Grazing Systems, Ecosystem Responses, and Global Change

Asner, Gregory P.; Elmore, Andrew J.; Olander, Lydia; Martin, Robert E.; Harris, Alon

doi:10.1146/annurev.energy.29.062403.102142

Cited by 970 publications

(704 citation statements)

References 147 publications

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“…The water use for livestock and accompanying feed crop production also has a dramatic effect on the environment such as a decrease in the fresh water supply, erosion and subsequent habitat and biodiversity loss (Asner et al 2004;Savadogo et al 2007). Land use, including that for the livestock sector, has increased dramatically in the past decades, leading to loss and fragmentation of habitats.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospectus of cultured meat—advancing meat alternatives

2010

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospectus of cultured meat—advancing meat alternatives

2010

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“…Productive forests and grasslands make up approximately one third of the Earth's land surface (9,10). Even as they are managed for private gain, they produce non-market ecosystem services and provide habitat for desirable species.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Managed grasslands represent the most extensive land use worldwide (9). They also offer a simpler production context than do many other multi-species agricultural production problems, making the experimental grassland a relatively strong proxy for a commercially managed system.…”

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confidence: 99%

Grassland biodiversity can pay

Binder

Isbell

Polasky

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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SignificanceEcological research suggests that greater biodiversity could lead to greater economic value, even for private owners of "working" land. But the studies from which such a conclusion might be inferred do not account for all relevant information in a coherent economic framework. Our paper applies standard economic theory to rigorously account for costs, quality and risk. Results indicate that higher levels of biodiversity than typically observed on commercial grasslands would maximize landowner value in the experimental grassland we study. Greater private benefits from biodiversity could encourage private investment in biodiversity and reduce the cost of public conservation efforts. AbstractThe biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) literature provides strong evidence of the biophysical basis for the potential profitability of greater diversity but does not address questions of optimal management. BEF studies typically focus on the ecosystem outputs produced by randomly-assembled communities that only differ in their biodiversity levels, measured by indices like species richness. Landholders, however, do not randomly select species to plant; they choose particular species that collectively maximize profits. As such, their interest is not in comparing the average performance of randomly-assembled communities at each level of biodiversity but rather comparing the best-performing communities at each diversity level. Assessing the best-performing mixture requires detailed accounting of species' identities and relative abundances. It also requires accounting for the financial cost of individual species' seeds, and the economic value of changes in the quality, quantity and variability of the species' collective output--something that existing multifunctionality indices fail to do. This study presents an assessment approach that integrates the relevant factors into a single, coherent framework. It uses ecological production functions to inform an economic model consistent with the utilitymaximizing decisions of a potentially risk-averse private landowner. We demonstrate the salience and applicability of the framework using data from an experimental grassland to estimate production relationships for hay and carbon storage. For that case, our results suggest that even a risk-neutral, profit-maximizing landowner would favor a highly diverse mix of species, with optimal species richness falling between the low levels currently found in commercial grasslands and the high levels found in natural grasslands.

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“…Although many extensive landscape elements potentially fall into this category (e.g., HNV farmland, riparian systems, silvicultural areas), our main focus here is on rangelands and pastures. These are arguably the most geographically extensive land use systems on earth (Asner et al 2004) In Australia, these systems are of exceptional importance. Grazed natural or modified grasslands and woodlands (Fig.…”

Section: A Multifunctional Rural Landscape Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why non-native grasses pose a critical emerging threat to biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity and agricultural production in multifunctional rural landscapes

et al. 2017

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Context Landscape-scale conservation planning is key to the protection of biodiversity globally. Central to this approach is the development of multifunctional rural landscapes (MRLs) that maintain the viability of natural ecosystems and promote animal and plant dispersal alongside agricultural land uses. Objectives We investigate evidence that non-native grasses (NNGs) in rangelands and other low-intensity agricultural systems pose a critical threat to landscape conservation initiatives in MRLs both in Australia and globally.Methods We first establish a simple socio-ecological model that classifies different rural landscape elements within typical MRLs based on their joint conservation and agro-economic value. We then quantify the impacts of eight Australian NNGs (Andropogon gayanus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Eragrostis curvula, Hyparrhenia hirta, Nassella neesiana, Nassella trichotoma, Phalaris aquatica and Urochloa mutica) on different landscape elements and then classify and describe the socio-ecological transformations that result at the MRL scale. Results Our data indicate that two broad classes of NNGs exist. The first reduces both conservation and agro-economic value ('co-degrading' species) of invaded landscapes, while the second improves agroeconomic value at the expense of conservation value ('trade-off' species). Crucially, however, both classes cause hardening of the landscape matrix, agricultural intensification, reduced habitat connectivity, and the loss of multi-value land use types that are vital for landscape conservation. Conclusions NNGs drive socio-ecological transformations that pose a growing threat to landscape-scale connectivity and conservation initiatives in Australia and globally. There is an urgent need for further research into the impacts of NNGs on habitat connectivity and biodiversity within multifunctional landscapes, and the socio-ecological goals that can be achieved when landscape transformation and degradation by these species is unavoidable.Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article

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Grazing Systems, Ecosystem Responses, and Global Change

Cited by 970 publications

References 147 publications

Prospectus of cultured meat—advancing meat alternatives

Prospectus of cultured meat—advancing meat alternatives

Grassland biodiversity can pay

Why non-native grasses pose a critical emerging threat to biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity and agricultural production in multifunctional rural landscapes

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