The connection between climatic factors and grazing is essential for maintaining ecosystem function and vegetation productivity.This study examined the impact of grazing intensity on vegetation across a broad climatic...The connection between climatic factors and grazing is essential for maintaining ecosystem function and vegetation productivity.This study examined the impact of grazing intensity on vegetation across a broad climatic gradient spanning the Espinal,Argentine Low Monte,and Patagonian Steppe ecoregions of Argentina.The research was carried out at eight sampling sites with radial grazing gradients generated around artificial water sources(piospheres),exhibiting two contrasting response patterns of vegetation to grazing pressure.One of the response patterns shows a typical vegetation response to grazing that the vegetation productivity increases with the distance to the water sources(decreasing grazing intensity).The second pattern is found in drier regions,where vegetation presents an inverse productivity response that vegetation productivity is higher near water sources(high grazing intensity)due to increased shrub cover.Vegetation productivity was measured using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI).Vegetation patch structure and cover were determined for each site with high,medium,and low grazing intensities.Results indicated that shrub cover is the primary driver of vegetation productivity,showing contrasting responses to grazing intensity between the two identified patterns.While NDVI proved to be a reliable proxy for shrub cover and total vegetation cover(R2>0.70),it failed to reflect grass cover dynamics.Furthermore,mean annual temperature was more strongly correlated with vegetation cover changes,while grazing intensity significantly altered vegetation patch structure and soil cover distribution.Specifically,in drier regions,high grazing intensity led to larger patches while,in wetter regions,it led to smaller patches(fragmentation).Shrubs,with their deeper roots and drought tolerance,were less preferred and more resistant to grazing in arid environments and thrived under grazing pressure in these arid conditions.Our results underscored the need for adaptive management strategies in grazing systems.Traditional approaches may require significant adjustments,as the efficacy of management hinges on the interplay of specific climatic conditions and the varied responses of vegetation.Furthermore,effective conservation efforts should prioritize the recognition and protection of shrubs given their critical contribution to ecosystem function and biodiversity.Ultimately,this research provides a valuable framework to understand the complex dynamics between grazing and vegetation in arid and semi-arid environments,highlighting that sustainable grazing practices should be tailored to account for both climatic variables and the unique characteristics of different plant communities.展开更多
Introduction:Scarcity of water in the rangelands of Kenya has led to the introduction of piospheres.Previous research has however produced contrasting results on the effects of piospheres and seasonality on ShannonWi...Introduction:Scarcity of water in the rangelands of Kenya has led to the introduction of piospheres.Previous research has however produced contrasting results on the effects of piospheres and seasonality on ShannonWiener’s diversity index,and therefore,this information is still deficient.In this study,the impact of these piospheres on plant species composition,diversity,and richness was assessed.Methods:Vegetation sampling was done during both the long rains(April)and the dry season(August).Three piosphere types(dam,trough,and a seasonal river)were studied using 0.25 m2 quadrats to sample vegetation at intervals of 20 m along 100-m transects.Four 100-m transects were used per piosphere(north,east,south,and west directions).Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index was used to determine species richness and composition.Twoway ANOVA was used to determine if piospheric distance had an effect on species diversity,richness,and evenness using GenStat 15th edition.Results:A total of 22 grasses and 29 forbs were recorded in the study area.The most abundant grasses near the piospheres were Eragrostis tenuifolia(12.9%)and Cynodon dactylon(10.6%).E.tenuifolia is an increaser species and was therefore most abundant in areas of severe grazing while C.dactylon has been known to be tolerant to grazing.The most abundant forbs were Crotalaria brevidens(37.5%).The Shannon-Wiener diversity index significantly increased(F=25.07,P=0.001)with distance from the three piospheres owing to the high grazing intensity near the piospheres and was significantly different between piospheres,being higher(F=10.05,P=0.001)at 20 m from the river(1.2±0.1)compared to a similar distance from the dam(0.9±0.1)and the trough(0.8±0.2).This was probably because the trough was smaller in size compared to the other piospheres,thereby concentrating more grazing animals per unit area and causing a greater impact on plant species.Conclusions:The study demonstrated that species diversity,richness,and evenness were low near the piospheres due to heavy grazing.Similarly,the lowest species diversity,richness,and evenness were recorded near the trough compared to the dam and the river.This study therefore recommends that range reseeding and rest period be done to rehabilitate degraded areas and facilitate plant regeneration.Larger piospheres should also be used to minimize animal impact per unit area.展开更多
