Measuring the social and ecological performance of agricultural innovations on rangelands: Progress and plans for an indicator framework in the LTAR network

Authors: Spiegal, Sheri; WEBB, NICHOLAS - New Mexico State University; BOUGHTON, ELIZABETH - Archbold Biological Station; BOUGHTON, RAOUL - Tampa Bay Analytical Laboratories; BENTLEY-BRYMER, AMANDA - University Of Idaho; Clark, Pat; Holifield Collins, Chandra; Hoover, David; Kaplan, Nicole; McCord, Sarah; MEREDITH, G - University Of Idaho; Porensky, Lauren; Toledo, David; Wilmer, Hailey; WULFHORST, J - Forest Service - Canada; Bestelmeyer, Brandon

Submitted to: Rangelands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/2021
Publication Date: 1/7/2022
Citation: Spiegal, S.A., Webb, N., Boughton, E., Boughton, R., Bentley-Brymer, A., Clark, P., Holifield Collins, C.D., Hoover, D.L., Kaplan, N.E., McCord, S.E., Meredith, G., Porensky, L.M., Toledo, D.N., Wilmer, H.N., Wulfhorst, J.D., Bestelmeyer, B.T. 2022. Measuring the social and ecological performance of agricultural innovations on rangelands: Progress and plans for an indicator framework in the LTAR network. Rangelands. 44:334-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.12.005.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.12.005

Interpretive Summary: The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR) evaluates how agricultural management systems perform relative to sustainable intensification goals in five domains: Environment, Productivity, Economic, Human Condition, and Social. Here we describe our progress and plans for comparing the performance of rangeland management strategies relative to goals in these five domains using indicators. The progress and plans described here are part of LTAR’s new Sustainable Intensification Indicator Framework, which will evolve with stakeholder engagement.

Technical Abstract: The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR) evaluates how agricultural management systems perform relative to sustainable intensification goals in five domains: Environment, Productivity, Economic, Human Condition, and Social. Here we describe our progress and plans for comparing the performance of rangeland management strategies relative to goals in these five domains using indicators. We present a method for measuring outcomes of management against site-specific benchmarks which can be used to compare management performance among grazinglands worldwide. LTAR typically studies management on finer scales (ecological site, herd, ranch); how to measure effects on broader scales (landscape, community) remains a persistent question. The progress and plans described here are part of LTAR’s new Sustainable Intensification Indicator Framework, which will evolve with stakeholder engagement.