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Influence of climatic and edaphic factors on the distribution of eragrostis lehmanniana nees in Arizona, USA
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa • Authors: J R Cox --- US Department of Agriculture, USA G B Ruyle --- Renewable Natural Resources, USALehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees) was introduced into Arizona, USA, from South Africa in 1932 and has since been sown throughout the southwestern USA and Northern Mexico. The species is well adapted in southeastern Arizona where it has been sown... -
The national grazing strategy of the Republic of South Africa Objectives, achievements and future challenges
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa • Authors: P.F. du Toit --- Department of Agricultural Development, Republic of South Africa A.J. Aucamp --- , Republic of South Africa J.J. Bruwer --- Department of Agricultural Development, Republic of South AfricaOver the past few years various measures have been applied to address the problem of the retrogression of southern African rangelands. However, it has become apparent that many of these measures were ad hoc and not part of a long‐term... -
A model for the evaluation of different production strategies for animal production from rangeland in developing areas: An overview
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa • Authors: F.D. Richardson --- Department of Applied Mathematics, Republic of South Africa B.D. Hahn --- Department of Applied Mathematics, Republic of South Africa P.I. Wilke --- Department of Animal Science, Republic of South AfricaAn interactive user‐friendly computer package is being developed to assist planners and managers with the evaluation of different livestock production strategies in semi‐arid regions. It comprises a hierarchy of simulation models that predict over time the effects of past and... -
Effects of animal activity on the absorption rate of soils in the southern Karoo, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa • Authors: W.R.J. Dean --- FitzPatrick Institute, Republic of South AfricaThe rates of absorption into various microsites in Karoo soils were compared. The absorption of water by hard, bare intershrub soils was significantly increased by the presence of emergence holes of adult cicadas (Homoptera: Cicadidae) and near nest‐mounds of the... -
Patterns of seed production and shrub association in two palatable Karoo shrub species under contrasting land use intensities
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S.W. ToddSeed production and shrub association patterns of the two palatable shrubs. Tripteris sinuatum and Tetragoma froticosa were investigated on heavily grazed communal and lightly grazed commercial rangeland in the succulent karoo, Namaqualand. Seed production in both these species was substantially... -
Correlates of stocking rate and overgrazing in the Leliefontein Communal Reserve, central Namaqualand
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S.W. Todd M.T. HoffmanWe investigate the correlates of stocking rate in the Leliefontein communal reserve and attempt to provide a mechanistic explanation of the controlling factors. We further speculate on how high stocking rates are maintained in relation to the current state of... -
The quantification of grazing capacity from grazing — and production values for forage species in semi-arid grasslands of southern Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: HC van der Westhuizen HA Snyman WLJ van Rensburg JHJ PotgieterThe relation between rangeland condition and grazing capacity was determined along a degradation gradient. In studying agronomic values of forage species, the average production per tuft was combined with its grazing preferences, to link grazing values for species in the... -
Quantified range condition assessment of open Camelthorn savanna along a degradation gradient
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: I Zimmermanno FP Graz MH Berry NNT Imasiku ND Muroua MM Sibalatani CS SikopoMeasurements were taken at 20 different sites in a relatively homogenous area of open Camelthorn savanna in eastern Namibia. Ordination of grass species composition did not provide a good degradation gradient, due to domination by different species of annual grasses... -
Seasonal botanical and chemical composition of sheep and goat diets on a common range in eastern Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: RobinsonK Ngugi JosephN Ndung'u DicksonM Nyariki NashonKR MusimbaThe botanical and chemical composition, intake and digestibility of local sheep (Ovis aries) and goat (Capra hirtus) diets were evaluated over the wet (growing) and dry (dormant) seasons. Diet botanical composition was related to the vegetation composition on the range... -
Scale, heterogeneity and secondary production in tropical rangelands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Andrew Ash John Gross Mark Stafford SmithTropical rangelands across the world are experiencing land use intensification pressures which are reducing the spatial scale of grazing management units. There are implications of a reduction in scale on environmental heterogeneity and its relationship with secondary production of large... -
A comparison of the effects of different rangeland management systems on plant species composition, diversity and vegetation structure in a semi-arid savanna
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: M Smet D WardMost of South Africa's land surface is arid or semi-arid rangeland. Three management systems exploit these areas: commercial livestock ranching, communal livestock ranching and game ranching. The ways in which these management systems affect rangeland ecology is contentious due to... -
Do we understand the causes of bush encroachment in African savannas?