Introduction:Water-based interventions haphazardly introduced in the drylands of Kenya have led to the introduction of piospheres used as concentration mounts.Not much is known about the effect of these piospheres on ...Introduction:Water-based interventions haphazardly introduced in the drylands of Kenya have led to the introduction of piospheres used as concentration mounts.Not much is known about the effect of these piospheres on soil physio-chemical properties,especially in the Kenyan rangelands where the government and other development agencies have created piospheres aimed at curbing water shortages and sustaining livestock production.The study assessed the effect of piospheres on soil physio-chemical characteristics in the southern rangelands of Kajiado,Kenya,in order to provide evidence-based insights that will be useful in guiding future water interventions.Methods:Soil samples were collected within 0.25-m2 plots at 20-m intervals along 100-m transects from three piospheres(a dam,a trough,and a seasonal river).Two-way ANOVA was used to determine if there were significant differences in soil parameters between piospheric distances.Results:Soil bulk density significantly different between piospheric distances(F=22.25,P=0.001)and piospheres(F=13.10,P=0.002),being highest at 20 m from the trough(1.1–1.21 gcm−3)relative to a similar distance from the dam(1.01–1.20 gcm−3)and the river(1.1–1.17 gcm−3).On the other hand,mean soil aggregate stability significantly increased(F=66.89,P=0.001)with piospheric distance,being lowest at 20 m from the trough(43.9–46.2%),the dam(43.1–48.9%),and the river(46.6–47.5%).Conclusions:High soil bulk density and consequent low soil porosity,hydraulic conductivity,and moisture content demonstrated that grazing was high near the piospheres.It is recommended that livestock should be herded away from the piospheres after drinking water to ensure that grazing livestock spend less time near the piospheres if reduced soil compaction is to be realized.Piospheres should also be better planned and placed at landscape level to exploit landscape heterogeneity.展开更多
Changing environmental and socio-economic conditions make land degradation,a major concern in Central and East Asia.Globally satellite imagery,particularly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)data,has proved a...Changing environmental and socio-economic conditions make land degradation,a major concern in Central and East Asia.Globally satellite imagery,particularly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)data,has proved an effective tool for monitoring land cover change.This study examines 33 grassland water points using vegetation field studies and remote sensing techniques to track desertification on the Mongolian plateau.Findings established a significant correlation between same-year field observation(line transects)and NDVI data,enabling an historical land cover perspective to be developed from 1998 to 2006.Results show variable land cover patterns in Mongolia with a 16%decrease in plant density over the time period.Decline in cover identified by NDVI suggests degradation;however,continued annual fluctuation indicates desertificationirreversible land cover changehas not occurred.Further,in situ data documenting greater cover near water points implies livestock overgrazing is not causing degradation at water sources.In combination of the two research methodsremote sensing and field surveysstrengthen findings and provide an effective way to track desertification in dryland regions.展开更多
基金supported by the Universidad Nacional de Río Negro(PI-UNRN 40C-1088)the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas(PIP-CONICET 2023-402).
文摘The connection between climatic factors and grazing is essential for maintaining ecosystem function and vegetation productivity.This study examined the impact of grazing intensity on vegetation across a broad climatic gradient spanning the Espinal,Argentine Low Monte,and Patagonian Steppe ecoregions of Argentina.The research was carried out at eight sampling sites with radial grazing gradients generated around artificial water sources(piospheres),exhibiting two contrasting response patterns of vegetation to grazing pressure.One of the response patterns shows a typical vegetation response to grazing that the vegetation productivity increases with the distance to the water sources(decreasing grazing intensity).The second pattern is found in drier regions,where vegetation presents an inverse productivity response that vegetation productivity is higher near water sources(high grazing intensity)due to increased shrub cover.Vegetation productivity was measured using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI).Vegetation patch structure and cover were determined for each site with high,medium,and low grazing intensities.Results indicated that shrub cover is the primary driver of vegetation productivity,showing contrasting responses to grazing intensity between the two identified patterns.While NDVI proved to be a reliable proxy for shrub cover and total vegetation cover(R2>0.70),it failed to reflect grass cover dynamics.Furthermore,mean annual temperature was more strongly correlated with vegetation cover changes,while grazing intensity significantly altered vegetation patch structure and soil cover distribution.Specifically,in drier regions,high grazing intensity led to larger patches while,in wetter regions,it led to smaller patches(fragmentation).Shrubs,with their deeper roots and drought tolerance,were less preferred and more resistant to grazing in arid environments and thrived under grazing pressure in these arid conditions.Our results underscored the need for adaptive management strategies in grazing systems.Traditional approaches may require significant adjustments,as the efficacy of management hinges on the interplay of specific climatic conditions and the varied responses of vegetation.Furthermore,effective conservation efforts should prioritize the recognition and protection of shrubs given their critical contribution to ecosystem function and biodiversity.Ultimately,this research provides a valuable framework to understand the complex dynamics between grazing and vegetation in arid and semi-arid environments,highlighting that sustainable grazing practices should be tailored to account for both climatic variables and the unique characteristics of different plant communities.
