Grazing, forest density, and carbon storage: towards a more sustainable land use in Caatinga dry forests of Brazil

Schulz, Katharina; Guschal, Maike; Kowarik, Ingo; Almeida-Cortez, Jarcilene S.; Sampaio, Everardo V. S. B.; Cierjacks, Arne

doi:10.1007/s10113-018-1303-0

Cited by 26 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 47 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This underlines the susceptibility of the studied ecosystem to damages and degradation, also reported by Maracajá, Batista, Sousa, and Vasconcelos () and Schulz et al. (, ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Grazing reduces plant species diversity of Caatinga dry forests in northeastern Brazil

Schulz

Guschal

Kowarik

et al. 2019

Applied Vegetation Science

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Questions:In many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, livestock husbandry is the main land use and grazing is one of the main challenges for biodiversity conservation. This also applies to the Caatinga, a unique seasonally dry tropical forest in northeastern Brazil. It is considered one of the most threatened ecosystems of Brazil.To protect semi-arid regions from biodiversity loss, degradation, and desertification, sustainable management practices are urgently needed. However, the effect of different grazing intensities on plant diversity is not yet fully understood. In this study, we examined the effect of different grazing intensities on plant species composition, alpha and beta diversity.Location: Vicinity of the Itaparica Reservoir, northeastern Brazil. Methods:We assessed the effects of different grazing intensities (high, intermediate, no/low) on species composition, alpha and beta diversity of the tree and shrub, and the herb layer in a Caatinga area. Plant diversity of the tree and shrub layer was assessed on 45 study plots (each 20 m × 20 m), while the diversity of herbs was studied on a subset of 36 plots (four subplots, each 2 m × 2 m). Results:In total, we recorded 140 plant taxa including morphospecies. Grazing at high intensities significantly reduced almost all measures of alpha and beta diversity (tree and shrub layer) compared to areas with no or low grazing. In contrast, species composition was not significantly related to grazing but instead to altitude, which serves as an indicator of reduced anthropogenic impact such as slash-and-burn agriculture or tree harvesting. Conclusion:Overall, the study results show that the current livestock management has negative effects on plant diversity in Caatinga ecosystems. These results have been incorporated into guidelines provided to regional stakeholders including recommendations for adapted land-management practices that protect and foster the biodiversity of dry forests while sustaining local livelihoods. K E Y W O R D S biodiversity, Brazil, Caatinga, goats, grazing, intermediate disturbance hypothesis, land management, land use, livestock husbandry, seasonally dry tropical forest, semi-arid | 349 Additional supporting information may be found online in the Supporting Information section at the end of the article. Appendix S1. Vegetation plot data. Plant species, their growth form and frequency in a caatinga area in northeastern Brazil. Appendix S2. Plant species, their growth form and frequency in a caatinga area in northeastern Brazil. Appendix S3. p Values of generalised linear models (GLMs) with diversity indices as response variables. Appendix S4. Beta diversity for the herb layer at three grazing intensities (no/low, intermediate, high). Appendix S5. p Values of generalised linear models (GLMs) with Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index as response variables. Appendix S6. Plant diversity of caatinga systems in the tree and shrub layer with inclusion parameters and site description. Appendix S7. Plant diversity of caatinga systems in the herb lay...

show abstract

“…This underlines the susceptibility of the studied ecosystem to damages and degradation, also reported by Maracajá, Batista, Sousa, and Vasconcelos () and Schulz et al. (, ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Grazing reduces plant species diversity of Caatinga dry forests in northeastern Brazil

Schulz

Guschal

Kowarik

et al. 2019

Applied Vegetation Science

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The reduction of plant biomass and tree abundance caused by livestock could weaken the carbon stock capacity of forests (Schulz et al, 2018). Livestock cannot completely replace the roles played by wildlife such as maintaining forest structure, species composition, and plant reproduction (Kaiser‐Bunbury et al, 2010; Ollerton et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of forest structure, functions, and biodiversity to livestock disturbances: A global meta‐analysis

