Leading authorities from wide geographical regions of the globe will review the most up-to-date information in relation to temperate grasslands. Topics covered are: nutritive value of pasture; plant ...characteristics conducive to high animal intake and performance; modelling of both grass growth and animal production and intake in grazing systems; optimising financial returns from grazing; decision support systems; optimal animal breeds and traits for grazing systems; challenges and opportunities for animal production in the immediate future .In addition, short papers will present the most recent research on the above mentioned topics. One paper will present a comprehensive overview of animal production from pasture in Ireland This book will be of interest to grassland and ruminant production scientists, mathematical modellers working on grazing systems, extension workers, students of agriculture and animal production and progressive livestock farmers.
Grazing can have considerable ecological impacts when managed inappropriately, however livestock production is a significant contributor to global food security and the removal of land from ...production is not always a viable option. Grazing management practices that incorporate periods of planned rest (i.e. strategic‐rest grazing) may be an alternative to grazing exclusion or continuous grazing that could achieve ecological and animal production outcomes simultaneously.
We conducted a meta‐analysis of global literature to investigate how strategic‐rest grazing mediates ecological (i.e., plant richness and diversity), biophysical (plant biomass and ground cover) and production response variables (animal weight gain and animal production per hectare) compared to continuously grazed or ungrazed areas.
Overall, total ground cover and animal production per hectare were significantly greater under strategic‐rest grazing than continuous grazing management, but biomass, plant richness, plant diversity and animal weight gain did not differ between grazing treatments. Increasing the length of rest relative to graze time under strategic‐rest grazing was associated with an increase in plant biomass, ground cover, animal weight gain and animal production per hectare when compared to continuous grazing.
Synthesis and applications. Understanding both the ecological and animal production trade‐offs associated with different grazing management strategies is essential to make informed decisions about best‐management practices for the world's grazing lands. We show that incorporating periods of rest into grazing regimes improves ground cover and animal production per hectare and that these benefits are more pronounced with increases in the length of time land is rested for. This extended rest also improves biomass production and weight gain compared to continuous grazing systems. Based on these meta‐analyses, we recommend that future research considers the duration of rest compared to graze time in comparisons of grazing systems.
Understanding both the ecological and animal production trade‐offs associated with different grazing management strategies is essential to make informed decisions about best‐management practices for the world's grazing lands. We show that incorporating periods of rest into grazing regimes improves ground cover and animal production per hectare and that these benefits are more pronounced with increases in the length of time land is rested for. This extended rest also improves biomass production and weight gain compared to continuous grazing systems. Based on these meta‐analyses, we recommend that future research considers the duration of rest compared to graze time in comparisons of grazing systems.
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Targeted livestock grazing is a proven tool for manipulating rangeland vegetation, and current knowledge about targeted livestock grazing is extensive and expanding rapidly. Targeted grazing ...prescriptions optimize the timing, frequency, intensity, and selectivity of grazing (or browsing) in combinations that purposely exert grazing/browsing pressure on specific plant species or portions of the landscape. Targeted grazing differs from traditional grazing management in that the goal of targeted grazing is to apply defoliation or trampling to achieve specific vegetation management objectives, whereas the goal of traditional livestock grazing management is generally the production of livestock commodities. A shared aim of targeted livestock grazing and traditional grazing management is to sustain healthy soils, flora, fauna, and water resources that, in turn, can sustain natural ecological processes (e.g., nutrient cycle, water cycle, energy flow). Targeted grazing prescriptions integrate knowledge of plant ecology, livestock nutrition, and livestock foraging behavior. Livestock can be focused on target areas through fencing, herding, or supplement placement. Although practices can be developed to minimize the impact of toxins contained in target plants, the welfare of the animals used in targeted grazing must be a priority. Monitoring is needed to determine if targeted grazing is successful and to refine techniques to improve efficacy and efficiency. Examples of previous research studies and approaches are presented to highlight the ecological benefits that can be achieved when targeted grazing is applied properly. These cases include ways to suppress invasive plants and ways to enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity. Future research should address the potential to select more adapted and effective livestock for targeted grazing and the associated animal welfare concerns with this practice. Targeted livestock grazing provides land managers a viable alternative to mechanical, chemical, and prescribed fire treatments to manipulate rangeland vegetation.
Ever since its formulation, the Scherrer formula has been the workhorse for quantifying finite size effects in X‐ray scattering. Various aspects of Scherrer‐type grain‐size analysis are discussed ...with regard to the characterization of thin films with grazing‐incidence scattering methods utilizing area detectors. After a brief review of the basic features of Scherrer analysis, a description of resolution‐limiting factors in grazing‐incidence scattering geometry is provided. As an application, the CHESS D1 beamline is characterized for typical scattering modes covering length scales from the molecular scale to the nanoscale.
