Plant Production and Protection Series No. 34
GRASSLANDS
of the
WORLD
Edited by
J.M. Suttie, S.G. Reynolds and C. Batello
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
ROME 2005
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Plant Production and Protection Series No. 34 GRASSLANDS Edited by |
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FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS |
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The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The mention or omission of specific companies, their products or brand names does not imply any endorsement or judgement by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
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The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. |
ISBN 92-5-105337-5
ISSN 0259-2525
All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to the Chief, Publishing Management Service, Information Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy or by e-mail to [email protected]
© FAO 2005
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Contributors
Glossary of technical terms and abbreviations used
in the text
Purpose of the book
Structure of the book
Complementary information resources
References
Plant communities in grasslands and rangelands
Political and social systems in pastoral lands of eastern Africa
Integration of grasslands into smallholder farming systems
Case studies of the evolution of extensive range systems over the last 40 yearsGeneral
Evolution of land use changes in the semi-arid rangelands surrounding the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, straddling the Kenyan- Tanzanian border
Protected areas and local land use: source of conflict in Tanzania
Control of the tsetse fly and evolution of a subhumid-grassland in southwestern Ethiopia: Ghibe ValleyCurrent research in pastoral systems of eastern Africa
Management of grasslands
Desertification: driven by climate or overgrazing by livestock?
How have pastoral ecosystems changed in response to livestock and human-use changes?
Overgrazing
Competition between livestock and wildlife
Changes in rangeland burning regimes
Rangeland fragmentation and loss of wildlife habitat
Impacts of expansion of cultivation and settlement
Carbon sequestration
Bush encroachment
Rehabilitation of grasslandsPriorities for research and development programmes in pastoral lands
Some history
Rapidly changing systems with changing needs
Focus generally on human welfare and maintaining environmental goods and services
More emphasis on providing pastoral people with high quality information
Restoring pastoral access to key resources, increasing mobility and flexibility, and ensuring security
Addressing gaps in our knowledge about how pastoral systems work in eastern Africa
Addressing gaps in our knowledge about how these systems can be improved
Chapter 3 - GRASSLANDS OF SOUTH AFRICA
Anthony R. Palmer and Andrew M. Ainslie
Introduction
Physical features
ClimatePeople
Livestock
Wildlife
Land tenureFreehold and commercial sector
Communal and subsistence sectorAuthorities responsible for management
Grassland
Savannah
Nama-karoo
Thicket
Succulent karoo
Fynbos
ForestPastoral and agricultural systems
Legume and fodder introduction
Dryland fodder
Irrigated fodder
Exceptional circumstances fodder
Constraints to pasture and fodder production and improvement
Evolution of grasslands over the last 40 years
Research
Management of grasslandsDevelopment of techniques for the rehabilitation of grasslands
Sustainable management of the environment and maintenance of biodiversity
Seed productionRecommendations and lessons learned concerning sustainable grassland management
Maintenance of production and productivity
Priorities for the development of programmes and research
Chapter 4 - GRASSLANDS OF PATAGONIA
Andrés F. Cibils and Pablo R. Borrelli
Introduction
Political system
Land tenureAboriginal distribution
Welsh colonization
First settlers
Last settlers
Management authoritiesPatagonian shrub steppes
Semi-deserts and shrub steppes
Shrub-grass and grass-shrub steppes
Grass steppes
Monte shrubland s and Monte ecotonePastoral and agricultural systems
Grazing management
Sheep managementFine-wool production systems
Lamb and fine-crossbred-wool production systemsOngoing research, management, restoration and biodiversity maintenance activities
Restoration activities
Biodiversity maintenanceRecommendations and lessons learned
Adaptive management - the Santa Cruz example
The value of simple or flexible stocking strategies
Conflict between short- and long-term production
Introduction
General description of the regionClimate
Livestock production
Wildlife
Floristic composition
Climax vegetationGrassland types and production systems in Argentina
Growth and forage production
Production systems
Productivity of the best farmsGrassland types and production systems in Uruguay
Vegetation limitations for animal productionGrassland production systems in Southern Brazil
Dry matter accumulation in natural grasslands
Optimizing animal production from natural grassland ecosystems
Natural grassland dynamicsFertilization in Argentina
Fertilization of Campos Grasslands in Uruguay
Fertilization of natural grasslands in southeast Brazil
Structural changes on fertilized natural grasslands in SE BrazilOver-seeding
Legume introduction
Sward preparation for seeding
Legumes for improvement
Stock managementResearch and development priorities
Ecological grassland management for maintaining productivity
Chapter 6 - GRASSLANDS OF CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA
Rex D. Pieper
Introduction
Location and general description of the region
Climate
Topography and soils
Fauna
Vegetation patterns
Primary production
Pastoral and agricultural systemsCrop production
Grazing management
Balancing seasonal variations of forage supply
Grazing systems
Intensification?