Jiang

2021

Global Change Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Habitat degradation and land‐use change driven by the livestock sector are among the major causes of global biodiversity loss. Forests are crucial in maintaining biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Apart from continuing deforestation, forests also face increasing pressure from livestock grazing in the system, which is less understood compared to grasslands. Through a meta‐analysis of 156 articles with 1936 data entries, this study assesses the effect of livestock on forest biodiversity, structure, and functions, varying with livestock types, livestock density, grazing history, and climatic factors. Our results show that livestock overall had a negative impact on the forest structure and functions, reduced species abundance but increased richness. Medium and large mammals, plant communities, and soil were more negatively affected compared to other groups such as birds and invertebrates. Livestock also influenced the role of forests in mitigating climate change. They changed forest carbon stock by reducing plant biomass; however, they did not significantly impact the soil carbon stock or soil greenhouse gas emissions. Ecosystem attributes were more affected in warmer and drier regions and by single species grazing than the mixed grazing. Past livestock grazing history moderates the impacts of livestock, with the strongest negative effect occurred with a history of 1–5 years. Nonetheless, livestock activities also had a positive impact on forest management, such as reducing forest flammability. Our results also indicate the lack of studies on how higher trophic levels respond to livestock disturbances and how grazing intensity moderates the effect, which includes grazing duration and livestock density. The complex responses of forests to livestock in different conditions call for more adaptive management depending on the conservation targets and evolution history.

show abstract

“…The non-irrigated land adjacent to the reservoir is widely used for grazing which may impact forest cover and aboveground carbon stocks. Schulz et al (2018) therefore studied how grazing affects forest density and carbon storage of the native Caatinga vegetation. Trees and shrubs were found to account for 89% of aboveground carbon stocks.…”

Section: The Comprehensive Research Project Innovate and Its Study Rementioning

confidence: 99%

The legacy of large dams and their effects on the water-land nexus

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Large dams trigger controversial effectsMan-made river dams and reservoirs have increasingly been constructed to modify free-flowing rivers to benefit society through hydropower generation, irrigation, and other water supplies, navigation, and flood prevention. However, this ongoing global boom (Zarfl et al. 2015) also triggers harmful outcomes to local, directly affected stakeholder groups, and the environment. Particularly, profound social impacts of involuntary resettlement need alleviating measures and room for remembrance. Restoring vital characteristics of aquatic ecosystems after artificial reservoir establishment, to any possible degree, may contribute to higher welfare and sustainability.Large reservoirs cause both particularly large positive and negative effects on society, the economy, and the environment. In Brazil, reservoirs were initially constructed for the primary purpose of hydroelectricity generation, to prevent flooding, and to provide irrigation capacities in the dryer parts of the country. However, an increasing number of users and usages have increased the pressure on stored and flowing water. Their requirements differ in terms of river discharge, water quality, and reservoir levels, most often reducing the options of the water users downstream. The resolution of conflicts over water allocation and management has been legally supported by the Brazilian Water Act since 1997, which introduced the paradigm of multiple and equally important water uses.Several of these water uses are closely linked to land-use practices, particularly irrigated agriculture. By law, domestic supply for the river basin's residents sets a priority for water consumption during pronounced water scarcity. In terms of accessibility and water quality, water abstraction for domestic supply is being affected by water levels. Domestic water supply is also directly linked to water pollution through dilution of untreated wastewater in the river or reservoir. The intertwined and often divergent necessities and externalities of water and land use call for a coordinated management and governance approach to mitigate conflicts. Yet many of * Marianna Siegmund-Schultze m.siegmund-schultze@tu-berlin.de Maria do Carmo Sobral msobral@ufpe.br Márcia M. G. Alcoforado de Moraesthe natural and societal processes underlying these conflicts have not been sufficiently understood. Climate change causes additional burdens on river basins. While a general rainfall reduction has not been confirmed by climate simulations in the semi-arid regions of Brazil (increasing as well as decreasing climate model simulations have been proposed), rising temperature projections are more certain. These conditions will impact the growth of cultivated crops and natural vegetation, as well as increase heat stress on domestic and wild animals. The subsequent change of habitats will ultimately affect the provision of ecosystem services.The INNOVATE project (Interplay among multiple uses of water reservoirs via in novative coupling of aquatic and terrestrial ecosys...

show abstract

Grazing, forest density, and carbon storage: towards a more sustainable land use in Caatinga dry forests of Brazil

Cited by 26 publications

References 47 publications

Grazing reduces plant species diversity of Caatinga dry forests in northeastern Brazil

Grazing reduces plant species diversity of Caatinga dry forests in northeastern Brazil

Responses of forest structure, functions, and biodiversity to livestock disturbances: A global meta‐analysis

The legacy of large dams and their effects on the water-land nexus

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About