Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Rangeland Ecology
Rangeland Ecology
Ms. Angelina Kanduvarisa
akanduvarisa@nust.na
Ecology 24 August 2021
Namibia University of Science and Technology
(RGE521S)
Assessments 2021
Assessment Weight
Test 1 15 %
Test 2 15%
Assignment 1 _Practical cow feeding behavior (Group assignment) 5%
Middelplaats excursion 20 %
Assignment 2 Seedling trial (Individual Report) 20 %
15 %
Quiz and discussion
Total: 100 %
Excursions 2021
Tue., 14:00 – Tue., 17:00
Thu., 9:30 – Thu., 12:30
Enrolment Key
• RGE2021S
Prescribed reading
Savory, A. (& Butterfield J). (1999). Holistic management. Washington D.C: Island
Press.
Tainton, N.M. (ed.). (1999). Veld management in South Africa. Pietermaritzburg:
University of Natal Press. ‐
Volkmann, W. (2011). Community based rangeland and livestock management.
Windhoek: GOPA‐CBRLM. 2nd edition
. Can be downloaded from: https://rmportal.net/groups/cbrlm/cbrlm‐for‐
review/namibia‐communitybased‐rangeland‐livestock‐management‐cbrlm‐2nd‐
edition/view
Why Rangeland Ecology?
Rangelands
inhabits all
forms of life
and provide
essential
survival
needs.
Livestock derive most of Human derive foods,
their nutritional needs medicines, fuel, and
cheaply from the construction materials
rangeland from the rangeland
Rangelands
provide
forage and
shelter to
animals
Rangeland Ecology
• Rangelands are described as “land on which
the indigenous vegetation is predominantly
grasses, grass‐like plants, forbs, or shrubs
and is managed as a natural ecosystem.”
Rangeland Ecology and Management is a
field of study devoted to understanding and
managing these important ecosystems.
(https://agronomy.unl.edu/range‐pasture‐
forages/rangeland‐ecology‐and‐
management)
Themes
• THEME 1: LIFE OF INDIVIDUAL RANGELAND PLANTS.
• THEME 2: INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS RELATING TO RANGELAND CONDITION
• THEME 3: FORAGE QUALITY AND UTILISATION OF RANGELANDS
• THEME 4: DIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT OPTIONS AND TOOLS IN
RELATION TO MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
• THEME 5: QUANTIFICATION OF RANGELAND RELATIONSHIPS
• Ms Angelina Kanduvarisa
• Email: operyk23@yahoo.com
LECTURES • Cell: 081 2213252
• Landline 061 207 2374
CONTACT • Do not forget to register on
DETAILS Moodle/eLearning
• Sign course syllabi , password is : RGE2021S
THEME 1: Some rangeland terms:
LIFE OF
• Forage :are rangeland plants or parts of plants
INDIVIDUAL eaten by livestock and wildlife,they consist of a
variety of plants
RANGELAND • Fodder: harvested forage plants
PLANTS. • Palatable: desired/liked forage plants
• Unpalatable: not desired/liked
• Toxic: unpalatable plants that are poisonous or can
either harm or kill the animals
• Most important plant is a grass (monocots) belong
to Poaceae family
Why are grasses
so important
• Grass plays an essential role in
nature, especially as a source of
food, but grass provides shelter
and nesting material and usually
it is the animals at the bottom of
the food chain that utilise grass.
... The many insect species rely
on grass for food and shelter.
Forbes : plants which remain small
and grow amongst grasses
Dwarf shrub: woody perennial
rangeland plants taller than Forbes
1.1 Plant
classification Bushes: height of 1m‐3m
Tree : 3m in height
Difference in monocots and dicotyledons?
• Forbes : plants which remain small and grow amongst grasses
• Dwarf shrub: woody perennial rangeland plants taller then Forbes
• Bushes: height of 1m‐3m
• Tree : 3m in height
Perennial vs Annual plants
• Some species of
grasses and forbs
complete their life
Annual Perennial cycles within a year
and are called
annuals.
• Other species
complete their life
cycles over more
than a year and are
called perennials.
Perennial vs annual grasses cont…
Perennial grasses Annual grasses
• Generally perennial grasses • Annual grasses tend to produce
have wider bases than annuals, inflorescences on every tiller,
they have perennating buds and and tend to produce very many
a stronger root system. small seeds. This is because
Perennial grasses that are more annual grasses put most of their
than a year old will have grey energy into ensuring a large
material, from the previous year supply of seeds, to improve the
• Perennial grasses tend to put chances for continuation of the
more of their energy into next generation
ensuring they survive the harsh • Annual grasses tend to have a
conditions during the long dry characteristic shape, with tillers
season, when they put their spreading out at a low angle,
reserves underground. while perennial grasses tend to
have more upright tillers.
Task 1
• Each of you must find out which are Namibia’s top/best grass
spp write them down and come show me together with their
pictures.
• Place them in order
1.3 Structure of
Rangelands pg.14
• Forests are those areas where trees
dominate and where the canopy
cover is > 75%,
Woodlands
• Woodlands are those areas
where trees dominate the
landscape and cover is <75
%,
• Grasslands are those areas where grasses dominate the
landscape and there are few trees or shrubs
Grasslands • NB: study and understand the tables on description of the
different structures of rangelands on pages 14 and 15 in your
study guides!
• A rangeland can also be divided into different
layers, which occur at different heights above
ground.
• The loose organic matter on the ground is referred
to as mulch, or sometimes as litter.
• The grasses and forbs make up the herbaceous
Structure of layer and may also include short woody plants.
• Seedlings would still show their cotyledons. Their
rangelands survival usually depends on how good the rains are
and how much competition they receive from
cont.… grasses.
• Stronger seedlings of woody plants that have shed
their cotyledons and established a firm root system
are known as saplings.
• When saplings grow up through the herbaceous
layer they join the understory layer, if they are still
shorter than the trees or largest bushes. The tops of
the latter make up the canopy layer.