Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Potential Of C4 Tropical Grasses To Contribute In Carbon Sequestration, Environmental Security And Livelihood Opportunities Through Increased Fodder Availability, D. R. Malaviya, A. K. Roy, P. Kaushal

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The world grasslands/rangeland ecosystems comprise 26% of earth’s surface and have immense ecological and economic significance. Diversity of grasslands had been a key element for their sustainability. Grasslands in India have existed as natural ecosystems for millions of years. It is a major source of income, employment and livelihood to the rural families. Owing to heavy grazing pressure, coupled with other social/anthropogenic factors, the grazing resources have fast deteriorated. The country has many old and natural grasslands with ethnic and economic value. Comprehensive ecological studies including floristic compositions, dominant species, grazing pressure and the climax/sub-climax stages of ecological succession will …

Linking Ground, Space And Knowledge: The Role Of Weather Forecasting In Pastoralists' Decision-Making, E. L. Mulder, V. C. Wright, S. C. Steele-Dunne, P. H. A. J. M. Van Gelder, H. C. Winsemius

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Changing weather patterns and decreasing land availability continue to challenge the livelihood of the pastoralists in northern Tanzania. The increasing variability of expected rains has complicated livestock management, often jeopardizing household resilience. Drought Early Warning Systems are being set up to contribute to decision-making processes at national and international levels. Nevertheless, due to the large spatial- and temporal resolution of these systems and their high uncertainties, these systems have limited value at a pastoral household level.

Therefore, this paper explores what type of weather and climate information is deemed valuable for pastoral households in Longido District, Tanzania. It is based …

Microbiome Of The Cool Season Forage Grass Timothy (Phleum Pratense L.) And Its Potential Role In Stress Tolerance, Dina Saleh, Suha Jabaji, Philippe Seguin

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The functional attributes of the microbiome associated with timothy for growth promotion properties, antimicrobial and biosurfactant capacities were characterized. A total of 254 culturable bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and grouped into 16 taxa that shared high homology of 98–99% with other known sequences. The majority of bacterial isolates exhibited multifunctional growth promotion attributes and plant stress improvement. The selection of competent and compatible strains for application in forage production is dependent on the recognition of root exudates and motility towards the roots, attachment to the root surface, formation of biofilm, penetration, and colonization of internal tissues. We …

Improving The Functionality Of Water Investments In The Drylands: Learning From Kenya’S County Climate Change Fund, C. Bedelian, M. Bonaya, A. Ibrahim, F. Ngarachu, C. Hesse

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Kenya’s County Climate Change Fund (CCCF) is financing public good investments focused on the water sector to increase the resilience of communities to climate change. In the drylands, investments in water are critical for water and food security, yet ensuring the functionality and sustainability of water investments remains an ongoing challenge. This paper assesses the functionality and sustainability of 62 CCCF water investments in five dryland counties (Isiolo, Wajir, Garissa, Kitui and Makueni) in Kenya through a functionality survey and stakeholder workshops. The survey was designed based on a review of studies assessing the functionality of water supply systems. Across …

Innovative Approaches To Analysing Carbon Sequestration As A Mitigation Strategy In Tropical Pasture Landscapes In Two Emblematic Contexts, The Amazon And The West African Sahel, V. Blanfort, R. Pocard-Chapuis, J. Vayssières, M. Vignes, M. H. Assouma, B. Hubert, A. Ickowicz, S. Fontaine

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The relationship between ruminant production systems and climate change is complex. As a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the sector has been the subject of considerable controversy, with particularly severe criticism in the 2000s. However, ten years ago, the attitude towards grazing lands began to change. Their efficient use of non-renewable energy and their contribution to carbon (C) sequestration were considered as key factors in the new environmental challenge. The reality of this mitigation potential was recently called into question once again in the global agriculture and climate change debate, including that of sequestration in the soil where …

Elevated Co2 And Extreme Climatic Events Modify Nitrogen Content And Ruminal Protein Digestion Of Temperate Grassland, V. Niderkorn, C. Picon-Cochard

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

This study was aimed at analyzing changes in nitrogen (N) content and in vitro protein rumen digestion of an upland grassland exposed to climate changes in controlled conditions. Monoliths of grassland were inserted in 12 macrocosms in which climatic conditions for the 2050s were simulated (i.e., +2.3°C and 33 mm less precipitation compared to the current climatic conditions). Six of them were subjected to ambient CO₂ (390 ppm) while the other six were subjected to elevated CO₂ (520 ppm). After four months, an extreme climatic event (ECE) consisting of four weeks of reducted precipitation (-50%) followed by two …

