Large-scale bush encroachment within rangelands is of increasing concern for land users. The aggressive encroachment of the woody shrub Seriphium plumosum (L.) Thunb. (Asteraceae), previously known as Stoebe plumosa, has resulted in a reduction in productivity, causing large socio-economic challenges, such as loss of productive land. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of four herbicides in combination

The performance of rainfed-based Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Urochloa maxima and Panicum maximum) was investigated in the semi-arid pastures of Sudan. Split-plot complete design experiments with three replications were applied for two consecutive seasons (2020–2021). The treatments were two in situ rainwater harvesting systems [i.e. ridges plus terraces (RD) and terraces (TR)], three seeding rates (i

Calobota sericea (Thunb.) Boatwr. & B.-E.van Wyk (Fabaceae) is a native legume from the semi-arid rangelands of South Africa. The species has been prioritised as a forage for water-limited agro-ecological areas. No information regarding the nutritional quality of C. sericea forage harvested at different phenological stages is currently available, limiting our knowledge as to the best time to harvest

In this study, we examined forage, soil and cattle serum mineral status, and their relationships in severely (SD) and less severely (LSD) degraded rangelands, South Africa. Such evidence is essential to inform rangeland policies and interventions. In each rangeland, three villages were identified, and sites near, at intermediate and far distance from homesteads were selected. Soil from LSD had generally

(2022). Only in Africa: The Ecology of Human Evolution. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

(2022). Rewilding – the Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

(2022). The Pyrocene: How We Created an Age of Fire, and What Happens Next. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

A 3 × 2 factorial study was conducted in 2015, 2016 and 2017, to assess the impact of dry season cutting management on fodder yield and quality of Napier grass. Three harvesting times (November, January and March) and two stubble- cutting heights (20 and 30 cm) were used in the study. The results revealed that the dry matter (DM) yield and leaf:stem ratio records in 2015 and 2016 were much higher than

Evidently, bush encroachment caused by factors, such as overgrazing, results in a change in savanna ecosystems. This shift in vegetation structure can affect many factors, including insect fauna. Epigeal arthropods occupy smaller habitat patches and therefore respond to the effects of bush encroachment at finer scales. Different restoration efforts to combat bush encroachment have been implemented

(2022). Lessons from a century of evidence-based fire management in grassy ecosystems. African Journal of Range & Forage Science: Vol. 39, Friend or Foe? Lessons from a century of evidence-based fire management in grassy ecosystems, pp. v-vii.

Southern Africa is dominated by fire-prone arid and semi-arid landscapes that are expected to experience increased maximum temperatures, rainfall variation and frequency of extreme rainfall events in the future. These conditions will affect fire and vegetation dynamics, but feedback and interactions among fire, rainfall and woody cover limit our ability to predict future ecosystem changes. Moreover

This study evaluated the bromatological and histological features of native African grasses under grazing in Brazilian semi-arid rangelands. An experimental grid design was used in a randomised sampling method for four replicate samples of three African grasses. The grasses evaluated were: Cenchrus ciliaris L., Digitaria pentzii Stent. and Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.). The bromatological and histological

Fire plays an important role in the ecology of tropical grasslands globally. However, detailed studies comparing the response of plant functional groups to fire seasonality, and thus phenological timing, are scarce from humid Afrotropical grasslands. Such information, however, is crucial for understanding what keeps the grasslands open and for enabling evidence-based management, and conservation. We

This paper provides a history of attempts to understand and manage fire in the grasslands and savannas of eastern and southern Africa from c. 1900 to 2010. Given the brevity of the paper and the author’s expertise, there is a focus on science and management in South Africa, though wider networks of research and expertise across the region are discussed. There is a focus on a few key figures like Charles

Fire is a key regulator of tree cover in grassy ecosystems, but century-long changes in fire regimes have not been explicitly quantified in South Africa. This study aimed to determine changes in the fire regimes of South Africa’s grassy biomes over the past century in response to widespread human-induced changes. Using spatially explicit data, we employed random forest models to examine the importance

(2022). 50 Grasses of the Limpopo Valley - Visual identification guide. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

