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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #229076
Title: Rangeland ecology and management in a changing world

Author
item BROWN, JOEL - USDA NRCS
item Bestelmeyer, Brandon
item Havstad, Kris

Submitted to: International Rangeland Congress
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2008
Publication Date: 7/1/2008
Citation: Brown, J.R., Bestelmeyer, B.T., Havstad, K.M. 2008. Rangeland ecology and management in a changing world. In: Proceedings Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World. XXI International Grassland Congress, VIII International Rangeland Congress. June 30-July 5, 2008, Hohhot, China. p. 41-45.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rangeland ecological science and management over the past century has emphasized external human actions to supplement and direct natural ecological processes in the hope of achieving sustained production. The focus has usually been on an improve efficiency of production, generally achieved by adding fossil fuel based input, to increase consistency of harvest. The results have been relatively benign in the more mesic and fertile rangelands and unsuccessful to disastrous in the more arid and infertile areas. We suggest a broader view of the interactions of humans and rangelands, one that included people as a vital component within the system, might be a more realistic approach to achieving economic, ecological and social sustainability. An increase emphasis is necessary to develop new tools for capturing, organizing and communicating information and to provide testable hypotheses that can advance rangeland ecological science and management