Effects Of Climate Variability On Wild Edible Plant Products: A Coping Strategy Applied By Pastoralists Of Northern Kenya, A. W. Kagunyu, J. W. Wanjohi

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Drought which is a manifestation of climate variability has become a perennial problem in Kenya with chronic vulnerability being concentrated in Arid and Semi-Arid lands (ASALs). Traditionally, pastoralists have used wild edible plant products namely; fruits, vegetables and seeds as a coping strategy while faced by climate related calamities. However, recent studies have shown that pastoralists’ traditional coping strategies have become weak as a result of recurrent droughts. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the effects of climate variability on wild edible plant products. This study applied; household interviews (n=400), focus group discussions and key informant interviews …

Drought Mitigation In Bundelkahand Grassland Ecosystem For Improving Livelihood Of Farming Community-A Case Study, N. S. Pasricha, P. K. Ghosh

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Bundelkhand grassland ecosystem (23º20´ and 26°20´N latitude and 78°20´ and 81°40´E longitude) is an undulating rain fed region (annual rain fall, 768-1087 mm) spread over an area of 7.08 m ha in central India in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This region has to support 16 million human and 8.5 million animal populations. Area is prone to surface run off losses, severe soil erosion and increasingly more drought events, leading to only mono-cropping. Lively-hood of the people, which is mainly the live-stock rearing and marginal agriculture, is at stake. In-situ conservation of rain water, forage management, …

Auxin/Cytokinin Antagonistic Control Of The Shoot/Root Growth Ratio And Its Relevance For Adaptation To Drought And Nutrient Deficiency Stresses, Jasmina Kurepa, Jan A. Smalle

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

The hormones auxin and cytokinin regulate numerous aspects of plant development and often act as an antagonistic hormone pair. One of the more striking examples of the auxin/cytokinin antagonism involves regulation of the shoot/root growth ratio in which cytokinin promotes shoot and inhibits root growth, whereas auxin does the opposite. Control of the shoot/root growth ratio is essential for the survival of terrestrial plants because it allows growth adaptations to water and mineral nutrient availability in the soil. Because a decrease in shoot growth combined with an increase in root growth leads to survival under drought stress and nutrient limiting …

Considering Natural Baselines When Calculating Livestock Impacts Point To A Negligible Role Of Grass-Fed Livestock Systems In Climate Change, P. Manzano, S. R. White

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The use of baselines is common in a variety of academic disciplines, including environmental science, but they are subjected to relativity depending on the geographical or historical reference considered. Such considerations are illustrated by how invasive species are evaluated or what reference baselines are considered in biodiversity assessments.

The measurement of livestock effects on climate change has, however, disregarded the use of baselines. Current methodology is based exclusively on greenhouse gas emissions by individual animals, without putting them in their ecological context. As a consequence, current analyses of livestock impacts put grass-fed ruminant systems in the spotlight, because of their …

Comparative Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics In Tropical And Subtropical Grassland Ecosystems, N. S. Pasricha, P. K. Ghosh

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Grassland ecosystems play significant role in mitigating the climate change by sequestering atmospheric CO₂. One fifth of the total terrestrial C is stored in the root zone of grasslands as soil organic carbon. However, because of lack of proper management, overgrazing, and conversion to crop lands, these grasslands are becoming a source of CO₂ emissions. It has been observed that in Imperata grasslands of Northeast India, a third of total C captured annually is lost though CO₂ emissions. In the absence of intensified grazing and burning, these grasslands exhibit significantly high capacity to store SOC stocks. …

Climate Change Threats To Semi-Arid Transhumance Grazing Systems: Proposals For Adaptation In Cabo Verde, J. F. Castro, S. Tavares, M. Castro

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Global warming has changed the rainfall regime in the Sahelian region, endangering and widespread poverty and chronic famines in Cape Verde, where rural communities' well-being and food security depend on rainy agriculture. Local responses to rainfall new patterns and scarcity have been livestock reduction with significant revenue losses. Together with dry mist occurrences, these environmental constraints demand to define priority actions to adapt and mitigate climate change's direct impacts. According to fifty household inquiries, this work explains the transhumant grazing practices on a semi-arid plateau in Tarrafal (Santiago, Cabo Verde), prospecting adaptation alternatives for sustainability. We related grazing patterns and …

Wild Red Deer Benefit The Conservation Of European Semi-Natural Open Habitats, F. Riesch, Bettina Tonn, Marcus Meißner, Sven Herzog, Niko Balkenhol, J. Isselstein

