Table Of ContentHistoric, Archive Document
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i
UnitedStates Agricultural Program
Departmentof Research Aid 1547
Agriculture Service May 1996
Asthein-house research hewideopenspaceswe
"I"
armoftheU.S. Departmentof know asrangelandplayedan
Agriculture, theAgricultural importantpartinourNation's
ResearchServicehas amission agriculturalpast. Thatimpor-
to: tanceisbynomeansdimin-
ishedtoday. Rangelands
Developnewknowledgeand continue toprovideawide
technologyneededtosolvetechni- arrayofgoods andservices
calagriculturalproblems ofbroad suchas:
scopeandhigh nationalpriorityin
ordertoensureadequateproduc- forage,water, andhabitatfor
tionofhigh-qualityfoodand wildanddomesticated
agriculturalproducts tomeet the animals
nutritionalneedsoftheAmerican waterformunicipaland
consumer, tosustainaviablefood industrialuse
andagriculturaleconomy, andto openspaceforrecreational
maintaina qualityenvironment activitiessuchashunting,
andnaturalresourcebase. fishing,camping,hiking, and
observingwildlife
ThemissionoftheAgricultural
ResearchService's rangeland Sincemorethan50percentof
researchprogramisto: ourlandsurfaceisrangeland,
propercare ofthisnational
Developscientificknowledgeand resource is a matter ofnational
provide technologytoconserve the importance.
natural resourcebase, while
enhancingtheproductivity, Todayweare challengedby
sustainability,andecologicalhealth newquestions aboutrangeland
oftheNation's rangeland. condition, arisingfromdebates
overuse ofpublic lands and multidisciplinaryapproach. At
potentialclimateandenviron- the same time, there iswide-
mentalchanges. Nevertheless, spread agreementamong
v^ell-managed rangelandshave scientiststhatthe overallvision
proventobe a renewable forrangeland researchis to
resource that,whenproperly ensure thatthese ecosystems
grazed, canrepeatedlyand remainhealthy and sustainable
withoutinterruptionprovide throughouttheUnited States.
peoplewithfood, fiber, and
recreationalactivities. The Fundamental Issues
Becauserangeland scienceis a Threefundamentaland
broad collectionofmanyother interlockingissues dominate
naturaland socialsciences,it theARSrangelandresearch
fosters aprogressiveresearch strategy:
agenda. Thestrengthofits
scientists liesintheir diversity Sustainabilityanddiversity
and divergence ofexpertise. Environmentalstewardship
Askanecologist, ananimal Profitability
scientist, a geneticist, a
climatologist, or aneconomist These issues come tobear on
how ourrangelands shouldbe five areas ofconsideration:
treated, andyouTlgetanswers
fromavarietyofperspectives. Water
Factorall those answers to- Soil-Plant-Animal-Atmosphere
getherintoanintegrated Interface
analysis, andyoullappreciate Genetic Diversity
the advantages oftoday's IntegratedPestManagement
IntegratedProductionSystems
Land use policy, management, and steward-
ship reflect responsible consideration ofthe
ability ofrangelands to provide high-quality
water in sufficient amounts tofulfill on- and
off-site requirements.
[ n the United States, quantifying the impacts of
rangelands are a major source rangeland management
ofwater. Researchis advancing tactics and determininghow
strategiesforwatermanage- theyaffectboththewater
mentwhichwillpromote and cycle and erosionprocesses.
safeguard the amountand
quality ofthosewater supplies. developingcomputermodels
Scientists are: which simulate the interactions
ofvariouswatershed manage-
mentpractices and land use
practices.
Soil-Plant-Animal-
Atmosphere
Interface:
Ecosystems Approach
I
Wise use is integral to sustainable and
productive ecosystems.
1^ erbivory is anatural quantifyinghow soilmi-
process thataffects theway crobes affectrangeland
ecosystems lookandbehave. vegetation, includingits
Grazingbylargeherbivores can resilience to grazingand
be used to manage ecosystems, climatic change.
ensuringtheirintegrityover
time. Butresearchisneeded to developingreliableways to
determine theimpacts of monitorhow ecosystems
—
grazingbybothdomesticated respond to stresses inclu-
andwild species, andto dis- dingbothstressesbrought
closehow these species inter- aboutbynature and those
facewithothercomponents of inducedbymanagement.
the ecosystem. Scientists are:
developinglivestockproduc-
tionmethods thatareboth
profitable and environmen-
tally sustainable.
Gpfietic Diversity and
Improvement
f 1^
^^'^^^^'^
'
Genetic stocks are preserved and protected.
Improved plant species better serve asforage
for domesticated and wild animals, improve the
condition ofdisturbed and degraded land, and
help maintain the rangeland as a desirable
recreational locale.