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Understanding the behaviour of grazing animals at pasture is crucial in order to develop management strategies that will increase the potential productivity of grazing systems and simultaneously ...decrease the negative impact on the environment. The objective of this review was to summarize and analyse the scientific literature that has addressed the site use preference of grazing cattle using global positioning systems (GPS) collars in the past 21 years (2000-2020) to aid the development of more sustainable grazing livestock systems. The 84 studies identified were undertaken in several regions of the world, in diverse production systems, under different climate conditions and with varied methodologies and animal types. This work presents the information in categories according to the main findings reviewed, covering management, external and animal factors driving animal movement patterns. The results showed that some variables, such as stocking rate, water and shade location, weather conditions and pasture (terrain and vegetation) characteristics, have a significant impact on the behaviour of grazing cattle. Other types of bio-loggers can be deployed in grazing ruminants to gain insights into their metabolism and its relationship with the landscape they utilise. Changing management practices based on these findings could improve the use of grasslands towards more sustainable and productive livestock systems.
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•The impact of grazing on SOC is climate-dependent.•Grazing increases SOC for C4 but decreases it for C3 and C3-C4 mixed grasslands.•Grazing increases TN and BD but has no effect on soil pH.
...Livestock grazing intensity (GI) is thought to have a major impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and soil quality indicators in grassland agroecosystems. To critically investigate this, we conducted a global review and meta-analysis of 83 studies of extensive grazing, covering 164 sites across different countries and climatic zones. Unlike previous published reviews we normalized the SOC and total nitrogen (TN) data to a 30cm depth to be compatible with IPCC guidelines. We also calculated a normalized GI and divided the data into four main groups depending on the regional climate (dry warm, DW; dry cool, DC; moist warm, MW; moist cool, MC). Our results show that taken across all climatic zones and GIs, grazing (below the carrying capacity of the systems) results in a decrease in SOC storage, although its impact on SOC is climate-dependent. When assessed for different regional climates, all GI levels increased SOC stocks under the MW climate (+7.6%) whilst there were reductions under the MC climate (−19%). Under the DW and DC climates, only the low (+5.8%) and low to medium (+16.1%) grazing intensities, respectively, were associated with increased SOC stocks. High GI significantly increased SOC for C4-dominated grassland compared to C3-dominated grassland and C3-C4 mixed grasslands. It was also associated with significant increases in TN and bulk density but had no effect on soil pH. To protect grassland soils from degradation, we recommend that GI and management practices should be optimized according to climate region and grassland type (C3, C4 or C3-C4 mixed).
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Grazing by ungulate herbivores can greatly alter nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in plants and soils. It is not clear, however, how grazing might affect N:P co‐limitation in grasslands ...depending on soil N and P availability.
Here we selected 173 peer‐reviewed studies, which measured 12 key variables associated with changes in N, P and N:P ratios (i.e. N:P stoichiometry) in soils and plants in the presence or absence of herbivore grazing. Subsequently, we addressed the magnitude and direction of grazing effects on these variables using a meta‐analysis approach.
Grazing increased leaf N and P but decreased total and available soil N and P. Grazing also increased leaf N:P ratios while decreasing root and total soil N:P ratios.
The response ratio (RR) of leaf N:P was negatively correlated with RR of plant‐available soil P and positively correlated with RR of available soil N:P ratio (rather than with RR of total soil N:P).
Intensive grazing (e.g. heavy grazing or long‐term grazing) had in general more positive effects on plant N:P stoichiometry and negative effects on soil N:P stoichiometry than light grazing. Responses of plant‐soil N:P stoichiometry to grazing greatly varied depending on plant functional group identity, plant organizational level (i.e. species and community) and grassland type.
Synthesis and applications. Our study suggests that understanding changes in available soil N:P stoichiometry (rather than total soil N:P) in response to grazing is crucial to predict nutrient co‐limitation in grassland biomes. Our findings show that P is more important for plant growth than generally thought due to greater reduction of plant‐available soil P under grazing. A better mechanistic understanding of the relationships between plant and available soil N:P stoichiometry under grazing will greatly help improve the sustainability of natural and semi‐natural grassland ecosystems.
摘要
放牧会显著改变植物和土壤的氮 (N) 磷 (P) 养分浓度, 但是尚不清楚不同放牧方式如何影响植物和土壤N:P化学计量特征 (包括氮浓度、磷浓度及N:P) , 特别是还不清楚放牧条件下植物N:P化学计量特征与土壤养分有效性的关系。
本文通过整合分析的方法定量了与植物和土壤N:P化学计量特征变化相关的12个关键响应变量对放牧的响应。
放牧显著提高叶片和根系氮磷浓度, 降低了土壤氮磷浓度。同时放牧提高了叶片N:P, 但降低了根系和土壤全量N:P。
放牧条件下, 叶片N:P的提高与土壤有效磷的降低和有效N:P (有效氮: 有效磷) 的提高显著相关, 而与土壤全量氮磷浓度的变化不相关, 表明土壤有效磷的变化对植物磷吸收和叶片氮磷平衡更重要。
植物和土壤的N:P化学计量特征受放牧强度、放牧周期、放牧动物类型和草原类型等因素的调控。与短期轻度放牧相比, 长期重度放牧会加剧植物‐土壤系统的氮磷失衡。
将来的研究应更多关注放牧对土壤有效养分及N:P的影响及其与植物养分限制因子转变的关系。理解植物和土壤有效N:P在放牧利用下的变化能够对不同草原生态系统放牧管理措施的制定提供理论依据。
Our study suggests that understanding changes in available soil N:P stoichiometry (rather than total soil N:P) in response to grazing is crucial to predict nutrient co‐limitation in grassland biomes. Our findings show that P is more important for plant growth than generally thought due to greater reduction of plant‐available soil P under grazing. A better mechanistic understanding of the relationships between plant and available soil N:P stoichiometry under grazing will greatly help improve the sustainability of natural and semi‐natural grassland ecosystems.
