Degradation and recovery processes in arid grazing lands of central Australia. Part 1: soil and land resources

Tongway, David J.; Sparrow, Ashley D.; Friedel, Margaret H.

doi:10.1016/s0140-1963(03)00025-9

Cited by 95 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…As such, these conversions may hamper the interpretation of vegetation response changes as an altered sensitivity to climate anomalies. Other pressures than climate may further affect the vegetation state: factors such as altered fire regimes, overgrazing, introduction of invasive species and salinization are important, as well, and may furthermore alter the response of vegetation to climate anomalies [21,[44][45][46]. Moreover, CO 2 fertilization, altered fire and rainfall regimes may change the vegetation composition, which was suggested in the study of [13].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Regional Vegetation Response to Climate Anomalies: A Case Study for Australia Using GIMMS NDVI Time Series between 1982 and 2006

et al. 2017

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Within the context of climate change, it is of utmost importance to quantify the stability of ecosystems with respect to climate anomalies. It is well acknowledged that ecosystem stability may change over time. As these temporal stability changes may provide a warning for increased vulnerability of the system, this study provides a methodology to quantify and assess these temporal changes in vegetation stability. Within this framework, vegetation stability changes were quantified over Australia from 1982 to 2006 using GIMMS NDVI and climate time series (i.e., SPEI (Standardized Precipitation and Evaporation Index)). Starting from a stability assessment on the complete time series, we aim to assess: (i) the magnitude and direction of stability changes; and (ii) the similarity in these changes for different stability metrics, i.e., the standard deviation of the NDVI anomaly (SD), auto-correlation at lag one of the NDVI anomaly (AC) and the correlation of NDVI anomaly with SPEI (CS). Results show high variability in magnitude and direction for the different stability metrics. Large areas and types of Australian vegetation showed an increase in variability (SD) over time; however, vegetation memory (AC) decreased. The association of NDVI anomalies with drought events (CS) showed a mixed response: the association increased in the western part, while it decreased in the eastern part. This methodology shows the potential for quantifying vegetation responses to major climate shifts and land use change, but results could be enhanced with higher resolution time series data.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Regional Vegetation Response to Climate Anomalies: A Case Study for Australia Using GIMMS NDVI Time Series between 1982 and 2006

et al. 2017

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“…Most arid and sub-arid rangelands show non-equilibrium behaviors [33] in which short-term rainfall variability imposes dramatic changes in vegetation covers that mask the true contribution of grazing pressure relief [34]. The driving forces of grassland degradation or regeneration and their relative contributions are still unclear and context-based [35,36], and detection of the effects of grassland rehabilitation programs has been hampered because the impacts of all relevant factors have not been controlled.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Major Grassland Conservation Programs Implemented in Inner Mongolia since 2000 on Vegetation Restoration and Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances to Their Success

et al. 2017

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Several grassland conservation programs aiming to relieve grazing pressure have been implemented in Inner Mongolia since 2000 to reverse grassland degradation and protect local and regional environments. Previous studies on the effects of these programs usually used small-scale data generated from field experiments and household surveys, inhibiting the discovery of large-scale effects due to spatial heterogeneity. For a typical study region in Xilingol League, we used fixed-effects models and a panel dataset at the county level from 1998 to 2013 to examine the effects of two programs, namely, the Beijing-Tianjin Wind/Sand Source Control Program and the Ecological Subsidy and Award System and other drivers on vegetation rehabilitation. The modeling results suggested that the programs had a positive but delayed impact on grassland vegetation rehabilitation. Enrollment in the two programs in a specific year was predicted to increase the vegetation index value by amounts equivalent to 186 mm and 98 mm more annual precipitation after two years, respectively (p < 0.01). Fixed effects (including site factors and land use history) had a greater effect, hence the design and implementation of government conservation policies should be context-based.

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“…The decrease in basal cover may possibly not always be significant, as basal cover is the most constant parameter of this vegetation. The higher the stocking rate, the higher the decrease in canopy and canopy-spread cover and the longer resting period is needed for rangeland to recover (Milton et al, 1998;Sparrow et al, 2003;Tongway et al, 2003;Kraaij & Milton, 2006). According to Mworia et al (1997), the herbaceous biomass and cover in heavily grazed semi-arid rangeland did not recover after a two-year resting period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical impact of sheep grazing on arid Karoo subshrub/grass rangeland, South Africa

Toit¹,

Snyman²,

Malan³

2011

SA J. An. Sci.

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________________________________________________________________________________ AbstractGrazing levels and rotational schemes need to be tailored to each individual farm or pasture, and more studies are needed on the resilience of rangelands and on separating the effects of grazing and climate. The direct short-term impact of three rates of stocking (4, 8 and 16 Small Stock Units-SSU/ha) was quantified in terms of composition and cover of arid Nama Karoo vegetation (subshrub/grass). Mature Merino wethers grazed in one hectare plots during May in 1995 and 1996 (the plots were not subjected to grazing at any other time). The basal cover of the Karoo bushes (shrubs) showed a decrease at the highest stocking rate only, with the species Phymaspermum parvifolium the most sensitive to intensive grazing. An increase in stocking rate caused a significant decrease in both canopy cover and canopy-spread cover. The canopy cover of palatable Karoo bushes such as Felicia muricata, Salsola calluna and Walafrida geniculata decreased most. Light stocking (4 SSU/ha) was apparently the least detrimental to the vegetation composition and cover. Regardless of stocking rate, an 11-month resting period was possibly sufficient for all the vegetation parameters concerned to be fully restored after grazing took place. The rangeland rapidly reacted to rainfall as the ephemeral cover increased temporarily. The higher the stocking rate was, the greater the increase in ephemerals occurring. The ecological sustainability of the Nama Karoo ecosystem, utilised by high stocking densities, is questioned. _______________________________________________________________________________

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Degradation and recovery processes in arid grazing lands of central Australia. Part 1: soil and land resources

Cited by 95 publications

References 36 publications

Assessment of Regional Vegetation Response to Climate Anomalies: A Case Study for Australia Using GIMMS NDVI Time Series between 1982 and 2006

Assessment of Regional Vegetation Response to Climate Anomalies: A Case Study for Australia Using GIMMS NDVI Time Series between 1982 and 2006

Effects of Major Grassland Conservation Programs Implemented in Inner Mongolia since 2000 on Vegetation Restoration and Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances to Their Success

Physical impact of sheep grazing on arid Karoo subshrub/grass rangeland, South Africa

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