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Traditional land use practices have shaped European landscapes for millennia. Agricultural intensification and declining popularity of pastoral farming in the past century have resulted in a tremendous loss of extensively used open landscapes and associated biodiversity. Today, conservation management needs to prevent secondary succession of many open habitats. Large or inaccessible target areas unsuitable for conventional conservation measures might benefit from grazing by wild herbivores, which do not require fencing nor regular welfare monitoring. In a military training area in Germany, we studied the quantitative and qualitative effects of wild red deer in two protected open habitat types (lowland hay …

Causal Factors Of Breeding Success And Frequency In Threatened Grassland Birds On The Ingula Nature Reserve, South Africa, R. B. Colyn, C. Pienaar, H. Smit-Robinson, K. Chetty

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The high-altitude grasslands covering the eastern escarpment of South Africa is one of the country’s most valuable habitats for biodiversity, livestock and water production. The habitat hosts several threatened bird species including endangered species such as the Rudd's Lark (Heteromirafra ruddi) and Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum), and vulnerable species such as the Blue Crane (Grus paradisea), Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus), Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus), and Yellow-breasted Pipit (Anthus chloris). Avian research and monitoring have been ongoing within the recently declared Ingula Nature Reserve for more than …

Animal Performance In Signalgrass Monoculture Or In Silvopastoral Systems, I. A. Gomes Da Silva, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., A. C. L. De Melo, Márcio V. Da Cunha, Mércia V. F. Dos Santos, V. X. O. Apolinário, Erinaldo Viana De Freitas, S. B. M. Costa

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Silvopastoral systems (SPS) can increase overall productivity and long-term income due to the simultaneous production of trees, forage, and livestock. This 2-yr study evaluated animal performance and herbage responses in C4-grass monoculture or in SPS in the sub-humid tropical region of Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete block with three replications. Treatments were: Urochloa decumbens (Stapf.) R. Webster (Signalgrass) + Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth (SPS-Mimosa); Signalgrass + Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp (SPS-Gliricidia); and Signalgrass monoculture (SM). Response variables included herbage and livestock responses. Cattle were managed under continuous stocking with variable stocking rate. There was interaction between treatment …

Legume And Nitrogen Fertilization Affect Animal Performance And Enteric Methane Emission Of Nellore Heifers, B. G. C. Homem, I. B. G. Lima, P. P. Spasiani, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., A. Berndt, D. R. Casagrande

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Methane emission from livestock operation is an important source of greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming. Forage legume secondary compounds may mitigate methane emissions by reducing methanogenic population in the rumen. This study evaluated animal performance and methane emission from beef cattle grazing either a mixed pasture [Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu (palisadegrass) and Arachis pintoi (forage peanut) cv. BRS Mandobi] or a palisadegrass monoculture with or without nitrogen (N) fertilisation. A 2.5-yr continuous stocking experiment was carried out in southeast Brazil, on a randomized complete block design with three treatments and four replicates. Two Nellore heifers were used …

People-Environment Trade-Offs In Managing Communal Rangelands Of South Africa, J. E. Bennett, S. Lemke, T. Marandure

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Communal rangelands in South Africa support a range of ecosystem services including water provision, carbon sequestration and livestock production for different stakeholders. Delivering these in a sustainable and socially appropriate manner necessarily requires trade-offs to be made between the different environmental and social outcomes required. We draw on empirical fieldwork and a two-day participatory stakeholder workshop to report on the early stages of a project evaluating these trade-offs in communal rangelands of the uMzimvubu catchment in Eastern Cape Province. Our findings suggest that trade-offs will be necessary at a variety of different levels within this system. For example, a key …

Using Low-Fix Rate Gps Telemetry To Expand Estimates Of Ungulate Reproductive Success, Nathan D. Hooven, Kathleen E. Williams, John T. Hast, Joseph R. Mcdermott, R. Daniel Crank, Gabe Jenkins, Matthew T. Springer, John J. Cox

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Background

Population parameters such as reproductive success are critical for sustainably managing ungulate populations, however obtaining these data is often difficult, expensive, and invasive. Movement-based methods that leverage Global Positioning System (GPS) relocation data to identify parturition offer an alternative to more invasive techniques such as vaginal implant transmitters, but thus far have only been applied to relocation data with a relatively fine (one fix every  < 8 h) temporal resolution. We employed a machine learning method to classify parturition/calf survival in cow elk in southeastern Kentucky, USA, using 13-h GPS relocation data and three simple movement metrics, training a random forest on cows that successfully reared their calf to a week old.