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: D WardBush encroachment affects the agricultural productivity and biodiversity of 10–20 million ha of South Africa. Many people believe that we understand the causes of bush encroachment. We do not. Many people believe that either fire or heavy grazing by domestic... -
Tackling 'the most avoided issue': communal rangeland management in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MI PedenDemocratisation in 1994 resulted in a shift in state focus from white commercial farmers to small-scale and subsistence black farmers living in communal areas in South Africa. The LandCare Program of the National Department of Agriculture aimed to improve productivity... -
Effects of land tenure, geology and topography on vegetation and soils of two grassland types in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S Vetter WM Goqwana WJ. Bond WW TrollopeA national degradation audit conducted in South Africa in the late 1990s found communal land tenure to be the strongest predictor of vegetation and soil degradation, while abiotic factors such as geology, slope and aspect were also correlated with degradation... -
Livestock utilisation of grass species at different distances from water on both traditional cattle post and ranch management systems in Botswana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: WN Mphinyane NFG RethmanIndividual forage species were appraised in varying distances along transects radiating from the water points of the ranch and traditional cattle post management systems. Measurements of plant height were used to assess the degree of forage species utilisation by livestock... -
Using rain-use efficiency to explore livestock production trends in rangelands in the Transkei, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AR Palmer A AinslieWe qualitatively describe the condition of communally managed rangelands in the Transkei, South Africa, using GIS and high resolution near-infrared imagery. Using livestock census data from 28 magisterial districts in the Transkei, we explored the trends in livestock biomass from... -
Effects of herbivore exclosures on variation in quality and quantity of plants among management and habitat types in a semiarid savanna
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: KR Mbatha --- Department of Conservation Ecology, South Africa D Ward --- School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, South AfricaThe effects of grazing on plant biomass, plant quality, species evenness, species diversity and species composition were determined among management types (communal, commercial and game) and among habitat types (open savanna, rocky and pan) in a semiarid savanna in South... -
Effects of previous cultivation on regeneration of Julbernadia globiflora and Brachystegia spiciformis in grazing areas of Mupfurudzi Resettlement Scheme, Zimbabwe
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: T Chinuwo --- Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, South Africa E Gandiwa --- , Zimbabwe PH Mugabe --- Institute of Environmental Studies, Zimbabwe IDT Mpofu --- Animal Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Namibia E Timpong-Jones --- College of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Centre, GhanaWe investigated the effects of previous cultivation on regeneration potential under miombo woodlands in a resettlement area, a spatial product of Zimbabwe's land reforms. We predicted that cultivation would affect population structure, regeneration, recruitment and potential grazing capacity of rangelands... -
Physicochemical characteristics of communal rangeland soils along two defined toposequences in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MS Lesoli --- Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, South Africa S Dube --- Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, South Africa AO Fatunbi --- Agricultural and Rural Development Research Institute, South Africa B Moyo --- Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, South AfricaTo proffer a sustainable solution to rangeland degradation, an understanding of the innate soil properties is vital. This study investigated the relative association of surface (0–20 cm) soil physicochemical properties, viz. electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic carbon,... -
Biomass production and water use efficiency of grassland in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AR Palmer --- , South Africa A Short --- , South Africa IAM Yunusa --- , AustraliaUsing the results from a long-term grazing trial in the Dry Highland Sourveld of the KwaZulu-Natal province, we prepared a water use efficiency value (the ratio of the increment in annual biomass to total annual evapotranspiration) for this rangeland type... -
Detecting the onset of rangeland degradation using soil respiration and boundary lines: preliminary findings from the Nama Karoo
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: A Mills --- Department of Soil Science, South Africa M Fey --- School of Earth and Environment, Australia B Kgope --- , South Africa J Donaldson --- , South Africa J de W Bosenberg --- , South AfricaMean annual soil respiration correlates with net primary productivity and therefore provides an indication of ecosystem functioning. Soil respiration, however, varies considerably in space and time owing to the influence of factors such as soil nutrient content, temperature and water... -
Impact of Prosopis (mesquite) invasion and clearing on the grazing capacity of semiarid Nama Karoo rangeland, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: T Ndhlovu --- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, South Africa SJ Milton-Dean --- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, South Africa KJ Esler --- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, South AfricaWe assessed the impact of Prosopis invasion and clearing on the grazing capacity of heavily grazed Nama Karoo rangeland in the Beaufort West district of the Western Cape province of South Africa. Invasion (c. 15% Prosopis canopy cover) reduced grazing... -
Impacts of high utilisation pressure on biodiversity components in Colophospermum mopane savanna
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MC Rutherford --- SANBI, Applied Biodiversity Research Division, South Africa LW Powrie --- SANBI, Applied Biodiversity Research Division, South Africa DI Thompson --- NRF/SAEON, South AfricaThis study aimed to quantify and evaluate the effects of heavy land utilisation, mainly grazing, on plant species richness and diversity, species abundance, vegetation structure and soil characteristics in a communal area in Colophospermum mopane dominated savanna in southern Africa... -
Herbaceous plant species richness and composition in moist Midlands Mistbelt Grasslands in KwaZulu-Natal: is there a relationship to veld condition?
