Pastoralists can be the best allies for governing the vast rangelands of the globe. Yet existing policy frameworks are seldom friendly to herding communities. A renewed social contract that addresses the rights, needs and interests of pastoral communities is required to reverse increasingly insecure livelihoods in most pastoral regions.

RJ23001Carbon-dioxide-driven increase in foliage projective cover is not the same as increased woody plant density: lessons from an Australian tropical savanna

Gabriel M. Crowley and Stephen A. Murphy

pp. 81-95

Carbon-dioxide fertilisation is increasing foliage projective cover in tropical savannas. We use variography to assess whether such increases on Cape York Peninsula, Australia over the years 2001–2018 equated to increases in woody stem density. Cover increased year-on-year, and was slightly reduced by fire. Variography reflected progressive conversion of grassland to teatree woodland, but only within-canopy foliage increases in eucalypt woodland. Hence, foliage cover increase does not always equate to increased carbon storage in all vegetation types.