Dynamics and influence of environmental components on greenhouse gas emissions in sub-Saharan African rangelands: a review
L. Mapfumo A , V. Muchenje A , J. F. Mupangwa A , M. M. Scholtz B C and S. Washaya
A D E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, P. Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa.
B ARC-Animal Production Institute, P. Bag X2, Irene 0062, South Africa.
C Department of Grasslands and Wildlife Sciences, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.
D Department of Livestock, Wildlife & Fisheries, Gary Magadzire School of Agriculture, Great Zimbabwe University, PO Box 1235, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.
E Corresponding author. Email: jabulaniwashaya@yahoo.com
Animal Production Science 61(8) 721-730 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN20564
Submitted: 6 October 2020 Accepted: 25 February 2021 Published: 16 April 2021
Abstract
Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries consist of ~200 million livestock owners who utilise marginal rangelands as a feed resource base for their animals. These rangelands offer various resources to the communities and are in-turn vulnerable to climate change related challenges. Currently, information on greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from SSA rangelands is heavily dependent on the generic values generated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier I trajectories on various aspects of the environment. There is, therefore, a need to identify research gaps between the dynamics and influences of environmental components, highlight their magnitude and potential aggregate contribution towards GHG emission in an SSA context. Rangeland sustainability, weather patterns, soils, plant biodiversity, and current methods used to measure GHG emission from rangelands are influenced by institutional, community, and national policy frameworks. Various intertwined environmental components exist within the SSA rangeland ecosystems and research has not extensively covered such interactions. It is crucial to generate a database that includes information of in-situ trajectories on GHG emission from soil properties, vegetation image maps using remote sensing and geographic information system, plant biodiversity indices, climatology, and animal husbandry aspects.
Keywords: agricultural rangelands, anthropogenic effects, climate change, ecological footprinting, ecosystems, farming systems, GHG, greenhouse gas emissions, livestock, sub-Saharan Africa.
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