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RANGELAND DEGRADATION AND RESTORATION: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

^{Belay Zerga}

Department Of Natural Resources Management, Wolkite University, Ethiopia

 Author E-mail:belayzerga@gmail.com

Accepted 18 June, 2015

Rangelands are lands on which the indigenous vegetation is predominantly grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs and are managed as a natural ecosystem. They include grasslands, savannas, shrublands, deserts, tundras, marshes, and meadows. Globally, rangelands comprise the largest land use, estimated to cover about 25 % of Earth’s land surface. This makes them an essential resource for both maintaining environmental services like biodiversity conservation and as a source of livelihood, especially for rural communities. Rangelands are used primarily as a source of feed for livestock. They, however, provide other secondary resources such as firewood, wild foods, medicinal plants, and water.  Land degradation is the major challenge in the rangelands of the earth. Rangeland degradation is occurring as a result of no grazing management plans, removal of vegetation for fuel wood and no clear authority of rangeland ownership. The major indicators of rangelands degradation are shift in species composition, loss of range biodiversity, reduction in biomass production, less plant cover, low small ruminant productivity, and soil erosion. Major changes in rangeland surface morphology and soil characteristics have a drastic effect on the primary productivity of the rangeland ecosystem, and in turn on livestock production. The condition of the grazing area is influenced principally by herbivore species, densities and landscape structure. Population densities of grazing animals and intensity of their foraging can determine some rangeland dynamics. It determines whether herbivore increases nutrient cycling and plant productivity or affects plant communities by driving changes in successional pathways decreasing nutrient cycling, and influencing biodiversity of those communities. Management of rangeland degradation can be divided into preventative and restoration measures. Answers to preventative measures can often be found within the causes of land degradation. In view of the massive scale of land degradation, restoration is of significant importance to land owners.

Key words: Rangeland, Rangeland degradation, grazing animals, rangeland restoration

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August 2015 Vol. 2(3)

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Palgo Journal of Agriculture

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