Nutrient enrichment influences grassland ecosystem structure, typically manifested by reduced species richness and increased productivity. Quantifying the long-term impacts of nutrient enrichment on grasslands contributes to understanding eutrophication effects on grassland, particularly for grasslands adapted to low soil nutrient status. Overextended time periods, nutrient enrichment may modify soil

Across much of southern Africa’s savanna wildernesses, wildfires burn unchecked. This is particularly true in the woodland savannas of northern Botswana, where wildfires originate outside of management activities, and are left to burn uncontrolled, because of limited resources and remoteness. There is concern that severe annual wildfires are resulting in the ‘savannisation’ of large tracts of wooded

This study aimed to quantify forage yield, economic performance, biological efficiency and competitive ability in cactus intercropped with millet, compared with their monocrops, both with and without mulch, under irrigation. The experiment was conducted over two years in semi-arid of Brazil. The experimental design was of randomised blocks with four replications and six treatments: monocropped cactus

Human-set fires are a crucial component of African savannas, affecting ecosystem structure, carbon emissions, local hazards and livelihoods. Yet, most fire research in these ecosystems focuses on the fire ecology of protected areas. Research exploring fire regimes in inhabited landscapes remains limited, undermining opportunities for culturally and environmentally sustainable fire management. To address

Vegetation cover estimates for trees, shrub-grass mosaics, and grassland and bare ground, were quantified in the savanna-woodland of Bwabwata National Park, north-east Namibia. Changes in woody cover were analysed using repeat photographs in combination with aerial photographs and recent satellite imagery taken between 1996 and 2019. Cover estimates for each vegetation type were obtained using object-based

We document changes in rangeland during a prolonged drought in the arid Karoo. Rangeland in this arid region is species-rich and dominated by a mixture of long-lived succulent and non-succulent shrubs. Ranching has led to the domination of vegetation by less palatable species, and resting does little to restore diversity because most species are long-lived. Between 2015 and 2020, a combination of rising

Fire has been an integral evolutionary force shaping and maintaining grassy biomes, such as the Afromontane grasslands of South Africa. Afromontane grasslands represent a large carbon reservoir, but it is uncertain how fire affects their long-term C storage. We investigated the effect of fire regime on soil organic C and N (SOC; SON) in a long-term (39-year) burning experiment in the Maloti-Drakensberg

Human alteration of fire regimes is a hallmark of the Anthropocene; yet few studies have fully explored the implications of utilizing high-intensity fires in grasslands and savannas to manage shrub encroachment. Decades of fire research in South Africa inspired a unique convergence of high-intensity fire experiments in the USA. In the Great Plains of North America, high-intensity fire trials were designed

African grassy biomes evolved together with fire and have a long history of human manipulation of fire, yet few rangeland studies acknowledge the role of prehistoric fire in shaping contemporary ecological patterns. Nevertheless, prehistoric fire records have been used elsewhere as invaluable environmental contexts for practitioners in fire management, ecosystem restoration and climate change. Therefore

Short-duration overnight kraaling has been suggested as a tool for restoring degraded rangelands. However, the response of different plant functional types and communities to such intense livestock impact may vary depending on local context. We thus examined the effects of short-duration overnight kraaling on soil and vegetation characteristics in a mesic montane grassland in South Africa using paired

(2022). Fieldwork Ready: An Introductory Guide to Field Research for Agriculture, Environment and Soil Scientists. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

(2022). A tribute to Winston Smuts Watts Trollope – a firebrand and visionary in fire research. African Journal of Range & Forage Science: Vol. 39, Friend or Foe? Lessons from a century of evidence-based fire management in grassy ecosystems, pp. viii-x.

