Download - Rangelands and Agricultural Lands
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Rangelands and Agricultural
Lands
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Rangelands
Are grasslands, in both temperate and tropicalclimates, that serve as important areas of foodproduction for humans by providing fodder for
livestock.
are vast natural landscapes in the formof grasslands, shrub lands, woodlands, wetlands,
and deserts.
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Predominant vegetation
Grasses Forbs
Shrubs
Rangelands may be mined for
Minerals and energy resources Used for recreation
Preserved for biological habitat
Soil and water resources
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Rangeland Degradation and Desertification
Grasses- the predominant vegetation of rangelands
Have a fibrous root system many roots form a diffusenetwork in the soil.
Reducing Soil Erosion
Grazing to yield grass; to feed or supply with grass.
Grazing Animals
Eats the leafy shoots of the grass, and the fibrousroots continue to develop, allowing the plants torecover and the regrow to their original size.
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The removal of
maturevegetation by
grazinganimals
stimulatesrapid
growth
The hooves ofgrazing
animalsdisturb the soil
surfaceenough to
allowrainfall toreach rootsystems.
Benefits ofCarefullymanagedGrazing
Greater plant diversity
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Overgrazed- when the carrying capacity of arangeland is exceeded.
Erosion may occur when the ground is barren andexposed.
Most of the worlds rangelands lie in semiarid areasthat have natural extended droughts.
AerialPortiondies
Extensive rootsystem remainsalive and holdsthe soil in place
Dry periodsLower carrying
capacity because ofLack of
precipitation.
Native grasses cansurvive a severe
drought.
Rain returns, the rootsDevelop new shoots
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Overgrazing + Extended drought = DesertOnce a fertile rangeland can be converted to a desert.
The reduced grass cover caused by overgrazing allows winds to erode thesoil.
Land degradation is so extensive that the rangeland may not recover.
Water erosion removes the little bit of remaining topsoil, and the sand leftbehind forms dunes.
Desertification- progressive degradation, which induces unproductivedesert like conditions on formerly productive rangeland.
It is the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert; is usuallycaused by climate change or by destructive use of the land
It reduces the agricultural productivity of economically valuable land,forces many organisms out and threatens endangered species.
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Agricultural Lands
The land suitable foragricultural production.
(crops and livestock)
Traditionally, farmingwas a small business.
Now largeragribusinesses own suchfamily farms.
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Agricultural land is primarily required for:
the production of food for human and animal consumption,
the growing of plants for fiber and fuels (including wood)
for other organically derived products (pharmaceuticals, etc).
Physical, chemical and biological inputs are essential to agricultural systems,and are ultimately supplied by the ff: Soil Moisture
Sun (forms of light and heat energy) Plants Animals Biological agents
The more capably the land base provides and sustains these inputs, the morecapable and productive the land is as agricultural land.
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Not all agricultural land is capable or suitable forproducing all agricultural products, regardless of thelevel of management applied.
Prime agricultural land is falling victim tourbanization and suburban sprawl converted into
Parking lots
Housing developments Shopping malls
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The 1996 Farm Bill
Establishment of a national Farmland ProtectionProgram
This helps farmers keep their land in agriculture. The farmers retain full rights to use their property.
Funding is subject to annual appropriations fromCongress.