Rangelands biodiversity: concepts, approaches and the way forward
2004
Alemayehu Mengistu
Rangelands are defined as uncultivated land that will support grazing and browzing animals. They are primarily arid and semi-arid lands where, other land uses such as agriculture are not economically feasible but they may also include areas that have in the past or may in the future be used for cultivation or forestry. Rangelands are dominated by grass and grass-like species with or without scattered woody plants, occupying between 18-23% of world land area excluding antarctica. Rangelands are home both to significant concentrations of large mammals and plants with a high value in both leisure and scientific terms and to human populations such as hunter-gatherers and nomadic pastoralists. Conservation of biodiversity in rangelands is problematic beccause of the strongly anthropic character of most rangelands. there is an argument that 'if rangelands are human creations there is a strong case, on both economic and ecological grounds, that they are most productive when they are most biologically diversified. So, there is a need for conservation of its biodiversity. this can be attained if they are put to a variety of uses such as large herbivore production. Conservation biodiversity will reduce both long-term damage the ecosystem and their actions and patterns of intensive short-term exploitation. Increase potential export income from regions previously graded as low potential. Provide diversified products that could not easily be produced intensively and therefore would be less subject to external competition. Make more effective use of diverse vegetation than any tnthropic system but would require users to encourage and maintain rangelands biodiversity.
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