rangelands as dynamic systems — biodiversity conservation in rangelands: why and how
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Rangelands as dynamic systems — biodiversityconservation in rangelands: why and howPublished online: 12 Nov 2009.
To cite this article: (2003) Rangelands as dynamic systems — biodiversity conservation in rangelands: why andhow, African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 20:2, 80-88, DOI: 10.2989/10220110309485802
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African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2003, 20(2): 80–88Printed in South Africa — All rights reserved
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AFRICAN JOURNAL OFRANGE & FORAGE SCIENCE
ISSN 1022–0119
Session A2
Rangelands as dynamic systems — biodiversity conservation inrangelands: why and how
Conveners: Sue Milton1 and Phoebe Barnard2
1 Stellenbosch University, South Africa and 2 Namibian National Biodiversity Programme, Directorate of Environmental Affairs,Namibia
Integrat ion of incent ives into policy for achiev ingbiodiversi ty conservation in rangelands: Botswanaperspect ive
Jonathan Barnes, Charlotte Boyd and James Cannone-mail: [email protected]
Results of an analysis of economic returns and financial incen-tives in rangeland use in northern Botswana are presented. Landuse systems involving small scale livestock keeping, medium-scalecattle post livestock production, commercial livestock production,commercial wildlife viewing tourism, and community wildlife usewere examined with detailed budget/cost-benefit models, developedfrom empirical data. The results provide useful insights as to howland can be allocated to improve economic returns and meet devel-opment objectives. Small-scale production of livestock provides sig-nificant household income primarily through subsidies. It has poten-tial to generate high economic values, but is economically inefficientdue to the open access grazing system and consequent low herdproductivity. Capital-intensive commercial livestock ranching is eco-nomically inefficient and should not be promoted. Attempts to pro-mote expansion of beef production should focus on low input sys-tems, such as those at cattle posts. Wildlife-based tourism in highquality wildlife areas is extremely economically efficient, and shouldhave priority. Community use of wildlife should be promoted whereits economic values exceed those of livestock. The implications ofthese findings for biodiversity conservation are examined.Incentives that improve common property management of range-land among traditional livestock keepers, will strongly enhance eco-nomic returns, and should also result in biodiversity conservation.Combinations of land uses with emphasis on 1) wildlife-basedtourism and 2) traditional livestock production are economically effi-cient and will conserve spatial diversity.
Incentives for biodiversity conservation on privately-owned land
MA Bothae-mail: [email protected]
Formal reserves will never be able to conserve an adequate andrepresentative sample of most ecosystems, particularly in produc-tive agricultural areas. One of the most promising alternatives is touse a system of incentives to encourage appropriate managementpractices and secure priority areas in this matrix. This paper outlinespossible incentives that may be suitable for use on rangelands inSouth Africa.In response to farmer and landowner interviews, the most oftenrequested incentive was appropriate management advice, opencommunication and an enabling environment for private conserva-tion initiatives. This was followed by requests for financial and eco-nomic incentives, for which several opportunities are currently pos-sible at no great cost to the fiscus. Assistance of any sort must be secured through appropriate obliga-tions from land managers, either in terms of forgoing developmentrights for certain lands, or undertaking to rehabilitate land or clearalien invading plants.Delivering appropriate incentives will require three conditions to be met:� A common vision for conservation in South Africa must first be
adopted to highlight the importance of off-reserve conservation,and the contribution of land managers in general to the naturalresource base
� An enabling policy and statutory framework that recognises thenatural resources underpinning economies, and provides creativemechanisms to ensure their persistence
� A well-equipped and trained conservation extension service mustbe created to provide appropriate encouragement, advice, incen-tives and monitor and audit progress
Without these elements in place, sustainable utilisation and soundconservation of natural resources is precarious. By focussing heav-ily on eco-tourism driven conservation and emerging commercialagriculture projects, South Africa is currently lacking the impetus toset this foundation in place.
Management of rangelands for animal products can reduce, maintain or even increase biodiversity. Loss of biodi-versity of plants and animals can lead to decreased product ivity and income generation from rangelands or can exac-erbate the effects of climatic variabili ty and concomitant increased risks for subsistence and commercial land users.This session will comprise two parts. In the first part, invited researchers from four continents will present overviewsand case histories that explore (somet imes contradictory) effects of management (e.g. intensive and extensive live-stock grazing systems, game and livestock mixes, burning, water manipulation) on plant and animal diversity at avariety of trophic levels. The second part of the session will examine the value of diversity in rangeland economiesand will explore a variety of incent ives and other policy tools appropr iate for encouraging biodiversity conservationunder private and communal tenure systems, and in land managed to meet commercial and subsistence objectives.
Invited papers
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Different land-use options produce a gradient ofplant r ichness at a single locat ion in Namaqualand:the pattern and the processes
Peter Carricke-mail: [email protected]
Plant richness has frequently been found to decrease underconditions of degradation. Far less frequently has the mechanismby which this process takes place, been established. I examine theeffect on shrub species richness, and community structure, of dif-ferent land-use options which together form a degradation gradientalong a single plain in semi-arid Namaqualand. I also identify con-sistent patterns within groups of shrubs along the degradation gra-dient, and present the likely mechanisms by which each group islost from the degradation gradient. The six sites ranged from com-mercially managed rangeland (least degraded), through succes-sively higher stocking densities on communally managed range-land, to sites that had been previously cleared or ploughed (mostdegraded). Ordination procedures showed a remarkably high floris-tic agreement with this subjective degradation gradient and a trendtowards community homogeneity with increasing degradation. Thespecies richness of sites that had been cleared or ploughed wasmost reduced, these sites appear to have been transformed to astate from which little recovery in richness or composition has takenplace for >70 years. Despite being pruned to a fraction of their adultheight under the highest stocking densities, adult shrubs wereremarkably resilient to both browsing and drought (<5% of anyspecies died in a drought year). Livestock appear to effect the lossof perennial species from the degradation gradient principallythrough florivory (browsing of flowers), which may reduce the num-ber of fruit by three orders of magnitude or more, with the result thatseedlings are lost from the degradation gradient before adults.
