Debunking the myth of overgrazing and soil erosion

摘要: What is overgrazing? Does it cause soil erosion? The recent debate from the ecological literature reviewed as background to on overgrazing and erosion. This stresses need view dryland grazing systems dynamic ecosystems driven more by rainfall events than livestock numbers. case for erosion then examined. Two studies communal rangelands in Eastern Cape, South Africa, have cast doubts conventional wisdom that leads first, a study of historical land-use change area, showed most intense erosion, taking form steeply dissected badlands, was associated with cultivated land had been abandoned reverted 1960s onwards. Such severe generally absent under since 1930s. second demonstrated rates lands (‘overgrazed’) were only slightly higher those ‘optimal’ grazing, at level considered not exceed carrying capacity land. These results support ecologist's contention do necessarily degrade range condition relative management based notional capacity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.