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Livestock grazing of grassland ecosystems may induce shifts in microbe community traits and soil carbon (C) cycling; however, impacts of grassland management (grazing) on soil C- microbe community ...trait (microbial biomass, diversity, community structure, and enzyme activity) relationships are unclear. To address this, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 95 articles of livestock grazing studies that vary in grazing intensities (light, moderate, and high) and durations (<5 years, 5–10 years, and > 10 years). We found that gazing decreased soil organic carbon content (SOC; 10.1 %), and activities of the enzymes of saccharase (SA; 31.1 %), urease (UA; 7.0 %), and acid phosphatase (11.9 %) in topsoil. Meanwhile, the SOC, soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities consistently decreased as grazing intensity and duration prolonged. Furthermore, we observed strong linear relationships of microbe community traits with SOC (p < 0.05), but weak relationships with soil N or P (p > 0.05) in grasslands, which also depends on the grazing intensity and duration. In conclusion, our results indicate that traits of soil carbon content, soil microbe community, and in particular their relationships in global grasslands are overall significantly affected by livestock grazing, but the effects strongly depend on the grazing intensity and duration.
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•Both grazing intensity and duration decreased soil organic carbon•Light and/or moderate grazing increased soil bacterial and fungal diversity•Grazing duration decreased soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity•Grazing intensity strengthened the linkage of microbial diversity with soil carbon
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Grazing exclusion using fences is a key policy being applied by the Chinese government to rehabilitate degraded grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and elsewhere. However, there is a limited ...understanding of the effects of grazing exclusion on alpine ecosystem functions and services and its impacts on herders’ livelihoods. Our meta-analyses and questionnaire-based surveys revealed that grazing exclusion with fences was effective in promoting aboveground vegetation growth for up to four years in degraded alpine meadows and for up to eight years in the alpine steppes of the TP. Longer-term fencing did not bring any ecological and economic benefits. We also found that fencing hindered wildlife movement, increased grazing pressure in unfenced areas, lowered the satisfaction of herders, and rendered substantial financial costs to both regional and national governments. We recommend that traditional free grazing should be encouraged if applicable, short-term fencing (for 4–8 years) should be adopted in severely degraded grasslands, and fencing should be avoided in key wildlife habitat areas, especially the protected large mammal species.
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Collaborative adaptive management (CAM) is hypothesized to benefit management of rangeland ecosystems, but the presumed benefits have seldom been quantified, and never in a multipaddock rotational ...grazing system. Here, we evaluated average daily weight gain (ADG) of livestock (kg steer−1 d−1) in four grazing management treatments during the summers of 2016−2018 in a semiarid shortgrass steppe. These four treatments had the same stocking rate but differed in stocking densities. The three lowest stocking densities were implemented using nonadaptive grazing management, while the highest stocking density was implemented using CAM by an 11-member Stakeholder Group. Three of the four treatments used multipaddock rotational grazing. Growing season precipitation varied from drought in 2016 to near average in 2017 and dry in 2018. During nondrought years, ADG under nonadaptive grazing declined linearly as stocking density increased from low to high. This relationship was not significant during drought (2016). CAM increased absolute livestock production by 0.13 to 0.19 kg steer−1 d−1 in nondrought years, or a 23−25% relative increase in ADG. This benefit of CAM arose from the Stakeholder Group's ability to rotate cattle in response to spatiotemporal heterogeneity across the landscape—i.e., the ability to graze the “right pastures at the right time.” Multiplying the additional grazing season livestock gains achieved through CAM by the monetary value of gains ($ kg−1) resulted in an estimated additional gross revenue return from CAM of $48.16 to $55.54 per steer annually, as compared with revenues from nonadaptive multipaddock rotational grazing under nondrought conditions. These results indicate that CAM, supported with substantial and timely monitoring data, can minimize decreases in livestock production associated with high stocking densities used in multipaddock rotation systems. However, in this experimental context, the economic benefits of increased livestock production associated with CAM were likely insufficient to offset the substantial cost of this approach.
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