Results

We developed a decision rule based upon a predicted probability threshold across individual cow time series, accurately classifying 89.5% (51/57) of cows with a known reproductive status. When used to infer status of …

Soil Health – It's Not All Biology, Mark S. Coyne, E. M. Pena-Yewtukhiw, John H. Grove, A. C. Sant'anna, D. Mata-Padrino

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil Health research tends to bias to a biology/microbiology emphasis. We believe this bias neglects important physical and chemical interactions in soil that are crucial to soil function. We offer several examples illustrating this bias, and how it may misrepresent management practices that have the greatest influence on Soil Health. Four suggestions are given as approaches to mitigate this bias. By appreciating soil structure as a foundation for Soil Health and its microbial community, we believe better recommendations can be made to assist the farm community in its stewardship of soil as a critical natural resource.

Automatic Segmentation Of Sinkholes Using A Convolutional Neural Network, Muhammad Usman Rafique, Junfeng Zhu, Nathan Jacobs

Faculty, Staff, and Affiliated Publications--KGS

Sinkholes are the most abundant surface features in karst areas worldwide. Understanding sinkhole occurrences and characteristics is critical for studying karst aquifers and mitigating sinkhole-related hazards. Most sinkholes appear on the land surface as depressions or cover collapses and are commonly mapped from elevation data, such as digital elevation models (DEMs). Existing methods for identifying sinkholes from DEMs often require two steps: locating surface depressions and separating sinkholes from non-sinkhole depressions. In this study, we explored deep learning to directly identify sinkholes from DEM data and aerial imagery. A key contribution of our study is an evaluation of various ways …

Automatic Segmentation Of Sinkholes Using A Convolutional Neural Network, Muhammad Usman Rafique, Junfeng Zhu, Nathan Jacobs

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Sinkholes are the most abundant surface features in karst areas worldwide. Understanding sinkhole occurrences and characteristics is critical for studying karst aquifers and mitigating sinkhole-related hazards. Most sinkholes appear on the land surface as depressions or cover collapses and are commonly mapped from elevation data, such as digital elevation models (DEMs). Existing methods for identifying sinkholes from DEMs often require two steps: locating surface depressions and separating sinkholes from non-sinkhole depressions. In this study, we explored deep learning to directly identify sinkholes from DEM data and aerial imagery. A key contribution of our study is an evaluation of various ways …

How Does N Fertilization Or Forage Legumes Affect Forage And Animal Production?, B. G. C. Homem, I. B. G. Lima, P. P. Spasiani, José C. B. Dubeux Jr., R. M. Boddey, D. R. Casagrande

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Livestock grazing in tropical climates is characterized by low productivity. Forage and animal production can be improved by applying nitrogen (N) fertiliser or using forage legumes. This 2.5-yr study assessed the canopy structure and productivity of beef cattle grazing either a mixed pasture of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu (palisadegrass) and Arachis pintoi (forage peanut) cv. BRS Mandobi or a Marandu palisade grass monoculture with or without N fertilisation. The experiment was carried out in Southeast Brazil, where the canopy structure (herbage mass) and animal productivity (stocking rate and liveweight gain per ha) were compared for three types of pastures: 1) …

Managing Vegetation In Grasslands Habitats To Meet Livestock Or Wildlife Objectives, B. Sleugh, S. Flynn, D. C. Cummings, W. Hatler, D. Hillger, C. Hart

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Sustainably stewarding grassland systems involves applying various practices to manipulate forage interactions with other plants, the environment, and grazing animals to meet resource manager objectives. These interactions can result in invasion or encroachment and increased abundance of weeds which hinder attainment of management objectives. Weeds influence the structure and function of pasture ecosystems whether forages are grown in improved pastures, rangeland, or grassland communities. They degrade pasture quality and reduce livestock performance by interfering with forage establishment, yield, and quality by competing for resources. Weeds reduce the feed value of forage, decrease pasture carrying capacity, and can be toxic or …

Long-Term Changes In Dry Matter Yield In Variety Trials Of Forage Species In Sweden, Magnus A. Halling

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Using results from official variety testing in Sweden, long-term changes (1964-2018) in total annual dry matter (DM) yield for pure stands of red clover (Trifolium pratense) and timothy (Phleum pratense) were analysed and compared for two Swedish trial site areas: a central area (59.6-61.5°N) and a southern area (55.5-57.0°N). All trials were managed using a standard protocol, with only minor changes over time. On average for all varieties of timothy in the trials, there was an increase of 91.6 kg ha^-1 in total DM yield in the first harvest year, probably due to genetically improved …

