INS 2 - Rangelands in the Age of Megadroughts: Ecology, Livestock, and Landscapes

Organizer(s)

• MD

  Mike Duniway

  Research Ecologist
  US Geological Survey
  Moab, Utah, United States

Co-Organizer(s)

• ER

  Edward Raynor, Ph.D

  Research Scientist
  Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University
  Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
• 

  Cynthia Brown

  Professor
  Colorado State University, Colorado, United States

Rangelands are a dominant Earth ecosystem, representing > 40% of the land surface and producing important ecosystem services for the well-being of rangeland residents and people around the world. In light of this year’s meeting theme, we use an inclusive definition of rangelands, comprising most non-cultivated land types where livestock grazing is or could be a dominant land-use, primarily shrublands, grasslands, and woodlands. These lands regulate the global climate via surface albedo and carbon sequestration, maintain soil and air quality, and provide livestock forage and wildlife habitat. Maintaining the integrity of rangelands around the globe so they continue to provide essential ecosystem services is an important and recognized global conservation objective.

However, climate change and ongoing drought threaten rangeland ecosystem services globally, with broad implications for people, plants, and animals. Information about adaptation to and mitigation of drought on rangelands is particularly salient given the active management of these lands, including manipulation of livestock, vegetation, and other elements. Further, ecologists from a broad range of backgrounds are involved in rangeland management research and application, including academics, private sector consultants, landowners and practitioners, and government agency personnel, fitting within this year’s theme of “All Ecologists”.

In this Ignite session organized by the Rangelands Section, we bring together scientists to share and discuss drought and rangeland management, including the broad climate context of current and forecast droughts, manipulative experiments elucidating the mechanisms of drought impacts on ecosystems, livestock management approaches for adapting to drought, and a perspective from a federal land management agency. The attendees of the session will leave with a better understanding of the current threat of drought to rangelands and society, how we expect those threats to evolve, and how rangeland managers are adapting to drought and climate change.

Presentations:

• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  An update on Southwestern North America's Turn-of-the-21st-Century megadrought
  

  Presenting Author: Park Williams – University of California, Los Angeles
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Climate change and ecological drought in rangelands of the American West
  

  Presenting Author: John B. Bradford – USGS Southwest Biological Science Center

  Co-author: Daniel R. Schlaepfer – USGS Southwest Biological Science Center / Northern Arizona University

  Co-author: Jeanne C. Chambers, PhD – USDA-ARS

  Co-author: Jessi L. Brown – USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station

  Co-author: David I. Board, MS – USDA Forest Service, RMRS

  Co-author: Brice Hanberry – USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station

  Co-author: Alexandra K. Urza – USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station

  Co-author: Michele R. Crist – BLM National Interagency Fire Center
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  When the control becomes the treatment: Experimental droughts in the age of megadroughts
  

  Presenting Author: David L. Hoover – Agricultural Research Service

  Co-author: Anna C. Knight – US Geological Survey

  Co-author: Tara B.B. Bishop – US Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center

  Co-author: Rebecca Finger-Higgens – USGS-Southwest Biological Research Station

  Co-author: Mike C. Duniway – US Geological Survey
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Drought and humanity from a plant's perspective
  

  Presenting Author: Sam Jordan – Arizona State University
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Teaching old cattle breeds new tricks: Adaptation in the age of megadrought
  

  Presenting Author: Sheri Spiegal – USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range

  Co-author: Brandon T. Bestelmeyer – USDA ARS

  Co-author: Andres Cibils – USDA Southern Plains Climate Hub

  Co-author: Matthew Redd – TNC Dugout Ranch

  Co-author: Matthew McIntosh – USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range

  Co-author: Rick Estell – USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Learning from adaptive livestock management during severe drought
  

  Presenting Author: David Augustine, Ph.D – USDA ARS - Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit

  Co-author: Justin D. Derner, Ph.D – Rangeland Resources & Systems Research Unit, USDA ARS

  Co-author: Lauren M. Porensky, Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit – USDA-ARS

  Co-author: David L. Hoover – Agricultural Research Service

  Co-author: Edward J. Raynor, Ph.D – Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University

  Co-author: Sean Kearney – USDA-ARS
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Building Drought Resilience on Public Lands
  

  Presenting Author: Paula A. Cutillo – DOI Bureau of Land Management
• 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Discussion (until session ends)