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: P Ngwenya --- , South AfricaThis study investigated the relationship between grazing veld condition and herbaceous plant species richness in the moist Midlands Mistbelt Grassland in KwaZulu-Natal. The observed herbaceous plant species richness and composition of 12 sample plots (50 m × 50 m) was... -
The influence of Pechuel-Loeschea leubnitziae (wild sage) on grass sward and soil seed bank composition
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MJ Tedder --- Grassland Science, School of Life Sciences, South Africa KP Kirkman --- Grassland Science, School of Life Sciences, South Africa CD Morris --- Agricultural Research Council, c/o School of Life Sciences, South Africa WSW Trollope --- Research and Development, South Africa MC Bonyongo --- Okavango Research Institute, BotswanaSoil seed banks provide not only a historical record of vegetation composition but also the potential for post-disturbance revegetation. Pechuel-Loeschea leubnitziae (wild sage) is a multistemmed, aromatic shrub, occurring in Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and the northern regions of South... -
Development and sustainable management of rangeland commons – aligning policy with the realities of South Africa's rural landscape
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Susanne Vetter --- Department of Botany, South AfricaPolicy affecting the rangeland commons in South Africa has been based largely on management models developed for large-scale commercial farming. This paper examines the current policy situation and discusses some of the most pervasive ecological and economic assumptions that have... -
Wildlife or livestock? New directions for developing communal rangelands in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Petronella Chaminuka --- Department of Agricultural Economics, South AfricaThe paper agrees with three fundamental points raised by Vetter (in this issue), whilst highlighting an emerging trend in wildlife land use, which should be considered in policy making. Firstly, the paper supports the argument that communal rangelands are important... -
Multiple strategies for resilient livelihoods in communal areas of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Wayne Twine --- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, South AfricaLivestock farming in communal areas is an activity pursued by rural households as one of a range of livelihood strategies aimed at spreading risk. The cash and non-cash benefits derived from livestock, as well as the wide range of secondary... -
Livestock and the rangeland commons in South Africa's land and agrarian reform
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Ruth Hall --- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, South Africa Ben Cousins --- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, South AfricaLand and agrarian reform has the potential to expand South Africa's rangeland commons and enhance their contribution to the livelihoods of the rural poor, yet to a large extent this has been an opportunity missed. Shifting policy agendas have prioritised... -
The sociocultural contexts and meanings associated with livestock keeping in rural South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Andrew Ainslie --- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, UKThis paper complements Vetter's position paper, ‘Development and sustainable management of rangeland commons – aligning policy with the realities of South Africa's rural landscape’ (Vetter in this issue). It seeks to advance the debate regarding the contemporary nature of livestock... -
The ‘youth and agriculture’ problem: implications for rangeland development
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MelvinB Swarts --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, c/o Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Michael Aliber --- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, South AfricaThere is a common perception in South Africa that the youth are not interested in agriculture, leading to two concerns: first, that this is exacerbating the youth unemployment crisis, and second, that the already low levels of agricultural activity in... -
Degradation of communal rangelands in South Africa: towards an improved understanding to inform policy
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AnthonyR Palmer --- , South Africa JamesE Bennett --- Department of Geography, Environment and Disaster Management and Centre for Agroecology and Food Security, UKIn South Africa, the relative extent of range degradation under freehold compared to communal tenure has been strongly debated. We present a perspective on the processes that drive rangeland degradation on land under communal tenure. Our findings are based on... -
The good shepherd: remedying the fencing syndrome
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Monique Salomon --- Farmer Support Group, South Africa Clement Cupido --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, c/o Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Igshaan Samuels --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, c/o Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South AfricaIn this paper the use of fenced grazing camps to manage the rangeland commons is challenged. A historical perspective is presented on fencing and rotational grazing in South Africa. Two case studies in KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape illustrate the... -
Reshaping women's land rights on communal rangeland
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Karin Kleinbooi --- Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, South AfricaThis paper aims to contribute to the debates on communal rangelands and analyses the gendered dimension of land rights and land access in the rural areas of Namaqualand. The actual gender relations within rural communities and the emergence of strategies... -
Reforming communal rangeland policy in southern Africa: challenges, dilemmas and opportunities
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Martin Adams --- , UKIn the savanna rangelands of southern Africa, the debate about land reform tends to be about the redistribution of formerly freehold ranches and fencing-off the rangeland commons into ranches for better-off African farmers. The position of those who favour privatisation... -
Identifying key grazing indicators to monitor trends in the veld condition of Lambert's Bay Strandveld, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Nelmarie Saayman --- Directorate: Plant Science, South Africa Craig Morris --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, South Africa Hannes Botha --- Directorate: Plant Science, South AfricaCurrently, the methods used to assess the veld condition of the Lambert's Bay Strandveld along the West Coast of South Africa require that the operator knows all the plants encountered in the survey area. In this study data were collected... -
The effect of long-term mowing and ungulate exclusion on grass species composition and soil nutrient status on the Athi-Kapiti plains, central Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: D. Berliner J. KiokoThe long-term (>30 years) impacts of mowing (for hay-making) and ungulate exclusion, on natural, unfertilised rangelands were investigated. Changes in grass species composition and soil nutrient status were measured The study site, situated on the Athi-Kapiti plains of central Kenya,... -
Determining grazing capacity in Namibia with the aid of remote sensing
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: C Espach --- Ministry of Agriculture, LG Lubbe --- Ministry of Agriculture, N Ganzin --- Ifremer, FranceThe Namibian rangelands consist of a mixture of herbaceous and woody components. The main source of income is from farming systems with grass production the predominant source of forage. For rangeland managers to utilise this source sustainably, the accurate determination... -
A conceptual tool for improving rangeland management decision-making at grassroots level: the local-level monitoring approach