Kentucky’S Comprehensive Outreach Program For Horse Pasture Management And Education, Krista Lea, S. Ray Smith

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The University of Kentucky (UK) Horse Pasture Evaluation Program began in 2005 to improve pasture quality and quantity on Kentucky horse farms. This on-farm program collects detailed data of pasture species composition, tests for tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.) toxicity, and provides farm managers with comprehensive recommendations for management. Species composition is determined using the occupancy method. In 2019, the UK Horse Pasture Health Score Card was developed to provide useful, survey-level information on pastures and allow evaluators to cover far more acres in less time, requiring fewer resources. The objective of this research was to compare accuracy …

Increasing Precipitation Decreases Water Use Efficiency Of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) In A Semiarid Region, H. Ni, H. K. Chu, X. F. Lai, J. Q. Deng, Yuying Shen

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plays an important role within the integrated farming systems in Northwestern Loess Plateau of China, because of its traits on a high productivity, prolonged growing season, and excellent nutritive value. However, water use efficiency (WUE) is a crucial indicator for forage production under different water conditions in the semiarid regions. To explore the responses of alfalfa growth and water use to precipitation variability, we set precipitation shelters to manipulate precipitation scenario as 30% precipitation increased (P+30), normal precipitation (CK), and 30% precipitation decreased (P-30) with the measurement of dry matter yield and soil water content. …

Improving Pasture Productivity And Persistence By Renovating Or Rejuvenating, A. Omokanye, D. Westerlund, G. Hernandez-Ramirez

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Forages make up a large part of the feed requirements of beef cattle, and grazing remains the most economical form of feed delivery. However, several years after pasture establishment, forage productivity and longevity usually decline. Maintaining productive forage stands in the long term becomes a major challenge that beef producers face. A 3-yr on-farm study was conducted to determine the comparative effects of several pasture rejuvenation methods, such as spraying of herbicides to control weeds and brush, Spray herbicide + direct seed in spring (RSS), forage seeding methods, fertilizer application (FERT), and pasture rest as well as aeration/spiking in fall …

Improving Forage Production Quantity And Quality Using Native Legume Species In Semi-Arid Agrosilvopastoral System, M. Louhaichi, S. Slim, M. Gamoun, S. Hassan, J. Kailene, I. Hamdaoui

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Agrosilvopastoral systems provide a range of livelihood services, either directly through forage production or indirectly by the beneficial effects on soil conservation, nutrient cycling, pollutant filtering, and biodiversity enhancement. Hence, improved silvopastoral systems have ample scope to rehabilitate degraded pastures to sustain livestock production, which remains a strong pillar for the livelihoods of the agrosilvopastoral communities. To evaluate the impact of Hedysarum coronarium L. (sulla) reseeding on pasture productivity, plant cover and plant density in semi-arid silvopastoral systems, an experiment was carried out in Sbaihia Site, Zaghouan Governorate, Tunisia during 2018-2019 growing season. The experiment was laid out under a …

Improvement Of Feeding Value Of Quinoa Stalk With White Rot Fungi Treatment, M. Hanada, T. Egi, S. Muyila, J. Njiolomba, Y. Tokura

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of white rot fungi treatment on feeding value of quinoa stalk. In trial 1, quinoa stalk was inoculated with Pleurotus osteratus (PO) or Pleurotus citrinopileatus (PC) at 25 °C for 90 days, and chemical composition and hardness of the stalk were measured. In trial 2, quinoa stalk was inoculated with PO, and incubated at 10 and 25 °C for 60, 90 and 120 days. After incubation, the chemical composition and hardness of the stalk were measured. In trial 1, acid detergent lignin (ADL) content in the stalk decreased in both treatments, and …

Impact Of Abnormal Climate Events On The Production Of Italian Ryegrass As A Season In The Republic Of Korea, M. Kim, J. Y. Kim, M. H. Jo, H. Jo, K. Sung

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

This study aimed to assess the impact of abnormal climate events on the production of Italian ryegrass (IRG), such as autumn low-temperature, severe winter cold and spring droughts in the central inland, southern inland and southern coastal regions. Seasonal climatic variables, including temperature, precipitation, wind speed, relative humidity, and sunshine duration, were used to set the abnormal climate events using principal component analysis, and the abnormal climate events were distinguished from normal using Euclidean-distance cluster analysis. Furthermore, to estimate the impact caused by abnormal climate events, the dry matter yield (DMY) of IRG between abnormal and normal climate events was …