Land-use effects on plant and insect diversity inNamqualand
M Timm Hoffman1, W Richard J Dean2 and Nicky Allsopp3
1 Institute for Plant Conservation, University of Cape Town, Private BagRondebosch 7701, South Africae-mail: [email protected] Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town,Private Bag Rondebosch 7701, South Africae-mail: [email protected] ARC–Range and Forage Institute, c/o University of the Western Cape,Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africae-mail: [email protected]
Namaqualand is 55 000km2 in extent with internationally recog-nised levels of plant and insect richness and endemism. Communaland private land tenure systems occur in the region. Direct use (col-lection of medicinal plants, construction materials and firewood) andindirect use (cropping, livestock grazing) effects on plant and insectdiversity are compared in these two land tenure systems.Preliminary findings indicate that the collection of plants for medici-nal and construction purposes has little impact on the targetspecies. Firewood collection may increase plant seedling mortalityin a range of species by 30% although no long-term reduction inRhus undulata (a favoured shrub) populations have been meas-ured. Cropping reduces soil nutrient levels and plant diversity andthe effects may last for centuries. Livestock grazing reduces thediversity of perennial succulent shrubs largely through the impact ofgrazing on flower production. Annual herbs and unpalatable or toxicshrubs dominate heavily grazed areas of Namaqualand. Grazing-mediated changes in dominant plant species have beenidentified as threatening local insect communities by reducing foodand foraging sites. Soil-nesting insects, such as wasps and bees,are impacted by excessive trampling by domestic livestock. Theremoval of firewood from drainage lines similarly affects speciesnesting in holes in dead wood, and the clearing of natural vegeta-tion for croplands affects both soil-nesting and wood-nestingspecies. Furthermore, crops, in general, do not replace natural veg-etation as sources for pollen and nectar, and the use of insecticideson crops poses a hazard to the few insects that are able to foragein them.
Managem ent reducing animal diversity in rangelands(Review 1)
Craig James1 and Jill Landsberg2
1 CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Centre for Arid Zone Research, PO Box2111, Alice Springs, 0870 NT, Australiae-mail: [email protected] Tropical Savannas CRC, James Cook University PO Box 6811, Cairns Qld4870, Australiae-mail: [email protected]
In rangelands around the world, grazing by native animals hasbeen a force of lesser to greater significance over evolutionary timebut, universally, modern livestock systems have altered the naturalpatterns and regimes of grazing. In some Mediterranean regions,abandonment of traditional agricultural lands has reduced the inten-sity and extent of grazing. In most rangelands, however, livestockgrazing systems are more intense and uniform than naturallyevolved ones. In extensive rangelands this is most usually achievedby providing artificial sources of water, controlling native pests,manipulating fire regimes, and fencing. The responses of native ani-mal species depend on the nature, location and scale (in space andtime) of accumulated impacts. Some species decline and othersincrease but there are usually more losers than winners. Wedemonstrate this with examples of the impacts of livestock grazing,water provision and changed fire regimes on native animals inAustralian arid shrubland and tropical savanna rangelands.Water provision is critical for maintaining livestock in the otherwise dryshrublands of central and southern Australia. Native birds that needto drink have benefited from this, with some 45 species shown tohave increased in range or abundance, mainly responding to waterprovision. In contrast, at least 50 bird species have been identified asdeclining as a result of habitat change due to grazing, predation byferal animals and competition with increaser bird species. Shifts in thespecies composition of other animal groups have also been recorded,but the mechanisms underlying the changes are less clear.Across the dry inland and tropical savannas of Australia, the tradi-tional practice of frequent burning by Aboriginal peoples resulted inrelatively low intensity, patchy fires. A change to commercial pas-toralism as the dominant land use, in which fires are suppressed,has led to more intensely hot and extensive wildfires. Native win-ners and losers can be identified, but again the latter usually out-number the former. Seed-eating birds are particularly disadvan-taged, with grazing and/or changed fire regimes implicated indeclines of at least 11 species, and increases in only three.
Maasai settlements and diversity patterns in savanna(Case study)
Andrew N Muchiru1, David J Western2 and Robin S Reid1
1 ILRI, Old Naivasha Rd, PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenyae-mail: [email protected] African Conservation Centre, Box 62844, Nairobi, Kenya
Throughout the Amboseli savanna ecosystem, open circularpatches occur, similar to those identified elsewhere in the country.These are old traditional Maasai pastoralists’ settlements, some ofwhich have been abandoned for decades. During the occupation ofthe settlement a lot of dung accumulates on a small area creatingnutrient ‘hotspots’. Thus, the settlements become eutrophic islandsin a dystrophic sea, acting as a source of nutrients far into the future.Some studies of the savanna ecosystems have emphasised thedestructive effects of fire, waterholes, woodcutting and overgrazingon vegetation, holding pastoralists responsible for land degradation.Yet some activities have positively contributed in restructuring theecosystems. Impact of abandoned pastoral settlements on savannaecosystems is important and has not been adequately investigated. Inthis study we documented the role of abandoned Maasai settlementsin restructuring herbivore communities in the Amboseli ecosystem.The results showed that herbivores preferred old settlement sitesacross the seasons, but more so during the dry season. Herbivoresused abandoned sites as they aged in a predictable sequence thatmimicked changes in dominant plant species. Sites less than 10years old were dominated by herbaceous forbs which few herbi-vores preferred over the surrounding vegetation. Grazers strongly
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preferred sites 11–60 years old, when the highly nutritious grass,Cynodon plectostachyus, dominates ground cover on old settle-ments. Unlike grazers, browsers preferred sites more than 50 yearsold, when shrubs and trees become established on old sites.
The Gascoyne–Murchison Strategy: a case study inregional environmental management in arid WesternAustralia
Hugh JR PringleRegional Environmental Management Programme, Gascoyne-MurchisonStrategy, c/o Centre for Management of Arid Environments, Department ofAgriculture, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australiae-mail: [email protected]
Principles and policies abound regarding how ecosystem useand conservation should be balanced. Yet the translation of theseconceptual directions into real, management contexts has notattracted a similar flurry of intellectual input. That has left the peoplewho manage land and can contribute to regional outcomes some-what disenfranchised, confused and anxious about what is expectedof them and whether ecological sustainability means financial ruin.Through the Gascoyne–Murchison Strategy, we have developed athree-pronged strategy for conservation planning. Firstly, we haveembarked upon a voluntary grazing lease acquisition process bycompeting in the open market to build a world class reserve system.Secondly, we have identified areas of particular conservation valueand engaged in negotiations with local pastoralists in the hope thatthey will recognise and manage these values. Thirdly, we have aproject aimed at providing pastoralists with insight into and tools forecological management of their leases, in the hope of providing afriendlier and more profitable matrix for regional biodiversity.We describe the theoretical basis of our approach and the impor-tance of including stakeholders in our successes and failures, aswell as our optimistic view for the future.
