david b. hannaway, kimberly japhet, and brianna randow crop & soil science department

David B. Hannaway,

Kimberly Japhet,

and Brianna RandowCrop & Soil Science Department

Oregon State University

Adapted from the National Forage & Grassland Curriculum and FAO Country Pasture Profiles for the USA and PRC

David

Brianna

Kimberly

Li XianglinDirector, Grassland Division

Institute of Animal Sciences

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Xianglin

Fulbright Guest LectureUSA and PRC Grasslands: Compare & Contrast

FORAGES: An Introduction To Grassland Agriculture

Objectives To help interested learners:

1) Visualize the vast scope, importance, characteristics, and challenges faced by the great grassland regions of the world.

Overview


Objectives To help interested learners:

2) Appreciate the role and importance of grasslands and their forages in the United States and China.

Overview (continued)


Rationale Presenting general concepts of world grasslands will

help us understand the fragile balance among the plants, soil, and animals in each grassland type.

Comparing and contrasting grasslands of the USA and PRC will help us understand the common scope and importance to our nations.

Proposing actions required for education, research, and extension and envisioning future benefits will inform decisions made by those who manage the land.

Overview (continued)


Instructional Objectives

I. For World Grasslands

1.Define and describe the world’s natural grasslands.

2.Define and locate tropical and temperate grasslands.

3.Prioritize the important issues affecting grasslands.

4.List and define societal benefits of managing grasslands using sound scientific principles.

5.Describe positive potential futures for grassland management and use.


Instructional Objectives (continued)

II. For US and PRC Grasslands

1.Describe the historical and current roles of grasslands.

2.Discuss the key climatological and production regions.

3.Discuss forages from a livestock utilization perspective.


• Grassland refers to that biome dominated by grasses, species of the Poaceae family (previously Gramineae).

• A biome is defined as “a large geographical area characterized by certain types of plants and animals.” Examples are forest, grassland, freshwater, marine, desert, and tundra.

Define and describe the world’s natural grasslands.


Biomes of the World


• The grassland biome: covers about 2/3 of the land masses of the world makes up 1/4 of the earth's surface.

• Although grasslands contain mostly grass, they are areas of great variety with over 10,000 grass species, and 12,000 species of legumes that grow with grasses.

Define and describe the world’s natural grasslands (continued).


• Most natural grasslands exist between deserts and forests (two other biome types).

• Man-made grasslands have been developed on land that would accommodate trees.



• Grasslands can be defined in many ways: http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/core-themes/theme/spi/gcwg/definitions/en/

• Typically, grasslands are divided into two categories: 1)Tropical (grasslands located near the equator such as those in Africa, southern Asia, Australia and northern South America)

2)Temperate (grasslands located

between the equator and the poles,

including those in North America,

Europe, southern South America,

Africa and Australia).



1) Tropical grasslands (continued):

• A savanna is grassland with scattered individual trees. It covers almost half the surface of Africa (~5 Mmi2; ~13 Mkm²)

and large areas of Australia, South America, and India.

• Climate is the most important factor in creating a savanna. Savannas are found in warm or hot climates where the annual

rainfall is 50 to 125 cm (20-50 in). Rainfall is concentrated in 6-8 months of the year, followed by a

long period of drought when fires can occur. [If the rains were well distributed throughout the year, many such areas would become tropical forests.]



2) Temperate grasslands: such as the Canadian prairies and U.S. Great Plains have both hot summers and harsh winters.

• Once covered much of the interior of North America and were common in Eurasia and South America.

• In South America, grasslands are called "pampas"; in Eurasia, "steppes;” in southern Africa, “veldts.”

• They are highly productive because the organic material in the soil comes from many years of decomposition.



2) Temperate grasslands (continued):

• In North America, prairies were inhabited by huge herds of bison and pronghorns, hunted by wolves and bears.

• Where the U.S. Great Plains have been converted to farmland, the large herds and predators that followed them are gone now.



• Grasslands near the equator produce plants that can withstand a hot climate through most of the year as well as drought and fires. Grasses on savannas are often tall bunchgrasses to aid in

surviving the extreme climate in soil that has little humus. There is little humus in the soil since long drought periods

do not promote decomposition needed for developing fertile soil.

Define, describe, and locate the tropical grasslands and their forages.


• Tropical grasslands have been protected from invasion by man by being the habitat of dangerous wildlife and numerous pests. Some grasslands today are still sparsely populated due to tsetse flies. In Africa, elephants, zebras, wildebeast, giraffes, and other

browsers eat the grasses and are then eaten by cheetahs, lions, and other predators.

In Australia, emus and other foragers rely on hot grasslands. The largest group of animal life in the savannas is made up of

insects; billions of locust, termites and flies.

Define, describe, and locate the tropical grasslands and their forages (continued).


• How can so many creatures exist on such a land? Grasses are able to withstand fire and drought. Various animals and insects eat different plants and perform

different functions. Zebras eat more fibrous grasses while hartebeast (a grassland

antelope) consume the stalks of plants left by previous foragers. Giraffes and elephants eat the tops of trees. Carnivorous animals hide in the tall grasses. Termites aerate tons of soil, allowing

rainfall to seep readily into the ground. Grasslands are wonderful examples of

diversity and synergism.

Define, describe, and locate the tropical grasslands and their forages (continued).


