AP Environmental Science AWS
Rangelands AP Environmental Science
Rangelands •
land not intensively managed, used for grazing livestock
•
grasslands - land where grass is the dominant plant species
Rangelands •
>30% of land use in US is for grazing
•
~60% of agricultural land worldwide is used for grazing
•
at least half of all grazing land is managed so poorly that the land is severely degraded
Problems •
greatest cause of desertification
•
widespread deforestation to create more room for grazing cattle
•
reduces water-holding capacity of the soil
•
pollution of waterways
•
soil erosion
Grass •
Grasses can be renewable when not overexploited
•
Needs to be only partially grazed with time to recover in order to regenerate
•
Cattle will easily overgraze if left in the same area for a long time
Solutions •
Rotational grazing - small amounts of cattle graze in an area for a short amount of time, then moved to a new area •
Benefits: cattle fertilize field without destroying it
•
Limiting permits to graze on federal rangelands
•
Reducing number of livestock on grazing lands
•
Erecting fences around streams and rivers to preserve these habitats
•
Preventing grazing on poorly managed rangelands to allow recover
Rangelands •
land not intensively managed, used for grazing livestock
•
grasslands - land where grass is the dominant plant species
Rangelands •
>30% of land use in US is for grazing
•
~60% of agricultural land worldwide is used for grazing
•
at least half of all grazing land is managed so poorly that the land is severely degraded
Problems •
greatest cause of desertification
•
widespread deforestation to create more room for grazing cattle
•
reduces water-holding capacity of the soil
•
pollution of waterways
•
soil erosion
Grass •
Grasses can be renewable when not overexploited
•
Needs to be only partially grazed with time to recover in order to regenerate
•
Cattle will easily overgraze if left in the same area for a long time
Solutions •
Rotational grazing - small amounts of cattle graze in an area for a short amount of time, then moved to a new area •
Benefits: cattle fertilize field without destroying it
•
Limiting permits to graze on federal rangelands
•
Reducing number of livestock on grazing lands
•
Erecting fences around streams and rivers to preserve these habitats
•
Preventing grazing on poorly managed rangelands to allow recover