文摘Introduction:Scarcity of water in the rangelands of Kenya has led to the introduction of piospheres.Previous research has however produced contrasting results on the effects of piospheres and seasonality on ShannonWiener’s diversity index,and therefore,this information is still deficient.In this study,the impact of these piospheres on plant species composition,diversity,and richness was assessed.Methods:Vegetation sampling was done during both the long rains(April)and the dry season(August).Three piosphere types(dam,trough,and a seasonal river)were studied using 0.25 m2 quadrats to sample vegetation at intervals of 20 m along 100-m transects.Four 100-m transects were used per piosphere(north,east,south,and west directions).Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index was used to determine species richness and composition.Twoway ANOVA was used to determine if piospheric distance had an effect on species diversity,richness,and evenness using GenStat 15th edition.Results:A total of 22 grasses and 29 forbs were recorded in the study area.The most abundant grasses near the piospheres were Eragrostis tenuifolia(12.9%)and Cynodon dactylon(10.6%).E.tenuifolia is an increaser species and was therefore most abundant in areas of severe grazing while C.dactylon has been known to be tolerant to grazing.The most abundant forbs were Crotalaria brevidens(37.5%).The Shannon-Wiener diversity index significantly increased(F=25.07,P=0.001)with distance from the three piospheres owing to the high grazing intensity near the piospheres and was significantly different between piospheres,being higher(F=10.05,P=0.001)at 20 m from the river(1.2±0.1)compared to a similar distance from the dam(0.9±0.1)and the trough(0.8±0.2).This was probably because the trough was smaller in size compared to the other piospheres,thereby concentrating more grazing animals per unit area and causing a greater impact on plant species.Conclusions:The study demonstrated that species diversity,richness,and evenness were low near the piospheres due to heavy grazing.Similarly,the lowest species diversity,richness,and evenness were recorded near the trough compared to the dam and the river.This study therefore recommends that range reseeding and rest period be done to rehabilitate degraded areas and facilitate plant regeneration.Larger piospheres should also be used to minimize animal impact per unit area.
文摘Introduction:Water-based interventions haphazardly introduced in the drylands of Kenya have led to the introduction of piospheres used as concentration mounts.Not much is known about the effect of these piospheres on soil physio-chemical properties,especially in the Kenyan rangelands where the government and other development agencies have created piospheres aimed at curbing water shortages and sustaining livestock production.The study assessed the effect of piospheres on soil physio-chemical characteristics in the southern rangelands of Kajiado,Kenya,in order to provide evidence-based insights that will be useful in guiding future water interventions.Methods:Soil samples were collected within 0.25-m2 plots at 20-m intervals along 100-m transects from three piospheres(a dam,a trough,and a seasonal river).Two-way ANOVA was used to determine if there were significant differences in soil parameters between piospheric distances.Results:Soil bulk density significantly different between piospheric distances(F=22.25,P=0.001)and piospheres(F=13.10,P=0.002),being highest at 20 m from the trough(1.1–1.21 gcm−3)relative to a similar distance from the dam(1.01–1.20 gcm−3)and the river(1.1–1.17 gcm−3).On the other hand,mean soil aggregate stability significantly increased(F=66.89,P=0.001)with piospheric distance,being lowest at 20 m from the trough(43.9–46.2%),the dam(43.1–48.9%),and the river(46.6–47.5%).Conclusions:High soil bulk density and consequent low soil porosity,hydraulic conductivity,and moisture content demonstrated that grazing was high near the piospheres.It is recommended that livestock should be herded away from the piospheres after drinking water to ensure that grazing livestock spend less time near the piospheres if reduced soil compaction is to be realized.Piospheres should also be better planned and placed at landscape level to exploit landscape heterogeneity.
文摘Changing environmental and socio-economic conditions make land degradation,a major concern in Central and East Asia.Globally satellite imagery,particularly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)data,has proved an effective tool for monitoring land cover change.This study examines 33 grassland water points using vegetation field studies and remote sensing techniques to track desertification on the Mongolian plateau.Findings established a significant correlation between same-year field observation(line transects)and NDVI data,enabling an historical land cover perspective to be developed from 1998 to 2006.Results show variable land cover patterns in Mongolia with a 16%decrease in plant density over the time period.Decline in cover identified by NDVI suggests degradation;however,continued annual fluctuation indicates desertificationirreversible land cover changehas not occurred.Further,in situ data documenting greater cover near water points implies livestock overgrazing is not causing degradation at water sources.In combination of the two research methodsremote sensing and field surveysstrengthen findings and provide an effective way to track desertification in dryland regions.
