The use of pack stock animals in support of recreational and administrative activities in Sierra Nevada (USA) meadows is an issue for land management agencies and special interest groups due to concerns regarding potential environmental effects.  We evaluated the literature on pack stock effects in meadow ecosystems and determined that pack stock animals through grazing and trampling have the potential to affect: plant cover and composition, soil compaction and stream bank integrity.  Sierra Nevada meadow ecosystems are biodiversity hot spots and provide essential ecosystem services so a detailed evaluation of potential stressors is needed for effective stewardship planning.  

Pasture deterioration has occurred in parts of northern Australia and reduces pasture and animal productivity. We reviewed the literature and undertook extensive simulation modelling to show that pasture resting offers a means of improving pasture condition with the degree of improvement depending on appropriate stocking rates and on the proportion of time that a pasture is rested. The practical aspects of implementing a successful pasture resting system require further investigation.

Management of domestic herbivores is an important tool to manipulate the vegetation of alpine grasslands. Throughout the last decades, increased selective and spatially heterogeneous grazing of free-roaming livestock has resulted in a widespread tree and shrub-encroachment of grasslands in the southwestern Alps. Based on this case study, Pastoral Plans and rotational grazing systems with large pastures appear to be efficacious and sustainable management tools to reverse this process, by reducing cattle selectivity and improving grazing distribution on rugged alpine environments.

Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold (Apocynaceae) is an invasive weed that has formed large infestations at several locations in northern Australia. A shade house study into its growth and reproduction under different light levels and plant densities found that young plants will reproduce quickest (within 353 days) and produce maximum seeds under full sunlight and low plant densities. Consequently, under field conditions, annual control activities by land managers should be sufficient to treat new plants before they produce seeds and replenish soil seed banks.

Rangelands are important wealth components, thus restoration of degraded sites is of great importance. Surely, it is not possible to limit their positive outcomes only to financial benefits, but it is necessary to show the economic contributions of these investments for continuous support. This paper estimates the payback period of investments in rangeland improvement in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey to facilitate decision-making on investment policies and to guide future research studies.

Natural populations of sandalwood (Santalum spicatum), famous for its valuable aromatic wood, were studied in central Western Australia over a 17 year period. This long-term study showed that sandalwood regeneration in this region is generally low and populations are in decline. In contrast, a sandalwood seed enrichment program conducted during the same time frame was successful, and similar seed enrichment methods are recommended to help sandalwood populations to regenerate.

The local-scale analysis of trends in climate variables, using climate indices, can be useful in estimating both the potential benefits and risks presented by climate to species populations. The study analysed temperature trends that may affect Emory oak in Mexico and identified the populations likely to be adversely affected by them. The information may be used for in situ and ex situ species conservation programs.

The prediction of net primary productivity (NPP) is important for adaptation to future climate change, food security and sustainable use of the grassland resources. The productivity of grassland in Inner Mongolia would significantly increase under climate change, however, the magnitude of the increase strongly responds to climate change differ between regions and interaction with social-economic based emission scenarios. This will provide opportunities and challenges for herders and policy makers in adapting to the change.