Rangeland burning
Development of grasslands
Current status of grassland research and management
Chapter 7 - GRAZING MANAGEMENT IN MONGOLIA
J.M. Suttie
Changes in administrative systems in the twentieth century
Grazing lands, pasture and fodderHay from natural pasture in arkhangai
Grazing livestock production
Livestock in herding systems
Evolution of stock numbers
Intensive livestock productionThe present grazing situation
The recent droughts and zuds
Sustainability
References
Chapter 8 - THE TIBETAN STEPPE
Daniel J. Miller
Introduction
General description
Climate
Grassland biodiversityBotanical composition
Grassland productivityThe Tibetan Pastoral Production System
Historical and cultural aspects
Livestock management
Herds on the move
Land tenure
Transformation of the traditional pastoral production system
Snowstorms and pastoral system dynamics
Chapter 9 - AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS
John G. McIvor
Introduction
Location
Physical features
ClimateSoils
Livestock
Wildlife
Social aspects and institutionsPeople
Political system
Land tenure and ownership
Authorities responsible for land management
Market systems
Pastoral and agricultural systemsNatural vegetation
Tropical tall -grassBrigalow
Xerophytic mid-grass
Temperate tall -grass
Temperate short -grass
Sub-alpine sodgrass
Saltbush-xerophytic mid -grass
Acacia shrub-short -grass
Xerophytic tussockgrass
Xerophytic hummockgrassAvailable species and cultivars
Seed production
Current grassland issuesResearch
Management of grasslands
Resource issues and rehabilitation
Biodiversity in grasslands
Environmental managementSustainable pasture management: learning from the past, managing for the future
Importance of legumes
Role of native pastures
Environmental weeds
Chapter 10 - THE RUSSIAN STEPPE
Joseph G. Boonman and Sergey S. Mikhalev
Introduction
The steppe in perspective
Semantics
Climate, vegetation and soils
Ecological classification
Ecological (site) potential
Ramenskii’s grassland classification
Botanical condition (ecological monitoring)
Steppe dynamics in relation to botanical compositionWeather
From fallow to steppe
The Steppe and its types
Forest steppe
Steppe
Virgin steppe
Semi-desertMid-term to old fallow
Young fallow
Avenues of steppe improvementGrazing
Grazing (stocking) management
Haymaking
Fire
Ploughing
Physical improvementsExamples of the effect of management on botanical composition
Fertilizer
Mid-term depression
Sown forage
The dilemma
Crop-pasture rotations
Physical effects of grasses on the soil
Mixed farming based on crop-grass rotations
Conclusions
References
The Llanos
The Gran Chaco
Pampas
Flooding Pampas grasslands
Cropland Pampas cultivated pastures
Monte shrubland
Chapter 12 - GRASSLAND PERSPECTIVES
Introduction
Grassland systems
The state of the grasslands
Grassland development, improvement and rehabilitationStocking rates and stock distribution
The lean season
StratificationTenure
Markets and trade
Herder organization and community participation
Demotic factors
Diversification