Functions of rangeland diversity (Review 2)
Mark W Schwartz1 and Joshua M O’Brien2
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California,Davis CA 95616, USAe-mail: 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected]
Three groups of biologists have all attempted to investigate howdiversity relates to ecosystem functioning within grasslandsmanaged for grazing. Plant community ecologists have approachedthis problem by addressing the degree to which species richness isrelated to functions such as primary productivity and its stability.Ecosystem ecologists have, in contrast, investigated mechanisticdifferences in the way that different species, or functional groupscontribute to vital ecosystem functions such as nitrogen cycling andnutrient retention. Finally, range managers have examined the roleof diverse grazing and management regimes relate to themaintenance of diversity and the sustainability of resource use. Inthis paper we investigate the different conclusions reached by thesegroups and seek to develop a common language and commonground for future work. These different groups, with differentobjectives can inform one another and a synthetic approach wouldhelp each.
Posters
Biodiversity conservation in high-mountain rangeland:problems and ways to a solution A2.1
Khukmatullo AkhmadovTajik Forest Research and Development Institute, Dushanbe, 734055,Tajikistane-mail: [email protected]
More than 60% of the territory of Tajikistan is located at a heightof 2 500m above sea level. This zone is mostly used as summerpastures. There are two problems involving the conservation of
pasture biodiversity: a) how to protect the unique high-mountainousgrassy vegetation, included in the Red book of CIS and Tajikistanand type composition of the rangeland, from disappearance and b)how to protect rangeland from weeds, which can turn this groundinto a category of marginal grass in the course of time. The presentstate of biodiversity of various categories of pasturable grounds wasstudied. The results were subjected to monitoring analysis.Experiments carried out during a number of years in the high-moun-tainous zone in Pre-Pamirs at a height of more than 2 600m abovesea level (Darvaz mountain), including the detailed investigation ofthe whole complex of factors effecting biodiversity of the rangeland,proved the necessity of carrying out such work. A peculiar feature ofsuch works is the involvement of various organisations (localauthorities and communities) in the improvement of rangeland. Ascheme for coordinating the participants involved in the conserva-tion of mountainous biodiversity has been worked out.A complex of measures for the improvement and conservation ofrangeland has been developed. Some methods have beenadvanced in order to provide more rational use of rangeland, takingaccount of the conditions of private and collective farming. Also,economic difficulties experienced by pasture owners (both privateand state) are taken into consideration.
Evaluat ion and the study of physiological qual ity (ger-minat ion potential, speed of germination and vigourindex) of the seeds of two species of medicinal plants(Eruca sativa, Anthemis altissima) under cold room anddry storage condit ions A2.2
MA Alizadeh1 and HR Esvand2
1 Research Institute of Forest and Rangeland, Iran2 Tehran University, Irane-mail: [email protected]
The majority of crop seeds have physiological dormancy afterharvesting. This phenomenon can be overcome by pre-treatmentincluding pre-chilling, pre-heating, dry storage conditions, and usingchemicals to promote germination and overcome inhibitor sub-stances. In this study the seeds of two medicinal species (rocketand chamomile) were maintained under two cold room (4°C) anddry storage (room temperature) conditions over six months and test-ed by a standard germination test. The physiological quality of therocket plant seeds showed no significance differences between thetwo conditions. The reason might be due to non-physiological dor-mancy of the seed species. Whereas, the percentage germinationin the species of chamomile was significantly different in the twoconditions. It is clear that the percentage germination of thechamomile from dry storage conditions was higher than that fromcold room conditions and this is due to physiological dormancy ofthe plant seed which is overcome by dry storage conditions. Thespeed and vigor index of the plant seeds showed no significant dif-ferences in two conditions.
Conserving the Blue Swallow, Hirundo atrocaerulea,and montane grassland biodiversity through developingbirding-based ecotourism business focused on jobcreat ion and capacity bui lding A2.3
Duan Biggs and Steven W EvansDepartment of Zoology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africae-mail: [email protected]
The Blue Swallow, Hirundo atrocaerulea, is one of SouthAfrica’s most endangered bird species. Habitat destruction has ledto a rapid demise of this species in recent decades and it is esti-mated that 80–90 breeding pairs remain in South Africa andSwaziland with a global population of under 1 500 individuals(Evans and Barnes 2000). South Africa’s mean unemployment rateis around 30% and the need for job creation and capacity buildingamongst disadvantaged communities is immense. The BlueSwallow Natural Heritage Site of 461ha is one of the most importantbreeding locations for this species in South Africa. The developmentof local birding and ecotourism business in a participatory fashion,
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African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2003, 20: 80–88 83
that utilises the Natural Heritage Site, presents an opportunity tosimultaneously meet the objectives of biodiversity conservation, joband income generation and community development in an integrat-ed fashion. The training and establishment of a local host birdingand ecotourism guide/s from a disadvantaged background is thecentral component of this development. Capacity is built in the guideto fulfil important conservation functions in the area. As part of thisdevelopment process the creation of mutually beneficial partner-ships between the trained guide and established local businesses isfostered. A framework is put in place such that the local community,established businesses and industries as well as relevant govern-ment agencies can participate and provide support in the develop-ment of this initiative. The development of this initiative has meantthat individuals and agencies in the area take biodiversity conser-vation and the associated community development considerationsinto account when making decisions. The success of this initiative insynergistically promoting biodiversity conservation and communitydevelopment is forming the basis of the expansion of this type ofproject to other parts of South Africa and beyond.
Influence of macronutrients on intake of sagebrush bysheep: consequences for rangeland diversity A2.4
Luthando E Dziba, Fredrick D Provenza, Juan Villalba andSheldon B AtwoodDepartment of Rangeland Resources, Utah State University, 5230 Old MainHill, Logan UT, 84322-5230, USAe-mail: [email protected]
Sagebrush has increased in dominance while forbs and grass-es have declined in abundance in the Western US, and that changehas reduced the biodiversity of sagebrush-steppe and the value ofthese areas for wildlife and livestock. Our research programme isusing herbivores to increase the biodiversity of sagebrush-steppe.As part of that program, we are investigating the influence of sup-plemental macronutrients — protein and energy — on the intake ofsagebrush by sheep. Sagebrush contains terpenes that limit itsintake by herbivores, and supplemental macronutrient nearly dou-bled intake of sagebrush by sheep under controlled experiments inpens. However, we did not know if supplemental macronutrientsinfluenced intake of sagebrush by free ranging sheep during fall. Inthe field experiment, sheep were supplemented with energy andprotein, macronutrients required to detoxify secondary compounds.We compared time spent feeding on sagebrush by supplementedand unsupplemented sheep grazing on three replicated plots.Supplemented sheep spent significantly more time eating sage-brush than their unsupplemented counterparts (P < 0.05), and theylost significantly less weight (P < 0.05). Thus, supplementalmacronutrients may enhance biodiversity in sagebrush steppe byenabling sheep to reduce the abundance of sagebrush relative toherbs.
