Adapt (or succumb) to climate change on rangelands

Authors: BROWN, JOEL - New Mexico State University; Elias, Emile; EMMOTT, ANGUS - Non ARS Employee; MAHUER, ANNA - Us Forest Service (FS); WILMER, HAILEY - Us Forest Service (FS)

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2021
Publication Date: 2/11/2021
Citation: Brown, J., Elias, E.H., Emmott, A., Mahuer, A., Wilmer, H. 2021. Adapt (or succumb) to climate change on rangelands. Society for Range Management Meeting Proceedings. February 15, 2021 - February 18, 2021, virtual. Page 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Climate change puts the livelihoods of rangeland users worldwide at risk. Rangelands sequester and store greenhouse gases, as well as provide ground cover critical to moderation of temperature; rangelands also provide a majority of the forage consumed by domestic livestock globally. Despite the importance of rangelands to climate regulation and to the food production system, rangelands continue to be degraded or converted to other forms of agriculture. The interacting feedbacks between degradation-conversion-climate interaction creates a “wicked problem”. As rangeland scientists, managers, students, policy makers, and conservationists interested in providing leadership for the stewardship of rangelands based on sound ecological and management principles, it is our duty to address this challenge to ensure the long-term productivity and sustainability of rangeland ecosystems. For this plenary session we have invited four people who deal with climate change on a daily basis to present what they think are the critical needs in adapting. They will discuss their views on critical needs to respond to climate change and, more importantly, how to move those ideas into the mainstream of science, policy and land management. They will also respond to questions from the audience.