Grasslands Restoration
Grassland restoration is becoming more prevalent as invasive species continue to threaten the stability of the local grasslands ecosystems. This essay will analyze two different grasslands restoration methods. The fire-grazing model and the shrub clearing-grazing model will be highlighted with examples from the literature. These models will then be used to devise a new restoration strategy for the restoration of grasslands that have been invaded by shrubs, especially the Acacia Karoo.
The restoration strategy used within this study focused on the relationship between fire and grazing. The study proposes the application of fire-grazing model as a way to increase the heterogeneity within the landscape and to restore the system to represent a grassland ecosystem. Fuhlendord and Engle (2004) highlighted in their paper that although the grazing method alone can be sustainable on most grasslands, recent studies have demonstrated that creating focal grazing points can cause degradation of the entire ecosystem (Fuhlendorf & Engle, 2004). The fire-grazing model applies discrete fires to patches which are then followed by animal grazing. This process creates a shifting mosaic across the landscape while maintaining productivity of the grasslands and of the livestock. The model indicates that fire and grazing and interlinked with unique positive and negative feedback effects which either promote or inhibit particular processes (Fuhlendorf & Engle, 2004). The model states that recently burned areas have a positive relationship with the probability of selection by grazing animals and a negative relationship with the probability of fire. Patches that have not been exposed to fire have inverse relationships than the recent...
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...-clearing method requires regular invention of shrub clearing every 4-5 years. The restoration method is highly dependent on the area being restored and its associated history. With regards to Acacia Karoo, the shrub-clearing method should be employed to ensure the mitigation of the invasion.
Works Cited
Barbaro, L., Dutoit, T., & Cozic, P. (2001). A six-year experimental restoration of biodiveristy by shrub-clearing and grazing in calcareous grasslands of the French Prealps. Biodiversity and Conservation, 10(1), 119-135.
Csurhes, S., Weber, J., & Zhou, Y. (2011). Karoo Thorn. Queensland Government, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. Queensland Goverment.
Fuhlendorf, S. D., & Engle, D. M. (2004). Application of the fire-grazing interaction to restore a shifting mosaic on tallgrass prairie. Journal of Applied Ecology, 41(1), 604-614.
Another interesting characteristic of chaparral plants is their ability to respond to fire and other natural disasters. Due to the dry and arid nature of the area, the sage and grasslands can easily cause brush fires. When the area is burned, the shrubs and plant life d...
Owen-Wilson suggests that wile megaherbivores are not particularly prone to disturbance by predators or the weather, their populations tend to grow up until the point of nutritional deficiency which curiously leads to other vegetation components being trampled or broken by the trampling of megaherbivores (Owen-Smith 355). Sometimes, such damage can actually lead to the creation of different landscapes that provide a "higher biomass of accessible forage" (Owen-Smith 355). However, not all land lends to this kind of lucky damage and megaherbivores can also severely decrease the biomass of accessible forage. In fact, whether or not the megaherbivore will help or hinder is largely dependent on the water resources in the trampled areas (Owen-Smith 356).
Fragmentation is the product of increased human population, and the expansion of the grasslands (due to human activity). Fragmented Population caused from human interference has led to a lack of gene flow within species. Although this problem poses a legitimate threat, no real action has been taken to prevent fragmentation from continuing. Human activities such as “the expansion of farmland, human occupation, the lack of accessible habitat, and the sparsity of suitable/favorable habitat” (Thalmann et al., 2011) are facilitating this critical issue. Lacking gene diversity is caused from extreme isolation, small numbers, and lack of gene flow (Thalmann et al., 2011).
Once the gray wolf population had declined in the National Park, many ecological impacts were observed. Without a sustainable wolf population in the park, the elk population began to take over and increase in size. Due to this increase in elk, many of the deciduous woody species began to become overgrazed. With the e...
HRSDC Labour statistics Division. (2009). The Canadian Labour Market at a Glance 2007. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada.
The Web. 3 Mar 2014. http://cameroneconomics.com/wpa-eea.pdf>. William H., M.. N.p..
