Rapid human population growth and habitat modification in the western United States has led to the formation of urban and exurban rangelands. Many of these rangelands are also home to populations of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Our study aimed to compare the vegetation composition of an urban and exurban rangeland, and explore the role that prairie dogs play in these system...

To determine suitable indices for vegetation cover and production assessment based on remote sensing data, simultaneous digital data with field data belonged to summer rangeland of southern part of Isfahan province were analyzed. During 2 years of monitoring, annuals, grasses, forbs and shrubs vegetation cover and total production data from sixty 1 square meter plots in each site were collected...

Little of the rangeland resources of Balochistan, Pakistan have been assessed and there is little to no information on how abiotic factors such as soil type and topography infl uence the nutritive value of native species. Leaf nitrogen concentrations in all species showed broadly similar patterns of change with season. In all species, non-protein nitrogen (NPN) accounted for more than 35-50% of...

Under the harsh environmental conditions present in severely overgrazed, semiarid rangelands, facilitator plants offer a promising tool for ecological restoration. This study investigated facilitative effects of Aloe secundiflora—a native drought-tolerant, unpalatable, thorny shrub—on grass establishment in degraded rangelands in Kenya. We planted native perennial grass seeds adjacent to three ...

Arid and semi-arid lands constitute a large proportion of available agricultural and rangeland in the world. These lands are characterised by low and unreliable rainfall, low land productivity, and low socioeconomic status of the inhabitants. Livestock plays a very significant role in their economies. Leguminous trees and shrubs, which dominate the natural rangelands, are often higher in crude ...

Information on different rangeland plants’ nutritive values during variousphonological stages is of importance for the rangelands management. This information helpsrangeland managers to choose proper grazing times to achieve higher animal performancewith no detrimental effects on the rangeland vegetations. Effects of various plant parts’phenological stages and vegetation types on reserve carboh...

for the scientific and accurate management of rangeland ecosystems, having information about ecosystem as indicators of ecosystem health and function is needed. the aim of this research is to study the effects of grazing on soil surface indicators and rangeland functional properties by using landscape functional analysis (lfa) method. for this purpose, the present study was conducted in two reg...

converting the native rangelands to simplified agronomic communities causessome changes in soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. establishing of perennial plantcommunities on formerly cultivated rangelands is expected to stabilize soil properties andincrease the amount of c, n, p stored in rangeland soils, but there is little information on whatplant communities are the most effective for impro...

The importance of accurately monitoring rangeland degradation dynamics over decades is increasing in Linxia rangeland, the birthplace of the Yellow River in China. Since 2000, the Chinese government has implemented the “Grain for Green” program and enforced a grazing ban in Gansu province, one of the most degraded provinces, to mitigate the problem of rangeland degradation. The effects of these...

1. Herbivores, edaphic features and fire are primary factors regulating the balance between woody and herbaceous vegetation in savannas. Many observational studies have evaluated the potential effects of browsing herbivores on woody plant dynamics in African savannas, but few experimental studies have compared the dynamics of African savannas with and without browsers. 2. A replicated herbivore...