Disentangling ecosystem responses to livestock grazing in drylands

Chillo, Verónica; Ojeda, Ricardo A.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2014.08.011

Cited by 20 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…; Sasaki et al . ; Chillo & Ojeda ). Decomposition rate was predicted to be directly affected as increasing grazing intensity may increase the occurrence and size of bare ground patches and solar exposure, decrease soil moisture and water infiltration (Vaieretti et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…; Carmona et al . ), and fewer yet have performed integrated studies considering other components of the ecosystem besides just vegetation (Chillo & Ojeda ). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that reports a holistic analysis of the effect of increasing livestock grazing on functional diversity of several taxa and on decomposition rate in drylands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ten sampling sites were set up at varying distances (100, 180, 290, 400, 600, 850, 1200, 1800, 2400 and 3200 m) from the watering point. These distances were chosen based on previous studies in the area, which reported that utilization during the wet season ranged from 50·4% at 100 m from the watering point to 18·6% at further distances than 3200 m. The relationship fitted a curvilinear function, characterized by a threshold change in cattle usage along the piosphere pattern (Chillo & Ojeda ). Samples were taken during the dry (May–September) and wet seasons (November–March) over two years (summer 2008 up to winter 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have demonstrated the negative effect of such management, where grazing intensity concentrated close to the watering points diminishes plant and animal species diversity (Landsberg et al . ; Hoffman & James ; Chillo & Ojeda ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Livestock grazing is a complex disturbance to investigate. There are several factors involved in biodiversity response, such as vegetation type within the landscape, climatic seasonality, grazer identity and stocking rates, paddock design and grazing management, among many others (Chillo & Ojeda 2014;Eldridge et al 2015). In drylands, livestock grazing during dry periods generates a radial gradient of grazing intensity due to the provision of permanent water sources, called a piosphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Functional diversity loss with increasing livestock grazing intensity in drylands: the mechanisms and their consequences depend on the taxa

Chillo

Ojeda

Capmourteres

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary Overgrazing is one of the main drivers of desertification in drylands, and livestock production is expected to increase in the next decades. The analysis of functional diversity can clarify the effects of increasing livestock grazing on ecosystem functioning. We assess the effect of livestock grazing intensity on the relationship between taxonomic diversity (TDH) and functional diversity (FDQ) of plants, ants and small mammals, as well as on within‐trait diversity. We compared results using two indices of taxonomic diversity (Shannon and Simpson indices). We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to assess the causal relationship between grazing intensity, TDH, FDQ and decomposition rate for each taxa. Correlation between TDH vs. FDQ varied across assemblages and seasons, but was consistent between different indices of taxonomic diversity. A similar trajectory of TDH vs. FDQ under land‐use intensification was found for all taxa, with a correlated loss of species and functional traits. Also, within‐trait diversity was negatively affected by increasing grazing pressure. Vegetation and small mammal SEM models show that increasing grazing intensity had a strong and direct effect on decomposition rate. The ant SEM model was the only one that showed an indirect effect of grazing on decomposition through FDQ. TDH had no effect on decomposition for either taxa. We found higher niche differentiation in animal than in plant assemblages. In vegetation, several species seem to have similar trait diversity (i.e. redundancy), perhaps due to a dominant role of environmental constraints. These results were consistent among diversity indices. But increasing disturbance negatively affected TDH vs. FDQ in all assemblages in a similar way. Livestock grazing affected decomposition rate directly, and indirectly only through the effect of ant FDQ. Synthesis and applications. Under increasing grazing intensity, all plant and animal assemblages respond with a mirrored reduction in taxonomic diversity and functional diversity, although vegetation seems to have higher functional redundancy. Our results are robust to diversity indices, and show that several taxa respond similarly to land‐use intensification, despite differences in the mechanism behind it. This may facilitate sustainable management. Notably, increasing grazing intensity affects decomposition rate through a stronger direct than indirect effect. The stronger direct effect of livestock on decomposition rate, rather than indirectly through functional diversity, suggests that changes in structure may be more important than changes in community composition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Functional diversity loss with increasing livestock grazing intensity in drylands: the mechanisms and their consequences depend on the taxa

Chillo

Ojeda

Capmourteres

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Grazing mediates the biodiversity effects on multifunctionality in grasslands

Yan,

Ding,

Wang

et al. 2023

Land Degrad Dev

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Biodiversity loss by grazing pressure has threatened multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously (ecosystem multifunctionality, EMF) in grasslands. Therefore, detecting the relation between EMF and biodiversity under human intervention would provide guidance on the optimization of sustainable grassland management. However, little is known about how grazing effects grassland EMF by mediating biodiversity under different grazing intensities. Here, species and functional diversity were investigated along a longitudinal gradient in Inner Mongolia grassland, and its EMF was quantified comprehensively on six ecosystem functions by an averaging approach, threshold approach and multiple threshold approach to assess the impact of grazing intensity on EMF. There was a significantly lower average EMF index and above‐ground biomass under heavy grazing (HG) than under light grazing (LG). The threshold approach‐based EMF and average EMF index were positively related to species diversity and functional diversity, and species diversity was a stronger driver of EMF than functional diversity. Compared with LG, the slope of the positive relation between EMF and species diversity significantly weakened by 40%–86% under moderate grazing (MG) and decreased by 30%–100% under HG, and reversed to a negative relation between functional diversity and EMF under HG. Additionally, species diversity was more negatively influenced by soil pH and sand content, while functional diversity was more negatively influenced by grazing intensity, indicating that functional diversity was more sensitive to intensive grazing. This study highlights the role of grazing intensity for driving multiple ecosystem functions, and reinforces the significance of managing both species diversity and functional diversity for sustaining productive functional grasslands.

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Dryland Social-Ecological Systems in Africa

Li,

Diop,

Hirwa

et al. 2024

Dryland Social-Ecological Systems in Changing Environments

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In Africa, dryland ecosystem is the largest biome complex, covering 60% of the continent and home to ~525 million people. Coupled with adverse climatic conditions and anthropogenic pressures make dryland highly vulnerable to environmental degradation. In this chapter, we elucidate an overview of dryland socio-ecological systems (DSES) in Africa. We examine dryland biodiversity as a basis for ecosystem services in Africa. Therefore, we investigate the research and technology gaps in African drylands. Finally, we conclude and highlight the future perspectives for sustainable DSES management. Sustainable development requires an understanding of and adherence to the proper functioning of DSES. We recommend to promote sustainable agricultural best practices and innovations as a tool to enhance community resilience and cope with climate change impacts on food security, use modern observational data and develop idealistic models to better understand the climate-drylands-food security nexus approaches, and strengthen dryland research and management effectiveness through emerging and affordable technologies.

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Disentangling ecosystem responses to livestock grazing in drylands

Cited by 20 publications

References 38 publications

Functional diversity loss with increasing livestock grazing intensity in drylands: the mechanisms and their consequences depend on the taxa

Functional diversity loss with increasing livestock grazing intensity in drylands: the mechanisms and their consequences depend on the taxa

Grazing mediates the biodiversity effects on multifunctionality in grasslands

Dryland Social-Ecological Systems in Africa

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