Biodiversity conservation in productive rangelands ofnorthern Australia A2.5
Alaric FisherTropical Savanna Management Cooperative Research Centre and Parks andWildlife Commission of the Northern Territory, PO Box 496, Palmerston, NT0831, Australiae-mail: [email protected]
Biodiversity conservation has often been afforded low priority inrelatively productive rangelands. This is exemplified by theextensive tussock grasslands (Mitchell grasslands) that occupy c.400 000km2 of semi-arid northern Australia. Only 1.1% of this areais included within conservation reserves and the development ofmany artificial waterpoints has assured access for stock to theremaining land. A comprehensive study examined the distribution ofvascular plants, vertebrates and ants within Mitchell grasslands inthe Northern Territory, the impacts of pastoral use on the biota, andthe distribution of grazing pressure. Although diversity is relativelylow, the biome contains a significant component of endemicspecies. 25 plant, 21 ant and 16 vertebrate species were shown tohave a decreaser response to grazing pressure, and total
population size of some vertebrate species was estimated to havedeclined by between 21% and 73% of pre-pastoral levels.Decreaser species tended to have relatively high habitat fidelity,whereas species identified as increasers were mostly ‘weedy’generalists. An on-farm approach to biodiversity conservation in thisrangeland would involve retaining or enlarging a regional network ofwater-remote, lightly grazed parcels of land. Economic analysesindicate that this approach entails lower costs than an equivalentenlargement in the conservation reserve network. However, therecommendation to encourage spatial heterogeneity of grazingpressure runs counter to proposals to intensify pastoral use in theserangelands through achieving greater evenness of utilisation. Thisemphasises the need for property and regional management plansthat integrate the requirements of production and conservation.
A book on ‘Rangeland of Semi-arid and Arid Zones inUzbekistan’ A2.6
Gus Gintzburger1, KN Toderich, BK Mardonov and MMMahmudov1 Range Survey, Rehabilitation, and Management (Mediterranean zones andcentral Asia), CIRAD — TA 30 /F, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398Montpellier Cedex 5, Francee-mail: [email protected]
The Republic of Uzbekistan is situated in the middle of theEurasian continent between 37°–45°N and 56°–73°E. It liesapproximately at the same latitude (40°–45°N) as southern France,Italy, Spain, the Chinese Taklamakan, Gobi and Inner Mongolia andColorado, Utah, Wyoming and Oregon on the North American con-tinent. Uzbekistan covers 447 400km2 with a population of about 25million. About 85% of Uzbekistan, which is located in the arid zonesplays an essential function in Uzbek agriculture and economy(large-scale mining resources and gold, oil and gas industries).Approximately 225 000km2 of the territory of Uzbekistan is used asrangeland for livestock industries. The Uzbek arid zones anddeserts are traditional pastures for Karakul sheep (producing thefamous ‘Astrakhan’ pelts), for horse and camel breeding. They arealso the ecological niche for medicinal plants, as well as a strategicand unique ecological location for the conservation of a distinctflora and fauna. However, the vegetation of these arid zones isunder anthropogenic pressure due to an increasing need for foodand feed. As a result of erratic cropping pressure in low rainfallzones, overgrazing of the best ranges, vital uprooting of shrubs bythe local population for fuel wood, the productivity of rangeland issharply reduced. It leads to changes in botanical species diversityand often to the disappearance of useful and endemic arid zoneplants.This book presents a panorama of the semi-arid and arid regions ofUzbekistan with their climatology, native flora, ecology, fodder prop-erties, utilisation and range rehabilitation techniques. It is abun-dantly illustrated with colour photography and maps.We hope that it will contribute to a better understanding of thesechallenging arid environments and for the conservation and rationaluse of their fragile natural resources. It should also provide a valu-able resource and tool for livestock owners, range managers, pas-toralists, ecologists, conservationists, botanists, seed collectors,veterinarians, extension officers and national and international deci-sion makers in developing a sustainable management of the middleand central Asian rangeland for a better future of the people ofUzbekistan and of the region.
Contrasting effects of 150 years of subsistence grazingin the sub-alpine grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal A2.7
JE Granger and C MorrisGrassland Science, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africae-mail: [email protected]
Since the mid 1850s, when the now defunct location systemwas first established in Natal, subsistence agro-pastoralists in thefoothills of the Drakensberg mountains have grazed their livestockon the sub-alpine grasslands. Traditional values have changed infavour of maintaining maximum numbers of animals irrespective of
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quality in a system devoid of formally defined internal camps.Burning, which is mainly biennial, takes place between late autumnand early spring but also annually and at any time of the year.In the northern sector of the Drakensberg the DrakensbergMountain Park borders on the former Upper Tugela Location (areaunder leasehold tenure). Between the late 1880s and the early1930s this area was burnt, mainly biennially between autumn andwinter, by commercial farmers to provide spring grazing for sheep.From the mid-1930s onwards management has focussed on con-serving the area for its water resources, for its rich flora, its faunaand as an area of spectacular landscapes for nature-based tourism.This long episode of strongly contrasting land use has producedgrasslands on comparable situations which differ radically from oneanother in species composition. Multivariate analysis of data col-lected in 75 plots located throughout these grasslands revealed thatit is generally the species-poor grasslands of the Upper TugelaLocation that have a higher basal cover and are thus more effectivein reducing soil erosion.
