ABSTRACT
Grazing land, as used in this volume, comprises pastureland, rangeland, and grazed woodlands. Rangeland is the uncultivated land with natural vegetation cover that provides the habitat for grazing and browsing animals (Holechek et al., 1989). Rangelands are disturbed by grazing, natural or managed fires, road traffic, and mining activities. Therefore, rangelands cover a wide spectrum of ecosystems including perennial and annual grasslands, desert shrub, and forest (Sobecki et al., 2001). Rangelands are characterized by the type of vegetation, which depends on the precipitation and soil type:
In contrast to rangelands, however, soils under pastures are periodically disturbed by cultivation to introduce new forage species and enhance productivity. They also receive more precipitation. Because pastures receive more agronomic inputs than rangelands (e.g., irrigation, fertilizers, and manures), the stocking rate is often more on pastures than rangeland. If pastures are not grazed, the hay is periodically cut and carried away for stall feeding. Consequently, risks of soil erosion are much greater on pastureland than on rangeland if the lands are tilled.
