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Research Project: Towards Resilient Agricultural Systems to Enhance Water Availability, Quality, and Other Ecosystem Services under Changing Climate and Land Use

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Title: Management of water resources for grasslands

Author
item Steiner, Jean
item Wagle, Pradeep
item Gowda, Prasanna

Submitted to: Cambridge University Press
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2017
Publication Date: 7/20/2018
Citation: Steiner, J.L., Wagle, P., Gowda, P.H. 2018. Management of water resources for grasslands. In: Marshall, A. and Collins, R. Improving grassland and pasture management in temperate agriculture. Cambridge, UK: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing. p.265-282. https://doi:10.19103/AS.2017.0024.13.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781351114561

Interpretive Summary: Grasslands support essential food and fiber production, biodiversity, and water function. In general, urban areas and cropland occupies the most fertile, flattest, and humid lands, while planted or native grasslands are located on drier, steeper, or less fertile areas of any region. With continuing pressures from growing population and with increased climate variability and change, it is essential to manage to maintain functional soils, manage livestock pressures, and monitor pasture systems to better inform management decisions. To support the needs of temperate region pasture managers, research needs to focus on plant breeding for heat, drought, and flooding tolerance; heat tolerant cattle breeds; improved grazing management systems, and monitoring systems for soil water and vegetation condition.

Technical Abstract: Grasslands support essential food and fiber production, biodiversity, and water function. In general, urban areas and cropland occupies the most fertile, flattest, and humid lands, while planted or native grasslands are located on drier, steeper, or less fertile areas of any region. With continuing pressures from growing population and with increased climate variability and change, it is essential to manage to maintain functional soils, manage livestock pressures, and monitor pasture systems to better inform management decisions. To support the needs of temperate region pasture managers, research needs to focus on plant breeding for heat, drought, and flooding tolerance; heat tolerant cattle breeds; improved grazing management systems, and monitoring systems for soil water and vegetation condition.