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Monitoring ecological indicators of rangeland functional integrity and their relation to biodiversity at local to regional scales (2004)

LUDWIG, JOHN A. ; TONGWAY, DAVID J. ; BASTIN, GARY N. ; [et al.]

Oxford, UK : Blackwell Science, Ltd

Austral ecology 29 (2004), S. 0

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ISSN: 1442-9993

Source: Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Topics: Biology

Notes: Abstract Functional integrity is the intactness of soil and native vegetation patterns and the processes that maintain these patterns. In Australia's rangelands, the integrity of these patterns and processes have been modified by clearing, grazing and fire. Intuitively, biodiversity should be strongly related to functional integrity; that is, landscapes with high functional integrity should maintain biodiversity, and altered, less functional landscapes may lose some biodiversity, defined here as the variety and abundance of the plants, animals and microorganisms of concern. Simple indicators of biodiversity and functional integrity are needed that can be monitored at a range of scales, from fine to coarse. In the present paper, we use examples, primarily from published work on Australia's rangeland, to document that at finer patch and hillslope scales several indicators of landscape functional integrity have been identified. These indicators, based on the quantity and quality of vegetation patches and interpatch zones, are related to biodiversity. For example, a decrease in the cover and width (quantity) and condition (quality) of vegetation patches, and an increase in bare soil (quantity of interpatch) near cattle watering points in a paddock are significantly related to declines in plant and grasshopper diversity. These vegetation patch-cover and bare-soil indicators have been monitored traditionally by field-based methods, but new high-resolution, remote-sensing imagery can be used in specific rangeland areas for this fine-scale monitoring. At intermediate paddock and small watershed scales, indicators that can be derived from medium-resolution remote-sensing are also needed for efficient monitoring of rangeland condition (i.e. functional integrity) and biodiversity. For example, 30–100-m-pixel Landsat imagery has been used to assess the condition of rangelands along grazing gradients extending from watering-points. The variety and abundance of key taxa have been related to these gradients (the Biograze project). At still larger region and catchment scales, indicators of rangeland functional integrity can also be monitored by coarse-resolution remote-sensing and related to biodiversity. For example, the extent and greenness (condition) of different regional landscapes have been monitored with 1-km-pixel satellite imagery. This regional information becomes more valuable when it indicates differences as a result of land management. Finally, we discuss potential future developments that could improve proposed indicators of landscape functional integrity and biodiversity, thereby improving our ability to monitor rangelands effectively.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2004.01349.x

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Electronic Resource

Monitoring Australian Rangeland Sites Using Landscape Function Indicators and Ground- and Remote-Based Techniques (2000)

Ludwig, John A. ; Bastin, Gary N. ; Eager, Robert W. ; [et al.]

Springer

Environmental monitoring and assessment 64 (2000), S. 167-178

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ISSN: 1573-2959

Keywords: aerial videography ; ecological indicators ; landscape ecology ; monitoring techniques ; remote sensing ; tropical savannas

Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Topics: Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering

Notes: Abstract If the goal for managing rangelands is to achieve a balance between production and conservation, then monitoring is essential to detect change and apply corrective action. In some range-land areas of northern Australia, monitoring has detected a tilt in the production-conservation balance towards excessive production. How big is this imbalance? Can it shift back? Robust monitoring is needed to answer these questions. The aim is to know what to monitor, and where. For example, to detect changes caused by livestock on rangeland forage production and soil erosion, indicators linking grazing disturbances to landscape function are needed, that is, indicators that signal how well landscapes are capturing, concentrating, and utilizing scarce water, nutrient, and organic resources. Studies in Australia and the USA document that simple vegetation and soil patch attributes can be measured as indicators of the 'state of health' of landscape function. For example, field and remote sensing-based grazing studies in Australia document that landscapes with a high cover of perennial plant patches function effectively to capture runoff water and nutrients in sediments, whereas landscapes with a low cover of these patches do not — they are dysfunctional — as indicated by large patches of bare soil. Aerial videography is proving to be a robust technique for measuring indicators of landscape function such as small patches of vegetation and the extent of bare soil. These indicators typically have a sigmoidal response to grazing impacts. We illustrate that if these indicators are measured on monitoring sites established near the sigmoidal 'point of inflection’ then small changes in these indicators can be detected.

Type of Medium: Electronic Resource

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1006475825546

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