Are ecological indicators usefu l for sustainablemanagement of rangelands? A2.8
Gholam Ali Heshmati1 and Roy Turkington2
1 Gorgan Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Gorgan,IranCurrent address: 3529-6270 University Boulevard, Botany Department, UBC,Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canadae-mail: [email protected] 3529-6270 University Boulevard, Botany Department, UBC, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canadae-mail: [email protected]
Rangeland ecosystems shift across dynamic thresholdsbetween different ecological states in response to natural or human-induced factors. The notion of a single ‘pristine’ final state is onlyconceptual in nature, and because of this, dynamic thresholds andthe effects of various processes on ecosystem structure and func-tion must be incorporated in decision-making. The different statesare results of interactions among climate, soils, grazing history, andmanagement practices. Rangeland managers should have a work-ing knowledge of the key ecological processes in each state, theprocesses that drive a system across a dynamic threshold from onestate to another, which they need indicators for critical decision-making points. It is essential to identify the thresholds of a ecologi-cal transition state and ecological indicators of these states. The cri-teria of these ecological indicators might be measurable, sensitiveto stress on the system, have a known response to disturbance andbe easy to measure. The state and transition approach may offer anappropriate framework as an aid for decision making and can beused to highlight ‘management windows’ where opportunities canbe seized and hazards avoided.
Species diversity patterns in moist temperate grass-lands of South Africa A2.9
David HoareAgricultural Research Council–Range and Forage Institute, Private Bag X05,Lynn East 0039, South Africa
Grasslands in South Africa have been understudied in terms ofspecies richness and, to date, diversity patterns have never beenadequately described. The Eastern Cape is a region in which envi-ronmental gradients are very steep and complex resulting in a richmixture of floristic elements. Of particular interest are the steep pro-ductivity gradients associated with increasing rainfall and decreasingtemperature as the elevation increases. Management regimes alsovary considerably in this area leading to major human impacts on thelandscape. In this study various components of diversity withingrasslands were described and an attempt was made to explainthese patterns by analysing the relationship between them and vari-ous explanatory variables. The hypotheses to be tested were (1) thatthere was no difference in species richness, evenness or turnoverbetween sites and (2) that there was no relationship betweenspecies richness, evenness or turnover and environmental, man-agement, historical or functional ecological factors. The results indi-
cated that there were significant differences in species richness andevenness between sites and vegetation communities and thatturnover along several environmental gradients was relatively high.Much of the variability in species richness was due to forb richness,although grass species richness tended to decline with distance fromthe core grassland biome region. Other than functional types, rich-ness was correlated with equitability in cover. The major environ-mental factors responsible for differences in diversity were type ofland management (communal versus commercial), rainfall, eleva-tion, surface rockiness and topographical heterogeneity.
A North American approach to rangeland conservation,the Canada, USA and Mexico Tri-national GrasslandConservation Initiative A2.10
Jürgen Hoth1 and Greg Riemer2
1 Program for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, North AmericanCommission for Environmental Cooperation, 393 rue St Jacques Ouest,Bureau 200, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 1N9, Canada e-mail: [email protected] Saskatchewan Environment, Fish and Wildlife Branch, Regina,Saskatchewan, S4S 5W6, Canada
The remaining rangeland resources of North America are hometo a majority of North America’s endangered species in addition tobeing a valuable resource for livestock grazing. Since 2000, thethree federal Wildlife Services of Canada. Mexico and the UnitedStates, assisted by the North American Commission forEnvironmental Cooperation (CEC), agreed to work together to pro-tect 17 species of wild birds and mammals considered ‘Species ofCommon Conservation Concern’. Given that the majority of thesespecies are associated with grasslands — one of the most threat-ened environments in North America — and that their main threat ishabitat disturbance and loss, the Biodiversity Conservation programof the CEC facilitated a process to guide conservation efforts forthese species from an ecosystem perspective. As part of CEC’sgrasslands initiative, since 2001 several activities have been carriedout to build a strategy to inform and guide cooperation efforts relat-ed to grasslands conservation throughout the three North Americancountries. The various elements to build a tri-national grasslandconservation strategy are currently well underway. Towards the endof 2001 a multi-stakeholder meeting was organised in Mexico toassist this country in developing its own perspectives regarding theconservation of grasslands. Additionally, a grasslands map is beingbuilt, aimed at integrating all relevant conservation-planning unitsavailable for this ecosystem (e.g. Important Bird Areas, FirstNations/Native American reservations, priority watersheds etc.).With this input and other information, the draft strategy is expectedto be available towards the end of March 2002 and will serve as abasis for designing joint action plans on specific themes indicatedtherein. The CEC was established under the North AmericanAgreement for Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) to addressenvironmental issues in North America from a continental perspec-tive, with a particular focus on those arising in the context of liber-alised trade. The CEC Council, the organisation’s governing body,is composed of the environment ministers (or equivalent) ofCanada, Mexico and the United States.
The relationship between biodiversity and productivityof higher rainfall grasslands of southern Australia
A2.11
DR Kemp1, W McG King2, GM Lodge3, SR Murphy3 and PQuigley4
1 Faculty of Rural Management, University of Sydney, Orange NSW 2800,Australiae-mail: [email protected] Orange Agricultural Institute, NSW Agriculture, Orange NSW 2800, Australia3 Centre for Crop Improvement, NSW Agriculture, Tamworth, NSW 2340,Australia4 Pastoral & Veterinary Institute, Hamilton, VIC 3300, Australia
Grasslands across southern Australia have had a turbulent his-tory since European settlement some 200 years ago. In higher rain-fall areas there has been an initial period of exploitation, followed by
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African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2003, 20: 80–88 85
a decline in productivity, then an emphasis upon replacement withintroduced species until today there is considerably more interest inoptimising the productivity of the naturalised mixtures that now dom-inate much of the landscape. In recent times there has also been anincreasing interest in how biodiversity relates to the performance ofthese grasslands, but limited work in this regard has been done inAustralia. In this paper we will examine the relationships betweentotal plant species biodiversity and the productivity of differentgrasslands systems. These results are from the SustainableGrazing Systems Program that has been one of the largest pro-grams yet done to investigate the development of more sustainablegrazing systems. The results suggest that optimising the diversity ofplant species does relate to better productivity from grasslands.
Classification of vegetation ecological groups and theirrelations with physiographic characteristics A2.12
Esmaiel KouhgardiNatural Resources Faculty, Tehran University, Irane-mail: [email protected]
In order to identify plant ecological groups and relate their distri-bution patterns to physiographic characteristics, a survey was con-ducted in an area of 124ha at altitudes from 80–1 200m above sealevel, Boushehr Province, south Iran. In order to identify and classifythe vegetation, 248 permanent plots (256m2 for tree–shrub layer and64m2 for herbal layer) were selected and surveyed using the Braun-Blanquet combined cover-abundance scale. The phytosociologicalsurvey was conducted at the end of growing season (March and April2002) in two distinct layers (tree–shrub and herb cover). Clusteringmethods were used for vegetation analysis. Classification was car-ried out using TWINSPAN in order to identify plant ecological groups.Plant ecological groups were mapped using a Digital ElevationModel (DEM) and GIS. Comparison amongst plant ecologicalgroups, slope, aspect and elevation showed that there is a significantrelation between vegetation and elevation, and there is not any sig-nificant relation among vegetation, slope and aspect.