This study was conducted to identify the available goat feed resources for smallholder farmers in the semi-arid region of Zimbabwe. An ecological rangeland assessment was combined with participatory research methods to determine the diversity of feed resources in two wards of the Beitbridge District, namely Chamunangana and Joko. One hundred and twenty households were surveyed. All farmers depended

This study aimed to provide preliminary information regarding the nutritional quality of Calobota sericea, a preferred perennial legume forage species from the water-limited rangelands of South Africa. Calobota sericea plant samples were collected from the Namaqualand rangelands in the wet and dry season and analysed for secondary compounds, fibre, protein and mineral nutrient content. The results

Certain grasses show potential for the rehabilitation of coalmine spoils. Species selection and evaluation are used to guide the choice of the most appropriate grass species. This study evaluated the germination performance of seven forage grass species, with some represented by two varieties, under varying salinity conditions of 0 (distilled H2O), 100, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1 000 mS m−1 of NaCl.

Contemporary evidence shows biotic factors play a prominent role in the soil health and the provision of soil functions. Herbaceous grassland species differ in their modulation of soil communities, effects on soil components, as well the processes they interact with or regulate. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of different plant species communities on soil health, as quantified by

(2021). Shaping Addo: The Story of a South African National Park. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

(2021). Natural Resource Management Reimagined: Using the Systems Ecology Paradigm. African Journal of Range & Forage Science. Ahead of Print.

Panicum coloratum is a species of C4 type grass native to South Africa. In Argentina, it is valued for its production of good quality forage in environments where resources are limiting, although it is infrequently cultivated in livestock systems. The purpose of this study was to estimate the narrow sense heritability (h2) of the caryopses fall character using the Progeny-Parent Regression method and

Livestock grazing intensity gradients associated with sheep holder shelters influenced the longevity of rangelands vegetation. This study aimed to examine the effects of livestock grazing pressure on vegetation structure and diversity with distance from herder shelters. Six shelters were sampled. From each herder shelter, a grazing gradient was set aligned to the contour lines. Along each grazing gradient

Fire plays an important role in maintaining the savanna tree-grass balance by limiting the recruitment of heat-sensitive tree seedlings. However, fire behaviour may change under increasing CO2 concentrations, due to altered flammability of the grassy layer. Here, we determined the effect of predicted future CO2 concentrations, and how it interacts with water-availability, on grass flammability and

Fire can destroy infrastructure and livelihoods, and claim lives. Yet, fire is inevitable and plays several vital ecological roles that have shaped ecosystems over millennia. Planned fires also serve human needs. Critical media content analysis of 390 media reports (print, online and broadcast) on fires in South African National Parks over a three-year period were used to investigate the portrayal

(2022). The Uncommon Knowledge of Elinor Ostrom: Essential Lessons for Collective Action. African Journal of Range & Forage Science: Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 246-247.

What are the spatio-temporal characteristics of a fire pattern that is allowed to develop over time across a species- rich, predominantly grassy landscape? More than 1 300 fires were documented over 13 years in the 48 000 ha Songimvelo Game Reserve in the Barberton Mountainland, South Africa. Most fires were set by pastoralists and were uncontrolled. Lightning fires and prescribed burns made up <2%

Fire and herbivory are major drivers in tropical savanna ecosystems and they selected a flora composed of species able to cope with recurrent aboveground biomass removal. Renewal of the herbaceous stratum is made possible by resprouting, mostly through a belowground bud bank. Evaluating the impacts of disturbances on the bud bank can assist in predicting post-disturbance responses and system resilience

This study was conducted to identify the available goat feed resources for smallholder farmers in the semi-arid region of Zimbabwe. An ecological rangeland assessment was combined with participatory research methods to determine the diversity of feed resources in two wards of the Beitbridge District, namely Chamunangana and Joko. One hundred and twenty households were surveyed. All farmers depended

The aim of this study was to evaluate morphophysiological indices, phenology and cutting time of forage cactus (Opuntia and Nopalea spp.) clones intercropped with sorghum cultivars (Sorghum bicolor). The experiment was carried out from 2017 to 2018, in two cropping systems (monocropping and intercropping), comprising 12 treatments, consisted of three cactus clones: ‘IPA Sertânia’—IPA, ‘Miúda’—Miu and

Tajikistan’s rangelands are mostly mountainous and consist of summer and winter pastures. Vegetation structure and composition in these diverse landscapes are generally influenced by environmental factors. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of aspect on vegetation characteristics of two mountainous pastures (summer and winter) over two seasons (autumn and spring) in Tajikistan. A

