Photo: Sagebrush near Pinedale, Wyoming. © 2019 Delena Norris-Tull.
Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Rangelands
Research summary and commentary by Dr. Delena Norris-Tull, Professor Emerita of Science Education, University of Montana Western, October 2021.
Sheley, Hamerlynck, and Boyd (2017) report that, “Rangelands cover nearly one-half of the Earth’s land surface and provide life sustaining goods and services to about one-third of the global population. Low and variable rainfall combined with often infertile soil make the world’s rangelands highly susceptible to degradation, invasion (by weeds), and global climate change. The inability to establish healthy plant communities is cited by stakeholders as the single largest barrier to implementing restoration and turning the tide against the hundreds of thousands of hectares of sagebrush steppe lost to invasive plants each year. Despite over a century of research, rangeland science lacks a comprehensive understanding of the ecological processes influencing seedling establishment.” [Refer to the section on Rangeland Restoration, within the sections on Innovative Solutions, for a description of the management practices this team of scientists recommends].
Lars Baker, retired Fremont County, Wyoming, Weed and Pest District Supervisor, pointed out the following: “We have removed nutrients from the soil, over the decades of farming and ranching. So now much of our land is poor for farming. Weeds are the direct result of how humans have disturbed the land. Native sagebrush range developed over thousands of years. Now that we have disturbed it, we cannot restore it simply by stopping irrigation. The problems we have today with cheatgrass are due to the fact that we have caused so much destruction to the ecological systems.
“Wyoming tried to grow dry-land wheat, but there is not enough rainfall for this to be successful. It failed. So now when we plant native grass seed, they often will not grow, because there is no longer enough rainfall.”
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Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Rangelands
Research summary and commentary by Dr. Delena Norris-Tull, Professor Emerita of Science Education, University of Montana Western, October 2021.
Sheley, Hamerlynck, and Boyd (2017) report that, “Rangelands cover nearly one-half of the Earth’s land surface and provide life sustaining goods and services to about one-third of the global population. Low and variable rainfall combined with often infertile soil make the world’s rangelands highly susceptible to degradation, invasion (by weeds), and global climate change. The inability to establish healthy plant communities is cited by stakeholders as the single largest barrier to implementing restoration and turning the tide against the hundreds of thousands of hectares of sagebrush steppe lost to invasive plants each year. Despite over a century of research, rangeland science lacks a comprehensive understanding of the ecological processes influencing seedling establishment.” [Refer to the section on Rangeland Restoration, within the sections on Innovative Solutions, for a description of the management practices this team of scientists recommends].
Lars Baker, retired Fremont County, Wyoming, Weed and Pest District Supervisor, pointed out the following: “We have removed nutrients from the soil, over the decades of farming and ranching. So now much of our land is poor for farming. Weeds are the direct result of how humans have disturbed the land. Native sagebrush range developed over thousands of years. Now that we have disturbed it, we cannot restore it simply by stopping irrigation. The problems we have today with cheatgrass are due to the fact that we have caused so much destruction to the ecological systems.
“Wyoming tried to grow dry-land wheat, but there is not enough rainfall for this to be successful. It failed. So now when we plant native grass seed, they often will not grow, because there is no longer enough rainfall.”
Reference:
- Sheley, R., Hamerlynck, E., Boyd, C. (Project Team). (2017). Project Annual Report. Range and meadow forage management research: Burns, OR. USDA, Agricultural Research Service.
Previous Sections:
- Climate Change Impacts on Native & Introduced Plants
- Climate Change: Impacts of increased CO2, NO, UV, & Ozone on Plants
- Climate Change Impacts on Crops
- Climate Change Impacts on C4 Plants
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