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: K Kellner --- School of Environmental Sciences and Development, South Africa AS Moussa --- School of Environmental Sciences and Development, South AfricaFor many years, rangeland monitoring has mainly been the field of scientists, academics and extension workers trying to fine-tune methods to assess the condition of rangelands. Frameworks and monitoring systems developed with their associated indicators are often complex and inaccessible... -
The impact of indigenous ungulate herbivory over five years (2004–2008) on the vegetation of the Little Karoo, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MT Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Botany Department, South Africa CF Madden --- Plant Conservation Unit, Botany Department, South Africa K Erasmus --- Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, South Africa N Saayman --- Department of Agriculture: Western Cape, South Africa JC Botha --- Department of Agriculture: Western Cape, South AfricaThis study investigated the impact of rainfall and herbivory by indigenous herbivores over five years (2004–2008) on the vegetation of the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve (SWR), a 54 000 ha privately owned conservation area in the Little Karoo. Changes in floristic... -
Dry season foraging preferences of cattle and sheep in a communal area of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: J Bennett PC Lent PJC HarrisWe examined landscape and habitat (vegetation) scale foraging of cattle and sheep at two communal villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, to determine the key resources utilised during the dry season. At the landscape scale, cattle at both sites... -
Performance of Stylosanthes hamata in the rangelands of northern Ghana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: SY Annor JR CofieStylosanthes hamata (stylo) was introduced into communities in the Northern Savanna Zone of Ghana in 1994 for rangeland improvement through oversowing. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of S. hamata in northern Ghana. The study was... -
Livestock grazing behaviour along a degradation gradient in the Somali region of eastern Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Amaha Kassahun HA Snyman GN SmitLivestock grazing behaviour is poorly understood in the arid rangelands of Ethiopia, resulting in inadequate rangeland management and grazing systems, which are no improvement on the traditional practices by pastoralists. This study aimed at quantifying the influence of rangeland degradation... -
The effect of mulching and fertilising on growth of over-sown grass species in degraded rangeland in north-eastern Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Kidane Gebremeskel PJ PieterseA study to investigate oversowing of grass species as a restoration strategy in severely degraded rangeland was carried out in the Allaidege rangeland in north-eastern Ethiopia. Locally collected seeds of three grass species (Enteropogon rupestris, Ischaemum afrum and Tragus berteronianus)... -
Exploring differences of soil quality as related to management in semiarid rangelands in the western Bophirima District, North West province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AS Moussa L van Rensburg K Kellner A BationoDifferences in land-use management may result in different rangeland condition (soil, vegetation and biodiversity) and productivity. Vegetation condition in contrasting land-use management systems is well documented in semiarid rangelands, but relatively little information is available on soil quality. This study... -
Testing for a decline in secondary productivity under desertification in subtropical thicket, South Africa, using Angora goats: lessons for experimental design
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: TA Milne --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South Africa GIH Kerley --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South AfricaThere are few tests of the predicted decline of secondary productivity in desertified rangelands, despite this being one of the major concerns around desertification. Subtropical thicket, largely used for goat pastoralism, suffers extensive transformation typical of desertification. We measured body... -
The influence of South Africa's post-apartheid land reform policies on bush encroachment and range condition: a case study of Fort Beaufort's municipal commonage
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: James R Puttick --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa James Gambiza --- Department of Environmental Science, South AfricaWe examined the effect of changes in land use and land tenure on bush encroachment and vegetation condition. An analysis of aerial photographs from three time steps (1949, 1985 and 2004) was used to document changes in woody plant density... -
Preliminary observations on the diet of leopards (Panthera pardus) from a conservation area and adjacent rangelands in the Baviaanskloof region, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Theresia Ott --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South Africa Graham I. H. Kerley --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South Africa André F. Boshoff --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South AfricaPastoralists on rangelands adjacent to the Baviaanskloof Provincial Nature Reserve, Eastern Cape, report stock losses through predation by leopards (Panthera pardus). This leads, in certain cases, to persecution of the leopards. This study attempted to quantify livestock depredation by leopards... -
Grazing depletes forb species diversity in the mesic grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Rob Scott-Shaw --- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, South Africa Craig D Morris --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, South AfricaForbs constitute over 80% of the species richness of mesic grassland but their response to grazing is largely unknown. The influence of grazing on the forb composition, richness and diversity of two species-rich grasslands in the coastal hinterland and midlands... -
The impact of livestock grazing management systems on soil and vegetation characteristics across savanna ecosystems in Botswana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Olaotswe E Kgosikoma --- Department of Agricultural Research, Botswana Witness Mojeremane --- Botswana College of Agriculture, Botswana Barbra Harvie --- University of Edinburgh, UKThe objective of this study was to determine the impact of livestock grazing management systems on soil and vegetation dynamics under different environmental conditions of Botswana. Soil and vegetation were randomly sampled along transects located in three ranches and adjacent... -
Feeding ecology of four livestock species under different management in a semi-arid pastoral system in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Igshaan Samuels --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Clement Cupido --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Melvin B Swarts --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Anthony R Palmer --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, South Africa Jamie W Paulse --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production Institute, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South AfricaThe Leliefontein communal area in Namaqualand is grazed by mixed species herds that have multiple benefits for pastoralists. This study assessed how the management (herding and free-ranging) of different livestock herds affects their feeding ecology during the wet and dry... -
The nearest-plant method is robust and powerful enough for different survey teams to monitor change in mesic grassland species composition