Calobota sericea is a native legume of South Africa, confined to the water-limited rangelands, and it has recently been prioritised for additional characterisation regarding its pasture potential. In this study, we examined the growth characteristics of C. sericea under glasshouse conditions where water limitation was implemented at different plant ages, and for different durations. Results indicate

Treeless grasslands occur within landscapes that are predominantly wooded savannas in the central Kruger National Park, South Africa. As a first step in identifying soil properties potentially underpinning differences in vegetation structure in these landscapes, we analysed the soil chemistry of the pedoderm (0–2 cm) in a grassland and two adjacent savanna types (Senegalia savanna and Delagoa Lowveld)

The small tree, Dichrostachys cinerea, occurs in dense patches within grasslands on gabbro-derived soils in the southern Kruger National Park. It is not known whether soil properties in the grasslands affect tree establishment. As a first step in identifying soil properties potentially underpinning differences in vegetation structure, we analysed the soil chemistry of the pedoderm (0–2 cm) in Dichrostachys

The woody plant, Colophospermum mopane, occurs as either a shrub or tree in shrublands and woodlands, respectively, in the central Kruger National Park, South Africa. As a first step in identifying which soil properties potentially influence the structure of C. mopane in these landscapes, we investigated the soil chemistry of the pedoderm in shrublands and woodlands. A total of 39 composite pedoderm

Treed savannas and treeless grasslands occur across Mokala National Park, South Africa. To identify soil properties potentially underpinning these marked differences in vegetation structure, we analysed the soil chemistry of 27 composite pedoderm samples in both savannas and grasslands. Savannas had a greater pH and greater mean concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Na and C compared with

The Gamka Karoo is a low-lying vegetation type in the semi-arid Nama Karoo in the south-western part of South Africa with extensive rangelands used for livestock ranching and wildlife. Although the Nama Karoo is generally resilient to grazing and most responsive to variable rainfall, chronic overstocking, particularly in the driest regions and around water points, could degrade vegetation and soils

(2022). Nourishment – What animals can teach us about rediscovering our nutritional wisdom. African Journal of Range & Forage Science: Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 244-245.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of maize (Zea mays L.) carbohydrate contents and the estimates of milk production on different storage periods. The experimental design was completely randomised, with four treatments (storage time), each replicated four times. We observed a reduction in non-fibrous carbohydrates and an increase in the fibrous fraction, whereas starch plus soluble

The ecological and economical importance of African grasses in sustaining animal production prompted studies to quantify the wealth of grass genetic resources indigenous to southern Africa. Plant collection and occurrence data were extracted from two southern African datasets, BODATSA and PHYTOBAS, and analysed to establish biogeographical patterns in the grass flora indigenous to South Africa, Lesotho

Diseases have emerged as one of the major challenges of Brachiaria production in Africa. Nine Brachiaria cultivars were evaluated for leaf rust, leaf spot and leaf blight diseases and agronomic performances in two agro-ecological zones of Rwanda. The relationships between agronomic traits and area under diseases progress curve (AUDPC) were determined using Pearson correlation analysis. Cultivars differed

This study evaluated the interactive effects of low rates (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg N ha−1) of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application and stage of maturity on total N, N fractions and in vitro ruminal N degradability in Brachiaria hybrid, Megathyrsus maximus and Paspalum atratum. The grasses were harvested at 4, 8 and 12 weeks regrowth, except for P. atratum that was harvested at 6 and 12 weeks. There was

(2021). Handbook of Citizen Science in Ecology and Conservation. African Journal of Range & Forage Science: Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 296-297.

Long-term protection of arid ecosystems changes the vegetation and soil structures. The quantification of aboveground biomass and carbon content are among the principal indicators to evaluate these changes. Most methods used to quantify these parameters are costly, time consuming and destructive. In this paper, two non-destructive methods were compared: digital image processing and biometric measurements

(2022). Ecology of fire-dependent ecosystems: wildland fire science, policy and management. African Journal of Range & Forage Science: Vol. 39, Friend or Foe? Lessons from a century of evidence-based fire management in grassy ecosystems, pp. 189-190.