efficiency, and survival rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 329-340"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145323857","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":"Simulated Impacts of Stocking Rate and Climate Change Impact on Biomass and Livestock Weight Dynamics in Savanna Grassland","authors":"Yeneayehu Fenetahun ,&nbsp;Wang Yongdong ,&nbsp;You Yuan ,&nbsp;Ogbue Chukwuka ,&nbsp;Yahaya Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Xu Xinwen","doi":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rama.2025.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Savanna grasslands are important ecosystems on a worldwide scale, supporting human livelihoods through grazing while serving as habitats for a variety of flora and wildlife. In this research, the complex interactions between climate change, grazing patterns, and their combined effects on the dynamics of livestock weight and biomass in savanna ecosystems are examined by using Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum System (SPACSYS) model. Three stocking rates were utilized for the treatment sites where samples were collected in the grazing experiment: no-grazed (NG) (0 TLU/ha/Y), moderately grazed (MG) (2 TLU/ha/Y), and over grazed (OG) (4 TLU/ha/Y and above). Using various stoking rates, the aboveground biomass of the grass species and changes in livestock weight were predicted under three typical concentration pathways (RCP) scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5), which mostly focused on the severe drought period running from 2020 to 2023. Our results highlight the importance of grazing management techniques for mitigating the negative impacts of climate change on livestock productivity and biomass output. In addition, we stress the crucial importance of adaptive management strategies that consider socioeconomic and ecological aspects to assure the sustainability and resilience of savanna grassland ecosystems in the face environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49634,"journal":{"name":"Rangeland Ecology & Management","volume":"103 ","pages":"Pages 483-494"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145568403","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}