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Alan Short --- Themeda Eco Consulting, South Africa Craig Morris --- Agricultural Research Council–Livestock Business Division, Range and Forage Unit, c/o School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, South AfricaA long-term rangeland monitoring programme needs to employ a field survey technique that is practicable, precise, powerful enough to distinguish change, not prone to worker bias, and able to distinguish real change from operator error arising from staff turnover. These... -
Effect of management on rangeland phytomass, cover and condition in two biomes in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Roelof J Oomen --- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Germany Anja Linstädter --- Range Ecology and Range Management Group, Germany Jan C Ruppert --- Range Ecology and Range Management Group, Germany Katharina Brüser --- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Germany Jürgen Schellberg --- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, Germany Frank Ewert --- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), University of Bonn, GermanyIn rangelands, grazing management is a main driver of rangeland condition. Due to masking effects of seasonal climate fluctuations, little is known about (dis)similarity of management effects on rangeland condition and forage provision across major dryland biomes. Taking a macro-ecological... -
Exploring the invasion of rangelands by Acacia mearnsii (black wattle): biophysical characteristics and management implications
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Onalenna Gwate --- Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, South Africa Sukhmani K Mantel --- Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, South Africa Andiswa Finca --- Agricultural Research Council – Animal Production Institute, South Africa Lesley A Gibson --- Department of Construction and Surveying, UK Zahn Munch --- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, South Africa Anthony R Palmer --- Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, South AfricaAustralian acacias have spread to many parts of the world. In South Africa, species such as A. mearnsii and dealbata are invasive. Consequently, more effort has focused on their clearing. In a context of increasing clearing costs, it is crucial... -
Effect of proximity to highways on soil chemical properties and grass condition at Mafikeng, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: Chris Munyati --- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, South Africa Oratile Menwe --- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, South AfricaRoads have motor vehicle traffic-sourced ecological effects. This study examined the effect of proximity to roads on soil and grass. Surface soil samples were collected along 60 m transects perpendicular to the four major paved highways of Mafikeng, in two... -
Seasonal changes in pasture biomass and grazing behaviour of cattle in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Maxwell Akapali --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Terry Ansah --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Ibn Iddriss Abdul-Rahman --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Benjamin Alenyorege --- Department of Animal Science, Ghana Bernard N Baatuuwie --- Department of Forestry and Forest Resources Management, GhanaSpatial and temporal availability of pasture vegetation and cattle grazing behaviour in three seasons (intermediate season [IM], peak season [PS] and dry season [DS]) in the Guinea Savanna agroecological zone of Ghana was examined. The frequency of occurrence of three... -
Reflections, applications and future directions of Long-Term Ecological Research at Tierberg
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Gina Arena --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa Helga van der Merwe --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa Simon W Todd --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa Marco J Pauw --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa Suzanne J Milton --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa W Richard J Dean --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa Joh R Henschel --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South AfricaTierberg-LTER is a research site established in 1987 in the semi-arid Succulent Karoo near Prince Albert in the Western Cape province, South Africa. The original purpose for its establishment was to study ecosystem dynamics and the drivers of vegetation in... -
Long-term impacts of livestock grazing and browsing in the Succulent Karoo: a 20-year study of vegetation change under different grazing regimes in Namaqualand
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Elelwani Nenzhelele --- Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Simon W Todd --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South AfricaThis study used a fence-line contrast approach to investigate the long-term impact of high grazing pressure on the vegetation at a site in Namaqualand, South Africa. Forty pairs of permanently marked plots were surveyed in 1996, 2006 and 2016. The... -
Spatial, temporal and attitudinal dimensions of conflict between predators and small-livestock farmers in the Central Karoo
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Marine Drouilly --- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Marion Tafani --- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Nicoli Nattrass --- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Justin O’Riain --- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, South AfricaConflict between predators and small-livestock farmers is a global phenomenon adversely impacting the preservation of wildlife, the well-being of livestock and human livelihoods. Such conflict is pervasive in the Karoo region of South Africa but its contemporary history and various... -
The composition of the soil seedbank and its role in ecosystem dynamics and rehabilitation potential in the arid Tankwa Karoo Region, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Manam WB Saaed --- Higher Institute of Agricultural Techniques, Libya Shayne M Jacobs --- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, South Africa Mmoto L Masubelele --- Cape Research Centre, South Africa Igshaan Samuels --- Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, c/o Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Lesego Khomo --- Department of Environmental Sciences, South Africa Yacoub M El-Barasi --- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, LibyaVery few soil seedbank studies have been conducted in South Africa, especially in arid rangelands. Insight into the soil seedbank could therefore improve assessment of rangeland dynamics and enhance rehabilitation efforts. This study aimed to characterise the soil seedbanks in... -
Inselbergs persist as islands of diversity in a heavily grazed rangeland mosaic at the nexus of three arid biomes
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Laetitia C Piers --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa M Igshaan Samuels --- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, South Africa Mmoto L Masubelele --- Cape Research Centre, South African National Parks, South Africa Lesego Khomo --- Environmental Sciences Department, South AfricaInselbergs are regarded as ‘islands of diversity’ due to the high number of plant species present and level of endemism. They also act as natural sources of fodder for livestock and thus risk becoming homogenised in a heavily grazed rangeland... -
Efforts to improve Zimbabwe communal grazing areas: a review
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Bruce Tavirimirwa --- Department of Research and Specialist Services, Zimbabwe Emmanuel Manzungu --- Department of Soil Science and Engineering, Zimbabwe Soul Washaya --- Department of Animal Science, Zimbabwe Sharai Ncube --- Department of Animal Science, Zimbabwe Shadreck Ncube --- Department of Research and Specialist Services, Zimbabwe Clarice Mudzengi --- Department of Research and Specialist Services, Zimbabwe Richard Mwembe --- Department of Research and Specialist Services, ZimbabweThe management of rangelands over the past decade in Zimbabwe has been on the decline. This has resulted in degraded and depleted communal rangelands. A number of recommendations by various government departments, researchers and non-governmental organisations have been implemented. These... -
