Development of accurate classification methods for rapidly changing catchments like that of Lake Basaka is fundamental to better understanding the catchment dynamics, which were not addressed in previous studies. Thus, the aim of this study was to map the decadal land use/cover (LUC) regimes of the Lake Basaka catchment, utilizing time series of LANDSAT images and to analyse the changes that occurred at different time periods. Both unsupervised and supervised image classification systems were utilized in Earth Resources Data Analysis System (ERDAS) Imagine (9.1).

After the rangeland law has been implemented, the areas used for field have been started to be converted to rangelands. A forage mixture of alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, perennial ryegrass, and smooth brome was sown in the rangeland of Hacıpehlivan village, Biga, Çanakkale in 2004 fall.

Historical domestic livestock grazing in sensitive landscapes has commonly been regarded as a major cause of land degradation in Iceland. Shieling areas, where milking livestock were taken to pasture for the summer, represented one element of grazing management and in this paper we consider the extent to which historical shieling-based grazing pressure contributed to land degradation.

Degradation of common pool resource (CPR) in developing countries has often been traced to high rate attached by poor people in discounting future flow of benefits, market failure, pressure on carrying capacity or sometimes property right failure. However, the concept of poorly enforced property right and particularly risk of eviction as a measure of insecurity of land tenure has not been adequately examined in the context of degradation of CPR.

Sedge dominated peatlands do not rehabilitate well after being drained for rangelands and specific approaches are required in order to restore these sites. Restoration by blocking drainage canals aims to recover peatland functions, principally by raising the water table. Field surveys in Ruoergai, China identified the status of peatland degradation and satellite image analysis concluded that most of Ruoergai's peatlands are degraded mainly due to drainage and overgrazing.

Testate amoebae represent a crucial component of soil microfauna and have been studied extensively in ombrotrophic peatlands. However, little is known about their ecology in moorlands which are important habitats in terms of biodiversity and carbon storage potential. Moorlands are under threat from a range of factors such as drainage, burning, over grazing, pollution and climate change.

BACKGROUND: Pastoralism in the USA began coincidently with the initiation of profound ecological change resulting from colonization in the sixteenth century. Relationships between pastoralism and wildlife conservation in three different contexts of land tenure, environmental legacy, and geography are examined. RESULTS: On the federal rangelands of the Intermountain West, based on limited scientific information, wildlife policy has been interpreted to require separation of native bighorn sheep from livestock to prevent disease transmission.

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) has potential to provide timely, and lower cost estimates of soil properties than current laboratory techniques. This study defined the capacity of NIRS to predict soil organic matter (SOM), total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) in native prairie (n = 3) and conventionally tilled wheat (n = 1) experimental paddocks (1.6 ha) in central Oklahoma under different forms of long-term (1978-2004) management. Samples were collected from paddocks along 150-m transects situated between a ridge and toe slope.

BACKGROUND: Pastoralism in the USA began coincidently with the initiation of profound ecological change resulting from colonization in the sixteenth century. Relationships between pastoralism and wildlife conservation in three different contexts of land tenure, environmental legacy, and geography are examined. RESULTS: On the federal rangelands of the Intermountain West, based on limited scientific information, wildlife policy has been interpreted to require separation of native bighorn sheep from livestock to prevent disease transmission.

Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador have substantial experience with implementing payments for ecosystem services (PES) and conservation incentive programs. Yet, many aspects of their experiences remain poorly understood and will require special attention in any new or expanded use of these types of incentives.

CCAFS got off to a strong start in 2011, releasing high?profile scientific results and helping achieve, in collaboration with multiple partners, a significant outcome in the global climate change negotiations. The full set of reports from Centers, Themes and Regions on which this CRP synthesis report is based are available here.

This study systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate how suitable existing farm and farm