Theme 1: Grassland Ecology
Description
Droughts and overgrazing play a crucial role in the degradation of semi-arid rangelands. This is evident in the loss of palatable long-lived grass species and bush encroachment. Early warning indicators are needed to mitigate long-term degradation and decline in essential forage provision. Functional diversity provides valuable information on ecosystem health. However, functional diversity indices have not yet been tested regarding their applicability as early warning indicators, revealing non-linear threshold behaviour. We therefore examined the following questions: (1) How do functional diversity indices respond to grazing pressure? (2) Does land tenure affect the relationship between functional diversity and grazing pressure? (3) Are functional diversity indices suitable early-warning indicators? To answer these questions, we conducted a space-for-time substitution of land use intensity of semi-arid rangelands in Namibia. Some 16 grazing gradients were selected, each starting at a cattle watering point where grazing pressure was highest. Gradients were located in four communal and four freehold farms. Communal farms were characterised by continuous grazing, while freehold farms by rotational grazing. In each transect we recorded plant species composition of the grass layer in 9 plots of 10 × 10 m each (N = 162 plots). Within each transect, these plots were logarithmically distributed. Various plant functional traits—all relating to plant life history or resource acquisition strategy—were measured for 142 dominant species, accounting for more than 80 % of the biomass, and indices of functional diversity were calculated. We found potential threshold behaviour in functional richness on freehold farms. Certain functional diversity indices revealed non-linear patterns in rangelands but are currently not a user-friendly early-warning indicator. To harness functional diversity, we need a more standardized method of calculation, and more functional trait databases for sub-Saharan species.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.13023/kqfx-zp46
Citation
Schwarz, L.-M.; Carmona, C. P.; Bilton, M. C.; Munyebvu-Chambara, F.; Behn, K.; and Linstädter, A., "Evaluating Functional Diversity as Potential Early-Warning Indicator of Rangeland Degradation" (2023). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 65.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/XXV_IGC_2023/Ecology/65
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Evaluating Functional Diversity as Potential Early-Warning Indicator of Rangeland Degradation
Droughts and overgrazing play a crucial role in the degradation of semi-arid rangelands. This is evident in the loss of palatable long-lived grass species and bush encroachment. Early warning indicators are needed to mitigate long-term degradation and decline in essential forage provision. Functional diversity provides valuable information on ecosystem health. However, functional diversity indices have not yet been tested regarding their applicability as early warning indicators, revealing non-linear threshold behaviour. We therefore examined the following questions: (1) How do functional diversity indices respond to grazing pressure? (2) Does land tenure affect the relationship between functional diversity and grazing pressure? (3) Are functional diversity indices suitable early-warning indicators? To answer these questions, we conducted a space-for-time substitution of land use intensity of semi-arid rangelands in Namibia. Some 16 grazing gradients were selected, each starting at a cattle watering point where grazing pressure was highest. Gradients were located in four communal and four freehold farms. Communal farms were characterised by continuous grazing, while freehold farms by rotational grazing. In each transect we recorded plant species composition of the grass layer in 9 plots of 10 × 10 m each (N = 162 plots). Within each transect, these plots were logarithmically distributed. Various plant functional traits—all relating to plant life history or resource acquisition strategy—were measured for 142 dominant species, accounting for more than 80 % of the biomass, and indices of functional diversity were calculated. We found potential threshold behaviour in functional richness on freehold farms. Certain functional diversity indices revealed non-linear patterns in rangelands but are currently not a user-friendly early-warning indicator. To harness functional diversity, we need a more standardized method of calculation, and more functional trait databases for sub-Saharan species.
