Grazing Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Are Important Parts of a Sustainable Agricultural Future

Animals, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(16), P. 2092 - 2092

Published: Aug. 16, 2022

Many people believe that animal agriculture should be phased out and replaced with vegetarian substitutes. The livestock industry has also been attacked because it uses vast amounts of land. People forget grazing cattle or sheep can raised on land is either too arid rough for raising crops. At least 20% the habitable Earth not suitable Rotational systems used to improve both soil health vegetation diversity Grazing are being successfully graze cover crops prime farmland. Soil improved when a crop rotated conventional cash crops, such as corn soybeans. It reduces need buying fertilizer. animals, cattle, sheep, goats, bison, part sustainable system will land, help sequester carbon, reduce welfare issues.

Language: Английский

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Estimating fractional vegetation cover and aboveground biomass for land degradation assessment in eastern Mongolia steppe: combining ground vegetation data and remote sensing

International Journal of Remote Sensing, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 44(2), P. 452 - 468

Published: Jan. 17, 2023

Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and aboveground biomass (AGB) are critically important for monitoring grassland degradation, their accurate estimation can be used as key proxies assessing land degradation. The main purpose of this study was to estimate the FVC AGB in eastern Mongolian steppe using remote sensing machine learning. In context, spectral bands indices were extracted from processed Sentinel-2 data predictors. field derived pasture-monitoring database, which consisted 256 plots with measurements. Consequently, we imagery measurements vast a reference random forest (RF) models (R2FVC = 0.81, R²AGB 0.76). Among variables, predictor variables soil indices, especially NDVI, Simple Ratio (SR), OSAVI, highly predicting AGB. As expected, comparison among map values showed that spatial distribution consistent landscapes ecoregions area. maps only current condition cover, also analysed NDVI trends explain changes. We tested temporal Landsat time series Mann-Kendall trend test. This revealed 7.3% area, significantly increased, whereas significant decrease observed 58%

Language: Английский

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Effects of plant diversity and community structure on ecosystem multifunctionality under different grazing potentials in the eastern Eurasian steppe

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 934, P. 173128 - 173128

Published: May 9, 2024

Language: Английский

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Assessment of the grassland carrying capacity for winter-spring period in Mongolia

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 146, P. 109868 - 109868

Published: Jan. 7, 2023

The grassland ecosystems of Mongolia are among the most sensitive to global climate change because arid and semiarid climate. As a key source primary productivity for livestock, quantification carrying capacity in winter early spring period is crucial sustainable livestock management livelihoods herders Mongolia. In this study, we used remote sensing data ancillary propose framework estimate aboveground biomass(AGB) (GCC) using Google Earth Engine (GEE) environment. We analysed spatial temporal changes GCC winter-spring during 2000–2020, status index (GCSIW) was proposed reflect utilization over past 21 years. Our study demonstrated effectiveness AGB estimation Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model with root-to-crown ratio method within GEE validation showed good performance an R2 0.67–0.71 RMSE 22.91–28.94 g/m2. Significant increases years were found Mongolian grasslands provinces. average GCSIW increased significantly 2000–2020 whole country all provinces, indicating increasing stocking density overexploited recent multiregression analysis further that dramatic increase populations contributed 87.5% 55%-99% variations GSCIW seventeen respectively. These results will be useful helpful supporting

Language: Английский

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Summer grazing by three livestock species at moderate intensity enhances primary productivity and drives community divergence in a semi‐arid steppe

Applied Vegetation Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(3)

Published: July 1, 2022

Abstract Aims The general effects of grazing by large herbivores on plant species composition and productivity are well known. Meanwhile, how different livestock affect community structure is not fully understood. In northern China, changing rapidly hence, it imperative to understand the resulting grassland composition. Location Xilingol, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods We studied three major affects typical steppe dominated Leymus chinensis , Stipa grandis Cleistogenes squarrosa Carex korshinskyi in a 4‐year field experiment using random block‐design with four treatments (sheep, goat, cattle, no grazing), under summer at moderate intensity. calculated above‐ground net primary (ANPP) selectivity index (SI) based biomass quantify forage preferences. Result found that (i) sheep preferred mixed subordinate species, cattle goat . (ii) Consistent these preferences, increased relative but reduced ; species; goats species. (iii) Overall, significantly ANPP, mainly due an increase ANPP cost Conclusions Summer intensity can while preferences drive divergent changes Our results also imply be used as mean manage vegetation dynamics.

Language: Английский

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Misreading or living in denial? Reindeer overstocking and long‐term effects on vegetation: An experimental approach

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Abstract In an era marked by accelerating climate change, habitat loss, and shifting land use patterns, it is crucial to understand the intricate effects of multiple stressors on ecosystems. This long‐term study sheds light complex interplay between grazing characteristics pasture dynamics offers insights into how various affect ecosystems facing environmental challenges. Our experimental documents that manipulation in restricting reindeer trampling through fencing led higher ground‐lichen biomass, volume, height (particularly one habitat), cover compared with open‐control plots. The effect varied depending habitat, for lichen height, lowest values were observed windswept exposed ridges mountain heaths (exposed/mountain), highest forested leeward‐heath (forest/leeward) habitat. average (past five years) number per square kilometer had indirect across habitats. We negative density dependence open plots exposed/mountain Fencing reduced this effect, which was also valid biomass except did not density. Surprisingly, forest/leeward areas, estimated positive fenced Negative evident irrespective habitats manipulation, even though little biological significance, whereas at initiation experiment positively affected later recordings controls). models showed high explanatory power, highlighting significance as predictors dynamics. Overall, density‐dependent most mitigated impact lichens, particularly less areas. challenge “equilibrium” “nonequilibrium” frameworks explaining livestock‐pasture propose future studies estimate relative importance density‐independent factors, such climate, using considering both mechanisms simultaneously.

Language: Английский

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Certifying the sustainability of herding practices in Mongolia

Nature Sustainability, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 4, 2025

Language: Английский

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Aridity mediates how grazing affects ground-dwelling arthropod abundance through changes in plant community properties in Mongolian grasslands

Journal of Arid Environments, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 229, P. 105342 - 105342

Published: March 12, 2025

Language: Английский

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Global response of different types of grasslands to precipitation and grazing, especially belowground biomass

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 363, P. 108852 - 108852

Published: Dec. 23, 2023

Language: Английский

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The effects of grazing and fencing on grassland productivity and diversity in alpine grassland ecosystem in the Tibetan highland

Global Ecology and Conservation, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 44, P. e02495 - e02495

Published: May 2, 2023

Anthropogenic activities, such as grazing and fencing, have been known to alter the productivity biodiversity of grassland ecosystems, potentially affecting their functioning. However, impact these activities on aboveground biomass (AGB) plant diversity in alpine grasslands at different altitudes, well how they may be affected by soil nutrients environmental climate, is not understood. To address this knowledge gap, a study was conducted Lhasa Valley Tibet. In 2013, twelve metal fences were set up mountainous transects, field surveys paired sites early August 2021. The results showed that AGB slightly higher fenced compared grazed altitudes from 4000 5100 m, but decreased with altitude slower rate sites. Plant indices exhibited unimodal pattern increasing altitude, no significant differences between Soil climate found positively correlated both Multiple linear regression models revealed Shannon index largely influenced (AP AN) rather than growing season temperature sites, while more impacted These findings provide important insights into impacts fencing above-ground environments.

Language: Английский

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