Local shrubs and semi-shrubs are valuable objects forphyto-amelioration of arid pastures of the Republi c ofUzbekistan A2.13
MM MakhmudovUzbek Research Institute of Karakul Sheep Breeding and Desert Ecology,Samarkand, Uzbekistan
From ancient times the natural vegetative cover of the aridzones of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been used as the pasturefor Karakul sheep breeding. The area has a low rainfall(100–250mm per year), high transpiration rates, high daily, season-al and annual fluctuations of air temperature, varying degress of soilsalinity and sodicity and poor vegetation cover. For the phyto-ame-lioration of the less productive (no more than 0.15–0.3t ha-1) aridpastures of Uzbekistan, more than five thousand samples and about300 species of plants of the native wild flora were tested over thelast 2–3 decades,. Among these fodder plants, the most drought tol-erant and productive were shrubs and semi-shrubs represented by:Haloxylon aphylum, H. persicum, Halothamus subaphyllus, Kochiaprostrata, Calligonum caput-medusae, Salsola orientalis, Salsolarichteri, S.paletzkiana, Artemisia (3 species), Ceratoides eversma-niana, Astragalus (3 species) — 25 species altogether.The species are characterised by the following ecological–biological, ecological-physiological and economic properties: they have high viability (32–86%) of seedlings and young plants, upto 2–4 years; the loss of plants under various ecological conditionsdoes not exceed 3–6% of the initial number; they are characterisedby intensive growth of above-ground vegetative parts (25–85cm);they form a deep-penetrating and powerful root system ensuringuse of water mineral resources of various layers of the subsoil; theimportant ecological-physiological feature of shrubs and semi-shrubs is their ability to photosynthesise and transpire with apositive balance at high temperatures (38°–46°C) in the hot summermonths. In Karnabchul Haloxylon aphylum uses 643mm of waterper hectare for transpiration; in Adir (Nishan), 349mm ha-1; and in
the sandy Kyzylkum desert, 172mm ha-1. The concentration ofcellular sap in vegetation in Kyzylkum is 10.1–21.5%; in Nishan,15.1–20.2% and in Karnap,17.8–20.3%. The yield of fodder mass ofshrubs and semi-shrubs, under culture condition, exceeds 2.5–3times that of the natural plant communities of the arid zone.
Topography, productivity and biodiversity of grazinglands in Tamilnadu, India A2.14
K Manoharan1, A Anitha2, J Rajesh2 and K Kavitha2
1 GSEDP Centre for Environment andLife Sciences 2/5, Ezhil Nagar, Madurai625 014, Indiae-mail: [email protected] Centre for Environmental Sciences, MS University, Alwarkuruchi 627412,India
India is classified into three main units on the basis of its reliefstructures and rock formation. They are peninsular India in thesouth, the Himalayas and their mountain ranges in the north and theGreat Ind-Gangetic lying between these two units. Peninsular Indialies south of the vindhya and the satpura hills and is known as theDeccan plateau. The western edge of the plateau is known as theWestern Ghats and the eastern edge of the mountain chain isknown as the Eastern Ghats. In Tamilnadu, the Western Ghats lie ina direction perpendicular to that of the south-west monsoon where-as the Eastern Ghats are almost parallel to it. This results in atremendous difference in precipitation which has altered the biodi-versity and productivity of grazing lands in this region. The productivity of grazing lands in the Western Ghats varied from16.7–20.8t ha-1, whereas in the Eastern Ghats it ranged from13.5–17.8t ha-1. Imperata cylindrica is located at higher altitudes of1 600m. Heteropogon contortus is common in rocky area. Themedacommunity is widespread in the upper and middle hill slopes.Themeda triandra is the dominant species in the fire zones.Cymbopogon community is anomalous in distribution. Cymbopogonflexuosus is associated with Themeda in the wet places. In dry androcky areas only Cymbopogon is present. Chrysopogon fulvus dom-inates in the grazed area, whereas Heteropogon contortus is wellestablished in the protected area.
Houbara Bustard (Chlamdois undulata undulata) inTunisia A2.15
Chammem Mohsen1, T Khorchani1, M Boukhriss2, M Hammadi1,L Chniti3 and S Selmi4
1 Institut des Régions arides 4119 Medenine, Tunisiee-mail: [email protected] Faculté des Sciences Sfax, Tunisie3 Faculté des Sciences Tunis, Tunisie4 Faculté des Sciences Gabès, Tunisie
The Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) is a medi-um sized, shy, desert bird, which inhabits remote dry and arid areas.Our investigations in the arid and desert areas of southern Tunisiashowed that, the houbara populations are in rapid decline due main-ly to human activity and excessive hunting.In this framework, a captive breeding research programme waslaunched. At present, a small unit, where eight animals are raised,has been installed. The preliminary results regarding growth,general behaviour and display of one male, showed great prospectsfor multiplying this species in captivity through artificial inseminationtechniques.
Plant species diversity in Astrebla spp. grassland fol-lowing 18 years of sheep grazing A2.16
David Orr1 and David Phelps2
1 Queensland Beef Industry Institute, Agency for Food and Fibre Science,Department Primary Industries, PO Box 6014, Rockhampton, Qld 4702, Australiae-mail: [email protected] Queensland Beef Industry Institute, Agency for Food and Fibre Science,Department Primary Industries, PO Box 519, Longreach, Qld 4730, Australia
There is increasing interest in the impact of grazing by domes-tic livestock on biodiversity in Astrebla (Mitchell grass) grasslands.
