ABSTRACT
Grazing systems are globally extensive, heterogeneous, sensitive to climate, and managed by humans to support livestock production that provide an essential source of food in many parts of the world. The intensity of grazing system management can be broadly categorized into rangelands (natural grazing lands) and pasturelands (improved grazing lands). Whereas rangeland management approaches focus on reversing land degradation and restoring overgrazed ecosystems, pastureland management involves interventions (i.e., applying fertilizer, intercropping leguminous plants) that can increase the amount of forage produced and the number of cattle supported on the landscape. The management of grazing social-ecological systems faces numerous challenges including climate change, land degradation, nutrient loss, compaction, and food insecurity. Grazing management for the provision of ecosystem goods and services beyond supply of food and fiber is required to support the sustainability of global grazing lands in the coming decades. As we balance the challenges of food security, climate change, and environmental sustainability, it is of critical importance to understand the social-ecological processes that govern the management of grazing lands, an under-studied element of global land use.