Vegetation dynamics in the face of a major land-use change: a 30-year case study from semi-arid South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Olli Hyvärinen --- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Chevonne Reynolds --- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, South AfricaAlthough wildlife production is widely considered beneficial for semi-arid environments, few studies have reported on the long-term environmental effects of converting from livestock production to game ranching. Asante Sana Game Reserve in South Africa was stocked with domestic livestock for... -
Characterisation of ecosystem-based adaptations to drought in the central cattle corridor of Uganda
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Susan Nanfuka --- , Uganda David Mfitumukiza --- , Uganda Anthony Egeru --- , UgandaEcosystems provide climate-change adaptation opportunities including ecosystem services, adaptation benefits and livelihood improvement especially for natural resource dependent communities. To contribute to the understanding of location specific adaptation processes of predominantly agro-pastoralists, a study was carried out in the central... -
Impact of livestock grazing intensity on plant diversity of montane grassland in the northern Drakensberg, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: TA Shezi --- , South Africa TG O’Connor --- , South Africa ETF Witkowski --- , South AfricaCommunal livestock grazing is expected to impact botanical composition and plant diversity of Drakensberg montane grasslands. Accordingly, a grazing gradient extending outward from kraals, and fence-line contrasts between communal rangeland and protected areas (Golden Gate Highlands National Park and Royal... -
Accounting for land cover changes and degradation in the Katse and Mohale Dam catchments of the Lesotho highlands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Jane Turpie --- , South Africa Grant Benn --- , South Africa Mark Thompson --- , South Africa Nigel Barker --- , South AfricaRangeland conditions in the Lesotho highland dam catchment areas is important for local livelihoods and regional water supply. We investigated changes in land cover and condition from 1991 (before construction) to 2013, using Landsat imagery. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index... -
A case study of rangeland vegetation changes from 1979 to 2016 in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: A El Aich --- , Morocco ME Fernández-Giménez --- , United States M Rouzi --- , Morocco CL Alados --- , SpainThis case study assessed changes in vegetation composition of a 0.8 ha rangeland site over the past four decades, in relation to changes in temperature and to an increase in grazing pressure. The frequency and standing crop (biomass) of species... -
Changes in pastoral mobility in a semi-arid montane region of South Africa: The role of policy and legislation
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: M Igshaan Samuels --- , South Africa Nicky Allsopp --- , South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- , South AfricaLegislation and policy are key tools used by governments to change the socio-economic and political landscape of agrarian systems with consequences for mobile pastoralism. This study used the social-ecological systems framework to examine how pastoral mobility in the semi-arid, montane... -
Land reform and its impact on the arid South African environment: Riemvasmaak as a case study
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: GS Fleury --- , South Africa MT Hoffman --- , South Africa SW Todd --- , South AfricaThe 75 000 ha, hyper-arid area of Riemvasmaak represents one of the first land restitution cases in post-apartheid South Africa. People who were forcibly removed in 1974 were resettled in 1995. We describe the impact that people and domestic livestock... -
Rural community use and perception of rangeland products in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development • Authors: Lwandiso Mdiya --- , South Africa Amon Taruvinga --- , South Africa Abbyssinia Mushunje --- , South Africa Keletso Mopipi --- , South Africa Saul Ngarava --- , South AfricaThe significance of rangelands to the welfare of the rural poor has been acknowledged. The study explores perceptions and determinants of rural households’ rangeland harvesting. A cross-sectional survey of 159 rural households harvesting communal rangeland products was utilized, as well... -
Goat feeds and feeding practises in a semi-arid smallholder farming system in Zimbabwe
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Takudzwa Charambira --- , Zimbabwe Shelton M Kagande --- , Zimbabwe Irenie Chakoma --- , Zimbabwe Gwinyai Chibaira --- , Zimbabwe Prisca H Mugabe --- , ZimbabweThis study was conducted to identify the available goat feed resources for smallholder farmers in the semi-arid region of Zimbabwe. An ecological rangeland assessment was combined with participatory research methods to determine the diversity of feed resources in two wards... -
Assessment of long-term protection on the aboveground biomass and organic carbon content using two non-destructive techniques: case of the Sidi Toui National Park in southern Tunisia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Roukaya Chibani --- , Tunisia Abderrazak Tlili --- , Tunisia Farah Ben Salem --- , Tunisia Mounir Louhaichi --- , Tunisia Azaiez Ouled Belgacem --- , Saudi Arabia Mohamed Neffati --- , TunisiaLong-term protection of arid ecosystems changes the vegetation and soil structures. The quantification of aboveground biomass and carbon content are among the principal indicators to evaluate these changes. Most methods used to quantify these parameters are costly, time consuming and... -
Implications of the breakdown in the indigenous knowledge system for rangeland management and policy: a case study from the Eastern Cape in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Andiswa Finca --- , South Africa Suzanne Linnane --- Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland Jill Slinger --- Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands David Getty --- Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland M Igshaan Samuels --- University of Western Cape, South AfricaCommunal rangelands in South Africa are generally perceived as overgrazed owing to complexities in their histories and collective utilisation which often leads to improper management. A suitable solution has not been found in land management policies because local people’s contexts... -
Kraals or bomas increase soil carbon and fertility across several biomes
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Mia Momberg --- University of Pretoria, South Africa Anna Jean Haw --- , Kenya Perushan Rajah --- , South Africa Jacques van Rooyen --- , Kenya Heidi-Jayne Hawkins --- , South AfricaKnowledge about how pastoralism and kraaling may contribute to desired global objectives, such as soil fertility, is in danger of being lost. We tested whether short duration kraaling increases soil fertility across various biomes and countries via a meta-analysis (random... -
Expansion of the Grassland Biome in the eastern Karoo corresponds with changes in rainfall and livestock numbers
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: G Arena --- University of Cape Town, South Africa MT Hoffman --- University of Cape Town, South Africa H van der Merwe --- University of Cape Town, South Africa TG O’Connor --- , South AfricaThe persistent spread of shrublands is a global phenomenon observed across semiarid grassland-shrubland boundaries. Observations in South Africa, however, have detected a contrasting trend of increasing grass cover across the transition between the Nama-Karoo and Grassland Biomes over the last... -
Changes in plant vegetation structure and diversity with distance from herder shelters in the Middle Atlas Mountains
