Soil degradation caused by overgrazing is a worldwide problem. The degradation of an overutilized area occurs mainly where animals prefer to spend extra time because of the attractants that are around gateways, water sources, along fences or farm buildings. High grazing pressure decreases plant density which results in changes of the botanical composition of a pasture. The effect that grazing h...

The relationship between landuse/landcover (LULC) changes and land degradation in two Mediterranean sites is investigated using remotely sensed and ancillary data. The areas of study, the Xaló river catchment in the north of the Alicante province in southeast Spain and the Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece, have both been subjected to changes in LULC, such as abandonment, overgrazing, forest fire...

Overgrazing is one of the most primary causes of desertification in semi-arid zones of China. From 1992 to 1994 we conducted a grazing experiment in Naiman (lat. 42◦58′N, long. 120◦43′E, 345 m asl), Inner Mongolia, China to elucidate desertification mechanisms. Our experimental field, which was covered with some short grasses, legumes and forbs, included four plots where grazing sheep numbers d...

The present investigation of forest ecosystem was undertaken during May 2010 to Dec 2010. The main aim of the study was to analyze the impact of biotic interferences on Yousmarg forest ecosystem. The cumulative effect of the biotic interferences was signif icantly seen in the reduction of vegetation cover. The present study revealed that the prominent factor for the exploitation of the vegetati...

the discharge of total suspended sediments (tss) and dissolved nutrients from watersheds into receiving waters is a serious problem when natural vegetation is degraded by agriculture or overgrazing. this study was conducted in soolegan watershed to investigate land use change and overgrazing effects on phosphorus loss (dissolved & particulate), particle size associated loss of p and effect of t...

The legendary Mongolian Plateau has faced increasing environmental challenges associated with overgrazing, and achieving a sustainability transition for this region needs herders’ participation. However, why herders let grasslands be overgrazed even after property rights were privatized—“the tragedy of privatization”—remains unclear. We aimed to understand the causes overgrazing in Xilingol, In...

A key consideration in assessing impacts of climate change is the possibility of synergistic effects with other human-induced stressors. In the ocean realm, climate change and overfishing pose two of the greatest challenges to the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. In eastern Tasmania, temperate coastal waters are warming at approximately four times the global ocean warming average...

We investigated the effects of overgrazing on the foraging behavior of livestock on a Mongolian steppe, by quantifying some behaviors of cattle, sheep and goats foraging in a lightly and a heavily grazed area in summer and winter. All animal species showed higher walking velocity and tended to show higher step/bite ratio when they foraged in the heavily grazed area than in the lightly grazed ar...