Landscape fragmentation can be characterized as a break up of a continuous landscape into more smaller, less-connected patches by roads, clearing for agriculture, commercial and residential development, and timber harvesting. Clear-cutting can break up mature, contiguous forest until the clear-cut area has regenerated to a point that it does not act as an ecological barrier to interior species or species that rely on continuous, mature forests. Much of the work that has sought to measure landscape pattern and habitat fragmentation comes out of the disciplines of conservation biology and landscape ecology (Theobald 1998). These disciplines are founded on the premise that landscape patterns strongly influence and are influenced by ecological processes (Forman and Godron 1986).
Thus, in 1891 rainfall was unable to soak into the compressed soils and new grass was not able to grow in (Guido 2). Yet, the number of cattle was not reduced by the cattle ranchers even when the ecological limits were revealed (Guido 2). The drought continued and devastated the cattle industry, causing 50% – 75% of cattle to perish (Sayre 249). Heavy rains followed in 1889-90, which fell on degraded soils and caused erosion. Fire was also suppressed and caused the invasion of shrubs (Sayre 249).
Across the Shield, you can see a ‘mosaic’ of patches of forest that were once burned down, and have younger trees than their neighbours. Although fire often destroys large tracts of forest it also renews the landscape by triggering new growth, killing of bugs, insects, and other pests, and giving both animal and plant life a new habitat, and a fresh start.
[1] “Mixedwood Plains.” Canadian Ecozones. Toronto: n.p., n.d. N. pag. TDSB Online Library School Sites. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. .
Joe operates a successful commercial landscaping and tree trimming business, and client's keeps his operation extremely busy. Although Joe employees at least 50 workers, with landscaping being seasonal, he experiences a high turnover. In addition to landscaping and tree trimming, equipment rental is also available to the clients, which adds an additional division to the business. With $250,000 of capital, and past year's revenues of $500,000, Joe is looking for guidance to take his business to the next level.
As people of the twenty-first century, we are all too familiar with the frequent occurrence of wildfires in our nation’s forests. Each year millions of acres of woodlands are destroyed in brutal scorches. It has been estimated that 190 million acres of rangelands in the United States are highly susceptible to catastrophic fires (www.doi.gov/initiatives/forest.html.). About a third of these high-risk forests are located in California (www.sfgate.com). These uncontrollable blazes not only consume our beautiful forests but also the wildlife, our homes and often the lives of those who fight the wildfires. The frequency of these devastating fires has been increasing over the years. In fact, in the years 2000 and 2002, it has been reported that the United States has faced its worst two years in fifty years for mass destruction fires (www.doi.gov/initiatives/forest.html.). The increased natural fuels buildup coupled with droughts have been a prevailing factor in contributing to our wildfires and unhealthy forests (www.blm.gov/nhp/news/releases/pages/2004/pr040303_forests.html). Due to the severity of these wildfires, several regulations and guidelines have been implemented to save our forests. In fact, the President himself has devised a plan in order to restore our forests and prevent further destruction of our woodlands.
Victoria. (2006). How Much of Remaining Gender Pay Gap is Result of Discrimination and How Much is Due to Individual Choices? International Journal of Urban Labour and Leaisure , 7 (2).
Completion of Employment System Review and ongoing exploration of additional barriers for specific designated groups
One of the reasons for loss in biodiversity is alteration of habitats. A habitat is the natural environment in which a species of living organism lives. If the habitat of a species is changed, it will cause the species to die or migrate to other places where it can find its natural habitat. There are many ways in which the habitat of plants and animals can be altered. One of them is land use changes. Since the beginning of human life, human beings have been changing land use for farming. Large areas of forests have been cleared by humans to increase the area of farming to satisfy their growing needs. Many biodiversity-rich landscape characteristics have been lost due to intensive farming (Young, Richards, Fischer, Halada, Kull, Kuzniar, Tartes, Uzunov & Watt, 2007). For example, traditional farming was replaced by private farms in Europe after the First World War causing an immense change in land use patterns. Another major proble...