Rangelands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. However, the eco-physiological mechanisms associated with the effects of grazing on leaf photosynthesis and soil respiration remain poorly understood. To examine the impacts of grazing on leaf photosynthesis and soil respiration, we measured the photosynthetic parameters of the dominant species (Trifolium repens) and the soil respirati...

People in the rural, communal areas of South Africa rely on live fuel wood for more than 90% of their energy requirements. Using airborne lidar from the Carnegie Airborne Observatory (CAO) we compared tree canopy cover and height distributions between communal landscapes with heavy utilization to fully protected public and private reserves in the Lowveld of South Africa. Rangelands and fields i...

_______________________________________ The 11 papers in this document address issues and needs in the development and stewardship of Central Asia rangelands, and identify directions for future work. With its vast rangelands and numerous pastoral populations, Central Asia is a region of increasing importance to rangeland scientists, managers, and pastoral development specialists. Five of the pa...

Rangelands are complex systems that occupymore than 50% of the land area in theworld. Carbon cycling on rangelands is generally understood, but details concerning agricultural management practices of prescribed fire and grazing are not well defined. Field experiments were conducted on northern mixedgrass prairie in eastern Montana with undisturbed, burned, and grazed treatments established in 2...

Intermittent headwater streams serve important functions for humans and wildlife in semi-arid rangelands. Increases in ashe juniper coverage in central Texas over recent decades are believed to have negatively impacted stream flows. Few studies have examined relationships between aquatic species and environmental factors in these systems as well as the influence of juniper coverage on assemblag...