Conversion of rangelands into cultivated land is one of the main challenges affecting the management of rangelands in Ethiopia. In order to inform policy makers about trends in land-use conversion, this study examined the drivers, trends, and impacts of land conversions in five locations selected in the Borana rangelands of Southern Ethiopia. This study integrated survey interviews from agro-pa...

Woody biomass dynamics are an expression of ecosystem function, yet biomass estimates do not provide information on the spatial distribution of woody vegetation within the vertical vegetation subcanopy. We demonstrate the ability of airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to measure aboveground biomass and subcanopy structure, as an explanatory tool to unravel vegetation dynamics in struct...

In vitro fermentation experiments and a feeding trial were conducted to determine how distillers byproducts impact rumen microbiology and metabolism. The in vitro rate of lactic acid disappearance was not stimulated by direct addition of distillers byproducts to mixed rumen contents collected from a steer adapted to a high concentrate diet. However, if animals were fed condensed distillers bypr...

There is growing evidence of escalating wildlife losses worldwide. Extreme wildlife losses have recently been documented for large parts of Africa, including western, Central and Eastern Africa. Here, we report extreme declines in wildlife and contemporaneous increase in livestock numbers in Kenya rangelands between 1977 and 2016. Our analysis uses systematic aerial monitoring survey data colle...

A study was conducted to determine the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) synthesized from sunflower oil on growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality of heavy pigs. Thirty-six pigs, half barrows and half females, averaging 97 kg L.W., allotted within weight and sex to a randomized complete experimental design, were fed diets supplemented with different CLA levels: 0.5% lard (C), 0....

To document trends in land use and herbaceous production, 71 field sites sampled among cropped fields, fallow fields and rangelands in the Fakara region (Niger) were monitored from 1994 to 2006. The overall trend in land use confirmed the historical increase of the cropped areas since mid 20th century, at an annual rate of 2% from 1994 to 2006. This trend is the result of changes in the relativ...

soil physical properties have an important role on vegetation growththrough affecting the development of root system. the aim of this study was toinvestigate the trampling effect of livestock grazing on soil physical properties andvegetation cover changes. the experiment was conducted on three range conditionsites (reference, key and critical area) with ten frequencies in hosseinabadekudistan i...