• Temperate grasslands contain short and tall grasses with few trees. Smooth, fine grasses with lateral-growth habit form a carpet of

grass called a sward; wiry, coarse grasses grow upright and form clumps called tussocks.

Rainfall determines the types of grasses (short- or mid-grass steppe or tallgrass prairie) and plant density, resulting in thick or clumpy growth.

Define, describe, and locate the temperate grasslands and their forages.


• Temperature extremes are wider than anywhere in the world; annual rainfall averages 30-50 cm (12-20 in).

• The Grassland biome transitions to: desert in more arid conditions or forest with increased rainfall.

Define, describe, and locate temperate grasslands and their forages (continued).


• Many different types of animals and insects thrive on the forage in temperate grasslands. Insects (aphids, grubs, grasshoppers, and caterpillars)

consume different parts of the vegetation. Rodents (rabbits, hares, prairie dogs, gerbils, hamsters, mice,

squirrels, chinchillas and rat kangaroos) forage on the various grasslands.

Australian kangaroos, S. American guanacos, N. American bison and antelope all forage, butare hunted by wolves.

Birds consume seeds and grasses and are predators of other foragers.

Define, describe, and locate temperate grasslands and their forages (continued).


• The central issue is whether society (governments and their peoples) values these grasslands enough to protect them through sustainable management.

• Historically, stable grasslands became susceptible to deterioration and destruction with modern agricultural implements, improved transportation (railroads), and policies that encouraged development. See the NFGC for descriptive text:

http://forages.oregonstate.edu/nfgc/eo/onlineforagecurriculum/instructormaterials/availabletopics/grasslands/issues

Prioritize as most pressing the important issues affecting grasslands and their forages.



• How can proper management and restoration or improvement be accomplished?

[Issues of residential encroachment, desertification, grazing/water rights, plant selection, suitable land usage. Others?]

Education, research, and extension of grassland science and proper management techniques*

Education is essential to make the farmer and nomadic people capable of accepting the new ideas and applying new technologies.

Research is needed to provide the necessary know-how. An extension service is needed to provide a link between

research information and the farmer and nomadic people.)

*Adapted from: Forage Resources of China (Hu, Hannaway, and Youngberg. 1982).



Education needs:•Mass education for increased public awareness of the benefits of healthy grasslands.

•Small group meetings, short courses, and practical publications for improved understanding of nomads and farmers of how to properly manage grasslands.

•Middle level education to develop greater numbers of trained extension workers.

•Practical higher education programs that emphasize the interrelationships of grassland science and animal science, crop science, botany, and ecology.



Research needs:•Assessment of current conditions through advanced technologies (GIS, RS) and on-the-ground surveys.

•Research designed to solve fundamental, practical problems of certain areas and conducted with standardized scientific methods.

•Establishment of LTER projects in key ecological zones.

•Development of a national team to define, propose, and conduct high priority research projects.

•Improved linkage of researchers within and among provinces and with international colleagues.



Extension needs:•Extension worker training and education.

•Utilize global grassland science literature identify results for putting into practice in similar ecological zones.

•Develop educational tools for determining the appropriate stocking rates and grazing season.

•Help farmers and nomads with adjusting grazing systems based on the degree of grazing land deterioration.

•Assist with establishing demonstration improved pastures, experimental enclosures, and hay storage facilities for periods of inadequate grazing land forages.


• Healthy grasslands can provide numerous environmental services, including: sequestering CO2

giving O2

forming and protecting fertile soils providing forage for domestic and wild animals providing habitat for numerous creatures

List and define societal benefits of managing grasslands using sound scientific principles.


List and define societal benefits of managing grasslands using sound scientific principles.

Matching the use of grassland resources with their biological capacity will result in:•Conserving the natural resources of land, soil, water, and biological diversity of the vegetation.

•Regeneration of the productivity potential of plants and animals.

•Restoration of the beauty of the landscape and clean water.

• Improvement of people’s lives, both those living on the land and those benefitting from the improved ecological services provided.


Describe positive potential futures for grassland management and use.

• Sound national grassland philosophies guiding government policy development and implementation.

• Forage-grassland-livestock systems meeting food needs, environmental objectives, and aesthetic values of society in the context of multiple use of resources.

• Grasslands providing renewable biomass for energy.

• Carbon credits established providing increased revenue for grassland managers.

• Improved capacity teaching, research, and extension programs in grassland management.


Summary of World Grasslands• Much of the world is covered with grasses. • Grasslands are classified as either tropical or temperate. • Natural grasslands have developed over thousands of years as

plants, soil, and animals are in a balanced equilibrium. • Man has used grasslands and created man-made grasslands with

both successful and disastrous results. • Grasslands types must be managed specifically and properly to

continue to provide food for mankind and animals.

• Education, research, and extension program needs were listed.

• Appropriate management leads to many benefits.

• A future vision for grasslands was provided.

Adapted from the NFGC Segment on World Grasslands: http://forages.oregonstate.edu/nfgc/eo/onlineforagecurriculum/instructormaterials/availabletopics/grasslandsoftheworld

david b. hannaway, kimberly japhet, and brianna randow crop & soil science department

Documents

importance of grasslands

grassland management

grassland agriculturebiomes

grassland type

grassland agriculturegrassland

contrasting grasslands

temperate grasslands

manmade grasslands