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Conference Abstracts — Session A286
A long term grazing study in Astrebla grasslands in Queensland,Australia, incorporating six levels of pasture utilisation, establishedin 1984 and remaining current in 2002, provided an opportunity toexamine the impact of grazing pressures on plant species diversity.Plant species diversity in all six treatments is being determined bygerminating seed present in the soil seed bank. Soil cores fordetermining plant species diversity were collected in September2001 using a 60m grid pattern based on a Geographic InformationSystem (GIS) located across the grazing study. Concurrent infor-mation on pasture attributes, such as density, yield and utilisationof Astrebla spp., were collected in order to derive utilisation pat-terns in each treatments and to relate to plant species diversity.These soil cores will be germinated over a period of four years todetermine the occurrence of individual frequency in relation tograzing pressure.The initial data indicates that plant species diversity is strongly influ-enced by grazing at different grazing pressures and this paper willpresent preliminary data on this species diversity.The Gascoyne–Murchison Strategy: a case study in regionalenvironmental management in arid Western Australia
Degraded pastures in the Brazilian eastern Amazon:smallholder management leads to high phytodiversity
A2.17
Barbara Rischkowsky1, Stefan Hohnwald1, Christine Kreye1,Rainer Schultze-Kraft2, Ari Pinheiro Camarão3 and John MKing1
1 Department of Tropical Animal Production, Institute for Crop and AnimalProduction in the Tropics, Georg-August-University, Kellnerweg 6, D-37077Goettingen, Germanye-mail: [email protected] Department of Biodiversity and Land Rehabilitation in the Tropics andSubtropics, Institute for Plant Production and Agroecology, University ofHohenheim (380), D-70593 Stuttgart, Germanye-mail: [email protected] Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Caixa Postal 48, CEP 66095-100, Belém, PA,Brazile-mail: [email protected]
Since the eighties smallholders in the Bragantina region in theBrazilian eastern Amazon have increasingly started to plant pas-tures and to keep cattle, a phenomenon called pecuarização.Pastures in this region are said to degrade after seven to 10 years.Degradation is defined as the point at which pastures are gettingeconomically unattractive, supporting only low stocking rates andsmall liveweight gains of beef cattle. Degradation is often alsojudged by visual estimation of weed cover. However, most of theseweeds are part of the phytodiverse woody secondary vegetation(Capoeira), which regrows on fallow land after short cropping peri-ods. Capoeira has replaced the former rainforest in adaptation tothe slash-and-burn agriculture that has been practiced in this regionfor over a hundred years. This paper explores the impact of smallholder management onweed infestation in a farm study. It also compares a conventionallymanaged B. humidicola pasture and an alternative pasture, wherea controlled re-growth of Capoeira was tolerated, with undisturbedfallow vegetation using the data from an on-farm grazing experi-ment.The grazing experiment revealed that woody Capoeira specieswere more disturbed by frequent slashing than by the direct impactof cattle. But even when frequently slashed, a high number ofwoody species persisted under grazing. The low input manage-ment practiced on small farms, namely no fertilisation and unsys-tematic weed control by slashing, favours phytodiversity and theregenerative capacity of woody vegetation in the pasture plots.These pasture plots can easily be converted into fallow vegetationas long as they have not been disturbed by fire in combination withlong use.
Species richness of range plants in xerophytic forestsand clarification of the effects of ecological factors onthem (analysis in southern Zagross area) A2.18
Hossein Salehi1, Valiollah Mozaffarian2 and Hamid Hoveizeh3
1 Natural Resources and Animals science research Isfahan center, PO Box487, Kashan, Irane-mail: [email protected] Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands3 Natural Research and Animals Science Research Khuzestan Center
This article is derived from the results of research and studiespublished in 1997 and 1998 on the Khuzestan Province andincludes research and data from a vegetation cover study in Karun2 and 3 watershed catchments in the southern Zagross region.The region under discussion in this article is the rangeland of Karun2 and 3 watershed catchments which amount to 170 768 hectareswith a minimum altitude of 490m above sea level and a maximumaltitude of 3 520m asl. There are five different climates, geologicalformations, geomorphological types and land units which provide ahabitat for 320 vascular plant species belonging to 60 families.The research method includes the use of topography maps andsatellite cosmos coloured photographs on a 1:50 000 scale, fre-quent field visits and collection and identification of all of the plantsof the watershed catchments.The identified plant species are classified on the basis of relatedfamilies and the data related to life form, duration, provender value,use in soil conservation and replication method are shown in atable.The results of this research showed that the species richness ofrange plants in the above mentioned watereshed catchments aredependent on ecological factors; climate, topography and anthro-pogenic factors, are important. Also the results of this study showedthat factors affecting plants can cause a retrogressive sequence inrangelands. Hence, it was proposed to establish research stationsand carry out special research in order to sufficiently identify eco-logical indicators and plant associations; specially desirable rangespecies.Since desirable plants are not only effective for ecosystem andmetohydrology adjustment, but are also an important source witheconomic value for producing animals and wild life provender andmedicinal and industrial materials, recognition of the factors whichinfluence their retrogressiveness is important in basic planning andprogramming for development of the mentioned areas.
Biodiversity and natural resources in rangelands ofsouth-western China A2.19
Zhou ShourongAnimal Science and Technology College, Sichuan Aricultural University Yaan,Sichuan 625014, Chinae-mail: [email protected]
In south-western China, there are 36.5 million hectares ofrangelands including tropical secondary grasslands, shrublandsand open forests, sub-tropical secondary grasslands, shrublandsand open forests, alpine meadows and sub-alpine meadows onalpine areas. These rangelands are important grazing land forcattle, goats and water buffalo in the low-land and for yak, sheepand horses on high-land areas. More than 70% of animal forage isobtained from these rangelands. Historical data indicate that thebiodiversity and natural resources in this area were very rich andvaried. Thirty years ago there was a fine natural environment with aforest cover rate of over 50% and a large number of different plantsand animals. Since the impact of economic development and themovement of people, the biodiversity and natural resources of thisarea have undergone a big change. The increase of rangelands anddecrease of forests are quite clear. In spite of this, the naturalsituation of these areas has been improved in the last 30 years dueto protection and rebuilding by the people. There are about 1 500species of forage plants and many important rare wildlife speciesand also other resources e.g. mineral springs, waterfalls, hotsprings, stone forests, glaciers and icebergs on some high mountaintops. All of these allow multiple use of the rangelands and a verygood opportunity for tourism development. Therefore, the income of
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African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2003, 20: 80–88 87
local people is increasing, especially from rangelands and tourismin present years.