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: A El Aich --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco S Ghassan --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco CL Alados --- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Spain S El Aayadi --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco L Baamal --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, MoroccoLivestock grazing intensity gradients associated with sheep holder shelters influenced the longevity of rangelands vegetation. This study aimed to examine the effects of livestock grazing pressure on vegetation structure and diversity with distance from herder shelters. Six shelters were sampled... -
Nutritional quality of Calobota sericea fodders harvested at different phenological stages – opportunities for inclusion in fodder flow programs for extensive livestock farmers
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Ethan A Britz --- , South Africa Lilburne F Cyster --- University of the Western Cape, South Africa Clement F Cupido --- , South Africa M Igshaan Samuels --- , South Africa Thamsanqa DE Mpanza --- , South Africa Francuois L Müller --- , South AfricaCalobota sericea (Thunb.) Boatwr. & B.-E.van Wyk (Fabaceae) is a native legume from the semi-arid rangelands of South Africa. The species has been prioritised as a forage for water-limited agro-ecological areas. No information regarding the nutritional quality of C. sericea... -
Quantifying the effect of chemical bush control of
Senegalia mellifera on vegetation production in the Eastern Kalahari Bushveld, South AfricaItem type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: --- , South Africa --- , South Africa --- North-West University, South AfricaBush encroachment is the invasion of whole landscapes by indigenous and alien woody species. An imbalance in the ratio of grasses to bushes is a consequence of bush encroachment due to competition for moisture, nutrients and sunlight. This imbalance results... -
Grass dynamics along a woody-plant density reduction gradient in a South African savanna
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Piet Monegi --- Animal Production–Agricultural Research Council, South Africa Ntuthuko R. Mkhize --- Animal Production–Agricultural Research Council, South Africa Julius T. Tjelele --- Animal Production–Agricultural Research Council, South Africa David Ward --- Kent State University, United States Zivanai Tsvuura --- University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaWoody plant encroachment threatens ecosystem services and functioning, thereby reducing herbaceous plant population persistence and community stability. We assessed the impact of woody removal intensity (WRI) on the grass ground cover, grass composition, diversity and richness, and rangeland condition in... -
Vegetation diversity and composition in relation to different grazing intensity levels in an arid environment in Jordan
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Salman D Al-Kofahi --- The Hashemite University, Jordan Mohammed N Sawalhah --- The Hashemite University, Jordan Ahmad E Abu Dkhineh --- , JordanGrazing practices fundamentally shape plant community composition and biodiversity worldwide, more importantly in water-limited environments. This study aimed to investigate plant community composition, species distribution of occurrence and diversity indices in an arid rangeland under different grazing intensities. The quadrat... -
Assessment of the impact of woody species encroachment on plant species diversity and the livelihood of pastoralists in southeastern Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Abdulhakim Mahmud --- Madda Walabu University, Ethiopia Habte Telila --- Madda Walabu University, Ethiopia Lemessa Kumsa --- Adama Science and Technology University, EthiopiaThe study aimed to assess the encroachment of woody plants on the rangelands of the Dallo Manna district of Bale Zone, and their impact on plant species diversity and pastoral livelihoods. Plant data were collected from 45 plots at encroaching... -
Estimation of standing crop biomass in rangelands of the Middle Atlas mountains using remote sensing data
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S Boukrouh --- University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Morocco Y Bouazzaoui --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco A El Aich --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco H Mahyou --- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Morocco M Chikhaoui --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco M Ait Lafkih --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco O N’Dorma --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco CL Alados --- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), SpainIn the Middle Atlas rangelands, traditional methods for estimating standing crop biomass are labour-intensive and impractical. Remote sensing offers an initiative for standing crop biomass large-scale monitoring. The aim of this study was to estimate standing crop biomass, comprising annual... -
Nearly six decades of grazing research published by the Grassland Society of Southern Africa: trends, recommendations and gaps
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: G Arena --- , South Africa H-J Hawkins --- , South AfricaWe reviewed research on grazing in extensive rangelands published by the Grassland Society of Southern Africa’s (GSSA) flagship journal, founded in 1966. We aimed to identify and synthesise emerging themes, trends, key recommendations and research gaps. From 1966 to 2023,... -
People and rangelands: a review of the contribution of the African Journal of Range and Forage Science to advancing knowledge on the human dimensions of African rangelands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Wayne Twine --- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South AfricaThe social dimensions of rangeland systems are increasingly highlighted in international rangelands literature. This paper presents a systematic review of the African Journal of Range and Forage Science from 1966 to 2023 to evaluate its contributions to this scholarship. The... -
Veld condition assessments are unrepresentative at the edges of rotational burn management blocks where grass community composition is atypical
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Anne E Goodenough --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK William S Carpenter --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Hannah Toms --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Benjamin A Bayliss --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Chloe J Cookes --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Lena Buerger --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Chloe L Cogdell --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Sara L Evans --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Tom Lancashire --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Fern D Kenyon-Hamp --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Ruari J MacGregor --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Sarah A Morshead --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Candace M Pattison --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Eli Shrubb --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Hannah D Upshall --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Charlene R Watts --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK Lynne MacTavish --- Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, South Africa Melissa Dawson --- Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, South Africa Adam G Hart --- School of Education and Science, University of Gloucestershire, UKFenced reserves provide benefits for wildlife but are vulnerable to overgrazing. Accurate veld condition assessments are essential to inform stocking density, translocation/culling interventions and burn management decisions. Here, for the first time, we test whether atypical changes in the grass... -
Using a low-cost drone to assess herbaceous biomass and quality in the Sahelian Rangeland ecosystems
