The future of research on food production in the rangelands globally is reviewed and the challenges and prospects for research investment, the organisation of research and human resources issues highlighted. The major concerns identified are the lack of funds for rangelands research at both applied and strategic levels, and the unavailability of a well educated and trained workforce, which may hamper the rangelands from contributing sufficiently to global food security and national conservation goals.

Acacia species are considered invasive throughout many parts of the world, which reduce the grazing capacity of rangelands by limiting cover and production of grasses and forbs. Seedling recruitment of seeds of Dichrostachys cinerea and Acacia nilotica, dispersed by cattle and goats, was studied under natural conditions. Recruitment of seeds, retrieved from goats, was higher than seeds retrieved from cattle and untreated seeds. More seeds can potentially be recruited following seed ingestion by herbivores and, thereby, facilitate encroachment by woody plants.

This paper presents a novel protocol to measure aboveground biomass in heterogeneous environments. The protocol provides accurate assessments of total aboveground biomass for sites dominated by Bunch grass and Spinifex vegetation (Leave-Site-Out Q² values of 0.70–0.88), whereas assessment of green aboveground biomass was accurate for all vegetation types (Leave-Site-Out Q² values of 0.62–0.84). The protocol described can be applied at a range of scales while considerably reducing sampling time.

Mutual help among pastoralists plays a key role in herding in rural Iran where pastoralists share a rich knowledge of dairy production. A study was conducted on the local traditions of the dairy production chain because it is still largely based on reciprocal sharing of labour and milk and local traditions of social cohesion. An elaborate network of communal institutions, based on seasonal cooperation, was found to exist among pastoralists that regulate the use and management of milk and milk products. This study adds to the concept of traditional knowledge being a means of harmonising societal inequalities in rangelands.

This study examines pastoralists’ perceptions of the factors that affect the distribution of livestock in the rangelands of the Neqab region of the Kashmar County in north-east Iran. Results showed that the perception of the majority of pastoralists was that the distribution of livestock was ‘average’ or ‘good’ in the study area. It was perceived that the experience of herders and the size of the rangeland were the main factors influencing the distribution of livestock and that managerial factors had a more important role than biological and physical factors in the distribution of livestock and the proper use of the rangelands in north-east Iran.

Central Queensland native pastures classed as Aristida/Bothriochloa type are very diverse in their floristics whether described in terms of crown cover, frequency or plant density. Chrysopogon fallax was the most consistently recorded perennial grass. A great diversity of minor, small-statured perennial grasses, legumes and forbs provide species richness. There was limited ingress of exotic sown pasture plants. Suggestions are made for incorporating the improved knowledge of the floristics of this pasture type into grazing management schemes.

A survey of central Queensland Aristida/Bothriochloa native pastures looked for correlations between species abundance, soil type and estimated pasture condition. Species with strong correlations to pasture condition were identified, such as the daisies, Themeda triandra and Tragus australianus. Soil type also correlated with abundance of some species but not others and had little influence on pasture structure. However, poorer condition sites were more commonly associated with certain soil types.