The effect of charcoal production on tree and shrubspecies diversity in Miombo woodlands. A case study ofMbwewe, Tanzania A2.20
Dos Santos Silayoe-mail: [email protected]
The study was carried out in a miombo woodland of Mbwewepublic land and Uzigua forest reserve in Bagamoyo district, coastalregion Tanzania, to determine the effect of charcoal production onspecies abundance. A systematic sampling design was adopted anddata were collected in 48 sample plots. Thirty plots in the public landand 18 plots in the forest reserve. Each sample plot was subdividedinto three levels and measurement of diameter at breast height(DBH) and total height taken as follows;i) Within a 5m radius, all trees and shrubs with DBH <5cmii) Within a 10m radius, all trees and shrubs with DBH >10cmiii)Within a 15m radius, all trees and shrubs with DBH >20cmIn total, 265 (95%) trees and 12 (5%) shrubs distributed in 59 dif-ferent species were recorded. Acacia polyacantha subsp. camplya-cantha and Brachystegia boehmii were the dominant species in thepublic land and forest reserve respectively. The Shannon-Wienerindex of diversity calculated using natural logarithms was 2.5 for thepublic land and 2.86 for the Uzigua forest reserve, indicating rela-tively high species diversity, as compared to the public land. Theindices of dominance were 0.11 for the public land forest and 0.08for the forest reserve. This confirms that the studied plant commu-nity has high species diversity in the forest reserve. In terms of woodproduction the average stocking was 219 stems ha-1, basal areawas 4m2 ha-1 and wood volume was 30.8m2 ha-1 for the public landand 392 stems ha-1, basal area of 8m2 ha-1 and wood volume of60.8m2 ha-1 for the reserved forest. The distribution of stem numbersby size classes show reversed J-shape trend in both forest types,indicating active growth of the woodland. Wood volume and basalarea/ha showed a normal distribution curve. From this study inten-sive management is recommended in order to control and ensuresustainable production as well as to conserve both fauna and floraspecies diversity.
Conservation versus development: real and perceivedbiophysical impacts of linear developments on range-lands A2.21
JM van Stadene-mail: [email protected]
Urban and industrial development are in-escapable realities in adeveloping country like South Africa. Electricity plays a crucial rolein most development projects and is distributed from strategicallyplaced power stations, via an extensive network of transmissionlines, substations and distribution lines to the consumers. In theprocess literally tens of thousands of kilometers of agricultural land— including rangelands, protected areas and nature reserves arespanned. This paper outlines the most important environmentalimpacts of several linear developments in different areas of SouthAfrica.Specialist reports and impact assessments contained in the EIAreports of these developments were analysed to determine the mostimportant biophysical impacts along the different linear develop-ments. These potential impacts (positive and negative), based onprevious experience and actual field survey data collected by thevarious specialists, are compared against the perceived and oftenexperiential impacts from the residents/landowners as communicat-ed during the public participation process of the EIA. The analysisindicates a degree of discrepancy between potential impacts as per-ceived by the specialists and those of the residents/landowners.The main reasons for these differences appear to be:� the long term over which many of the impacts take place; com-
bined with � the intermittent nature of management actions of the transmission
line servitude; and� possible lack of communication between the line operators and
the land owners/managers.Proposed management actions to mitigate the impacts aredescribed and evaluated in terms of efficiency, acceptability andlong term sustainability.
Rangeland role for conservation of biodiversity andwildlife in Lithuania A2.22
J VyciusLithuanian University of Agriculture, Lithuaniae-mail: [email protected]
Lithuania is a rather small country on the eastern seashore ofthe Baltic sea, its total area occupies 65 300km2 of which 53.8% isutilised for agriculture. Of this area, 70.5% is arable land and 27.5%natural pastures. The climate of Lithuania is mesic, with an annualprecipitation of 650–850mm and an annual evaporation rate of450–600mm. As a result of this mires and bogs have formed insome plane relief areas. About 50% of country’s territory wasdrained; the majority (about 26 200km2) using sub-surface drainage.But some areas were left unchanged, virgin, and never used foragriculture or intensive forestry. These areas occupy about 10–15%of Lithuanian territory. Natural pastures, wetlands, and riparianareas along streams, around lakes and ponds are used asrangelands. In the last ten year period, rangeland area hasincreased at the expense of poor quality land which was previouslyused for agriculture and areas where the formation of wetlandoccurred due to insufficient maintenance and damage to drainagesystems. Since 1990, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union,the new independent government of Lithuania has allocatedextremely limited funding for maintenance work on the drainagesystems. This reflects the difficult state of the country’s economyduring the transitional period from socialist planned to marketeconomy conditions.At present, secondary natural wetland restoration processes arehappening extensively on about 11% of drained areas, especiallywhere the activity of beavers is high as beavers constructing theirdams raise the water level in the drainage canals. So rangelandarea increased due to the increase of wetlands and poor qualityabandoned agricultural land. This process is characteristic for allnewly formed independent states n the former Soviet Union territo-ry, where rangelands took up about 45% of the total area. Historically the main role of rangeland in Lithuania was grazing forlivestock and wildlife production (berries, mushrooms, hunting, fish-ing). In recent years the most significant role of rangeland has beenthe conservation of biodiversity and wildlife habitat and, of course,unique landscape, recreation possibilities, positive impact on waterquality and supply and flood control. These features of the country’srangelands are discussed in the paper.
Anangu Pitjant jatjara Yankunytjatjara land management A2.23
Frank Young and Alex KnightAnangu Pitjantjatjara, Umuwa via Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia0872e-mail: [email protected]
The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands cover 10.7 million hectares incentral Australia. Approximately 3 000 Anangu Pitjantjatjara (peopleof the Pitjantjatara Land) live in small communities across theregion.Surface water is very sparsely distributed across the AnanguPitjantjatara lands. Most water points are rain fed rock holes that aremaintained by Anangu according to Tjukurpa (the law). Rockholesin the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands are a key water source for manynative animals including important game species Malu (red kanga-roo) and Kalaya (emu). While Anangu no longer depend on rock-holes for drinking water, game and other native fauna of the regionstill do. If rock holes fill up with dirt and no longer hold water thecountry dies. Cleaning rockholes has a major impact on biodiversi-ty with minimal input. It is a very efficient management technique.Patch burning was carried out extensively by Anangu. It stimulates
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Conference Abstracts — Session A288
the regeneration of sweet grasses increasing access to game. Manyvegetable foods used by Aboriginal people regenerate well followingfire. Fire management was so wide spread in Australia that firedependent ecological communities dominate the landscape. Today relatively few Anangu retain the knowledge or have adequatetransport to carry out patchburning and rockhole cleaning. Thechange in living conditions has meant that today there are few areasof well managed vegetation. Anangu Pitjantjatjara YankunytjatjaraLand Management brings voice to Anangu aspirations with regardto the stewardship of the land. This ensures continued economicengagement of Anangu with their land and that natural resourcesare managed in culturally appropriate, ecologically sustainable way,drawing upon both traditional and contemporary expertise.
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