A social-ecological typology of rangelands based on rainfall variability and farming type

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

We present a social-ecological typlogy for the world's rangelands that integrates the much debated non-equilibrium concept from ecology with socio-economic characteristics of rangeland systems. We propose that, as a first approximation, the socio-economic properties can be adequately captured and differentiated by the distinction between the two main types of rangeland farming systems worldwide: subsistence and commercial farming. The resulting typology has four categories, which are ‘commercial equilibrium’, ‘commercial non-equilibrium’, ‘subsistence equilibrium’ and ‘subsistence non-equilibrium’. We provide and discuss examples for each category. Moreover, we point out how this typology might help to understand and address some of the problems related to unsustainable rangeland management. Finally, we provide and discuss a global map of rangelands that illustrates the geographic distribution of all four rangeland types.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Arid Environments
Volume148
Pages (from-to)65 - 73
Number of pages9
ISSN0140-1963
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.01.2018

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Strength matters
  2. Non-metric multidimensional performance indicator scaling reveals seasonal and team dissimilarity within the National Rugby League
  3. Role of perceived importance in intergroup contact
  4. Translating interventions to improve competence, motivation, and support of heating professionals to increase energy efficiency in Swiss buildings
  5. The Settlement of EEZ Fisheries Access Disputes under UNCLOS
  6. Toleranzedikt des Fetischismus
  7. Immanentism
  8. Accounting for Sustainability
  9. 1968
  10. Fireflies
  11. Long-term trends in tree-ring width and isotope signatures (δ13C, δ15N) of Fagus sylvatica L. on soils with contrasting water supply
  12. Das Langzeitpraktikum in Corona-Zeiten
  13. The Challenge of Long-Term Climate Change
  14. The “First Ones to Close and Last Ones to Re-Open”
  15. Magnesium
  16. 10 Minuten Soziologie: Materialität
  17. The causal effects of exports on firm size and labor productivity
  18. Kontingenzsensibilität
  19. Stability of phase transformation models for Ti-6Al-4V under cyclic thermal loading imposed during laser metal deposition
  20. Trust in government regarding COVID-19 and its associations with preventive health behaviour and prosocial behaviour during the pandemic
  21. § 35
  22. Refugee social work as remote EU border control? Externalization policies and social work in Niger
  23. Bioremediation of Chlorinated Pesticides in Field-Contaminated Soils and Suitability of Tenax Solid-Phase Extraction as a Predictor of Its Effectiveness
  24. Production planning with simulated annealing
  25. Der Noth gehorchend, nicht dem eignen Trieb
  26. Microstructures and mechanical properties of a hot-extruded Mg−8Gd−3Yb−1.2Zn−0.5Zr (wt%) alloy
  27. How smart do you think you are?
  28. Strategic control over the unhelpful effects of primed social categories and goals
  29. The debate on technique in the Kunstwissenschaft around 1900
  30. Does storytelling for sustainability work? An experiment
  31. Interpersonal conflicts in executive training
  32. Regulating Vessel Discharges on the International and EU Level
  33. Socio-technical transition governance and public opinion
  34. A Framework and Typology of Ecopreneurship
  35. Publicum
  36. Towards more impactful energy research
  37. The transcultural and artscience
  38. Polarisierung der Einkommen von Selbständigen?
  39. Affect is King