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Haftay Hailu Gebremedhin --- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University, Ethiopia Paulo Salgado --- Pôle Pastoralisme et Zones Sèches, Pôle de recherche de Hann, Senegal Cofélas Fassinou --- Pôle Pastoralisme et Zones Sèches, Pôle de recherche de Hann, Senegal Simon Taugourdeau --- Pôle Pastoralisme et Zones Sèches, Pôle de recherche de Hann, SenegalExisting ways of assessing rangeland plant biomass and nutritional quality mostly rely on field surveys, which are difficult to generalise across plots, along with laboratory-based techniques that entail lengthy pre-processing procedures. As a solution, drones have emerged as a promising... -
Simulated rangeland conditions and seasonal variations influence soil quality in semi-arid central South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: JDJ Marx --- University of the Free State, South Africa E Kotzé --- University of the Free State, South Africa JJ van Tol --- University of the Free State, South Africa PF Loke --- University of the Free State, South AfricaThe study examined long-term effects of rangeland conditions and seasonal variations on soil quality without confounding grazing effects. Samples were collected seasonally from good, moderate, poor, bare and cultivated rangeland conditions at soil depths of 0–10 cm and analysed for... -
Managing land use transitions to safeguard transhumance corridors in arid eastern Morocco: challenges and adaptive strategies
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Imane Hamzaoui --- Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Institute, Morocco Mohamed Chikhaoui --- Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Institute, Morocco Nicolas Faysse --- , France Mohamed Taher Sraïri --- Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Institute, MoroccoThe conversion of rangelands and barren lands into agricultural use destabilises fragile pastoralism. This study examines the drivers and impacts of this transformation on pastoralism in Tinghir province, Morocco, using geospatial analysis, semi-structured interviews with pastoralists, discussions with officials and... -
Invasion of Neltuma juliflora (mesquite) and its effects on soil physicochemical properties in a semi-arid rangeland of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Siviwe Odwa Malongweni --- Sol Plaatje University, South AfricaInvasive species threaten ecosystem functions in African rangelands by altering soil properties, and affecting overall health and productivity. This study compared soil physicochemical characteristics under invasive Neltuma juliflora and native Vachellia karroo across two zones (beneath tree canopy versus open... -
The grazing paradox: assessing contradictions of continuous versus rotational grazing systems in southern Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Katharina Meyer --- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Germany Ute Schmiedel --- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, GermanyUnsustainable grazing practices result in degradation of arid and semiarid rangelands in southern Africa. Continuous grazing systems are often blamed for degradation, while rotational grazing systems are seen as more sustainable. The discussion about the impact of these grazing practices... -
Effects of grazing regimes on ground-dwelling small mammal distribution and abundance in rangelands at Gravelotte, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AW Bio Keri --- The Regional Post-Graduate Training School on Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands (ERAIFT), University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo J De Groot --- Southern African Wildlife College, South Africa PM Hamming --- Southern African Wildlife College, South Africa S Ntie --- Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM), Gabon SGA Nago --- Université de Parakou (UP), Benin EBO Ahouandjinou --- Federal University of Technology, Nigeria AJ Gardiner --- Southern African Wildlife College, South AfricaUnderstanding the impact of grazing on wildlife communities is essential for implementing sustainable grazing practices that promote biodiversity conservation. This study investigated the effects of three grazing regimes (Wildlife and Cattle Grazing, Traditional Rotational Selective Grazing, and Holistic Planned Grazing... -
‘The mountain has a story to tell’: transhumant production systems in the US Intermountain West
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Hailey Wilmer --- USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, USA Jonathan Spiess --- USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, USA Katherine D White --- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, USA Amira Burns --- USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, USA Steven Cox --- Former Dubois Ranger District, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, USA John Derek Scasta --- Laramie Research and Extension Center, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, USA Devan Allen McGranahan --- Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, USDA Agricultural Research Service, USA Carrie S Wilson --- USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, USA Will Munger --- USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, USA J Bret Taylor --- USDA-ARS Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, USAGrazing systems research has taken a notable social-ecological turn in response to recent debates, and integrative work is still needed to address gaps in our understanding of multiscalar dynamics in transhumant systems. Transhumance encompasses diverse cultures, ecological relationships, and traditions... -
From data to decisions: the potential of real-time precision technologies to enhance adaptive grazing management for livestock ranchers
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Justin D Derner --- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, USA J Gonzalo Irisarri --- University of Wyoming, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, USA Edward J Raynor --- Colorado State University, AgNext, USA John P Ritten --- Colorado State University, AgNext, USA Clay A Lents --- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Meat Animal Research Center, Livestock Biosystems Research Unit, USA Kaiyu Guan --- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Agroecosystem Sustainability Center and College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, USA Bin Peng --- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Agroecosystem Sustainability Center and College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, USA Lexuan Ye --- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Agroecosystem Sustainability Center and College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, USA Greg Thoma --- Colorado State University, AgNext, USA Lauren M Porensky --- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, USA David J Augustine --- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, USAAdvances in on-animal sensors and remote sensing have generated vast data streams, but their impact on rancher decision-making remains limited due to fragmented and uncoordinated efforts. Integration of on-animal monitoring with remote sensing of the grazing resource base offers synergistic... -
Grazing smarter: science-based grazing strategies, not only stocking rate, determine rangeland outcomes
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Richard Fynn --- Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana, Botswana Kevin Kirkman --- School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Craig Morris --- School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Peter Zacharias --- Consultant in Vegetation/Animal Systems, South AfricaResearch indicates a ‘crisis’ in the search for optimal grazing strategies with experimental results suggesting that stocking rate is the primary factor influencing rangeland condition and cattle performance. However, we contend that this is a spurious conclusion, inevitably conceived by...