2,693 research outputs found
Complex Rangeland Systems: Integrated Social-Ecological Approaches to Silvopastoralism
No full textCrossing disciplinary boundaries, particularly between social and ecological sciences, challenges those seeking to contribute to solving complex and multidimensional environmental problems on rangelands. In this Special Issue we present a set of 13 papers that to varying degrees attempt to integrate, or bring together, diverse approaches across disciplines to understand silvopastoral systems. The papers are about rangelands in numerous countries and regions, including Spain, Estonia, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, the United States, Latin America, and Sweden. Silvopastoral systems provide ecosystem goods and services important to communities, cultures, and society. Management deliberately exploits the diversity fostered by rangeland systems that mix woody species with a well-developed herbaceous understory, offering a greater diversity of products, species, vegetation structural characteristics, and habitat components than either grassland or forest. Biodiversity often peaks at the intermediate levels of tree and shrub cover characteristic of silvopastoral systems. We introduce the papers grouped by four overarching topics: 1) typologies and scales, 2) social-ecological interactions, 3) integrated management, and 4) multiple knowledge systems. Unfortunately, silvopastoral systems often run afoul of ongoing intensification and simplification trends in agricultural production that reduce their economic and ecological resilience. Privately owned systems, the most common in this issue, are subject to the need for owner income. Finding ways to support the benefits of these systems for the public is difficult, as management traditions must be conserved as well as the land. We hope this issue illustrates the value of multifunctional systems and offers insights into how they work.The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information
Incorporating measures of grassland productivity into efficiency estimates for livestock grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China
No full textIncorporating an ecological variable for the productive capacity of the grassland into the production function is a new step toward conducting technical efficiency analysis for livestock grazing. This variable is generated using remotely sensed net primary productivity (NPP) data and available grassland area, and entitled as grassland total NPP capacity. With the one-step approach of using a multi-output, multi-input stochastic input-oriented distance function based on field survey data combined with NPP data, we estimated the technical efficiency of livestock grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau using two measurements related to ecological performance, an environmental performance indicator and environmental efficiency. The average technical efficiency is estimated to be 0.837 when considering grassland total NPP capacity, implying that livestock grazing inputs can be decreased by 16.3% without any reduction in outputs. The average environmental performance indicator is estimated to be 0.013, representing the effects in association with NPP per unit grassland. Environmental efficiency is about 0.123, meaning there might be overuse of grassland total NPP capacity in livestock grazing, in terms of overuse of grassland size or overuse of NPP per unit grassland. Understanding relationship between technical efficiency and ecological performance would be helpful for balancing local economic development and environmental protection
Technical efficiency and the impact of grassland use right leasing on livestock grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
No full textThis paper reviews changes in grassland property rights and measures the efficiency of livestock grazing on China’s Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, where there is an extensive nomadic grazing system. A cross sectional data set from a field survey of 197 livestock grazing households is used to develop a stochastic translog distance function and technical inefficiency model; variables for livestock intensity and property rights are incorporated. The overall average technical efficiency of the extensive livestock grazing is estimated to be 0.62, lower than the value of 0.67 found for households who rent-in grassland. The results indicate that renting-in grassland improves the technical efficiency of livestock grazing significantly. Both household size and livestock intensity have an effect on technical efficiency, especially the dummy variable of whether the summer pasture is near the winter pasture. This may indicate that grassland fragmentation would be not ideal for extensive livestock production on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
2019 Lynn University Commencement
No full textVideo of Lynn University\u27s 2019 Lynn University Commencement for all graduating students (undergraduates and graduates), held at the Palm Beach Convention Center in downtown West Palm Beach. The Commencement speaker was James Patterson, Best-selling author and philanthropist.https://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement-videos/1019/thumbnail.jp
2008 Lynn University Commencement - Undergraduate Day Students
No full textVideo of Lynn University\u27s 2008 Lynn University Commencement for Undergraduate Day Students, featuring Dee Dee Myers, Author, Commentator and Former Presidential Press Secretaryhttps://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement-videos/1017/thumbnail.jp
2020 & 2021 Lynn University Commencement Program [Unofficial]
No full textUnofficial Lynn University Commencement Exercises Program. This program was published only on the web and can be found here. Due to COVID-19, Lynn University\u27s Spring 2021 Commencement Exercises, were held virtually over YouTube on Saturday, May 15, 2021.
The commencement speaker was Lynn alumni Kuda Biza \u2709, \u2710, entrepreneur, author, speaker and philanthropist.
NOTE: The program available for download here was compiled and created by Lynn University\u27s Creative Services to aid the Lynn Archives in providing an easy access commencement guide for users.https://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement/1069/thumbnail.jp
2009 Lynn University Commencement - Graduate and Evening Undergrad Students
No full textVideo of Lynn University\u27s 2009 Lynn University Commencement for Graduate and Undergraduate Evening Students, featuring Jean Chatzky, Financial journalist, author and financial editor for NBC\u27s Today Show.https://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement-videos/1018/thumbnail.jp
2011 Lynn University Commencement - Graduate and Evening Undergrad Students
No full textVideo of Lynn University\u27s 2011 Lynn University Commencement for Graduate and Undergraduate Evening Students, featuring Lee Woodruff, Author / Contributing Editor, Good Morning America.https://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement-videos/1025/thumbnail.jp
2008 Lynn University Commencement - Graduate and Evening Undergrad Students
No full textVideo of Lynn University\u27s 2008 Lynn University Commencement for Graduate and Evening Undergrad Students, featuring Dee Dee Myers, Author, Commentator and Former Presidential Press Secretary.https://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement-videos/1040/thumbnail.jp
2019 Lynn University Commencement Program
No full textThe commencement program for Lynn University\u27s class of 2019. The ceremony, held on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Palm Beach Convention Center, included all graduating students (undergraduates and graduates).
The commencement speaker was James Patterson, best-selling author and philanthropist.https://spiral.lynn.edu/commencement/1067/thumbnail.jp
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